The Fourfold

Heidegger writes in "Building Dwelling Thinking" that we are a part of "the fourfold" of earth, sky, divinities, mortals. He assigns a verb that mortals must do with each of these. Mortals must save the earth, receive the sky, hope toward the divinities, and mortals must initiate being mortal. This is a very minimalist ecology but it seems to form a totality similar to the Buddhist Four Noble Truths. A universe is completed here.

Man must save the earth for and from himself as a thing of value--not for how it can be used, as one saves money and not like a savior, as a thing apart, but as we keep things safe. In keeping things safe we don't need to have an immediate threat but can keep things safe by taking care of them. And taking care is an important part of Da-sein's purpose as the world-discloser.

Receiving the sky brings to mind the acceptance of rain falling. It is not to be controlled but should be received even when it is not what a person might want on their wedding day. We receive it and should do so with a sense of joy at its sacredness.

Just as earth makes one think of sky, the two halves of many Native American theologies, so the sky brings thought of the divinities. And it is with hope that we look to the divinities for they are the overarching--even more than the sky which often represents them. Mortals look to their coming with humbleness, hope, and passion.

The final fourth is that of the mortals themselves, those whose existence initiates the worldness of the world, who disclose the world and therefore open a view onto the entirety of the fourfold. With mortals we complete the circle as mortals on earth.

This is relevant to my understanding of Heidegger's understanding of Holderlin's Ister poem. The poem is about a river, by which mortals may dwell. By dwelling we open up the possibility of the fourfold.