A Sacred Space: Home-Nick Thompson

A sacred space: home is an article I read about an author who is writing a book on building smaller homes that fit the personality of the buyer. She was told by her publisher that it needed a little something extra but that he could see the message that she was trying to get across. The author prior to a rewrite sat in deep meditation for days and found her "true voice". She realized that she could keep her book with her true voice but still make it less personal. I think that keeping your true voice at all times is something that we all need to do but also we need to keep ourselves open at the same time.

Outside readings-Nick Thompson

Some outside reading I chose were some of the trail journal blogs on trailjournals.com. It seems to me that most of the people who blog on this website are having some sort of spiritual experience in nature and it makes me wonder why havent I had a true sacred experience. I thought about the beach that I talked about before but I realize that, that is normal to me. I have not been outside the box and allowed nature to enter me.

Liminality-Nick Thompson

Liminality is described as ambiguity, openness, and indeterminacy. Liminality in nature is very important because it allows the person to realize new perspectives. It is a transition were normal thoughts, self understanding and behavior are relaxed. When entering a sacred place liminality is something to focus on. You should let yourself go and allow for new experiences.

Outside reading-Nick Thompson

One outside reading of mine is called the Problem of Wilderness. This reading talks about how people view wilderness as either untouchable and sacred or a wasteland for humans to further develope and exploit. The author says that both of these views are an unhealthy relationship between human and nature. It is unhealthy to make wilderness parks and tear down any proof of human being there because that is not considered preservation. But, it is also unhealthy to disrespect nature by thinking that we can just do anything with it and tear it down in order to develope it.

Beach-Nick Thompson

Having lived in Hawaii for a good portion of my life I feel as if my own personal sacred place is the beach. I can sit on a beach for hours at a time and never get bored. The sound of the ocean and the feeling of sand on my feet is all I need to relax and let myself open up to my surroundings.

outside reading 3-brandt 15

The final outside reading i looked at discussed the concept that there was no true wilderness anymore as a result of the technological advancements in recent years. The new inventions have rendered no place unreachable. As all places are no attainable many feel that there is no place to escape. However, i found this premise to be completely irrelavant as it does not matter where you are, as long as you are able to open yourself to the experience you are capable of having an intense spiritual journey at any place at anytime.

The living edens-outside reading 2-brandt 14

After reading the living edens i found myself in complete concurrance with the article. It described almost all outdoor locations as having some spiritual connection with some person somewhere. The prospect of each person having thier own "eden" really moved me and inspired me to find my own. Although i have still yet do so i know that there is hope and much like each person has a soul mate each person has a spiritual location that is perfect match for thier needs.

Trail Journal-brandt 13

As i read several of the entries from trailjournals. com, i was astonished at the experience of intense spirituality that people were having so close to civilization. It was not as if these people were traveling hundreds of miles into the alaskan interior or braziian amazon. I soon began to realize that it is simply your ability to open yourself up to the experience. Once you are able to do this you are capable of embarking on a spiritual journey any place and at any time.

Water-Brandt 12

Although many people can describe certain places as their own sacred locations of refuge, i feel that i do not have one in particular. Rather i feel at ease whenever i am on or near any sort of large body of water. Wether it be an ocean, bay, river, or lake i feel as if i am surrounded by the beauty of God's creation and am connected in a deep spiritual way to something much greater than myself.

Skyline Drive-Brandt 11

As i ventured off onto one of the many trails located within skyline drive i found myself feeling somewhat nervous as i was immediatley enthralled by some sort of out this world power. The further i traveled into the dense wilderness the stronger the presence grew. Although i am not entirely sure i had a spiritual experience the power i felt was unmistakable i feeling i will never forget for my entire life.

Rite of passage-brandt 10

As turner discusses rites of passage, my mind immediatley shifted to the tribe we discussed in class with young boys who were forced to yank the hooks free from thier bodies. However, after i pondered the concept more closely i thought of similar situations more familiar in our area. Although not neccessarily located in a sacred place, many young men in the newpot news area are forced into intiations and rites of pasages into gangs and they too experience the all three stages turner describes. ALthough a very sad prospect, rites of passages are not always spiritual journeys but rather ones of intense pain and suffering.

Masks-Brandt #9

This fall as i do every year, i traveled with my family to skyline drive in the blue ridge mountains. While i was there although astonished by the beauty of the place i was unable to truly recognize what i was witnessing. Looking back i realized that the true power i was viewing was merely masked as an ordinary although beautiful landscape. If the true power and holiness of the earth was visible to all it would no longer be sacred.

Outdoors-Nick Thompson

Relating to the Noland Trail Hike, my friends and I like to go camping a lot. When we camp we get the sense of space that is described in the place and space diagram. We feel free and also see the woods in which we camp as a ever expanding frontier for us to get in touch with. By spending the night in the woods we aslo get closer to nature and understand it more.

Noland Trail 2-brandt

Finally, after class let out i was able to wander off on my own. As i continued to be encircled by an unidentifiable power i began to look closer at things, seeing them for what they actually were. The concept of double seeing took me a while to comprehend however when i was able to truly witness the nature i was surrounded by everything became more intense, sounds were sweeter, colors more vivid and was truly moved.

Noland Trail 1- brandt

As i hiked the trail during class i felt as though i was in the midst of something powerful however i was unable to tap into whatever it was. Although it may have been because i was with a group of people i felt as though i was unable to truly see what was surrounding me. I soon realized that although the what i saw was simply trees, flowers, and animals it was in reality much more.

Flow-Brandt

Many who embark on spiritual journeys experience flow as they travel. This occurs when they be come so enthralled with the expierence that everything seems to go right. Much the same as when you are "in the zone" in a sporting event you are able to sucseed at you endevors and view your situation from an almost out of body perspective creating an experience that is extremely powerful.

Noland Trail-Nick Thompson

Though the Noland Trail is not the most sacred place in the world I still received a sense of understanding how nature could be sacred and important while walking the trail. I learned to understand how nature almost has a voice and if you look close enough you can know alot about the life out in the wilderness.

Tred upon, without entering-Nick Thompson

Lane in his book talks about the axiom that states sacred place is a place that is tred upon without being entered. I feel that this is the only axiom that does not completey sit right with me. I think that in order to get in touch with a places sacredness you must be allowed to enter to some degree. Just stepping foot in the area does not necessarily mean that you will feel a sense of importance and spirituality inside yourself. Entering is something that I think needs to be done to get a full experience.

Not chosen, it chooses-Nick Thompson

Again with Lanes axioms, I think that sacred place is not chosen, it chooses is also very true of most sacred places. For instance, the battle of Gettysburg was one where the area that the fight happened was not a planned area, but only a coincidence of the north and the south running in to each other in this wide open field. This is sacred because it was a very important battle in history and many were lost here.

Space and Place-Nick Thompson

One thing in Lane's book that I found most interesting and easy to understand was the Space and Place diagram. I never realized that knowing one actually does help you realize the other. For instance, being confined to rules and regulations can make you realize that openness and space is very free but also that it is dangerous and the rules help to protect you. This comes about mostly in a teenagers mind I think. Also, the wholse small town thing is interesting. How, everyone can be friendly to each other but if you screw up just a little you are the talk of the town and then people may not be so friendly.

Mask of the Holy-Nick Thompson

The whole Mask of the Holy thing is not the easiest concept to grasp on to. I understand that places can be sacred and seen, but I do not get the mask part of everything. I guess I just have not experienced this yet or else I would understand.

Cascade Mountain Range- Andrey Bondar

Living in Portland, Or for a large portion of my life, the Cascade Mountain Range dominated the landscape. Anytime I visited peaks such as Hood, St. Helens, and Ranier, they had a profound affect on me spirituality. The effect the Northwest nature has had on me has been much more significant than anything I have experienced on the east side. Everything is just so serene, desolate, and uninhabited that it is hard to ignore God's whisper. Also, many of the places surrounding these mountains have been made extraordinary through ritual. My former church out west would always have retreats in the Cascades that left an impact on me and made me see these places in a different light.

Turner: Communitas-Nick Thompson

In the book Image and Pilgrimage Turner uses a very general definition for the word communitas. That definition is a commonness of feeling. I think that communitas does exist in this world almost everywhere. In different places all over people feel a sense of closeness in their own community and feel that they need to help protect each other. Which is what I think Turner means by commonness of feeling.

Local and Universal

Lanes idea of sacred place being both local and universal is a very important part of his axioms. I find this to be true, in that, both before I had the oppurtunity to visit Pearl Harbor and when I did I could feel a sense of sorrow for those families who lost their loved ones even from thousands of miles away. When you are there though, the local is stronger than the universal could ever be because things really begin to set in at that point.

Flow-Nick Thompson

Lanes idea of flow is something that I think most people experience in their lifetime. As a person who grew up playing sports all their life I can completely relate to this feeling of being in the "zone". I can remember in high school just having those games where I would make no mistake and could anticipate everything that was coming next. Those games were some of the best games of my life.

Communitas-Brendan Brandt

The concept of communitas is to me what makes the spiritual journey worth while. Often when people make pilgrimmages to holy locations or even just travel with a group of people they become so interconnected and experience such feelings of community that they come to spiritual realizations together. When this occurs they feed off of each others experiences creating a powerful mood that benefits all.

Ritually made Extraordinary-Nick Thompson

As Lanes discuss's his four axioms one that stand out to me the most is the fact that sacred place is an ordinary place ritually made extraordinary. I think this is very important because it is all the people visiting and paying their respects to whatever it is that makes a place so significant. For instance, when visiting places like Pearl Harbor or Ground Zero all of the things that people leave behind and all of the shrines made to honor those who passed is what make these places so much more spiritually connected.

Ritually made extrodinary-brandt

Ground Zero, a location held in great esteem by many americans for various reasons has been made extrodinary through the rituals performed there. In the years following 9/11, pilgrims have flocked there setting up makeshift memorials and conducting vigils. These actions have turned the location into a holy one and has created a spiritual aura that encircles the place.

