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.