Solitude and self have been common topics for discussion and scrutiny by philosophers, scholars and writers. However, it was not until the turn of the twentieth century, with women 's enlightenment, that one notices women writers ' interest in understanding their selves in moments of solitude. Women who were conscious of drastic social changes often examined their lives and explored their selves in solitude. Katherine Mansfield and Virginia Woolf represent women writers of their time who shared a common interest in portraying women's quests for self in solitude. The present study shows how the solitary state is a significant precondition for modern women to reflect on their lives or explore their selves at a time when society was undergoing drastic changes. A close study of Katherine Mansfield 's "Frau Brechenmacher Attends a Wedding" (19 l 0), "Kezia and Tui" (1916), "Prelude" ( 1918), "At the Bay" ( 1922), and "All Serene!" (1923) shows that Mansfield always offers her women characters punitive consequences in the endings because of their compromise with their mundane conditions even though they have gained some sense of the self through contemplation and meditation. In the case of Virginia Woolf, she situates her women characters in isolation and contemplation, and often presents her women characters as active seekers of self through meditation and alienation. Autonomy, authenticity, and vision define these women's emerging self in such novels as Night and Day ( 1919), Orlando ( 1928), and To the Lighthouse ( 1927). The present study reveals Katherine Mansfield and Virginia Woolf as two exemplary women writers who examine women in moments of solitude through the interplay of social and psychological reality. Solitude is a recurrent condition and theme in their fiction that is often presented in "contrapuntal" manner (Dunbar ix). The contrast between women 's public and performative existence and their private and unmasked self characterises the fiction of Mansfield and Woolf, allowing the two writers to examine patriarchal oppression of women's acquisition of self against the backdrop of modernity. Mansfield and Woolf's treatment of solitude is particularly important as it sheds light on their shared views and friendship. Solitude is treated as a critical state, a condition, a private space, an attitude, or a refuge from performativity for women in their texts. Yet they have adopted distinct writing strategies in dealing with the subject owing to their difference in experience and literary outlook. Mansfield creates heroines who are more practical and modest in their approach to the subject of self-construction. Woolf creates women characters who often resort consciously to solitude to challenge and reflect upon gender norms, gain a better sense of their selves, and deploy various means to attain self-realisation.

Passing and meeting or looking for a shared space where we could be together or where we could be alone together. Is it possible, for a short moment at least, to step into the other one's world? Finding yourself along with finding the other one. Will we be able to recognize the boundary, once we cross it? This work should focus on a) exploring the space, b) exploring the space within us, and c) on a conflict, touch, on two spaces getting closer and getting further away (both on a physical and psychological level) - private space and public space, whose boundaries are blurring nowadays. These topics are applied on art as well (particularly on the works of performance art) and accounted for the outcomes in its own creative work. KEYWORDS Subjectivity, intersubjectivity, space, body, solitude, tension

