A linguistic observation
The small bakery
You are walking home after work…
You pass by a small bakery , you do not plan to stop
But instantly a feeling rises
For a second you linger, you don’t know why ..
You continue walking
Yet the feeling follows you into the evening
At the moment you do not know what it is only that you are unexpectedly moved
I began to look for a language that could describe this kind of experience
Hebrew letter Vav
What Letter Vav does in time
Biblical Hebrew does not originally think in past, present , future the same way European languages ( Greek, English, French do)
It distinguishes between perfect ( completed action) and imperfect ( incomplete, ongoing) .
Qatal , the speaker views the action as complete, yiqtol in process, unfolding.
The Hebrew Letter Vav means and ( the consecutive Vav-1 ) But in Biblical Hebrew it quietly also does something else: It changes how time is explained (2)
( so there are 2 notions linked to this letter)
For Example in Genesis :
And God said
In Biblical Hebrew, “He said” is often written as וַיֹּאמֶר (Va-yomer). This phrase is a primary example of the Vav Conversive (or Vav Consecutive), where a prefix changes the tense of the verb.
Here is the breakdown of the meaning and structure:
- Yomer (יֹאמֶר): The imperfect (prefix) form of the verb “to say,” which literally means “he will say” or “he says”.
- Vav Prefix (וַ): When attached to the future form, this special vav acts as a “conversional” marker, flipping the meaning from future to past.
- Va-yomer (וַיֹּאמֶר): Therefore, the combination means “And he said”.
On another note, this is not simply past, it is sequential past, each action follows the previous one (1) there is a narrative an unfolding story.
This is why Genesis sounds rhythmic >and He said, and He saw, and He separated.
The Vav is a small vertical line which is added to the right ( which is the start Hebrew is read from right to left)
An experiential implication
Grammatically, Vav links actions into a sequence. Existentially , it resembles the way meaning appears in life when events are connected.
The following shots can be read as visual metaphors for two common ways the mind some times responds to an emotionally charged experience.
The Lego video may be read as one possible response to an unexpected emotional moment.
Rather than remaining with the feelings attention turns towards organizing, explaining the experience . This movement is not indifference. it is way of regaining orientation
The ballerina
The ballerina scene suggests a different response, it is absorption into the feeling
So far we have looked at immediate regulation responses.
But there is third way ( Vav way)
The small episode at the bakery can be seen differently.
Step a
Van as re interpretation : the moment becomes understandable – you understand you were either suppressing feelings altogether or you were immersed in them (2) You realise your present reaction has to do with a past event.
Step b
You realise your life as a sequence, u see the pattern you have been following as a story. It is at this time, that we turn , your life after this becomes the moment after which you change , you live differently after this. (1)
From now one you are being present while aware. ( you remain inside the experience with consciousness) You are balancing lego ballerina energies.
This is the metaphor of the dancer mastering balance below In the place of the dancer put any human being who has integrated opposites , who rests well in ambiguity
Invitation to play
Watch the following video and play with the metaphors, watch the change and interplay of colors.
Notice what happens inside of you
Some times you are absorbed in the beauty and you forget yourself, some times you step back and begin to interpet.
Occasionally you may notice something else.
You are still moved by the dance ( replace the ballerina dancing with a movie, a song ) yet at the same time you are aware of yourself watching
You are inside the experience and aware of it together.
This linking awareness is what I am comparing to letter VAV.
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