This is the only one of hers that I’ve read (I’m not sure how many of her books have been translated into English). You can read a sample on Amazon and see if you’re interested. She references Hermes Trismegistus in the first sentence of the book. She was essentially an Orthodox Christian Hermeticist. And a woman at that!
Wow. How beautiful and how timely... I have been reading a lot of Winnicott's writings on the emergence of a Self in infancy, and the necessity of a "holding environment" created by our primary attachment relationship (usually Mom) for that nascent "inherited potential" to cohere into a "continuity of Being" over time. Outside of this relationship, a True Self does not cohere, and a False Self is constructed based on reactions to the environment (desires, fears, etc - ie the passions). A lot of it reminds me of Orthodox writings on Self or Personhood -- how Self is seen as fundamentally relational, dynamic, and also possessing a quality of limitless mystery (that I would perhaps call eschatological).
Do you know of anyone aside from you who has done English translation of this? I dunno if my French would be good enough and if I want to cite this lovely piece of writing, I don't think I can say I got it from Monsieur Loup (2025)! :D Worse comes to worse I could putter through the French (I got a minor in it back in the day...) but I haven't done that in a while.
Thank you for sharing this! It was like my mind felt at peace and everything made sense... !
Wonderful to hear! Sadly I don't think any of his work is available in English. The French book is still in print and easily available from Amazon, tho, so you could always just get a copy and cite it in French! That is a fascinating reflection on Winnitcott -- I knew him only by name -- can you recommend anything of his to begin with?
Alrighty then, it's go-go-Gadget French skills! :)
Honestly the stuff I enjoy reading about most of his is his papers. Theory of the Parent-Infant Relationship has a lot on how the relationship with the parent facilitates the emergence of a "continuity of being". I believe there is a volume of collected papers. I think "The Maturational Process" probably contains the most about the emergence of Self and the difference between a True Self and False Self.
I just found out recently that a Greek psychoanalyst (Thermos) did a book on Winnicott and St. Gregory Palamas' theology concerning personhood!!! It's coming in the mail :)
I have probably read more modern spiritual/religious authors from France or in French than I have from any other nation/language and I thought I was reasonably well acquainted with francophone Orthodoxy, but you regularly introduce me to new such voices: for which I am much obliged.
Whoa, I see the intro references Annick de Souzenelle. She wrote a Christian Cabbalistic text from an Orthodox perspective. It’s an amazing text!
This one? https://www.amazon.fr/Lettre-chemin-vie-symbolisme-h%C3%A9bra%C3%AFques/dp/2226065121
This one: https://a.co/d/19A5Mq6
I just found it! Should that be the first of her books I look at?
This is the only one of hers that I’ve read (I’m not sure how many of her books have been translated into English). You can read a sample on Amazon and see if you’re interested. She references Hermes Trismegistus in the first sentence of the book. She was essentially an Orthodox Christian Hermeticist. And a woman at that!
SIGN. ME. UP.
Wow. How beautiful and how timely... I have been reading a lot of Winnicott's writings on the emergence of a Self in infancy, and the necessity of a "holding environment" created by our primary attachment relationship (usually Mom) for that nascent "inherited potential" to cohere into a "continuity of Being" over time. Outside of this relationship, a True Self does not cohere, and a False Self is constructed based on reactions to the environment (desires, fears, etc - ie the passions). A lot of it reminds me of Orthodox writings on Self or Personhood -- how Self is seen as fundamentally relational, dynamic, and also possessing a quality of limitless mystery (that I would perhaps call eschatological).
Do you know of anyone aside from you who has done English translation of this? I dunno if my French would be good enough and if I want to cite this lovely piece of writing, I don't think I can say I got it from Monsieur Loup (2025)! :D Worse comes to worse I could putter through the French (I got a minor in it back in the day...) but I haven't done that in a while.
Thank you for sharing this! It was like my mind felt at peace and everything made sense... !
Wonderful to hear! Sadly I don't think any of his work is available in English. The French book is still in print and easily available from Amazon, tho, so you could always just get a copy and cite it in French! That is a fascinating reflection on Winnitcott -- I knew him only by name -- can you recommend anything of his to begin with?
You guys might be interested in this small book : https://alexanderpress.com/shop/in-search-of-the-person-167?search=in+search#attr=49
edit: just saw it was mentioned later in the thread lol
I'd missed it though! So thank you!
PS - his most well known is probably The Child, The Family and the Outside World!
Alrighty then, it's go-go-Gadget French skills! :)
Honestly the stuff I enjoy reading about most of his is his papers. Theory of the Parent-Infant Relationship has a lot on how the relationship with the parent facilitates the emergence of a "continuity of being". I believe there is a volume of collected papers. I think "The Maturational Process" probably contains the most about the emergence of Self and the difference between a True Self and False Self.
I just found out recently that a Greek psychoanalyst (Thermos) did a book on Winnicott and St. Gregory Palamas' theology concerning personhood!!! It's coming in the mail :)
Stunning & oddly relevant for me at this particular moment in life, thank you.
So glad to hear... God is good.
Have you read this one as well? Dautais totally new to me. This one appeals, but I may actually start with his book on the Gospel of John.
https://www.nouvellecite.fr/product/128155/ros-et-liberte/
Next on my list -- I just ordered it!
I have probably read more modern spiritual/religious authors from France or in French than I have from any other nation/language and I thought I was reasonably well acquainted with francophone Orthodoxy, but you regularly introduce me to new such voices: for which I am much obliged.
Uh oh just found another one... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annick_de_Souzenelle
And a Breton too! I’m sold.