It chooses-Brandt

The idea that a sacred place is not chosen but rather it chooses is praticulary limportant to Lane as he discusses his axioms. I find this concept to be especially true as the locations that each individual hold sacred differ greatly. They cannot choose where they feel spiritually connected it is doing of the place. This allows sacred places to be truly trancendent and allow each individual to have an authentic spiritual experience.

Local and Universal-Brandt

Lane describes all sacred locations as being both local and universal. This is very important to the sanctity of a place. This allows people to experience the holiness of locations without actually make the pilgirimage. Ground Zero is a perfect example, although I have never physically traveled there i still believe the location to be sacred and can feel its patriotic aura regardless of where i am.

Tread upon but not entered-Brandt

As lane discusses his axioms he mentions that truly sacred locations can merely be tred upon but never entered. This premise is especially hard for me to grasp as a i feel that for one to truly experience the sanctity of a location you must become one with the place, you entering it and it occuping you. if you do not enter into the landscapes you do not truly experience its holiness.

Lane's Third Axiom- Andrey Bondar

Lane's third axiom states that "sacred place can be tred upon without entering." I often find this to be true. For example, the Lions Gate bridge is a popular spot among me and my friends to go to and just be in silence and listen to God. There have been numerous times when i go down there and enter the usually sacred place and at that time, the place loses its sacredness. I always search for that sacredness, but often find myself getting even more lost. That is when you have to realize that "sacred place is not chosen, it chooses." You don't decide "Ok God, I am going to open myself up to now." No, he decides when he opens up to you. He is God for a reason; he does whatever he wants.

Insignificance- Andrey Bondar

Sometimes God, through his creation or people, breaks me down and makes me feel puny and insignificant. This feeling is actually very healthy; it humbles me and makes me realize that all the skills, confidence, and "swagger" (haha) I have truly means nothing. The only thing left that has any importance is my relationship with Christ. While at the time of the occurrence, it is very demoralizing and emotionally difficult, in the end it is a blessing because God is putting me in my place: his creation that should be relying on him for guidance.

Sacred Wilderness vs Philosophy- Andrey Bondar

In addition to taking this course, I also took a philosophy course. Taking these two classes simultaneously was very intriguing. I feel that in essence these two courses complimented each other. The biggest thing it revealed to me is that humans have this innate desire for an understanding or relationship with a higher power. Many of the philosophers are so dumbfounded by the idea of God that they try to logically explain him. I catch myself thinking if only all these philosophers could take the Sacred Wilderness course, they would accept the mysterious and unexplainable existence and power of God.

Iceland Movie- Andrey Bondar

After watching the movie and understanding the sacredness of the nation of Iceland, I watched a giant volcanic eruption shake the island and cause the biggest aviation disruption since 9-11. The volcano really put into perspective the supernatural presence in the small nation. I understand now why people are so spiritual and conscious of God's existence. He often exerts his tremendous power through the natural phenomenon that occur on the landscape. I was in shock when I saw videos and photographs of this giant explosion that was creating its own thunderstorms in its plum. Living in Iceland next to such a beast that has the people in a choke hold makes you rely on the God really fast because you know he can take it away just as fast.

Spiritual Journey- Andrey Bondar

Lane mentions spiritual journey accompanied by flow and communitas. I want to experience this. I feel like my perspective on life will change dramatically and it will change what I want to do with my life. Even after watching all the videos and reading about all the people who hiked the Nolan Trail, I don't completely understand how it feels. It seems to be one of those things that you have to truly experience before truly understanding. There are forces that are holding me back from doing such a journey, but I want to overcome those and let go of what society expects from me and just follow my dreams and heart.

Flow- Andrey Bondar

lane mentions his concept of flow. I completely agree it exists. I have experienced this phenomenon while playing sports. More specifically, I felt it playing basketball. Flow is basically the same as being in the "zone." I always hear announcers talk about a player on television being in the zone. Recently, researched has shown that it is a real thing. It is an actual mental level that an individual reaches that makes them perform at extraordinary levels. I remember having this feeling. It was almost like I was in a haze playing basketball. Every little sound was magnified and visually everything was crisp. I felt like anyone on the court submitted to my needs and I just felt unstoppable. It is one of the clearest my mind has ever been. I have not experienced it in a while and would like to tap into that energy one more.

Sacred Place- Andrey Bondar

There seems to be this notion that sacred place is a specific location that usually involves the participation of nature. Why? I feel like that is limited God and his omnipotence to individual locations. I can feel God's presence immensely in my bedroom surrounded by my computer and stereo just as much as at the Nolan Trail for example. It seems to come down to ritual. Where ever a spiritual ritual is established, that place now becomes sacred to me. I think it is wrong to confine God. He is everywhere, and I believe everyone should be able to tap into his presence at anytime anywhere.

Nolan Trail- Andrey Bondar

The biggest thing that stood out to me at the trail was a rabbit sitting still in the brush of the forest. Just as he was completely motionless, I froze and just focused on the rabbit as well. It was almost like we both just stood there in silence looking at each other. Neither one of us was fearful; we both just observed each other in peace. The sound and motion of nature around me really put me into a peaceful state. It was almost as if I belonged there naturally. The simple beauties coming together to make a complex creation that is awe aspiring was inspirational.

Nolan Trail (Blog #7)

Tyler Hoskinson

The Nolan Trail is the best. It's got so much to offer the unsuspecting or even suspecting visitor. Theres interactive wildlife, such as the turtles that lurk near certain bridges and bask in the sun utop water-ridden logs. They seem to speak to you, saying "hey, come try out this life; we eat, float, bask, and have a good time..brah" The turtles seem pretty cool. Walking further along the trail there seemed to be an endless muttering of wild creatures: the birds caw, the fishes kurplop, the woodpeckers peck, and even the snakes slither( which slithered a little too near for my comfort). They all seemed to say "we're here, and we live life just as you do, but wilder...in the wilderness..." The trees also spoke to me. They loomed overhead and whispered of their age and everything they had seen happen throughout their years. Everything seemed to have a voice of its own, and was constantly speaking if I was willing to listen.

Image and pilgrimage: Flow

Tyler Hoskinson

Flow: "the holistic [or whole] sensation present when we act with total involvment." This concept intrigues me, that the idea of being "in the zone" is an every day term that carries a more concrete and philosophical meaning. Flow is a concept that argues the idea that a person can enter a state of being in which no conscious intervention is needed, but instead the person "acts according to an internal logic"; they act without the need of conscious thought or active participation of the brain. It seems as though it argues that flow is something that, once turned on, can opperate on its own without the need of human thought. Once a person is aware that they are aware, however, the flow is upset and no longer in action. Apparently you can't consciously be in a state of flow. But if you can't consciously be in that state then how is it that its possible to depict a person in that state? Can they consciously describe the previously nonconscious state that they were just in that allowed them to shoot 12 3-pointers in a row? If so, then wouldn;t they technically be consciously aware of what happened purely because of the fact that they can describe it afterwards? Interesting. Very interesting.

Image and Pilgrimage: Ritual rite of passage

Tyler Hoskinson

Turner describe rite of passage as an important category of ritual; "the transitional rituals accompanying changes of place, state, social position, and age in culture." He also says there are three phases: separation, margin (or limen), and reaggregation. An example of a rite of passage ritual would be the native tribe that we discussed in class. The boys/future men are separated from the rest of the tribe, then they are pierced with hooks in their chests and must yank themselves free through a sort of tribal dance it seems. The process of yanking themselves free places them in a liminal state (the second phase) or the margin. Once they yank themselves free they reaggregate or rejoin the rest of the tribe as men, and the scars they bare represent there tribulations. I think that this would be an extremely rewarding experience though I'm not sure if I would have the courage to go through with it. One might have to be fully invested in the ideas and workings of that particular tribe in order to realize the substantial gains that the rite of passage bares.

Image and Pilgrimage: Communitas

Tyler Hoskinson

Turner first describes communitas as a "commonness of feeling" between to group of individuals. This is probably the most general sense of the term, for it can also be described as the unplanned bonding of and constant association of a group of individuals in which they share common emotions and draw from each others experiences and feelings. whew. I experienced communitas myself when I went to a religious camp as a child. For a week we slept out in the woods in massive Tipis. Some of the guys felt uncomfortable about sleeping next to 8 other guys at close proximity in a tipi in the woods, but after a few days we all felt more comfortable. Our experiences in the wilderness, cooking food over a fire and hiking miles a day, brought us together and made us almost like a family. We were experiencing communitas.

Landscapes of the sacred: 2nd axiom

Tyler Hoskinson

Lane's second axiom, sacred place is ordinary place ritually made extraordinary is an intersting concept. People all over the world partake in rituals, which means that there are a huge amount of sacred places in the world. Every place in the world has the potential to be sacred if someone feels that it is to them. Like Hirata in Cold Fever; he performed the Japanese ritual, making that place sacred to him and his family, but to many or most onlooking that place is just a dangerous, cold wilderness. If a place is percieved by someone to be important enough to perform a ritual at, them it seems fitting that the place be considered sacred and more than ordinary.

#15 Nolan Trail: conversation with nature

Afton Reed

The nolan trail is filled with beautiful scenery that seems to speak to you. My favorite part is watching the animals. I enjoy the ducks and turtles- not so much the huge spiders and snakes. But when wandering alone on the Nolan trail trees and sky really caught my eye. The landscape seemed to be saying that it was full of possibilitues and skies the limit! All the creatures seemed to be so happy to be there, which provided me with a feeling of ease, comfort and peace.

