Twisted in my childhood

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Cadzao  #491299  Fri, 21 Mar 08 05:57 AM

In Fear and Trembling (translated by Walter Lowrie) [link], Kierkegaard wrote:

"Generally people are of the opinion that what faith produces is not a work of art, that it is coarse and common work, only for the more clumsy natures; but in fact this is far from the truth. The dialectic of faith is the finest and most remarkable of all; it possesses an elevation, of which indeed I can form a conception, but nothing more. I am able to make from the springboard the great leap whereby I pass into infinity, my back is like that of a tight-rope dancer, having been twisted in my childhood, hence I find this easy; with a one-two-three! I can walk about existence on my head; but the next thing I cannot do, for I cannot perform the miraculous, but can only be astonished by it."

I cannot get what the author means by "having been twisted... one-two-three" and "I can walk about existence on my head." Please help!!!

Cadzao

  
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Mister Micawber  #491301  Fri, 21 Mar 08 06:20 AM
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I presume that this refers to early training of children who are to become acrobats-- they were forced into contortions at an early age in order to build a limber body and e.g. walk about easily ('1-2-3') on their hands ('head'-- the image is exaggerated).

Here of course, the author is using acrobat training as a metaphor for religious training.
  
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'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
Cadzao  #491323  Fri, 21 Mar 08 07:31 AM

Thank you very much, Mister Micawber.

Cadzao

  
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