religion

topic of choice #4

12/10/15

 

After taking this course and learning about spiritual journeys and sacred places, I have begin to wonder about my own spiritual beliefs. Being raised in a family that never attended church, owned a bible, or talked about religion, I have never been truly exposed to it. I claim to be agnostic but that is only because I don't know enough information about it. This class has inspired me to search in myself all the possibilities religion could offer me. I believe this exploration will give me answers that I have been asking for most of my life that my family could never answer for me. In a way I am grateful to be ignorant, it gives me the chance to research and discover my own values and beliefs without my parent's influence.

Phenomenology of Prayer

12/10/15

 

In The Phenomenology of Prayer, it asks the question, "what should we pray for?" I am not a religious person myself, but I can understand the idea of praying and the effect it has on so many people. The prayer that opens people up to the sacred is an imitation of the divine in its action of kenosis or self-emptying. The sense of self opening and/or self emptying  can be put in terms of praying for one another and for ourselves. When you pray for someone else, you are not competing against the divine, but rather hoping that good comes to someone else. The idea of praying for our own needs to be met can sometimes be looked at as controversial. However, to not pray for our own needs would seem as if we are of less worth than the other people we are praying for; that our own sufferings are not as notable as others. Prayer is related to goodness in that, one can pray for goods as long as it is also a means to do good. "All goods, all fulfillments of needs, should be prayed for as a means to become good". Instead of just praying to possess goods, it is important to become good. 

outside reading #3

12/10/15

 

For my last outside reading, I read a trail journal by a woman with the name of Wildflower She was retracing the same path she took a year beforehand in Colorado. However, a year before, her path was covered in snow whereas in this journal, it was a clear and sunny path. She analyzed parts of the hike that she struggled with, and was able to see the path in a much different light. During her struggle, she notes that she paused for ten whole minutes, just to absorb the moment and place she was in. It did not matter to her that she was having a hard time trekking up the mountain, she was perfectly content to just take her surroundings in and pause the hike. She also notes that she did not stop to eat, but stopped often to gaze and hydrate. "I don't know when I will have the opportunity to return to these Rocky Mountains, so I did not want to descend." When she eventually did descend, she ended her journal with the word 'sigh' and then proclaimed how much she loves those mountains. 

finals

topic of choice #3

 

 

In the midst of studying for finals, I could not help but think of all the places I would rather be. Although it may seem obvious, there are a million things I would rather do then be stuck at the library cramming an entire semester's worth of information in my head. I would rather be in Cancun, Mexico, sitting on the beach. I would rather be relaxing at home in front of a fire place. I would rather be catching up on sleep then constantly losing more every day. But then I thought about how studying for finals is something many people would want to be doing. Many people would give anything to be able to have finals to study for. I have the opportunity to receive an education, to earn a degree, and to do something with that degree. Not everyone gets that same opportunity. So as I was sitting here complaining about how stressful finals are, I could not help but think of how lucky I actually am. 

outside reading

12/10/15

 

 

For this outside reading, I looked up an analysis the Camino de Santiago based on drawings, pictures, and personal observations recorded during a July 2014 pilgrimage. The author believes that the Camino can teach humankind how our built environment can preserve human experience. She states that to earn a compostela, the minimum distance a pilgrim must walk is 100 kilometers which is established by the church. She claims that long-distance pilgrims and short-distance pilgrims are forced to interact, causing tension because of each group's different reasons and values as to why they are experiencing the Camino. However, the convergence of pilgrims in the albergues or hostels is an opportunity to preserve the Camino experience. Her analysis is meant to examine the albergues located along the entire route and how they support and/or undermine the qualities of the Camino.  Her study led to determining that some albergues were more successful in preserving the experience than others. The albergues that were more successful were the ones smaller in size and in general, more simple. The ones that were less successful offered too many resources or facilities, which took away from the experience of the Camino. 

 

 



landscapes of the sacred part 2

12/10/15

 

The concept of the ordinary as a mask of the Holy is intriguing. Lane states that the more common experiences becomes, the more holy it is. Common things, common actions, common relationships are all granted new definition because the holy has become ordinary in Jesus Christ. The truth of incarnation is that the ordinary is no longer at all what it appears. The mask of the Holy hides and reveals at the same time. "They understanding it simultaneously to hide and reveal certain aspects of the splendor, grace, or terror of the divine". Lane goes on to say that one of our deepest impulses as humans is to find the mask that invests with power and life. The Holy masked as the ordinary is a concept drawn out by artists and storytellers rather than theologians. The use of metaphor Lane states, is the most ultimate, faithful servant of truth. All ordinary things can be made extraordinary with attention and love. "The ordinary reaches out to be noticed-- it cries for recognition". 

vermont

experience of a natural setting

12/10/15

 

Every year my family and I take a trip up to Vermont to see our extended family for Christmas. However, Vermont is much more to me than just a time to visit family members. It is a time that I am able to escape from the pressures of my every day routine and people that I surround myself with. In Vermont, I exist within the beauty of the vast forests, the wide open fields, the large mountains enveloping me. I can take it all in without worrying about anything else. When I am there, all my worries disappear and I become full submerged in the environment. This experience is something I truly cherish and look forward to every year. Especially when we visit in the summertime. Vermont is so much more than an ordinary place to me, it is my safe haven. 