Landscapes of the sacred: Ontological approach

Tyler Hoskinson

"Sacred place is a place where supernatural forces have invanded the ordinary" To me, this illustrates the idea that sacred place has power. A place is sacred if it contains some sort of extraordinary element that separates itself from the rest of its surroundings or from "normal" things. An example of this could be Angel Falls in Venezuela, the highest waterfall in the world looming at 3212 feet. There is nothing quite like it and I imagine that standing under it or overtop it would bring a person a sense that this thign has power, that this thing, however natural, has supernatural powers. The ordinary surroundings are bombarded with this magnificent water-spewing phenomenon.

Landscapes of the sacred: Liminality

Tyler Hoskinson

I love the idea of liminality, of being at the threshold of an experience, or place, or even of existence. There seems to be a great sense of opportunity within the idea of liminality. If you are neither here nor there, then you will eventually become either here or there. If you are coming from an unwanted place, and stuck in a liminal state, then you have the opportunity to transform into a new person once you pass through the liminal plane of existence. Liminality is a transformation process. When you enter a liminal state you come out changed, sometimes for the better, but possibly for the worse. For instance, a choma could be considered a liminal state, and though coming out of it is positive, the effects of having been in one in the first place could be severe. On a better note, a person can be in a liminal state when it comes to spirituality. You can be on the threshold of finding your spirituality, wavering back and forth, and finally find yourself and find spirituality.

#14 Outside reading: A Walk in the Woods:Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Afton Reed

"Best of all when I see a mountain, I look at it slowly and appraisingly, with a narrow, confident gaze and eyes of chipped granite."
" We didn't walk 2,200 miles, it's true, but here's the thing: we tried. So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail."

This story has everything to do with spiritual journey. The sense of pride and accomplishment Bill feels just glows from the pages. He realizes in other's eyes he didn't complete the whole trail. But the important thing was that he pushed himself to his limit. He found wholeness and spirituality. It is an individual journey and no one can tell him that he didn't do his best. Bill was changed after his hike and that's true spirituality.

#13 Outside Reading: The Anthropology of Experience

Afton Reed

Simple and complex wholes- Complex wholes are made up of subsets.There is consciousness and seperate images involved. It isn't a sudden change. It happens in sequences.whereas a simple wholeness is immediate and spontaneous without thought.There is much debate on whether liminality and communitas are considered simple or complex. They seems to have aspects of both, so it seems they are both simple and complex.

#12 outside readings: The Solace of Fierce Landscape

Afton Reed

Connecting spirituality and the environment:Habitat vs. Habitus.
"The place where we live tells us who we are- how we relate to people, to the larger world around us, even to God" There are two different ways that we can connect with our landscape. We can see it as a habitat,which is a conventional way of seeing landscape.It becomes nothing but background scenery.In other words the landscape is overlooked. But habitus, is admiring and experiencing the landscape around you to find wholeness. Habitus is not conventional, it is not community, and it is not merely habitat.One relies on natural instincts and feelings, leaving the concious world behind.

#11 How class has affected my view of wilderness and nature

Afton Reed

On our first day of class we were told to write an introduction poem that told Kip what we thought wilderness to be. I remember mentioning green.But I soon learned I was mistaken. The green stuff is referred to more as nature. Wilderness is a different thing completely. It is much more specific. It is untrammeled. It is not inhabited by humans. There can be no roads running through it and there are actually laws that identify and protect it. But, when I think of wilderness as a sacred place, I don't completely think of the guidelines. I can see why the specific guidelines make it sacred for some people. A place with no roads, that humans aren't allowed to temper with, can be comforting. But I don't mind knowing that people are near by. I sometimes find people to be sacred.This class has taught me what makes places sacred to other people. And that a place can be sacred without you even knowing. And ultimately people find sanctuary in nature. They always have and they probably always will.

#10 Flow and Acting

Afton Reed

I have experienced flow many times in my life. But the one time I really want to hold on to it is when I'm on stage. When you are "flowing" on stage, it is magnified, because everyone is witnessing this great event. You are so focused and out of your head, which is exactly how good acting should be, so when it happens you have acheived the ultimate. The sad thing is, you can't make flow happen. I am always looking for flow when I perform, and I know you can't make it happen, but I feel I need to. Actors do exercises to try to allow flow to happen easier. Relaxing and meditating may be some ways to stop being so conscious, but unfortunately flow is a mysterious force that you can't just create. I love flow. I wish I "flowed" every day. I like to think of a really great day as "flowing" really well. If every day flowed it would be a perfect world. Thus I continue to search for the non-exsistent recipe for flow.

#9 My Communitas

Afton Reed

My junior year of high school I was nominated for a summer residential Governor's school program. It was so exciting and terrifying at the same time. It's something you go into completely alone. You live with kids you don't know for 6 weeks. And on top of that, you are not allowed to bring a cell phone, for the exact reason of creating communitas. We all came together for similar reason, some for arts and some for humanities, but we were all forced into this scary situation where we were forced to communicate with eachother if we didn't want to be alone. Today we still talk.Something I think to be a characterstic of communitas is saying "remember when... good times." Even the people you didn't get to know very well, treat you like you were best friends, because they feel connected with you through the experience.

#8 Sacred Place I've entered... partially

Afton Reed

I'm sure I've tread across many sacred places and never even realized it. Thus, I have not entered many sacred places. But one sacred place that I have entered is stong henge. I know it's a major tourist attraction, and that it is mysterious and sacred, but I'm not 100 percent why? Can I enter a sacred place, because I'm aware it's sacred, but if I don't know why it's sacred, have I truly entered it? Where do you draw the line? Can you enter in darkness? just like how many licks it take to get ot the center of a tootsie pop.. the world may never know...

#7 Wilderness as Sacred Place: Spiritual Journey- no pain no gain

Afton Reed

Spiritual journey is comprised of many things. One important aspect is "no pain no gain," In order to recieve any benefits, like everything else, you have to be willing to push yourself to the limit. Finding your limits really allows you to grow as a person. You grow a new respect for yourself, and a new knowledge of what you can handle.To complete a spiritual journey you must have perseverence.

#6 Wilderness as Sacred Place: My sacred place at CNU

Afton Reed

I don't feel like I have many places that I consider sacred.The only place that really strikes me is a place I went to a few times for answers. There were a few nights I just felt like going for walks and I always ended up at the fountain. Most nights no one was sitting there so I could do whatever I wanted to without feeling watched. Sometimes I cried. I often watched the sky or the water in the fountain. I'm not sure what was so relaxing about it. And why I felt so comfortable there, but there it was. I guess it chose, I didn't choose it. I didn't really perform any rituals there, but if crying could be considered a ritual, or somewhat questioning a higher power, then I performed rituals there. It is both local and universal because many people find water to be relazing. And finally it is tread upon every day but I am the only one who has entered it as a sacred place. But, now that I have shared it's sacredness, you may enter.

#5 Wilderness as Sacred Place: Community vs. Communitas

Afton Reed

Community is simply people living together in the same vicinity. It is conventional and utterly meaningless. But communitas is so much more. Communitas is people forced together in somewhat extreme circumstances who form this inexplainable bond. People form this connection from the experience. People who are living memorable, meaningful experiences are so overwhelmed with emotion they can't help but connect and relate those people to that experience.Communitas often incorporates flow. People just feel like everything is going right between them. Everyone is focused on eachother and sending eachother good vibes. Communitas is rare, and community is every day.

#4 Liminality

Afton Reed

Liminality is an inbetween. You are who you are in the beginning and who you end up being changes drastically,the things inbetween being the cause. For example Kip refers to people who hike the Appalachian trail. They are thrown into this new situation, stripped of conventional society, forced to overcome goals, forced to persevere and push themselves to the limit and to do all of these things that they never have before,(that they may have thought they were incapable of doing) and if that doesn't change a person I don't know what does. Liminality is the state after being a catapillar but before you turn into a butterfly.

#3 Space and Place diagram

Space is expansive and place is enclosed.Both space and place have postive and negative qualities. Space consisits of freedom and threat. Freedom provides excitement, and a feeling of limitlessness. A free space is open and boundless.However, space can also be a threat. People are afraid that they will be lost in space. If the space is too large you felt swallowed up in it.There is no end and that can be frightening.Place also has a positive and a negative. The positive side is comfort. For example,the myths of a small town. predictability,and stability are comforting things that a small town can offer. Having things that are familiar. People you know by name, who know you by name can be a very reassuring thing to have. But a place can also be constricting.It can make you feel suffocated. It is unexciting and routine.

#2 Cold Fever and Lane's 4 axioms

Afton Reed

In Cold Fever,Hirata, a japanese business man, is forced to go to Iceland instead of a vacation to Hawaii. His is obligated to perform rituals at the place where his parents died 7 years ago. Along the way he encounters many strange things.He never would have suspected that he was trekking across a sacred place. However, Iceland's sacredness is revealed throughout the film. Let's see if it fits into Lane's view of sacred place by applying the 4 axioms, shall we? "Sacred place chooses, it is not chosen." Hirata obviously did not choose the place to be sacred. It is sacred because of circumstance. The place where his parents died evokes strong emotions. It is a place where he feels connected to them, as this was the last place they were, while on earth. Secondly, "sacred place is an ordinary place made ritually extraordinary." The river where Hirata's parents died is seemingly ordinary, but because of the events that happened there, rituals must take place there,making it is sacred. Hirata performs many rituals at the river. He lights candles and sends them down the river, he pours wine into the river and he prays at the river. All of these things are done because the place has meaning to Hirata, and because of that, the place is sacred. Thirdly, "sacred place can be tread upon but not entered." Hirata doesn't know anything about the sacredness of Iceland. This is evident when he rides by the fairy stones, that Icelandic people believe to be the home of fairies, and has no idea that they are something out of the ordinary. It is not until he is told about them that he can know of the sacredness, and truly enter the place. And lastly, "Sacred place is both local and universal." The rituals Hirata performs at the river are recognizable rituals. It is local, but it is also universal because someone else has a place that they hold sacred, where they perform similar rituals.They recognize his place as being sacred to him, because of their sacred place, and therefore it is universal.

