What is the background of the westeastern-diwan-language-concept?
Life can be a bridge of meaning, cooperation and joy
between people, animals and nature in order to participate in a good life
Learning a language is not just learning words and putting them together according to grammatical rules! It presents many challenges:
1. An intensive selfexploration of you, your background and culture, making you aware of your potential, inner motivation and external conditions like time and resources. In order to be able in the future not only to express yourself without difficulty but also to understand all kind of levels in the foreign language.
2. Intensive exposure to the language as a foreign `world´ in itself, foreign people and a foreign mentality. This exposure is enabled and supported by the teachers and their chosen learning materials. The trainer is a kind of catalyst, who - besides teaching words and rules – can help make parts of different cultures visible. Each language is a way of viewing and understanding the world. This fact leads to knowledge of oneself and others. And can lead to win-win situations in many respects.
Beside the classical lessons, in combination with preparing to the exams from B1 to C2, I also offer for B2 students or more advanced learning German by literature or good articles.
Regardless of the level and focus, learning requires enough time and in the best case small groups or individual classes, so that the learning process will be a positive holistic experience.
Inspired by Ruth Cohn´s renowned theories, we can compare this complex process to entering an unknown world.
Since childhood I have been very interested in languages and the ways different cultures think, communicate, feel and act. I am convinced that differences need not have negative consequences such as separation, misunderstanding, aggression or even wars, as long as everyone is respectful and aware of their own needs, talents and acknoledges the rights and different lifestyles of others. And only then can life be `win-win´for all.
Occidental and oriental countries have been interacting for thousands of years, often fighting and seeking to dominate each other – similar to disagreements between family members. But there is a fascination in knowing that other cultures possess things the „sibling“ lacks, and therefore, seeks to experience and assimilate.
Nevertheless, in literature, and poetry especially, occident and orient cultures have had profound and beautiful meetings and exchanges!
In the early 19th century, the immortal verses of the Persian poet Hafis, were translated by Friedrich Rückert, a German author and poet. Later, Goethe was inspired by Hafis´ passionate and subtle poetry to write his „West-eastern Diwan“. The writing process was further inspired when Goethe fell in love with Marianne von Willemer. They met in traditional Persian clothing, and read Hafis to each other.
Here are the first famous verses of Goethe´s West-Östlicher Diwan, explaining that you cannot separate west from east if you have had profound knowledge of yourself and others:
Wer sich selbst und andere kennt,
wird auch hier erkennen:
Orient und Okzident
sind nicht mehr zu trennen
We meet in group-settings centred on the diwan, whether sitting, talking, or laughing together. The oriental sofa symbolises an inspirational intercultural exchange that also feels cosy.
The diwan should be also a hint to the fact: No matter where we come from, where we are and where we will go – we want to take part in the global process of making the earth a real, peaceful home for everyone.
Make learning German to a unique, well accompanied experience.
In one to one lessons or in small groups. Live or by skype. This is the insitute, I am also working for:
www.deutsch-individuell.com:
info@deutsch-individuell.com .