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THE WINTER FOLDSundays, Jan 19–Feb 23 20255–7PM EST on Zoom
1/ 2 / 3 / 4 / WK 5Rest as Becoming
Today’s Flow:

  1. Check-In
  2. Grounding Practice
  3. Intro to Rainer Maria Rilke
  4. Prompts
  5. Audio Litening
  6. Letter Writing
  7. Group Share & Closing


Rainer Maria Rilke


    This week is about becoming as an act of rest. Rainer Maria Rilke reminds us that transformation often happens in stillness—unseen, unfolding quietly beneath the surface.

    Becoming isn’t about force; it’s about trust. What if we allowed change to take shape without rushing it? What shifts when we embrace uncertainty, letting the future grow within us at its own pace? 


    Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) was a deeply introspective poet and philosopher of the inner life, whose work explores themes of solitude, transformation, and the slow, unseen process of becoming.



    • Born in 1875 in Prague, died in 1926 in Switzerland
    • One of the most profound poets of the 20th century
    • Famous works include Letters to a Young Poet, The Duino Elegies, and Sonnets to Orpheus
    • Believed that creativity comes from deep inner necessity, not external validation
    • Emphasized patience, self-reflection, and embracing the unknown as essential to growth
    • Encouraged artists to “live the questions” rather than seeking immediate answers
    • Saw solitude as essential for personal and creative development
    • His writing continues to resonate as a guide for those navigating uncertainty, artistic struggle, and the slow process of becoming

    Letters to a Young Poet is a collection of ten letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke to a young aspiring poet, Franz Xaver Kappus, between 1903 and 1908.

    Offering profound reflections on creativity, solitude, love, and inner transformation, Rilke encourages the young poet to trust the slow unfolding of life, embrace uncertainty, and cultivate art from a place of deep necessity.

    It remains a     timeless meditation on the inner life of an artist, still widely read for its wisdom on creativity, self-discovery, and trust in the unfolding of life.
    Letter 1: Creativity & Necessity (3 minutes)

    “Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”

    • What has this season of rest revealed about what you truly need? 

    Letter 2: Solitude & Trust (3 minutes)

    “Love your solitude and bear the pain it causes you with melody.”

    • How has solitude or retreat shaped you in ways you didn’t expect?

    Letter 3: Patience & Growth (3 minutes)

    “Everything must be carried to term before it is born.”

    • What in your life is quietly growing, even if you can’t see the full shape yet?

    Letter 4: Living the Questions (3 minutes)

    “Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.”

    • What is one question you are learning to live with, rather than rushing to answer?

    Letter 5: Love & Becoming (3 minutes)

    “Love consists in this: that two solitudes protect and border and greet each other.”

    • How can you offer yourself the same gentle patience you would offer someone you love?

    Letter 6: Change & Transformation (3 minutes)

    “Allow your judgments their silent, undisturbed development.”

    • What beliefs about yourself have begun to shift during this time?