Observations From The Nolan Trail

Observations From The Nolan Trail

Topic of Choice

October 30, 2015 

Since coming to CNU, I have run the Nolan Trail countless times. But I have never taken the time, until class this past thursday, to notice and contemplate over the intricacy of nature that lines the trail. Running the trail requires tunnel vision; a constant focus on the ground that lies right in front of you. Walking, however, allows you to take the time to notice things that demand our complete focus. The trail seems to have a magical element during fall. Colored leaves line the path, blessing walkers and runners with a soft carpet to tread upon. I noticed a fallen tree overhead that looked as if it had snapped just recently. It was a beautiful day for late October; one of the last glimmers of summer warmth for months to come. There were many tall oak trees, standing erect with perfect vertical posture. Before class began, I climbed to the top of my favorite magnolia tree in front of the statue on the hill. Looking down at the tree from the top I could behold the intertwining of limbs and branches, forming what looked to be a wooden spider’s web. These were the same branches that served me as steps as I ascended to the top of the tree. This was a reminder that nature is both a means and an end, useful and beautiful.

An Innate Longing for I/Thou Relationships

An Innate Longing for I/Thou Relationships

10/30/15
(Outside Reading)

Martin Buber addresses two types of relationships that I have been tossing back and forth in my head since we first read them. 

An I/It relationship objectifies the "it." On the other hand, I/Thou relationships establish a reciprocal relationship in communication. 

I believe that we hunger for an I/Thou relationship with other humans because we were created to have that sort of relationship with the Divine. 

Therefore, we are naturally are turned off by the way in which many times in this fallen world, we find ourselves in I/it relationships. 

In my Philosophy and Communication class, we read Buber as well. I have found it very interesting to apply Buber's ideas to my communication research. 

For Buber, communication isn't merely about transferring information from a sender to a receiver. Rather, it is a way of creating a meaningful experience between the I and Thou. 

Traveling Light

Traveling Light

Other Readings: Belden Lane/Backpacking With the Saints 

October 20, 2015

Few other activities teach the value of traveling light like wilderness backpacking. As Pacific Crest Trail hiker, Monty Tam, says, “the fun goes up when the weight goes down. Backpackers are always seeking new ways and equipment to lower the weight they carry. Ultralight backpackers take this to an extreme. The discipline of traveling light was admired greatly by men like Henry David Thoreau, who shows us that the luxuries and comforts of life are not only unnecessary but also hindrances to wholeness. Living only with the bare essentials helps us become more appreciative of luxuries and comforts when they do come our way. As Lane says, “traveling light makes us realize how little we require to be happy…less is more.”(93) Traveling light is not only a relinquishment of goods but also of self. It requires a stout rejection of the ego’s incessant need to have build a resume of experiences. Hiking is not about checking off the next mountain on the list. In wilderness, our accomplishments and awards count for nothing. 

Flow in Relation to Spiritual Journey

Flow is most closely defined as the merging of action and awareness. Spiritual rambling can sometimes produce the flow experience, if one can properly engage themselves in their surroundings in order to reach it. During the process of action and awareness, the consciousness of the one engaged in the action is directed away from the self and even away from the techniques that would accomplish the action. Within the flow experience, the sojourner’s self consciousness evaporates in a total focus on the action of walking and connecting with the constituents of the environment. An important quote that accurately represents the flow phenomenon is, “one is very aware of one’s actions, but not of the awareness itself.” Upon this quote, what is depicted is the fact that when one is fully immersed in the flow experience, they are aware of the actions that they are carrying out, but not aware of the fact that they are being so aware of themselves. It is actually stated that for flow to be maintained, one cannot reflect on the act of awareness itself. They must continue to envelope themselves in the surrounding nature, allowing their mind to freely wander among all there is to offer in the environment. Doing so will maintain the experience of flow and permit the rambler to connect their mind wholeheartedly on their spiritual journey. Merging of action and awareness is made possible by solely focusing one’s attention on a limited stimulus field. That is, incorporating oneself within the environment and freeing one’s mind of everything else. The experience of flow is an important aspect of engaging in a spiritual journey.

Martin Buber in an outside reading

While reading “A Letter from Birmingham Jail” for my American studies class, I came across a line that had to do with Martin Buber: 

“Segregation, to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, substitutes an “I-it” relationship for an “I-thou” relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things.”     

This excerpt is about the segregations that took place during the late 1800’s to the 1960’s. This relates to the class because, in the quote, the word relegating means to send to an inferior place, position, or condition. During that time, black men, women, and children were sent to the conditions of slavery. Segregation was a time when the people, who were sent to slavery, became people instead of its or things. This is similar to the class discussions about the transforming from it to thou when on sacred journeys. 