#1 Wilderness as Sacred Place: Lane's 4 axioms

Afton Reed

I guess I always thought of sacred place as nothing more than a place that someone felt connected to in a positive way. I never knew there were specific things that make a sacred place a sacred place. But, there are actually 4 axioms that characterize sacred place.These 4 axioms include: "A sacred place isn't chosen, it chooses." Which means that a place has a sacred quality that draws a person in. The place is divine and reveals itself to the beholder of the sacred.The place chooses to show itself to the person, the person doesn't merely pick it at random. The next axiom is "sacred place is an ordinary place, made extraordinary." This is pretty self explanatory. But to expand upon it, sacred place is geographically normal, nothing special, but the rituals that take place there make it sacred. The place isn't sacred without the person using it as a sacred place.The third axiom is "Sacred place can be tread upon but not entered." A sacred place can be overlooked to someone who is not informed of the place's sacred qualities. The sacred place can be physically walked on, but only when the person has the knowledge of the sacredness can they truly enter. And lastly, "sacred place is both local and universal." A place can be recognized as sacred by outsiders, because they share a similar bond with a place.

Andrew Carr- Class

This class provided me with the opportunity and landscape as I never before have depicted. I appreciate how the class was presented and lent itself to open discussion about various topics and relating this subject matter to our own individual situations.

Andrew Carr- Mask of the Holy

The idea that ordinary place can be a mask of the holy was a difficult concept for me to understand when we first began discussing this topic in class. I was not sure how landscape could reveal the Holy. As, we began to discuss this and the slide show of Mt. Rainier allowed me to see the concepts that were being addressed. Lane's personal experience that he also shared in the book allowed me to get a perspective on how God can be revealed through a mountain. But looking at the incredible process of a mountain forming and the tremendous power a mountain can exert on its environment, it became evident on how that mask can be unveiled.

Andrew Carr- I and Thou

When I first read this article I was very confused by what he was trying to say and explain between the I-It and I-Thou. However, after rereading and doing some other research on this article I was able to realize that this whole article is based on relationships between the I and either an object or person. Any kind of personal engagemnt with another person on a mental or spiritual level is with a Thou. The personal interaction or experience with another object is with an It. Now although an iteraction with the landscape is physical experience and an It, Thou can be experienced through the unveiling of God through the landscape.

Brittany Nozolino- Noland Trail Experience

Our trip to the Noland Trail was interesting to say the least. I found myself secluded off in a little meadow beyond clusters of trees and shrubs. The place was quiet and I sat down. I looked up and saw the tops of the highest trees around me. I ended up laying down in the grass and wrote the following little blurb while staring straight up at the trees:

The swaying of the tree tops make me feel in motion. A single, fast moving puff of a cloud peaks through the branches. Some sway and others stay rigid. Makes me feel so small, so young, so insignificant. Human life ceases to exist; things that are so important don’t matter anymore, they don’t matter here. This simple thing is so much bigger than me; makes me question my life direction and choices. The stream of a jet seems out of place in the big blue sky, and angers me that it is passing my tree top view. It’s serene and surreal, but I strongly feel like I do not belong, that I should be weary of consequences of being caught here. I feel at peace and at home, but that no one can know that I’m here; like it is a forbidden place for humans to go. I want to bring it home with me. I want to be able to escape to this other world when life gets too tough, all consumed with unimportant things. Laying on the soft grass, gazing up at the swaying tree tops, makes me think that nothing can go wrong here; no bad weather, no pain, no unpleasantness whatsoever. It’s a place of eternal sunshine and soft breezes. A euphoria from which man is forbidden.

Andrew Carr- Sacred Journeys

The slide shows, personal experiences, and stories from your own life have allowed me to look at my own and think about what kind of journey my life is on right now. I have not been to church or prayed much in the past few years after witnessing some of the things I saw in Afghanistan and the killing in the name of God. However, after taking your class and and looking at sacred place, I am wondering if maybe there is more to religion in church as the only way to view God. The more I look at all the surroundings around me and the ordinary daily things I take for granted.

Andrew Carr- Noland Trail 2

I wanted to continue on my experience from my first blog with the spider. While watching the spider in this tree, an small insect landed on the web and became entangled. The struggle for survival and the relentless attempts to free itself were amazing. Although, after about five to ten minutes the struggle abated and the spider gave itself over to its inevitable death. However, by doing so it was also giving life to this spider and becoming part of something greater than itself. This goes along with the idea of everything returning to the Earth only to be reborn anew.

Andrew Carr- Noland Trail

This was my first time on the Noland Trail and and thought it was amazing little path around the lake. I have spent a good amount of time in the wilderness and woods, but never really reflecting on how all the different aspects of the ecosystem interact and come together. The day on the trail I was able to witness a spider that had made its web in an old hollowed out tree trunk. The death of the tree allowed for the new home for this spider and this spiders survival. The interconnectedness of death and life was amazing to witness in this little small piece of the whole ecosystem.

Derek Bryant - back to the lions bridge

Oddly enough ever since our class trip out to the Lions Bridge I have looked over to the lone pillar off the shore and scanned to see if my osprey buddy is out there or if he's hunting for fish. The days I do happen to see him, I merely get a chuckle to myself and go on with my day with an almost simple victory that I didn't even have to work for. Nature just gave me a freebee. And on days that I don't I just figure he's off doing what ever it is that osprey do besides eating and sleeping and hunting. It's strange that such a simple ordinary day would give me a new bond with the Lions Bridge and the nature around it.

Derek Bryant - chthonic power

The first time I heard the phrase chthonic power and its meaning, which is an inherent power that comes from within, my first thought went to the slime from ghostbusters 2. I pictured the little toaster dancing to music on the pool table. But the startling part is to think about how true it may be. Walking into a dreary building you get that feeling on the back of your neck, and the very presence of the house seems to weigh itself upon you. And as soon as you leave the place you feel instantly better. And quite the opposite, we've all walked into a room that was just alive with good "energy" and it has the power to quite literally drag us from a funk. Chthonic power could just be our own body reacting to a subconscious thought, or an irrational fear. But I think that most of the time it is the place itself.

Hitchhikers guide vs. sacred landscapes - Derek Bryant

When reading Lane's book and talking in class about sacred landscapes and where they are and what effect it has on people, occasionally I had thoughts about Douglas Adams series of books. And the book is a great example of different people on a journey together with different motives and goals they wish to accomplish, and that like mentioned in a trialjournals.com log, sometimes the journey is knowing the answer but not knowing what the question is. Several great quotes from the series like the bold printing on the guidebook saying "Don't Panic." Or Ford's entire outlook and how you must always know where your towel is. And the idea of space becomes this sacred place where the universe is opened up with its endless possibilities "such as the improbability drive" that anything is possible and while yes you are an insignificant spot in the universe, all things are possible for you.

Masks of the Holy - Derek Bryant

Many of the things we see in the world we have separated completely from being any sort of spiritually powerful. Although I do find it interesting that we talk about masks of the holy and how what is behind the mask is a mysterious incomprehensible persona. Which then leads to countless misinterpretations of what is behind it. Not always intentionally its just what happens to mysteries, we make assumptions to try and figure them out. But suppose there was a way to link all the thoughts together and prove that they all just named out the same thing. That there were several masks all hiding the same thing but each mask completely different looking from the others. Perhaps the wiccan and the pagan and the buddhist and the christian and the muslim are all just talking about the same thing but not knowing it.

Flow - Derek Bryant

When I think about the concept of "flow" I wonder how this comes to be really. Could it in fact be something controlled? And if it were, would the effects be a zen like state we see our favorite kung-fu sensais in? If flow is merely putting ourselves completely in an experience and to move freely. Most of the time when we realize we are in a flow like state the state is already over, or we realize it and the feeling seems to fade. But perhaps there was a way to obtain the "flow" state deliberately but without consciously acknowledging it. Could we learn to take a sort of shaman approach to meditation where in clearing our minds of all things and total openness can the truth be revealed. Of course shamans use this meditation to identify their spirit creatures and several other practices but the principle is the same. In order to experience things in a different light, it seems almost a requirement for us to "turn off" our brains.

Definition of Sacredness

Justin Holloway

Disputes Over Sacred Places

I was reading what Lane was writing about the vast list of sacred places that people are disputing. To find that a Catholic group was arguing the Alamo has a negative connotation towards present day Mexicans is outrageous and displays how narrow-minded some people can be.

Pilgrimages

Justin Holloway

Amount of Pilgrimages in the World

I never knew there were so many pilgrimages made by millions are the world each year. After reading about pilgrimages it amazed me to find that every culture has some form of pilgrimage.

St. Patrick's Purgatory

Justin Holloway

Pilgrimage

Until now I have not heard of this particular pilgrimage. The Hajj pilgrimage seems to dominate the scene for pilgrimages and I suppose the smaller ones are overlooked by most. I think it is very interesting because this pilgrimage is ancient and is heavily rooted in tradition about the real St. Patrick.

Truck

Justin Holloway

My Escape

I was driving down to the Outer Banks a week ago. The windows were down in my truck, exhaust roaring, country music blaring, and cooler in the back. For this small instant, everything was perfect. I had no worries, no stress, no regrets. You have to enjoy the small things.

Life

Justin Holloway

Life: Discovery Channel Series

I was watching an episode of Life and I couldn't help but notice how life always found a way. Even in acidic, poisonous, extremely hot liquids life found a way to survive. One way or another life finds a way to exist and prosper. This leads me to believe that a higher being must be responsible for this great thing we call life.

Axioms

Justin Holloway

Recognition of Ordinary Places as Holy

I really like how Lane talks about sacred places are just ordinary place that have transcended to the level of sacred by the events that have occurred. Jerusalem for example is a sacred place, not because of its location or grand buildings, but because the Son of Christ was crucified there. This singular event has made Jerusalem the sacred place it is today.

