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Darkness as Bell Tower
The poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a line that reframes suffering: “Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell. As you ring, what batters you becomes your strength.”
In this personal episode, Cameron shares how this line helped him move from trying to physically fight his past trauma (as an MMA fighter) to breathing through it. We explore the idea that darkness isn't a comprehensive cage, but a context—a structure where you can build resiliency and "ring your bell."
The Resource:
Read the full poem, Let This Darkness be a Bell Tower, translated by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows, here: On Being with Krista Tippett
The Inquiry:
Bring attention to 2 or 3 of your life’s “bell towers”—the past struggles that felt defining. Have you found ways to ring your bell inside them? And is the resiliency you built a core part of the story you now tell yourself?
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Every Thursday, host Cameron Conaway shares a lens that has helped him live with more clarity and courage. No hacks. Just thoughts from a business school professor, former MMA fighter, and investigative journalist trying to wring every last drop out of this wild and precious life.
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By Cameron ConawayThe poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a line that reframes suffering: “Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell. As you ring, what batters you becomes your strength.”
In this personal episode, Cameron shares how this line helped him move from trying to physically fight his past trauma (as an MMA fighter) to breathing through it. We explore the idea that darkness isn't a comprehensive cage, but a context—a structure where you can build resiliency and "ring your bell."
The Resource:
Read the full poem, Let This Darkness be a Bell Tower, translated by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows, here: On Being with Krista Tippett
The Inquiry:
Bring attention to 2 or 3 of your life’s “bell towers”—the past struggles that felt defining. Have you found ways to ring your bell inside them? And is the resiliency you built a core part of the story you now tell yourself?
---
Every Thursday, host Cameron Conaway shares a lens that has helped him live with more clarity and courage. No hacks. Just thoughts from a business school professor, former MMA fighter, and investigative journalist trying to wring every last drop out of this wild and precious life.