Serenity hidden

Serenity is elusive. Ever since I first saw Arnold Böcklin’s painting in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, I have sought to discover its meaning. The subject is clear, the water of the Styx dark enough, this is the underworld. Perhaps the meaning is to be found here.

See also: unframed Toteninsel

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A dream

I have since, perhaps because of my illness, followed another track, perhaps, this is about a journey, not quite an end point, but not yet death, in the usual sense. It is about the thought of death, the reflection before the end. In other terms a dream. The dreamer anticipates his journey, his arrival on the Island of the Dead. It tells us something of his anticipation, perhaps his hope: a serene journey, before meeting his maker.

The word I am looking for is…

The word I am looking for is serenity, a state of mind. That’s what my AI search engine has come up with:

“Serenity is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. It is a quality of being free from worries, stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. Achieving serenity means you won’t feel as troubled by life’s ups and downs. It is a state of mind that allows you to remain calm and composed even in the face of adversity.

Key Characteristics

Composure: it allows you to remain composed and calm even in the face of adversity.

Calmness: it is characterised by a sense of calmness, which helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

Peacefulness: it is a peaceful state of mind, free from turmoil and chaos.

Inner Peace: It is often associated with a deep sense of inner peace that can be achieved through various practices such as meditation, mindfulness, or simply spending time in nature.”

That will do. To rephrase, Toteninsel is a dream of inner peace, as the dreamer knows that his time is getting closer, and wishes to be free of anxiety and fear.

The first letter

To conclude, I wish to quote my mentor, Ivan Ilyin:

“You see, I have always had the sense that there is something serene, forgiving, and healing about death… I wake up, as if I were fast asleep, to blessed reality – to a death that certainly awaits me… How good that it will come and establish the boundary! How wonderful that it will put an end to my earthly disharmony!

This means that the world’s mistake which bears my earthly name can be extinguished and corrected… And death will come like a redeemer, or a healer. It will mercifully cover me with its shelter. It will give me forgiveness and release. It will open to me new and better possibilities. I will accept the freedom it gives me; emboldened by it, I will begin my ascent to the most exalted harmonies…”

Photo: Arnold Böcklin, die Toteninsel – ©2013 Honoré Dupuis