Reflections

I entered my Danish transgression with pre-conceptions of my experience to be. However, as will become evident through the medium of these musings, these pre-conceptions were broken; erased; warped, as my emersion within Danish culture grew.


Silence

The dominant memory for me of the Danes was their quiet contemplation; everything they (the Danes) seemed to say had been conceived, reflected upon and announced with such calm confidence that it was intoxicating. Perhaps this was because they were speaking in, their non-native English, but I like to think this merely enhanced the experience.


Solitude

A further reflection upon my transgression into the Danish way of life was the importance of solitude. By this I now realise I do not mean this in an antisocial manner (as I had originally pre-conceived); I witnessed solitude as a means of reflection, an opportunity for hard work, and a means of self-acceptance. An attribute that I have actively sought upon my return to England.

Solitude is something that I have long held close. However perhaps with not the same agenda as the Danes. My solitude was simply a means of escapism, a means of shedding the stresses of he day. However, now I try to consider my solitude more. Why could my solitude not be more? A focus for an inward reflection perhaps.

I am not quite sure where this inward reflection would take me, or even yet if I am comfortable with exposing myself to it, but I do have a real desire to test if I can better myself through the use of silence, solitude and stillness.


Stillness

Post transgression I have been trying to explore the idea of stillness as a way of enabling inward reflections. I believe that a meditative state of silence and stillness can encourage “otherness”. Throughout history stillness has been used by monks, poets and artists (to name a few professions), with great effect to sharpen focus and aid creativity. But are there any architectural traits that could encourage inner reflections?