The Poet as
Spiritual Companion 2
Rainer Maria Rilke as soul-companion with three luminous women: Lou Andreas-Salomé, Etty Hillesum, and Marina Tsvetaeva
A four-part webinar
series from SDI
Presenter
Mark S. Burrows
Dates
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 2026
9AM-10:30PM PST
12PM-1:30PM EST
Find your local time zone.
Duration
6 hours (total)
Webinar will be recorded.
“How Do You Find the New Rhymes?”
—Marina Tsvetaeva, in an elegy to Rilke.
Hear from our presenter in this short video:
Join author and translator Mark S. Burrows for a four-part webinar exploring the sacred art of soul companionship through the lives and writings of Rainer Maria Rilke, Lou Andreas-Salomé, Etty Hillesum, and Marina Tsvetaeva.
Step into a circle of profound companionship where poetry, suffering, friendship, and spiritual courage meet. SDI is thrilled to bring back acclaimed poet and translator Mark S. Burrows, who will guide us into the living heart of Rainer Maria Rilke’s soul companionship with three extraordinary women—Lou Andreas-Salomé, Etty Hillesum, and Marina Tsvetaeva—each a luminous being whose life and voice deepened, challenged, and carried forward Rilke’s vision.
Through letters, poems, and lived witness, we encounter a model of “soul-companionship” that is intimate, courageous, and transformative. From Lou’s lifelong mentorship and friendship, to Etty’s fierce inner freedom as she carried Rilke’s Book of Hours with her to Auschwitz, to Marina’s electrifying final correspondence with the dying poet, Mark will reveal and invite participants to reflect on how spiritual friendship can endure across distance and time.
Mark is widely regarded as one of today’s leading interpreters of Rilke, and if you were part of our 2024 series, you know he opens these texts not as artifacts but as living spaces for discovery. We invite you with this new series to explore how poetry can awaken depth, resilience, and meaning in our own lives.
Join us April 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2026 for a rare journey into this beautiful and sacred recontextualization of spiritual companionship—through voices that still speak with astonishing clarity to our longing for connection, purpose, and hope.
Come prepared not only to learn about these remarkable lives, but to listen for what they may awaken in your own.
“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”
― Letters to a Young Poet
Portrait of Rilke, 1900.
About Rainer Maria Rilke
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a renowned Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist, celebrated for his lyrical and introspective works that delve deeply into themes of existence, beauty, and the human condition. Born in Prague, Rilke’s early life was marked by a strict upbringing and an enduring sense of alienation, which profoundly influenced his poetic voice. His most famous works include the “Duino Elegies” and the “Sonnets to Orpheus,” both written during a prolific period in the early 1920s. Rilke’s poetry is noted for its rich imagery, philosophical depth, and a delicate balance between the tangible and the ethereal, making him one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century.
As spiritual companions, we believe that this webinar offers a unique opportunity to nourish your spirit, deepen your contemplative practice, and connect with fellow wayfarers on the journey. Join us as we unlock the treasures of Rilke’s mystical poetry and embark on a shared exploration of the boundless depths of the soul. Together, we will discover the profound relevance of Rilke’s teachings in our lives today, forging connections that transcend time and tradition.
What to Expect
This webinar series includes four weekly 90 minute sessions, Wednesdays in April 2026 with Mark S. Burrows, exploring together on a rich and transformative journey into the mystical world of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry and correspondences.
- Guided Reflection: Participate in guided meditations inspired by Rilke's themes of inner transformation and self-discovery.
- Insightful Exploration: Delve into the mystical and spiritual dimensions of Rilke's poetry and correspondence with Lou Andreas-Salomé, Etty Hillesum, and Marina Tsvetaeva
- Personal Growth: Learn practical applications for integrating Rilke's wisdom into daily spiritual practices.
- Expert Facilitation: Benefit from the expertise of Mark's careful translations, and dialogue that frames the application of Rilke's poetry to our work as spiritual companions.
- Q&A Sessions: Participate in live Q&A sessions, as well as small Breakout Groups, to explore personal questions and reflections with experienced facilitators.
- Open Dialogue: Engage in open and meaningful dialogue with the presenters and fellow participants, creating a space for questions, discussions, and shared insights.
Host
Mark S. Burrows
Mark S. Burrows is a prize-winning poet, scholar, and translator and is considered among the premiere interpreters and translators of Rilke’s poetry today. His interest in spirituality and poetry, and his ability to open poems as spaces of discovery and growth, have made him a popular speaker and retreat leader across the country and around the world. He is also well-known for his work on Meister Eckhart and Julian of Norwich, medieval writers whose visionary work was shaped by radical imagination and courageous thought. His Rilke publications include Prayers of a Young Poet (The Book of Hours), Sonnets to Orpheus (2024), and Duino Elegies (pub. date September, 2025). He also co-authored, with Stephanie Dowrick, You Are the Future: Living the Questions with Rainer Maria Rilke (2024), an exploration of Rilke’s poetic vision as a guide for life. Mark lives and writes in Camden, Maine (USA). www.soul-in-sight.org
Additional Information
- Participants from all spiritual traditions and orientations are welcome in this webinar series as are those with all levels of spiritual experience.
- Each session will run 90 minutes. We understand that the timing of the seminar will not be convenient in every time zone on the planet. For those who have trouble making this time, a recorded copy of each session will be made available to all those who sign up.
- CEU credits are available for all those who participate. SDI will provide a certificate of completion for self-reporting to agencies. More information can be found here: continuing education units (CEUs).
- Cost: $149 for non-members, with significant discounts for SDI Members.
- Scholarships are available for those facing financial hardship. Please apply here.
Praise for Mark Burrows and our previous webinar:
“I feel his openness and kindness and this is a great comfort to me. When Mark speaks, he holds space… and I can hear what I might not have been ready to hear before, in the poems, from life, from within.”
“Mark Burrows was excellent! He is so well seeped in Rilke that he almost embodies him as he speaks about Rilke’s poetry. Also, speaking some poems in German, even though I don’t understand it, made me feel more in touch with the poems. So appreciated Mark’s printouts of poems and quotes, too! Kudos to Mark for an inspiring and informative program!”
“Through the work, I experience how fleeting life is without feeling the fear of experiencing impermanence. This gives me a different experience of others and my relating with them is a different experience from before. I shall continue to work with the recordings and course materials as I love them andfeel their ever developing ‘life’!”
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