Image of Pilgrimage-Pilgrimage as a Liminoid Phenomenon

"Liminality is not only transition but also potentiality, not only 'going to be' but also 'what may be'." Liminality varies from each person and religion. Religions like Christianity define liminality as traveling to a sacred site or holy shrine that is a long distance from their current location. Turner explains how all sites of pilgrimage have one thing in common, they are all places of miracles whether they happened in the past or are happening right now. He also writes that pilgrimage is exteriorized mysticism. Furthermore, it is meant to "get out, go forth, to a far holy place approved by all." Pilgrimage is liminal. It is the transition from where you reside to the sacred site or holy shrine you plan to arrive at.

Cheyanne Jamison-Landscapes of the Sacred: The Mountain That Was God

While reading this chapter, it intrigued me that Tahoma, a mountain, could have such an effect on the people that hike it or even the people who live near it base. Tahoma, also known as the Mountain That Was God, is described to have otherworldly effects for those that choose to climb it. The author described the forest around Tahoma as "silent guardians" of the mountain. This I found interesting because of how alive it is explained to be. Mountains in general have a tremendous amount of power. The majority of them are either active volcanoes or dormant volcanoes. Either way, it has power lurking inside of it, waiting to be released. Perhaps that it why the Native Americans hold Tahoma to such value as a sacred presence.

Cheyanne Jamison-Landscapes of the Sacred:The Ordinary as Mask of the Holy

The Ordinary as Mask of the Holy explains how nothing is as it initially appears. It is something more complex than that. Martin Luther recognized that God could not be pursued directly. "God always remains hidden, veiled by a mask (larva). These masks not only hide, but they can reveal certain aspects that could not otherwise be seen. The Hopi used masks as a right of passage for young Hopi boys. They taught them that one's appearance is not what it looks like and that once their mask is removed, or seen through, then their true appearance is revealed. Even today people all around the world use masks of some form. Masks on All Hallow's Eve or the mask of a clown. All of these are masks meant to hide one's true appearance. The intention of them may vary from person to person, but a mask is meant to hide and reveal.

Outside Reading #3: The Way

12/8/15

For my third outside reading, I read an analysis about the movie “The Way,” which honors the Camino de Santiago and promotes the popular pilgrimage. During this film, a father comes to understand his son’s life through his death as he wanders along the Camino. While completing his trek, he also comes to find himself as well. The main conflict in this film is the battle we all have within ourselves to decide between choosing a life and living a life. This particular analysis states that, “This greater question of finding oneself is a matter of acceptance and choice.” Through this quote I believe they are trying to convey the message that in order to truly find oneself, one must put themself out there and be willing to engage in the journey to do so. An individual must choose to begin the process of finding oneself in order to achieve this discovery. In summary, the movie “The Way” is a good depiction of the traditional journey of the Camino de Santiago.

Outside Reading #3

December 8, 2015

Outside Reading #3

            For my last outside reading I decided to do a bit of research on the Pacific Coast Trail since we touched a bit on it during class.  What I did not realize when I started doing research on this trail is how similar it is to the Appalachian Trail because of its specific characteristics. The PCT stretches 2,663 miles from Mexico’s border to the border between the United States and Canada.  This trail is commonly compared to the Appalachian Trail because of the difficult terrain that the hikers travel through and the long mileage of the trail.  While hiking on the trail the hikers pass through seven national parks and and 25 national forests.  In 1968 the trail was designed to be a national scenic trail, but was not completed finished until 1993.  Just as many choose to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail the PCT pulls in hundreds who choose to hike its entirety every year.  The PCT accompanies the Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide Trail to create the Triple Crown of long distance hiking trails in the United States.

Topic of Choosing #4

December 8, 2015

Topic of Choosing #4

            Going along with a previous one of my journal entries I decided to research another one of the cities along the Camino de Santiago.  The city of Burgos lies in the northeast portion of Spain and is home to so much culture and architecture.  Burgos was founded in 884 and has a Castilian ambience.  In the area of sightseeing for the city of Burgos there are some highly recommended places to visit.  Places such as La Casa el Cordon are recommended for their outstanding architecture within the city.  This palace is well preserved and exhibits the beautiful architecture of the city.  Another popular place to visit is the main cathedral.  The cathedral is 13^th century gothic style and pieces of its architecture are considered to be some of the best gothic style ever represented.  There are also numerous churches noted for their architectural style and importance to the city. 

            Festivals and celebrations are also a large part of the culture of the city of Burgos.  Festivals are hosted all throughout the year.  The first notable festival is Corpus Christi which celebrates the defeat over the Moors in 1212.  One of the most notable events of the festival is the held on the following day and is called Fiesta de San Juan del Monte and during this event people dress in traditional clothes with bright colors and walk through the city.  Later on in the year on August 5^th there is the Espinosa de los Moneros.  During this event a traditional war dance is displayed for pagan rituals.