Chris Estes, Student Experience 1
The other day when we were on the Noland trail, I felt like I was supposed to be out there for a reason. I randomly was walking and saw a tree that had been rotted from the ground until the top of it. I saw that in the stump there was a heart shaped hole. Then I looked up at the other half the tree that had fallen off and it didn't have the heart shaped hole. I was curious about this, and thought that maybe the stump didn't have the kind of relationship that the other part of the tree wanted with it. It was interesting to see that it was possible for the other half of the tree not to have that heart-shape in the trunk of it. It was a pretty big hole in the stump, so maybe that is where some bugs or things had been eating away at the wood to get food for themselves. In that case, it would be the circle of life because for them to survive they would need the wood. It was very interesting and crazy that I thought I needed to see something while I was out on the Noland trail, and it happened. I was interested in it and it was cool for me to find out what the meaning was behind it all. It was pretty fun.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Chris Estes, Turner's Flow
Chris Estes, Turner's Flow
According to Turner, flow is the "holistic sensation present when we act with total involvement, in a state in which action follows action according to an internal logic with no need for conscience intervention on our part" (Turner 254). It is a matter of focus when one centers his or her attention on a single or limited stimulus field (254). In the example of throwing a baseball, it demonstrates flow pretty accurately. The action that a baseball player makes is very in tune to what flow is showing. The baseball player naturally does what he should and what is asked of him. It is an enjoyable state because you are just doing what you need to do, not thinking, just doing what is needed. To me this would make sense because I used to play baseball. I loved just being able to do what was asked, and do it correctly. This would mean i was possibly experiencing flow, which is an amazing feeling
According to Turner, flow is the "holistic sensation present when we act with total involvement, in a state in which action follows action according to an internal logic with no need for conscience intervention on our part" (Turner 254). It is a matter of focus when one centers his or her attention on a single or limited stimulus field (254). In the example of throwing a baseball, it demonstrates flow pretty accurately. The action that a baseball player makes is very in tune to what flow is showing. The baseball player naturally does what he should and what is asked of him. It is an enjoyable state because you are just doing what you need to do, not thinking, just doing what is needed. To me this would make sense because I used to play baseball. I loved just being able to do what was asked, and do it correctly. This would mean i was possibly experiencing flow, which is an amazing feeling
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Chris Estes, Turner describing liminal action
Chris Estes, Turner describing liminal action
Turner describes liminal action as in-between kind of place. "Liminality is not only transition but also pontentially, not only "going to be" but also "what may be," (Turner 3). Liminal action is also like being removed from socail structure, and leveled to a homogeneous state. During pilgrimage, you are doing a liminal action. If you were on the Noland trail, you could be experiencing the in-between of the sacredness of the trail, and possibly trying to figure out who you are. If you were hiking the Noland trail, you would indeed be removed from social structure. You don't want any structure when you're out there. Many people decide right when they finish high-school that they're going to college. There is a lot of pressure for kids to go to college these days because of creating job opportunities. This pressure to go to college or not creates that in-between feeling of not knowing what to do. You are at a homogeneous level state that you are content with what you have done in school, but should you pursue it more?
Turner describes liminal action as in-between kind of place. "Liminality is not only transition but also pontentially, not only "going to be" but also "what may be," (Turner 3). Liminal action is also like being removed from socail structure, and leveled to a homogeneous state. During pilgrimage, you are doing a liminal action. If you were on the Noland trail, you could be experiencing the in-between of the sacredness of the trail, and possibly trying to figure out who you are. If you were hiking the Noland trail, you would indeed be removed from social structure. You don't want any structure when you're out there. Many people decide right when they finish high-school that they're going to college. There is a lot of pressure for kids to go to college these days because of creating job opportunities. This pressure to go to college or not creates that in-between feeling of not knowing what to do. You are at a homogeneous level state that you are content with what you have done in school, but should you pursue it more?
Chris Estes, 4 axioms
Chris Estes 4 axioms
Lane talks about the 4 axioms that deal with sacred places. The first axiom is "that a place chooses you" (Lane 19). This means that the place chooses that there will or not be a sacred place. The lake where the kings threw their swords into is an example of the first axiom. The lake chose where those two people would be to create a truce, and the lake is now sacred beacuse of this action. The next axiom Lane describes is that a "sacred place is an ordinary place, made ritually sacred" (Lane 19). To some people, when something happens to a part of their family it's now a sacred place that was ordinary beforehand. The third axiom is "sacred place can be tread upon without being entered" (Lane 19). This axiom relates back to when a tragedy happens in a family, no one besides the people affected by it can tread on that territory. The last axiom is "the impulse of sacred place is both centripetal and centrifugal, local and universal" (Lane 19). This exclaims that the religoius impulse moves toward and away from the center point where contact with the holy is found.