The narrative research journey and pilgrimage into and epistemological reflection on the relevance of the Benedictine, Franciscan and Taizé monastic-mystic traditions (associative spirituality) for retreat within the Dutch Reformed tradition (disassociate spirituality) began because of a passion for, an interest in retreat and because of lack of research done on the subject. The research developed in story form as a participative active process of story development, interpretation, and reflection in which the researcher and the research subject as valued co-researchers (co-pilgrims) constructed a shared reality and new story together. Consequently, the observations and experiences reflected on may tell just as much about the researcher as about the action of retreat and the research participants. The action of retreat was not approached in a neutral, objective stance but with self-awareness, particular presuppositions, and a postmodern philosophical mindset with ideological-critical, deconstructive and inclusive thought processes. The research problem was viewed as a narrative situation of action, explained by means of empirical research, and interpreted via epistemological reflection and theological theories. The focus has not been on new or adapted theory formulation, hypotheses, or “conclusions” as such but on the empiric interaction between the experiences of Mystery (noumenon), the Jesus narrative, stories of the co-pilgrims, monastic traditions, Dutch Reformed tradition, the researchers’ own story, and those who might read the thesis. A potential amplifying or expanding of the repertoire of existing options and meanings were viewed as a possibility in the creative development of a new reality or research story. The aim was to listen to, understand, and interpret qualitatively the subjective dimension and experience of the reality (story/ies) of retreat as a situation where pilgrims (from different traditions and spiritualities) were in relation with God, self and others. The research journey took me into the life world of the monastic-mystic traditions and my own internal dialectics and story within a Dutch Reformed context. From here arose questions, engagement, and re-engagement with the monastic traditions and a new story. The concern was the beliefs and practices of the retreatants (co pilgrims) under study as beings in real-life human experiential reality, taking seriously their concerns, expressions of belief, practice, perceptions, and stories. The data from the empirical encounter was subsequently investigated, mapped with the major themes and interests highlighted and reflected on in the process. The main themes and focal points that were identified and researched were: -- The lives and stories of St. Benedict, St. Francis, and Br. Roger, their respective communities’ monastic-mystic spirituality, the way these traditions approach retreat and the way they live or express their respective monastic rules or orders in comparison with the Dutch Reformed traditions’ retreat narrative. -- The main elements of Monastic retreat namely silence, solitude, lectio divina in facilitating an awareness of God and the mystery of God as part of the journey to the inner mountain, ever deeper into his presence. -- Different types of retreat and especially the experience of monastic retreat, the experience of holy places (desert spirituality) as places saturated by prayer, Eucharist and the community of pilgrims, and retreat as pilgrimage experience. -- Retreat as ritual following a rite of passage structure of separation, marginality and reincorporation focusing on structure and anti-structure (power of liminality) as helpful tool of analysis and framework for planning of retreat. -- The potential therapeutic or pastoral care qualities of a monastic way of retreat facilitating in pilgrims, life story interpretation and new understanding of stories. The research story ended in the form of findings and the posing of possible questions for future research. / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Andrej Kutarňa Carthusian Prayer Diploma thesis 2011 Abstract The Diploma thesis entitled "Carthusian Prayer" is trying to collect and arrange a body of information about the spiritual world of the Carthusian order. It aims at discovering the key characteristics of the life of prayer as seen by members of Carthusian order both in early and recent history of the Order and presented in their writings. First the thesis presents the wider context of carthusian prayer by showing the way of life of carthusian monks and what is specific to this particular monastic tradition, also trying to point at some possible sources of inspiration from older traditions. Then it proceeds to the matter of solitude and silence which are the formative elements that mould the carthusian prayer into the shape of simplicity and sobriety while retaining fine balance of community and solitary life, as well as that of great silence and living inner dialogue. The latter part of the thesis then attemps to show the inner dynamics of the prayer and the role of silence, liturgical and personal prayer and meditation of Scriptures for achieving unification with God, which is both the goal and the fruit of spiritual life. It also explains other fruits of prayer both for the praying monk himself and for other people. While it is not possible to...

Theme of loneliness generates in most of us negative feelings of fear and emptiness, while rarely on Loneliness, is regarded as positive, life takes effect. The actual problem is a taboo, hides in the background of the more popular social topics, so we usually lack information that would allow us to approach him other than "emotional" attitude. However, it is linked to a number of fundamental questions, whether by death, the awareness of one's own being, and as a result, it is also about taking responsibility for himself and perception of normality, individuality and conformity. For this reason, I believe that the relationship that we create to loneliness, forms then our relationship to ourselves, our close relationship and subsequently the functioning of the whole society.

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This study examines the efficacy of psychotherapeutic services via computer-mediated communication (CMC). Its main purpose is to determine if goal-oriented cognitive-behavioural group teletherapy via IRC can reduce feelings of loneliness among chronically lonely people with physical disabilities. Using a comparison design with pretest, post-test, follow-up and waiting-list control, 19 participants formed seven groups of 2–3 people. Participants completed an in-person individual assessment during which individualized therapeutic goals were enumerated. They also attended twelve 2-hour group intervention sessions via inter-relay-chat (IRC). Results indicate that participants felt less lonely after intervention. Moreover, participants who completed intervention felt less lonely at post-test than a similar group that had been placed in a waiting-list control. Furthermore, results indicate that gains were maintained at a 4-month follow-up. The results of this study are discussed, along with participants' comments about the intervention, its practical implications and some special considerations for teletherapy, as well as future directions for research.