Pilgrimage

Justin Holloway

Ramadan

After reading about pilgrimages, I have a whole new respect for the Muslim custom of Ramadan. The devotion of the Muslims who undergo this pilgrimage is inspiring. I watched a documentary on the pilgrimage and it appears to be a very spiritual and moving experience; even life changing. I think when I graduate I want to participate in some type of spiritual ritual.

Outer Banks

Justin Holloway

Ocracoke Island

I was looking at pictures the other day from a trip to the island last year. One of my most favorite trips to date. The town there is awesome because is it all themed after Black Beard and pirates. The beaches there are world class. Beautiful sand and beautiful trucks are everywhere. The water was so clear it reminded me of being in the tropics. When I retire I am going to settle down there and live the life I've always wanted to live; beach bum.

Noland Trail

Justin Holloway

Wilderness So Close Yet So Far

It's amazing how close the wilderness is to our busy lives. Even when we walk into the wilderness we are not always entering it. We come there with our baggage of the stresses of the day and do not appreciate how sacred it really is. When we had class at the trail I was really stressed about school and could not really enjoy how beautiful the trail truly was.

Astronomy

Justin Holloway

Space

Everytime I look up at the night sky I am envious of those after us who will conquer the last frontier. My biggest dream is to visit another planet. To look up at night and see earth would be an amazing sight. To be in a place where no one has been is a chilling yet exciting thought at the same time. Such a place would indeed become sacred for those to follow.

Astronomy

Justin Holloway

Black Holes

The idea of a black hole is mind boggling. An item the size of a quarter with mass exceeding that of the entire solar system is astounding. I have read articles about how they form, but I still do not understand it. The gravity is so strong that light itself can not escape from its grasp. Something that powerful lends more credit towards a higher being in my opinion.

Astronomy

Justin Holloway

The Moon and Water

I just read an article about the Moon containing water. Apparently there are billions of gallons of water in the form of ice located on the Moon. This blew my mind because the possibility of life and the possibility of human colonization of the moon now seem possible.

Astronomy

Justin Holloway

The Universe

I am really interested in astronomy and have read several books on the subject and the current theories that explain the current state of our universe. One aspect that interest me is the big bang theory. There will always be the debate between the creationist and the scientist, yet I like to look at both and form my own opinion. To me, it seems that the big bang theory demands that there be a higher being. How could something so great and powerful exist in any other way?

Sacred Place

Justin Holloway

Place Defining Who You Are

I was reading Landscapes of the Sacred and really like the quote "Tell me the landscape in which you live, and I will tell you who you are." I believe this to be true in every respect. Environment always will dictate the outcome of the individual. I believe the place we come from has a lot to do with who we are and how we act. Someone from the deep south will more than likely differ than an individual from up North.

Outer Banks

Justin Holloway

The Ocean

I went to the Outer Banks this weekend for a fraternity event. Even though I have been going there for twenty years now, every time feels like the first time. The waves, the wind, the sun, the white sand; I am in awe at how beautiful it all is. The vast ocean really puts everything into perspective and reminds us that in the grand scheme of things we really are but a small part of a huge ecosystem. The day to day worries such as work, school, or relationships seem so minute next to the greatness of the ocean.

Natural Setting/Holy Water...Crystal Cyr

I find that the mask of the holy can be experienced in the simplest of things. All of creation is the mask of the holy. It is quite amazing. Today, after I took two exams, I was walking, somewhat relieved, across campus to my car and suddenly it started to sprinkle. Tiny, immature rain drops parachuted down from the sky, falling slowly at first. Then, as if diving as quickly as they could, only to plop onto the ground, the drops fell more rapidly. They sunk from the clouds to dampen my clothes and hair. They smelled wet and clean as if the angels were washing the glory right out of heaven. I didn't care if I was becoming increasingly soggy. I did not try to run to get out of the rain. I let it pour onto my skin as I strolled beneath the pine trees and down the sidewalk to my car. It reminded me of a baptism of sorts. My exams were over and I was finally being cleansed of the stress which loomed over me all semester. It felt like God was drenching me with serene holy water. The more soaked I became, the more at peace I felt.

Brittany Douglas-Topic of Choice #2

"The Depths of the Sea"

Watching the Planet Earth series the other night, I was reminded of a perplexing fact: there are creatures that exist in the deep ocean over a mile below where the sun can reach. The interesting thing though, is that some of these organisms (from coral to swimming crustaceans) are extremely vivid in color. The creatures that live here cannot see the rainbow of beauty surrounding them, and humans are unable to lay eyes on it unless a spotlight, a camera, and a submarine is used. So why are these colors here? Who enjoys them? Perhaps the ancestors of the living creatures once lived closer to the surface, perhaps before continental drift occurred. But why are their colors still thriving after thousands of years? I would like to know.

Brittany Douglas-Topic of Choice #1

"The Imagination"

One of the most perplexing things about the human mind is this: humans, especially children, draw organisms they have never before seen using their imagination only. How do we conjure these images in our mind without ever having seen them? This concept is best exemplified concerning deep sea organisms. Children will create doodles resembling them almost exactly, having no knowledge of their existence whatsoever. Why is this? Is nature somehow engrained in our minds? Have we been given some access or insight into the mind of God who created these things? We will never know.

Brittany Douglas-External Reading #3

"The Natural World As a System of Interdependence"

In Paul W. Taylor's book, "Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics" he writes, "The interactions among species-populations and between those populations and the physical environment comprise a tightly woven web. A particular change occurring in the conditions of a living population's existence or in the environmental situation will cause adjustments to be made throughout the entire structure." I believe it is one of the most vivid examples of God's intelligent design. This interconnectedness is displayed in the workings of the food web and the atmosphere all over the world. Specific interdependent relationships exist as well, such as that of the ant plant and the species of ant that inhabit and nourish it. This is just one example of God's sophistication and nurturing ways.

Brittany Douglas-External Reading #2

“Ishmael”

In his book Ishmael, Daniel Quinn shares his beliefs on the human race via the words of a giant, telepathic gorilla. One of the most remarkable points he makes is that man has stopped the process of evolution. Most humans believe man is destined to rule the earth. Quinn says we formed this view following the development of agriculture. He believes man used to “live in the hands of the gods;” however, we now believe that we are the gods that rule the earth. By developing the ability to sustain ourselves by creating surpluses of food, we no longer have to faithfully depend on nature to feed us daily. Because we have taken matters into our own hands, we have been unable to evolve. But what if we did evolve further? What would we look like? Would our mindsets change? Men and women from a century ago look recognizably different than the average person does today. Both clothing style and facial structure are different. What will humans look like a century from now? What if the human did evolve? What if we became bigger, stronger, more intelligent creatures? Will the world exist long enough to foster this? We will never know.

Brittany Douglas-Personal Experience #3

“The Nolan Trail”

Last fall, I had an amazing morning routine: wake up at 5:00, spend an hour reading God’s word, then spend an hour working up a sweat on the trail. Each morning offered inspiration and left me incredibly refreshed. The Nolan Trail is a tranquil escape from the surrounding world. It offers a small, personal patch of wilderness that is hard to find in a city. The trees soar high above your head, meeting to form a canopy at the top. They make you feel incredibly small. Though just meters away from civilization, the trail encompasses you. It makes you forget about the chaos in your life. Experiencing the trail in the morning reiterates this even further, for the mental notes of the day have yet to swarm your mind. Running also releases endorphins that help amplify the mental state achieved on the trail. One morning in particular stands out in my mind: I had been out for 45 minutes or so, and was cooling down and making my way back to campus. All of a sudden, a giant white goose caught my eye. It was alone, gracefully floating in the water dangerously close to me. It was so peaceful and full of beauty it nearly took my breath away. It was not scared, but completely relaxed and inviting. It felt I was staring God straight in the face. Every day on the trail leaves a mark that sticks—it draws your mind back to the beauty of nature that is so often overlooked during the hustle and bustle of everyday life. That mental reminder seems to get me through the day.

michael crosby lions bridge blog

sitting there looking at the battle that is taking place, it has been going on for years. the battle to survie. looking at the dead seeing how they where so violantly killed by storm. but seeing more how they lived a long life and now are a helping to bring nutrients to the new generation that is moving in to fill the recently made vacant space. even though some have died there are many still around fighting to grow big and strong. you can see the trees playing in the wind and with the animals enjoying themsleves. but they know the things that they enjoy and need can also be the end of them. the lesson of moderation is ever present. so the wild works together there is also the knowledge that there might not be enough for both so its a fight to see who can live and who will die. the goal is to become big and strong, so that you can play in the wind its a ride of a life time.

The Puritan Reading Response Two/outside reading...Crystal Cyr

Upon reading The Puritan Reading, a chapter in Belden Lane's Landscapes of the Sacred, I now have a greater awareness for the center of town as compared to the outskirts of town. As a continuation of my first response to,"The Puritan Reading," I will examine the case of my in-laws. There has been a doughnut effect happening in the past century. Many people who live in the city are moving to suburban areas outside of town. What was once a bustling downtown area has now become a hole, void of human activity. The suburban areas are built on what was once mystical wilderness, and is also far from what was once the axis mundi of the town, or the church. My in-laws are a good case in this respect since they own twenty acres of land a couple miles outside town. They are not in a suburban area, but outside it. They bought what was once farm land, and are now attempting to return it to the wetland that it used to be. They did build a house on the land, however, they only maintain (mow and manicure) about two of the twenty acres. My father in-law plants over twenty indigenous trees on the land every year in an attempt to restore the area to its original state. I find what they are doing very interesting since in most cases people purchase land with the intention of developing and manicuring it. However, they are simply using a small portion of the land and preserving the rest. What a great concept! They are not portioning off the land and selling it to suburban developers, but they are preserving it and attempting to convert it back to its original wetland state. I find this to be a fantastic way to battle the suburban problem that American cities and towns are currently facing. I would recommend that there be more laws that give tax breaks to people who purchase large plots of land with the intent to preserve the area's natural state.