Topic of choosing: missionary trip

October 26th, 2015
          I find that every missionary trip is different and very individualized although the sole reason being to help others. When I was younger, missionary trips were more like a church camp. We'd travel somewhere like a college campus or camp site and be divided into groups, mostly consisting of friends and fellow churchgoers, then be tasked with different goals for the duration of the trip. It was fun. We would made a few goodie baskets, maybe painted a couple houses, but mostly we would swim in the pool and play games. Like I said, more of a church camp. But as I got older the missionary trips became more life-altering and rewarding. I found myself actually connecting with the people I was helping. I was also more interested in finishing the jobs than I was with actually socializing. I grew. It's ultimately refreshing to know how people depend on so little and yet can ultimately be fulfilled. These places that I have visited become sacred to me because the memories that I hold with there help build my character.

Topic of choosing: Philmont

October 26, 2015
             My roommate's brothers, Will and Brent, embarked on their own sacred journey in 2011. They were a part of Boy Scout's Troop 111 and visited the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. This trip consisted of more than 214 square miles of rugged, northern, New Mexico wilderness and activities such as: backpacking treks, horseback riding, and training and service programs offered to showcase the many ways to experience this legendary country. During this time, they bonded with their fellow troop members and gained a new respect for modern technology. They also became one with nature throughout the duration of their stay because of their hikes on the wilderness. Philmont provided the necessary escape for Will and Brent with its 34 staffed camps and 55 trail camps which provided an unforgettable adventure in the high country along hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky trails. Their sacred journey was unforgettable and life changing. 

Flow and Distancing, Class discussion

Four years ago now, I traveled to Cimarron, New Mexico to hike on through Philmont Scout Ranch. It was an 80+ mile trek with one layover day. My expectations were mixed and my nerves were high. As we began our trip dropped off a few miles away from base camp, I realized the reality of the experience I was entering. After discussing in class the idea that you really need almost a week to really enter into the flow of a long distance hike. I reflected upon my own hike and found this to be very true, once a couple days in I felt my crew to be closer, the hike to be less of a burden more of an experience, embracing some of the smaller things about the trip. Then the feeling of really being away from it all set in, Dr. Redick called this distanceation I believe which I took as not just physically distancing oneself from the normal but also distancing oneself from many of life's distractions. I began to better recognize the beauty around me in nature, I felt so free from technology, from a society that through this trip I came to realize is not taking the time to center themselves on the important things in life. My faith grew not long after this trip in an incredible way and I desire to return to entire into to another journey of getting away from it all.

Lifetime of Prayer

October 18, 2015

Lifetime of Prayer

                  Prayer is an imperative part of religions.  And although one may practice it from the time they are born until the end of their life it can be a daunting task.  The author of Phenomenology of Prayer writes, “We learn how prayer is the task of a lifetime, so that even those who have been praying all their lives may not have gotten much farther than kindergarten” (Page 19).  The author makes this point because as it is very important to the religion it can often be a very disconnected ritual.  How does one pray the “right” way?  How should one pray?  What should one ask for?  Should one not ask for too much?  These sorts of question can cause one to wonder about the legitimacy of the ritual and the way that they perform it.  The task also requires the act of detachment from one’s self, from the outside world, and also the process of emptying the mind.  All three of these aspects combined can often be a difficult task in itself and then to reach out to the divine spirit during this can make one overwhelmed and the task of prayer impossible.  Prayer is not something that one is simply born with the ability to do, but through the use of practice and knowledge of how the individual wants to pray the individual can create a beneficial ritual to themselves.

Entrance into the Holy State

October 18, 2015

Entrance into the Holy State

                  As we continue to talk about the difference in “Being” and “being” in class and as I prepared for my midterm I fully understood how difficult and complicated it can be for one to enter into the Holy state.  In Landscapes of the Sacred the author, Lane, writes, “A third axiom closely related to the first two, concerns the means by which entrance is made into the place of numinal presence.  It affirms that simply moving into an allegedly sacred place does not necessarily make one present to it” (page 29).  This point became very clear to me through our discussion on the Appalachian Trail and the different effects that the journey has on different individuals.  One can most definitely walk the 2,000 miles and complete the journey, but have the truly completed the journey?  This is the point that Lane describes in his writing, he explains how one cannot simply enter the spiritual state by simply being there.  An individual must retain the extensive importance of the sacred place and experience self reflection in order to fully experience the spiritual state.  Without this experience the sacred place turns from one of great importance to one of merely just another beautiful scenery or piece of architecture.  With this idea in mind it reflects how in depth the spiritual process is and how the process of kenosis is extremely important.  Kenosis is the process of emptying one’s self through the mind in order to make room for the spiritual needs inside the mind.  Throughout the journey I can see how this process could be very important in taking advantage of the full spiritual experience through the emptying of thoughts to make room for what is important in the spiritual aspect.