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I Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

In Friedrich Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" we are introduced to the Overman. The Overman has been through many challenges and has overcome himself to find true freedom. The novel opens with Zarathustra descending from his cave in the mountains after ten years of solitude. He is brimming with wisdom and love.
Nietzsche himself suffered much in his life, and it seems that Zarathustra represents his own metamorphosis through his darkness and his struggles.

Nietzsche writes of three spiritual metamorphoses that must be undergone for the individual to reach the state of Overman:
#1 The Camel
“What is difficult? asks the spirit that would bear much, and kneels down like a camel wanting to be well loaded. What is most difficult, O heroes, asks the spirit that would bear much, that I may take it upon myself and exult in my strength?”
What Nietzsche is saying is that before one can become Overman, one must first bear a great many burdens.
The camel does not run from life or distract itself from it. Rather embraces and accepts the difficulties that it presents. In doing so, the camel is humbled and strengthened. Only through suffering these challenges does the camel gain the strength and resilience necessary to attain the next spiritual metamorphosis.
#2 The Lion
Nietzsche goes on to describe how the camel ultimately enters “the loneliest desert” before becoming a lion. The camel has endured the struggles and in doing so has separated from herd. He is different and misunderstood. The darkness is great at this time, it's lonely and one questions the decision to come in the first place. He is forced to either give up the journey or become "The Lion" and be master of the desert. The Lion symbolizes courage and strength which is needed to fight off the demands of society to become an individual not constrained by the controls of a weak society.
#3 The Child
After The Lion stands up against the constraints of the weak he again transforms. The Child lives in the moment, is ok with change and uncertainty and lives in the moment with wonderment and playfulness. In this state one can create his own will. He has achieved true freedom.

While none of us wants to go through this darkness and uncertainty it is necessary. We fear it because we want to know for certain that it will be ok on the other side. We get no assurances except for the saints, sages, philosophers etc. that have gone on before us.
Rumi could not have written such moving poetry without the darkness.
Mother Teresa said it enabled her to better understand those she cared for.
Jung tells us "There is no coming to consciousness without pain"

To my fellow travelers on this journey you have my utmost respect and adoration, for it takes incredible courage..............Namaste
curiosi, thank you so much for posting this. This is a very dark part of the journey for me - lots of pain. I am a great devote of Nietzsche, and his spiritual metamorphosis is quite helpful. My preference is to not give up the journey, but, to be honest, it gets difficult to continue with chronic physical pain.
Peaches · F
This is beautiful...[i][c=#7700B2]Namaste💓[/c][/i]
SW-User

 
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