The Puritan Reading/outside reading...Crystal Cyr

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I went on a weekend road trip to Boston. On the way we explored a town called Mystic, Connecticut. It is a quaint New England port town. I took my Landscapes of the Sacred book, hoping to get some journal entries done while on our trip. In Lane's book I noticed a chapter called, "The Puritan Reading." It contained much about the landscapes of New England. The part of the chapter I found most fascinating and saw definite remnants of still today was, "The Ordering of Towns." It was a very early model for town planning (Lane). The plan detailed the different zones in a quintessential New England town. The focal point or axis mundi of the town was the church or meetinghouse, where the townsfolk gathered to worship. "The ordering of Towns," goes on to detail the six circles of the town starting with the church as the first, or the center of the bullseye. The sixth, and final sphere is the, "swamps and rubbish waste grounds."

I found it interesting, as Christine and I traveled through New England, that this pattern may still be observed in many of the New England towns. Mystic was no different. The town is built with a large white church in the center and has swampy woodland areas on the outskirts of town. Boston is the same too. Although it is a large city, you can still see the church spires rising from the center of the city as you approach it. Even the towns directly outside of Boston, such as Medford,looked like they had once been smaller towns, as they also had churches and bustling shops in the center.

When comparing the New England landscape to where I grew up, in Indiana, I found it to be quite different. Nowadays the downtown areas that contain the old churches are disappearing. Fort Wayne, Indiana is a good example of this. Most of the people live on the outskirts of the city, in the suburbs. This has created a sort of doughnut effect. You can still see the spires of the churches in the center of town, however, the people no longer live near the churches. The downtown area is not a bustling center of business as it is in the New England towns. Is this a sign that people are not only physically moving away from the church, but also mentally and spiritually? Church attendance has definitely declined since the inception of the Mid-Western town. People do not seem to have a high regard for the center or axis mundi of the town any more. The townspeople have built on and moved to the,"swamps," which were initially intended for the purpose of, "providing the surrounding disorder within which the town would find its identity." How will the people find order and identity, when the outskirts of town have been harnessed, manicured, drained of what was once a mystical, untamed wilderness? Is this part of the scientific revolution? Perhaps, since people no longer believe in the mystical, they also do not hold the center in high esteem. It is a frightening thought that people have used science and progress to conquer the wilderness and what was once considered mythical. Is the wilderness outside of town being conquered by suburban life a sign that people are moving away from God and the church, which seemed to be at the focal point of many small towns pre-World War II? I am definitely interested in examining this question further.

B.B. King and Sacred Place/outside reading...Crystal Cyr

This semester, as I was writing my research paper, my favorite story about place was B.B. King's story. I love that he ritually visited the Mississippi Delta area every year to play at the same juke joints he played at since he learned to play the blues. One of those juke joints was Club Ebony. Not only did King play at Club Ebony every year, he also met and fell in love with his wife there. She happened to be the club owner's daughter. Later, when the owner decided to retire and the club went up for sale, B.B.King bought it. In his autobiography King stated that the place was special to him since it was were, fifty years earlier he, "found love back down in the Delta."

Brittany Douglas-Image & Pilgrimage #3

"Karma"

There is a passage in chapter one that reads as follows: “They [unpredictable troubles] are not one’s own fault, though they may be sent by the Almighty to test one’s moral mettle. (There are, of course, legends that very bad sinners will have extra trouble on their pilgrimage.)” Did God really do this? From personal experience, I do not believe that karma works the way it is perceived to. For example, a friend of mine in high school had very selfish tendencies. She was oblivious to the needs of others around her, never generous, and always self-consumed. Our parents used to say, “she can fall in a puddle of mud and come out smelling like roses.” And smell like roses she did. Every major situation in this friend’s life worked out to her benefit. For example, her mom filled out her college applications, essays included, did her book reports in school, and other things of the sort. She never took AP classes and slacked off on most assignments. She is currently a student at Virginia Tech. Hey, more power to her. I also have a friend here who has had everything in her life go absolutely terribly. I will not go into detail. Though she has a very good heart, things are not looking up for her. Why does God do this? To test our patience? Compassion? Sympathy? To make us thankful for what we have? To detach ourselves from material possessions? I believe the answer includes all of the above plus much more.

Leila Barber- thunderstorms

My dad has a house in Vermont that I visit every summer. It doesn’t have television, internet connection, and I rarely get cell phone service. It is located in a small town with a small ratio of people surrounding. When I am there, I am basically extracted from all distractions of my daily life. Traditionally, my dad plants a huge vegetable garden in the lawn and I entertain myself by reading books and doing a lot of artwork. The town is very quite, almost still and ghost-like--dead, essentially its a ghost town with nothing going on. Vermont summers are gorgeous. Everything is green and full of life. You can see every season noticeably well there. Summer thunder storms are quite frequent and as another tradition we all sit on the front porch, usually without power, and watch/listen to the storm pass. It is such a tranquil site that I only come across very few times a year.

Leila Barber- Noland Trail

For class one day we ventured out on the Noland Trail. We met at the Lions Bridge where I go quite frequently. It is always beautiful and peaceful there. The most intrusive thing I notice when I am out there is this beautiful area by the river and every so often the loud, low flying planes of the military that fly by. I am usually out there around sunset when everything is very calm, it is strange to see the planes come across such a nice setting. It shows the disruption of mankind on nature. When we were walking around on the trail I noticed the variety of plants both dead and alive. The vines that survive by climbing gracefully throughout branches of trees; not to suffocate them but merely to compliment. The low bushes and shrubs that surround the dirt trail, accent the high trees that tower over everything else, and the different array of budding flowers all come together in harmony. Life is a natural cycle that cannot be tamed, everything has its duration on this planet, no matter how long or short and that is out of our control.

Leila Barber- Allahabad Triveni

From Landscapes of the Sacred: The human spirit is inexorably drawn to the appeal of place, whether real or imaginary. An example is the famous pilgrimage in Allahabad, India; known as the Allahabad Triveni. The event celebrates the convergence of 3 rivers at this site--the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. The first 2 rivers are physically there, the third is an invisible, mythical river, unseen except for those who enter its waters by faith (37). I find this passage very interesting. It is a prime example of sacred place. Two rivers are physically there and can be seen by both those that don’t believe in the faith as well as those that praise it because of their faith. The third river is interesting because it is only entered by those that have the faith of it. This plays into the axiom of treading upon without being entered.

Leila Barber- axis mundi

Lane says ‘sacred place becomes the point where the power of the divine could be seen breaking into the world’s alleged ordinariness. That fixed point becomes the center of the world--the navel of the earth aka the axis mundi. The passage can be obtained to the cosmic region & beyond’. In Hawaii, the ancient natives believed in the gods and goddesses of the land, some of which are still present on the islands today. Pele, the fire goddess, resides in one of the most active volcanoes of the world. They believe that she holds all the power over the destiny of the Hawaiian lands. This volcano is their axis mundi. In Australia, Uluru is a huge sandstone rock in the middle of the desert. An aboriginal tribe of Australia claims that as their axis mundi. It is where their people were created from. The center of their world, beliefs, people, etc originates from the inner depths of these places.

Leila Barber- Lane: landscape + soul & being

“Tell me the landscape in which you live and I will tell you who you are” -- Jose Ortega y Gasset. Lane says ‘place molds personality as well as serving as an anchor of human existence; Landscape connects the soul with Being’. Over spring break I went to Florida and visited the island that I grew up on for eight years. I moved when I was young but have many distinct memories of the area. I hadn’t been there in over ten years until this February. I was nervous and excited to go back, I didn’t know what was changed or if anything was the same. That island was/is my paradise. It is where I feel I am most rooted. This place connects my personality with my soul. I believe there is something about the place where one is from that helps define and create that person and their character. Although I was there for only a short period of my lifetime, Florida is where I was born and it is forever with me. The ocean, sand and beaches is ‘in my blood’. To me, nothing is more peaceful or nostalgic then that landscape. As I crossed the bridges to the island this spring, so many memories and experiences flooded my head. I knew exactly where everything was located and how it used to be. A lot of it was the same, surprisingly. I was flooded with indescribable emotions. It was strange to notice how attached people can be to a specific place. We moved to the mountains of Virginia when I was eight and I have resided there ever since but I still don’t feel like its my home. I don’t view myself as a Virginian and feel weird saying that my town in Virginia is where I am from because the majority of people there have generations of family born and raised in that area. I consider Florida and the island as where I’m from.

Leila Barber- Ishmael

The book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn makes some good points on human culture and society throughout our existence. Although the book is fictional and based on his opinion, I can agree with it. He states “you’re captives of a civilizational system that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to live” (25). We have become the most prominent and dominant beings on our planet and in order to have accomplished that, as well as continue it, we destroy the lives of other species and our planet that are in our way. We kill the beauty of nature that has survived for x amount of years in order to satisfy our selfish necessities and gain technological growth. We are now focused on the advances of technology and new inventions that our intelligence can create rather than the beauty and salvage of our planet. Quinn also says that with hunting-gathering methods we were limited in life but the rise of agriculture gave rise to everything else. We established a system that gave us our power to destroy for our needs. Agriculture is good, yes, but so many other beings have developed ways of surviving in harmony with their environment that doesn’t make it detrimental to the rest of the area that they occupy.