Lane talks about the 4 axioms that deal with sacred places. The first axiom is "that a place chooses you" (Lane 19). This means that the place chooses that there will or not be a sacred place. The lake where the kings threw their swords into is an example of the first axiom. The lake chose where those two people would be to create a truce, and the lake is now sacred beacuse of this action. The next axiom Lane describes is that a "sacred place is an ordinary place, made ritually sacred" (Lane 19). To some people, when something happens to a part of their family it's now a sacred place that was ordinary beforehand. The third axiom is "sacred place can be tread upon without being entered" (Lane 19). This axiom relates back to when a tragedy happens in a family, no one besides the people affected by it can tread on that territory. The last axiom is "the impulse of sacred place is both centripetal and centrifugal, local and universal" (Lane 19). This exclaims that the religoius impulse moves toward and away from the center point where contact with the holy is found.
Chris Estes, 3 approaches and medicine wheel
Chris Estes
3 approaches and medicine wheel
During the book, Lane describes three approaches to understanding the medicine wheel as Sacred Place. He states that these 3 skills will help understand the personal experience of a place. The approaches that Lane teaches are ontological, cultural, and phenomenological. The ontological approach means that a sacred place is radically set apart from everything profane, or evil. The cultural approach explained that the "notion that sacred places inherently possess an intentionality and power drawn from within or beyond themselves (Lane, 43). The Phenomenological approach was demanding the attention of the people to the realization that the existence between humans and a "more than human world." However, Lane stressed the importance of “embodiment in the human experience of place” (Lane, 44). These 3 skills were to help understand the medicine wheel as a Sacred Place in Landscapes of the Sacred.
3 approaches and medicine wheel
During the book, Lane describes three approaches to understanding the medicine wheel as Sacred Place. He states that these 3 skills will help understand the personal experience of a place. The approaches that Lane teaches are ontological, cultural, and phenomenological. The ontological approach means that a sacred place is radically set apart from everything profane, or evil. The cultural approach explained that the "notion that sacred places inherently possess an intentionality and power drawn from within or beyond themselves (Lane, 43). The Phenomenological approach was demanding the attention of the people to the realization that the existence between humans and a "more than human world." However, Lane stressed the importance of “embodiment in the human experience of place” (Lane, 44). These 3 skills were to help understand the medicine wheel as a Sacred Place in Landscapes of the Sacred.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Chris Yost: Flow
Flow is defined in Turner's book as the merging of action and awareness, which is the crucial point of enjoyment (254). The unity of these two aspects are necessary for flow. Turner uses specific examples to explain how flow is a continous action that requires no thought. A good example of flow is swinging a tennis racket or throwing a baseball. There is no thought that goes into swinging a tennis racket or throwing a baseball, it is simply the body's muscle memory in work. These actions naturally flow from the body without any extra work being completed by the brain. It is important to understand that even though someone is aware of the action they are completing, such as a tennis or baseball player, they cannot be aware that they are aware. If too much thought is put in, the flow of the action will be ruined. Flow is simply a matter of fucus where one centers his or her attention on a single or limited stimulus field (254).
My question on this topic I guess would be what the spiritual significance of flow is. I understood Turner's explanation of flow being a specific enjoyable state where religious communities who expereience the unity are pure and successful, while others without flow are sinful and unsuccessful. Is this the sole importance of flow involving religion?
My question on this topic I guess would be what the spiritual significance of flow is. I understood Turner's explanation of flow being a specific enjoyable state where religious communities who expereience the unity are pure and successful, while others without flow are sinful and unsuccessful. Is this the sole importance of flow involving religion?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Gianandrea Heyer : The noland trail
It was a sunny Sunday morning at the beginning of October. One of these days when you really feel like it's not worth to stay in your room the whole day and getting headache while studying or watching TV. Therefore i decided to go running in the Noland trail. My roommate told me it was a nice place, and since i had never been there before i gave it a try. As soon as i arrived there, the beauty of the nature had an impact on me. The lake is surrounded by these huge trees, with wooden bridges leading the trail trough the wood. I could hear the sound of the animals living in the area, but most of the time i could not see them. I took a look at the map of the trail, about 5 miles long, and i though it was going to be long run. But i was somehow excited to go trough this unknown kind of wilderness. As soon as i began running i started appreciating the scenario. I could feel the ground with natural sand and shells around and and smell the uncontaminated soil. Sometimes i could hear some squirrels above me eating some glands and see the shell be thrown down. Other times, the beauty of the seabirds trying to get some food. In the middle of the trail, people were having a grill, enjoying the nature. Other people were just sitting on the benches, admiring the landscape. I finished the whole trail in about an hour, was quite tired, but i enjoyed it a lot. While taking a shower i started thinking about the positive aspects that i could have got from that run. First of all i could realize that you can absorb a lot of energy from being in the nature. The trees, the lake and all the surrounding natural elements give me something unique that makes me feel good. I also thought that being out there helped me a lot in opening my mind and stimulate my creativity, to think about the future. As we have seen in class, i thought that during that run i could feel the ground and appreciate the place. Even if i would close my eyes, i could still understand the greatness of that landscape. I really enjoyed my experience in the Noland Trail, and i think it is a place very close to campus where a student can go there and reload the body and the mind.
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