Jan 7, 2017 19:47
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
21 books translated
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Spanish to Russian, and 1 more.
breathe in
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Hello everyone,
Here am I, my body made of elements that once were stardust, drawn from the far corners of the universe to flesh out, however briefly, the pattern that is uniquely me, my soul a thing that can breathe in, and in some meaningful
sense remember, the enormity of such awe-inspiring origins. But who, or what, is this “I” that I think I am? Where do I begin, and where do I end?
What does "breathe in" mean here?
Thank you.
Here am I, my body made of elements that once were stardust, drawn from the far corners of the universe to flesh out, however briefly, the pattern that is uniquely me, my soul a thing that can breathe in, and in some meaningful
sense remember, the enormity of such awe-inspiring origins. But who, or what, is this “I” that I think I am? Where do I begin, and where do I end?
What does "breathe in" mean here?
Thank you.
Responses
+1
18 hrs
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
663
Selected
imbibe (take in and absorb)/assimiliate
Lorena should have posted an answer. I agree with her (and Charles) that "breathe in" here means that the souls can not only imbibe or take in "the enormity of such awe-inspiring origins" but also be able to "remember the enormity of such awe-inspiring origins."
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/imbibe
Of course when we see the term "breathe in " we may also think of a newborn baby taking its first breath of life or, in this context, recall the biblical Creation of Man as told in Genesis.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 2:7
Genesis 2:7New International Version (NIV)
"7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
It should also be borne in mind that for many religions, the body is the temporal thing whereas the soul is eternal. Here it seems both are temporal (though if I had more context this may prove not to be the case) as it says "to flesh out, however briefly, the pattern that is uniquely me" i.e. the various elements brought together to form the unique "I" for a lifetime or existence which is just a speck of sand in eternity,.
For some religions or philosophies, all animate beings have immortal souls while others disagree with this. Some examples here and also a link to existentialist philosophy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul
http://www.iep.utm.edu/existent/
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Note added at 3 days16 hrs (2017-01-11 11:48:50 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/imbibe
Of course when we see the term "breathe in " we may also think of a newborn baby taking its first breath of life or, in this context, recall the biblical Creation of Man as told in Genesis.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 2:7
Genesis 2:7New International Version (NIV)
"7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
It should also be borne in mind that for many religions, the body is the temporal thing whereas the soul is eternal. Here it seems both are temporal (though if I had more context this may prove not to be the case) as it says "to flesh out, however briefly, the pattern that is uniquely me" i.e. the various elements brought together to form the unique "I" for a lifetime or existence which is just a speck of sand in eternity,.
For some religions or philosophies, all animate beings have immortal souls while others disagree with this. Some examples here and also a link to existentialist philosophy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul
http://www.iep.utm.edu/existent/
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days16 hrs (2017-01-11 11:48:50 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Glad to have helped
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Eleanor Bridgwood (X)
21 hrs
|
|
Many thanks:-)
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Gallagy."
+2
20 mins
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
my soul a thing that is alive
that´s how I´d Interpret breathe in (to exhale and to inhale are signs of life)
Note from asker:
| Thank you, Ellen. |
Discussion
So like people breathe in the air, the soul breathes in (in figurative sense) the enormity of such awe-inspiring origins. Did I undersand this corretly?