Leila Barber- Turner + Communitas

I think pilgrimages are a very unique thing. There are certain people that have an inner yearning to dive into such an adventure. Those who follow through with it, I believe, reenter normal life with new perspectives and a different mindset. Throwing yourself into an unknown adventure and living in ways unimaginable is definitely surreal. I think communitas plays a major role in pilgrimage. The communitas that is continuously formed on journeys like these says a lot about how people function. It is human nature to need to unite with others, share things with each other and essentially just be there for one another. Communitas is defined as ‘a relational quality of full unmediated communication, even communion, between definite and determinate identities, which arises spontaneously in all kinds of groups, situations, and circumstances’ by Turner. This is putting a name and definition on human instinct. Although it is usually spontaneous, it is nonetheless, predestined. If a group of people are put together with the same general intentions and goals, a bond will be created and relationships will form. People strive on communication, whether that be between other people, nature, animals or a higher power, we have to branch out of ourself and interact with other forms. I think communitas is a prime example of human instinct bonding with others that share the same interests and are on the same journey.

Leila Barber - Martin Buber on experience

Experience is what humans learn from. It is how people create perspectives on life and gain morals. Martin Buber states:“The world does not participate in experience.  It allows itself to be experienced, but it is not concerned, for it contributes nothing, and nothing happens to it.” I think this statement is well put, for it is the person them self that creates the experience. It is an inner feeling and memory that we hold on to when something significant happens in one’s lifetime. The world is here to do its own thing...the creatures that embody it compliment these factors. We are the beings that contribute to the world and participate in the experience of it.

Leila Barber- Liminality

I think our society puts adolescence at a liminality state throughout the teenage years up until the early twenties. We gain privileges at different periods which makes it confusing as to who we are and what we are/are not allowed to do. Various cultures worldwide have distinct passovers for the transition into adulthood and that is something that we greatly lack. In my anthropology class last semester we watched a video on a rite of passage for young girls. They are taken out of their daily life, taught a special dance to perform in front of the entire community; after being approved by the elders, they go into a ‘fat house’ with the main objective to eat and sleep. Weight gaining is key and seen as beautiful. Once they gain their weight they are taken for special ritual baths at a river and a ceremony is given for them to reenter the community as a woman. Although, in America, we have rights between the ages of fifteen and twenty one, we don’t have a distinct ceremony or process, such as this, that we go through of separation, liminality and aggregation. In my opinion, I think the liminality stage could be said that it ends at twenty one because the majority of people have a big celebration for that. By that age adolescence is basically over and one can be identified as an adult.

Leila Barber- Planet Earth

I was watching Planet Earth Oceans and it was showing footage of different creatures and how they interact with each other. For example, some creatures’ main point in life is to follow around a bigger fish and keep it clean. Sea turtles are born and travel across thousands of miles of ocean but return to the same place they were born to breed. In the depth of the oceans where sunlight doesn’t reach are incredible life forms that are still being discovered. Self illumination is used for some species down there to get prey, etc. Most species that far down can go weeks and months without food. When they do get food, they only take as much as needed. This is different from our species that takes more than we need of various foods and keeps them/wastes them. The documentary magnified our planet’s beauty and how everything fits together so well. Humans have yet to discover or regress back to being in harmony with the rest of the planet. We have taken over the earth and made our species the top priority, in doing this we are becoming oblivious to the beautiful landscape that surrounds us. The footage made me appreciate our world’s beauty even more.

Brittany Douglas-Personal Experience #2

"Avatar"

This winter, I saw the movie Avatar in theaters. I hate SciFi movies, and didn’t expect to take this one seriously. However, it had a profound impact on me. I believe it displayed how violent and arrogant our country can be and how many have forgotten the important things in life. I believe that our earth, when first created, resembled something as wondrous as the world of the avatars. Maybe islands didn’t float in the air and maybe dragons weren’t used as methods of transportation, but I believe the first humans lived in harmony with nature I believe this is the way things should be. Earlier this year in my Sociology class, I heard a statistic that has stuck with me since: For the first 90,000 years humans walked the earth, we lived as hunters and gatherers. Only 10,000 years ago did we begin to develop some sort of agriculture. Since then, industrialism has taken over and we no longer “live in the hands of the Gods” as Daniel Quinn puts it. It saddens me to think that the majority of our natural world has been destroyed, but I hope that one day things will change. The perfect relationship between the creatures in Avatar and their habitat makes me question what the afterlife will be like. Will we have earthly surroundings? Or something infinitely better and more beautiful? My mind cannot begin to fathom its perfection.

Brittany Douglas-External Reading #1

The Holy Bible

I am a huge seeker of solitude and tranquility. Jesus was too:

Mark 6:31-32 “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”
Luke 5:16 “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Luke 6:12 “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

Seeking God in solitude, and even more so in a natural setting, can be an extremely moving experience. It helps block out the world, the figurative pollution of our everyday lives, and have a personal conversation with God. I love the fact that Jesus did this. But why? Was it to serve this same purpose? Or was it to encourage us to do the same? We have thoughts of selfishness and sin to weed through, but Jesus did not. Regardless, ascending mountaintops or finding solitude in God’s creation is both moving and refreshing, and something I highly encourage.

Brittany Douglas-Image & Pilgrimage #2

“Liminality and the Christian Faith”

I am once again discussing the discoveries of Arnold van Gennep. Thanks to his discoveries, Turner says, “Liminality is now seen to apply to all phases of decisive cultural change in which previous orderings of thought and behavior are subject to revision and criticism.” Liminality no longer refers only to the tribal transitions from boyhood to manhood. Liminality is now capable of being desirable and voluntary. In contrast to tribal deviance, this new idea of liminality or transformation involves “open-endedness, the possibility that the freedom of thought inherent in the very principle of liminality could lead to major reformulation of the social structure…” I believe this new view of liminality applies to the Christian faith. Speaking from my personal experience of being saved, the new ideas and responsibilities presented literally point to a new way of living. Transitioning from one way of life, with one particular mindset, to another is a liminal experience in itself. I literally felt I could close my eyes and reflect upon my past like a closed book. The new road ahead of me was an entirely new story in itself, which was about to begin. The differences between the two were vast. I believe a certain degree of maturity comes with this transformation, as does the transition from boyhood to manhood (though returning to a child-like state is encouraged as well, but that’s a different story.) Once this new way of life is accepted, it can be argued that one is encouraged to be in a liminal state constantly. Acceptance of Christ resembles a rebirth, which relates to rites of passage ceremonies. Also, we as Christians are constantly in transition, never reaching our goal of becoming a mirror image of our sinless savior. This can never be accomplished, so the process is everlasting. Lastly, I believe going to church is capable of being a liminal experience in itself. For many, going a week without being “fed” causes them to “slip,” to begin forgetting to keep Christ at the front of their conscience. During Sunday service, some become so totally consumed that they forget about the world outside the sanctuary. Afterwards, they feel spiritually recharged. For these reasons, I believe Christianity relates to liminality.

Coffee Talk/my own topic...Crystal Cyr

In my family, "coffee talk" is a long standing tradition. Its this great phenomenon that happens whenever I visit any of my relatives. Coffee talk has certain unspoken rules that have been followed for several decades. Rule number one is the first person awake brews and pours the coffee. Rule number two is no talking until everyone is at least half way into their first cup of coffee. If I am at my grandma's house in the summer time we slip on our shoes and sit outside on the patio for coffee talk. Coffee talk is really just the caffeine addict's way of saying we are going to spend time together and chat about how life has been going. I love sitting outside and enjoying the light breeze during coffee talk at grandma's house. My aunt lives next door to my grandma, and if she sees us outside she will bring her coffee and come joint our chat. My grandma has quite the green thumb, so sitting on the patio in the morning also affords me some time to get some gardening advise from her. She loves to point out the different flowers and what you have to do to maximize their growth potential. Mostly, however, I think we enjoy relaxing with our family and observing God's awesome creation.

Confined Spaces/my own topic...Crystal Cyr

I found Kip's article about experiencing the land on foot very interesting. I think it not only applies to people who drive in cars, but also people who work in doors, and people who live in man made structures. I am not saying people should live and work outside, but we should be more conscious of the outdoors, and make an effort to spend more time there. I know a lot of companies are experimenting with ways to increase employee productivity. Some companies have gyms, and some have rooms where employees can take naps. I, however, think that maybe they should encourage the employees to go outside and take a 15-30 minute walk. My mother has been doing this on her break for years, and she always comes back feeling refreshed and ready to work. I believe that when people are sitting and working in a confined space, like a cubical, office, or at a desk, they tend to get tired of it after a while. Lunch makes it worse, since food tends to give that full, sleepy feeling. Perhaps if people went for a short walk after lunch, got some fresh air, and increased their circulation a bit, it would result in higher levels of productivity. Just a thought.

Brittany Douglas-Image & Pilgrimage #1

“Liminlity and Transferring”

While reading about liminality in the introduction of Image & Pilgrimage in Christian Culture, I couldn’t help but be extremely vain and think of myself. On page two, Turner discusses Arnold van Gennep’s three stages of rites de passage, the second of which is liminality. It is described as follows: “he passes through a realm or dimension that has few or none of the attributes of the past or coming state, he is betwixt and between all familiar lines of classification.” Now I am not a male, nor am I in a state preceding manhood, but I am in a state of transition. This phase was at its peak towards the beginning of last semester. To give you a little background, I was a student at James Madison University last year, the school many students dream of attending. However, towards the end of July, I decided I wanted some tranquility in my life and made the decision to transfer. By some miracle, I was accepted for the fall semester. I arrived here alone. At JMU, I never had to make new friends. Here, it was a different story. I was on my own. My search for tranquility led to voluntary isolation, which alienated me even further. In the words of Turner, I was “betwixt and between all lines of classification.” I didn’t know how to identify myself. I didn’t know what to represent. I was in my own little bubble: outside the party scene of JMU and still outside the CNU community. It was challenging to say the least. However, I am now quite settled and love it here. I feel I have entered Van Gennep’s third phase: “aggregation” where “the subject returns to classified secular or mundane social life.”

Brittany Douglas-Personal Experience #1

This one is a knee-slapper.

