Abstract
The article is one of the first attempts to present the works of Alberyk Kościński whose Spiritual Delicacies or Games Useful to Men Banished from the Earthly Paradise to the Heavenly Paradise (Poznań 1695) was aimed at helping nuns or potential recipients to perfect their inner self. The article discusses the three goals of meditation mentioned by Kościński (“elimination of imperfections, the acquisition of holy virtues and unison with God”) which relate to the three stages of spiritual life (purging, enlightenment, and unison). Thus, the article adds to the picture of the views presented by other authors.However, the innovation lies in the motif of “game” as an inner activity stimulating the spiritual sphere and encouraging spiritual transformation, as described in Kościński's work. The article focuses on the role of the metaphorical images used by the clergyman to describe the meditative act: the internal transformation, the experience of closeness to and unity with God. Thus, the article emphasizes the need for meditative practice discussed by Kościński, i.e., the titular “spiritual delicacies” which can help one achieve eternal life.
Highlights
The purpose of this article is to present the reflections of Alberyk Kościński and their role in the life of a man and the spiritual benefits arising out of such practices
Little is known about the author of Spi ritual Delicacies, Alberyk Kościński, who lived in the 17th century
Spiritual Delicacies or Games Useful to Men Banished from the Earthly Paradise to the Heavenly Paradise3 (Poznań 1695) by Alberyk Kościński can be defined as a post-Tridentine meditative prose4 directed at the spiritual transformation of man; the work exhibits the defining characteristics of the genre, which belongs to the branch of utilitarian literature5
Summary
116 (metaphor: „Pieszczoty słońca były tym gorętsze, że ostatnie“; Gomul, Ciury I, 8). Orgelbrand’s dictionary states that “zabawa” is an activity, an occupation, something which occupies one’s time. Orgelbrand’s dictionary states that “zabawa” is an activity, an occupation, something which occupies one’s time8 The meaning of this word was brought up by such scholars as Antoni Czyż (Czyż 1984: 69–83), Mirosława Hanusiewicz (Hanusiewicz 1997: 9–22), and Hanna Dziechcińska (Dziechcińska 2002: 461–466), who noted that in the 17th century the term had a different meaning than in modern times, closer to “work”, “occupation”, or “exercise”. Barbara Otwinowska, who researched the notion of otium negotiosum, presented the genealogical source of “zabawa” (Otwinowska 1980: 169–186) It is the name of a genre of Baroque utilitarian literature, which presents or projects various activities, including internal ones.
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