Cette thèse porte sur l’analyse des relations intertextuelles entre des œuvres littéraires et philosophiques allemandes, notamment les textes de Novalis et de Rilke, et le recueil de sonnets de l’écrivain et traducteur chinois moderne Feng Zhi. Le but de cette étude est d’analyser et de discerner dans quelle mesure il est possible d’établir des relations « transtextuelles » entre la littérature primaire, la thèse de doctorat de Feng Zhi, qui a joué un rôle vital dans le développement de sa voix poétique, et son recueil de sonnets. Les textes analysés dans le cadre de cette étude visent à montrer comment certains indices transculturels de la poésie de Feng Zhi définissent la tendance poétique de l’écrivain en tant que postromantique et métaphysique, alors qu’une recherche plus approfondie et d’autres évidences transtextuelles encadrent sa production lyrique parmi les premiers exemples de littérature moderniste chinoise. Les profondes et énigmatiques réflexions contemplatives des sonnets font de Feng Zhi un poète métaphysique. La voix lyrique s'engage avec le monde extérieur et gagne de nouvelles expériences esthétiques à travers l'imagination, la méditation sur l'infini spatial et temporel, la reconnaissance de l'état mutable et permanent de la matière, et une finale réalisation existentielle de l'auto-accomplissement de l'homme à travers son état d'isolement. Cette étude analyse enfin l'idée conceptualisée de l'infini et de la transcendance poétique évoquée par le mysticisme orphique. Cette approche redéfinit la relation du sujet poétique avec le monde extérieur et sa perception constructive finale de sa position au sein de la communauté, de la nature et du cosmos dans son ensemble. / The research conducted in this work focuses on the intertextuality between German literary and philosophical works, notably those of Novalis and Rilke, and the sonnet collection of the modern Chinese scholar and writer Feng Zhi. This study analyses the extent to which transtextual elements travel between the primary literature, the author’s own German doctoral dissertation, which ultimately played a vital role in the development of his lyrical voice, and his sonnets. Moreover, the texts analysed in this study attempt to demonstrate how given transcultural elements in Feng Zhi’s poetry define the writer’s apparent poetic tendency as a post-Romantic and metaphysical lyricist, whereas other closer transtextual investigations place his work among the first examples of Chinese modernist writings. The profound and enigmatic contemplative reflections of the sonnets make Feng Zhi a metaphysical poet. The lyrical self engages with the surrounding world and gains new aesthetic experiences through the power of imagination, the meditation on spatial and temporal infinity, the recognition of the changeable and permanent state of matter, and a final existential realisation of man’s self-completion through his state of isolation. This study finally also analyses the conceptualised idea of infinity and transcendence evoked by Orphic mysticism. This approach redefines the poetic subject’s relationship with the outer world, and the subject’s final perception of his position within the community, nature and the cosmos as a whole.

Egaré dans l’histoire, dans un devenir horizontal qui le condamne à s’autodétruire pour s’affirmer, l’homme de Cioran s’ouvre par moments à un devenir vertical, soit en s’élevant à travers l’extase qui le transfigure, soit en tombant à travers l’ennui qui le défigure. En envisageant la pensée de Cioran comme une « course thérapeutique en sens cosmique » ou comme une errance infinie issue d’une « théologie sentimentale où l’absolu se construit avec les éléments du désir », cette thèse, consacrée à la fois à l’œuvre française et à l’œuvre roumaine, s’attache à l’évolution de l’auteur de l’une à l’autre tout en dénonçant le mythe de la césure entre les deux. En posant le nihilisme à la fois comme un poison et comme un remède, comme l’horizon d’une fin ou d’un nouveau commencement, l’étude se propose d’analyser les processus et les expériences à travers lesquels le nihilisme est vaincu par lui-même. Le diagnostic du « héros de la rétractation » est interprété à partir de ses tentations et de ses inconséquences ; son exploration des impasses, son évasion dans le virtuel, ses hésitations entre une carrière métaphysique et un rôle historique, sa lutte avec le temps et ses expériences extatiques, sont analysées à partir d’une double tentation d’un même passage : « du néant vers le monde » et « du monde vers le néant ». / Going astray in History, in a horizontal becoming which condemns him to self-destruct to assert himself, Cioran’s man opens at times to a vertical becoming either in rising through the ecstasy that transfigures, either by falling through boredom which disfigures. Considering Cioran’s thought as a « therapeutic run in a cosmic sense » or as an endless wandering stemming from « a sentimental theology, in which the Absolute is built with the elements of desire », this study, devoted both to the French and Romanian works, focuses on the evolution of the author from one to the other by denouncing the myth of the caesura between the two works. Assuming both nihilism as a poison and as a remedy, as the horizon of an end or of a new beginning, the study aims to analyse the processes and experiences through which nihilism is defeated by itself. The diagnosis of the « hero of the withdrawal » is interpreted from his temptations and his inconsistencies ; his exploration of the impasses, his escape into the virtual, his hesitation between a metaphysical career and a historic role, his struggle with time and ecstatic experiences, are analyzed from a double temptation of a same passage : « from nothingness to the world » and « from the world towards nothingness ».

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the coexistence of time in Gabriel Garcfa Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude as a cause of the supernatural events, the hereditary memory, and the solitude and to examine the effects of this mythical time frame on character development, plot, narrative structure, and theme. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter introduces the parchments as creators of mythical time. The second, third, and fourth chapters investigate the effects of this unconventional time. Supernatural events, clairvoyance, and solitude are all examined as effects. The final chapter correlates the writing of the parchments with the writing of the novel and explains the effects of unconventional time on the reader. Thus, this thesis illustrates how the coexistence of time functions of two levels: the level of the parchments and the level of the novel.