The other night I found myself walking around campus at 1:30 am, returning to my dorm in Potomac from the library. I have done this numerous times after dark, however this experience was a bit different than the others. Not a person was in sight, and nothing but fog surrounded me. As I approached the McMurran building, I noticed the pots with bushes in them have recently been placed around the building. But these were no ordinary bushes. They were giant spirals, ascending into the night sky, full of movement but completely still. It seemed as if something was hiding in each of them, whispering in the night. The scene was completely eerie. I was literally a bit frightened. This is now more so amusing than embarrassing to me, but I have to question why I was so caught off guard. The combination of being alone outdoors, surrounded by fog & cold, looking at this ominous bushes made me totally aware of my immediate surroundings and situation. My mind began thinking of the supernatural. Whenever I get scared like this, I automatically remind myself that God will protect me. But since when do pretty bushes instigate this fear and desperation? I have experienced this before running at night. People warn me to be safe running around the streets, but the streets and houses are not what scare me. It is the thick patches of bushes and trees. Perhaps this relates to the fact that I am a nature fanatic and I see the supernatural in various forms of vegetation. Usually these connections are good, but in this encounter they were evil. All I can say is, the mind is a curious thing. How it works and why it works this way I do not know, but it sure is a source of amusement.

Wedding Drums/my own topic...Crystal Cyr

My husband and I got married on the beach in Venice,Florida. It was, honestly, the best day ever. We were lucky to have perfect, seventy-five degrees and sunny, weather. I loved the rhythmic splashing of the waves on the shore. I am a musician, and a lot of my bridal party was musically inclined. With this in mind, Clint and I chose to use drums and percussion instruments as our procession music. I believe that percussion instruments are somehow more connected to people than some other instruments may be. This is true since all people have hearts, which keep their own rhythm. Internally, people are very rhythmic. While everyone in the world may not feel a certain connection with non-percussive instruments, I believe that all people can identify with rhythmic, percussive instruments and sounds. That day on the beach Cody, our best man, started off the ceremony with the big djembe. He laid down a solid andante beat. Andante is a slow walking tempo. As each bridesmaid or groomsman processed down the beach they added the sounds of their instrument. The instruments that the bridal party played included the agogo bell,bongos, chimes, ocean drum, cabasa, box drum, and a smaller djembe. As I processed the percussionist bridal party crescendoed, gradually got louder, until I was standing next to my fiancé. Then, at Cody's cue, everyone abruptly stopped playing. All that was left was God's drum resonating sounds of turning waves upon the shore, and my future husband standing in front of me. That was my best day ever.

Angela Varga: Grand Canyon and the Force of Nature

Growing up a military brat means that I have been all over the world. I’ve lived on both coasts of the United States but didn’t have a chance to truly experience the Grand Canyon. I know that my parents took my brother and I there when we were younger, but my mom never fails to tell me how all my brother and I wanted to do was stay in the motel and watch cartoons. I regret my decision as a child to ignore the Grand Canyon in favor of Ren & Stimpy. Thinking about the Grand Canyon now puts me in awe of the power of nature. The fact that water had the power to carve away at the landscape over so many years to create such a large canyon astounds me. We usually think of nature as something nice for recreation and enjoyment and tend to fail to realize how destructive nature can be. Recently there have been many terrible earthquakes and even more recently a volcanic eruption in Europe. We only appreciate nature as something good and don’t even realize that there is a harsh side to it as well.

Angela Varga: Diamondhead Mountain

A few years ago my parents and I took a two week vacation to Hawaii. We stayed with my mother’s brother and his family and got to visit much of Oahu. One of the things we did while in Hawaii was climb the mountain Diamondhead. I’m no mountain climber so the trek up was pretty difficult for me, however, I pushed onward and we eventually made it to the top. The view from the top of Diamondhead was amazing. You could see for miles across the ocean and over a lot of the island. It was awesome to see the mountains and the clear blue water of the sea. That morning when my uncle told me we were going to be climbing Diamondhead I had dreaded going. The climb up the mountain did not put me in a better mood. However, the obstacles were worth it because I don’t I’ve seen anything more beautiful than the view from the top of that mountain. There was a definite sense of communitas when we reached the top. Everyone was excited that they had made it to the top. There were no words exchanged between groups, but it was easy to see everyone’s elation in the soft smiles offered between people.

Angela Varga: Japanese Temples and Landscape

Over Winter Break I went to Japan with my family for my brother’s wedding. He had been in Japan for the past three years for work and met a lovely young woman there and they got married this past December. The Buddhist ceremony was beautiful and a unique experience for me. However, that is not the point of this entry. We visited many temples during our stay in Japan, but the one that stuck out must to me was the Kinkaku-ji, The Golden Temple. As the name implies the temple is a wooden frame that is gilded in gold leaf. It’s a very beautiful place. The temple is built in a pond that reflects both the building and the heaves and the landscape around it. It was amazing to see the connection the temple had with the wilderness, showcasing how important nature is. Many people were at the temple, mostly doing the tourist thing, but there were others, mostly elderly Japanese, that were there to pray. It was amazing to see the older men and women ring the bell of another temple and offer their prayers. What else was amazing was the fact that there were indeed many buildings on the grounds, but they did not seem out of place in their environment. They fit in well with nature that it seemed like the wilderness grew around the buildings.

Angela Varga: Pocahontas and Connection to Landscape

I grew up on Disney films. Looking back I realize that the storylines are cheesy and romantic, but I noticed something about one of my favorites. Pocahontas relays the tale of the Powhatan Indians and their encounter with Europeans and how Pocahontas falls in love with one of the colonists. This is all well and good, but the plot is not what makes Pocahontas one of my favorite Disney movies. The scenes where Pocahontas speaks to Grandmother Willow and the scene where she and John Smith frolic around the land are my absolute favorite parts. As a kid I just thought it was cool that Pocahontas could talk to trees and befriend the animals. Watching it now as I’m older I can see that Pocahontas had a deep spiritual connection the landscape so she could hear what the wilderness was telling her. There’s one scene where Pocahontas speaks to Grandmother Willow and she’s talking about a vision she received. Now that I’ve done more research on American Indian Vision quests I understand that her connection the landscape allowed her to receive this vision of the oncoming settlement and how to help her tribe with this problem. The other scene where she frolics with John Smith is just another example of her connection with the landscape. She sings about the colors of the wind and it’s an obvious illustration of her spiritual connection with the wilderness. I never knew that I could apply some of the ideas of our class to a Disney movie.

Angela Varga: Turner and Flow

Turner writes about this idea of flow. Flow is “the holistic sensation present when we act with total involvement” (254). I’ve never experienced this before in a spiritual manner, but I’ve definitely experienced it when writing. I’m trying to major in creative writing so I practice writing short stories quite often. There are times when I struggle to get what I want written down and there are other times when I can get down 10,000 words or more of plot and dialogue in one sitting. I suppose there is a certain spirituality I’m experiencing when I get into this state of flow. I’m in tune with what I’m trying to do and I’m focused on my capabilities and I try and surpass them so I can do something greater than I had originally intended. My experience with flow in writing helped me understand the idea of flow within pilgrimage, though. It’s not hard to understand that pilgrimages are difficult; one must walk great distances and figure out how they’re going to survive on limited supplies. Flow during pilgrimage allows pilgrims to forget about their bodily worries and focus on their journey, on what their spirit needs instead of their muscles. It allows for pilgrims to liberate their spirit from the confines of its bodily restraints.

Angela Varga: Half Tourist, Half Pilgrim

Turner introduces this idea that “a tourist is half a pilgrim, if a pilgrim is half a tourist” (20). This is an interesting concept because I feel that it is true. Some people embark on the path of a pilgrim because they are interested in experiencing the journey. In class we talked about people of other ethnicities and religions journeying to the Santiago de Compostela. It wouldn’t be unusual to assume that they were journeying as tourists. On the other hand, those that are journeying as a pilgrim are tourists as well. A pilgrim may be focused on their pilgrimage, but one can’t deny that there are other things to see when not focusing on their path. Pilgrims act as tourists just as tourists act as pilgrims. In my religious studies class we talked about MRPing, which is Multiple Religious Participation. It is the idea that even if a person labels themselves as a believer in one religion they most likely hold some ideas from other religions as well. I think is why, even though some tourists walk the path of a pilgrim they are at least half pilgrim.

Angela Varga: Creation of Christian Pilgrimages

The idea of a pilgrimage was not new to me coming into this class. I feel like I’ve learned about Muslims and their hajj to Mecca since I’ve been enrolled in history classes in elementary school. However, I did not realize that there were different types of pilgrimages. On page 4 of Turner’s texts he talks about Christianity and how it “generated its own mode of liminality for the laity. This mode was best represented by the pilgrimage to a sacred site or holy shrine located at some distance away from the pilgrim’s place of residence and daily labor” (4). It’s interesting that Christian pilgrimage began with the laity. One would think that the most devout, aka the monastics, would be the ones engaging in pilgrimages, but the fact that it was the laypeople that journeyed is very interesting. I think the creation of pilgrimages for the laity was a way for the laity to become more involved with their religion instead of just attending mass. Ideally the monastics were connected to God always, but the laypeople were only connected to God while attending mass. It’s no wonder pilgrimages were created in Christianity as a pilgrimage would allow the laity to discover their spirituality and strengthen their connection with their god.

Angela Varga: The Sun-Dance and Wilderness

In my religious studies class we talked about indigenous religions. We talked about Plains Indians and vision quests and in particular the Sun Dance. We discussed how it brought different tribes together and how it was a celebration of the Summer Solstice. In an article my professor asked us to read titled "The Sun-Dance Way of Self-Sacrifice" the author writes about suffering and how it helps a dancer push their spirit beyond its limits. In our class we talked about Turner and how weariness of the body helps remove the self from the securities it’s used to in order to help liberate the spirit. During the Sun Dance the dancers are no longer trapped by their creature comforts because they are taken out of society and are able to open themselves up to their spiritual quest.