Siddhartha at Last?
Siddhartha experiences a rebirth. What really saves him? I think that's why Govinda is there right after, to make him see another path. Another life he could've had, who knows, maybe it would've been worse than the one he has been living. He recognizes that he has been living in the transitory, or the temporary, but isnt everything transitory? Everything is temporary, everything will eventually come to an end. I think he probably means materialistic things, but maybe sometimes you have to live a life totally wrong for you, to find the right one.
Saver Favor
Those things that help you through even the darkness of times. Or that give you hope to keep moving on, a force so strong that people devote their lives to. Sometimes it can be a curse that controls us, or a gift that saves us. Whatever you believe in, fight for, or live for it basically does the same for everyone.
I think that believeing in something is necessary. Whether it be a person or many, an object, an idea. It could save someone just like the sound of Om saved Siddhartha. There comes a point in our lives where everything just seems to tumble down, and for me sometimes believeing that everything serves a purpose or the biggest cliche of them all, everything happens for a reason helps. Everybody tells me that it isn't comforting at all, but it works for me, everybody should do what works for them.
My 3rd grade science teacher Ms.Tobin always said, "fair isn't what he or she gets, it's what he or she needs" usually it would just frustrate me because Justin was allowed to chew gum and I wasn't. Now I understand, I mean if meditating and thinking works for Siddhartha, thats cool. And if going to church every day (seriously everyday works for my grandma then so be it. It frustrates me that we all complicate the world so much with our "religious differences" or "ways of life" when really it's all the same.
Going back to my last blog post, Siddhartha rebirths again, and while describing it I can relate it to how people feel when they go on those journeys. Like the guy we heard last class who walked across North America. Even though their motives are totally different, they experience similar feelings.
Don't Let it Pass By? *Hero*
"For a long time Siddhartha had lived the life of the world without belonging to it."
The first sentence to this chapter, it kept me thinking for a while. To me, Siddhartha is a misfit. He doesn't really fit in anywhere, (well except the Samanas) but he doesn't really care. I mean he's envious of ordinary people yet he doesn't try to be like them, he doesn't want to. Overtime he became wealthy, had servants, a house but his experiences turned to memories. He still kept "secret knowledge of the Self, of the eternal Self, that was neither body nor consciousness." Which is probably the most important part of him, part of us.
Siddhartha reminds me of one of my dad's favorite musicians, Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens was definitely a misfit, he didn't feel like he fit in anywhere, even in the outcasts. Maybe Siddhartha and Cat felt or feel like they're just letting their life pass by, they're not really living. That's probably why people "all of the sudden" make these drastic changes in their lives. Some because they're no happy, others because they might feel like life is just time passing by. Overall I think it's to have a drastic change like metamorphosis.So that's why I think he turned to religion, to Islam. He had "everything" for ordinary people I guess...
money,fame, power, looks...
But it wasn't enough.
I think it's cool people do that, now that I think about it I know so many people who go on those kind of journeys. Before I thought of them like weird hippies who throw everything away to marry some australian and go backpacking in Europe. I guess I understand their motives, well at least some of them, at the same time I think it's kind of selfish, they are running away.
I Cat Stevens he was like Siddhartha, and Christoper McCandless, those things didn't fulfill them, they were living the life of the world without belonging to it, like Siddhartha would say.
The first sentence to this chapter, it kept me thinking for a while. To me, Siddhartha is a misfit. He doesn't really fit in anywhere, (well except the Samanas) but he doesn't really care. I mean he's envious of ordinary people yet he doesn't try to be like them, he doesn't want to. Overtime he became wealthy, had servants, a house but his experiences turned to memories. He still kept "secret knowledge of the Self, of the eternal Self, that was neither body nor consciousness." Which is probably the most important part of him, part of us.
Siddhartha reminds me of one of my dad's favorite musicians, Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens was definitely a misfit, he didn't feel like he fit in anywhere, even in the outcasts. Maybe Siddhartha and Cat felt or feel like they're just letting their life pass by, they're not really living. That's probably why people "all of the sudden" make these drastic changes in their lives. Some because they're no happy, others because they might feel like life is just time passing by. Overall I think it's to have a drastic change like metamorphosis.So that's why I think he turned to religion, to Islam. He had "everything" for ordinary people I guess...
money,fame, power, looks...
But it wasn't enough.
I think it's cool people do that, now that I think about it I know so many people who go on those kind of journeys. Before I thought of them like weird hippies who throw everything away to marry some australian and go backpacking in Europe. I guess I understand their motives, well at least some of them, at the same time I think it's kind of selfish, they are running away.
I Cat Stevens he was like Siddhartha, and Christoper McCandless, those things didn't fulfill them, they were living the life of the world without belonging to it, like Siddhartha would say.
Spiritual Awakening Feels Like the Last Day of School
I thought this picture was like the image I had in my mind while reading this chapter. I'm going to make the same connection from one of my previous posts, this chapter reminded me of "Into the Wild" when Alexander Supertramp/Christopher McCandless goes out into the real wild for the first time. Everything is beautiful and apreciated. Which is funny because it has always been there, but neither of them had ever really seen it, they've just looked. Christopher knew what he wanted to do, he knew he would find himself, or reinvent himself. I think maybe Siddhartha is on the journey to do the same thing.
I also thought that this chapter related a lot to agape, love for everything. Siddhartha loves everything right now; the trees, flowers, colors, etc. On page 32, Siddhartha talks about leaving behind his studying of teaching and instead learn from himself. "I will learn from myself, be my own pupil". I can relate to this because sometimes we have to make mistakes to learn from ourselves, and we need to really get to know who we are, what ambitions we have, to truly learn.
It also reminded me of a quote Alber Einstein said, "Never memorize something you can look up"( Even though it doesn't really relate to Siddhartha, I don't think it was his point.) If we were to live by this now, school would probably be pointless, yikes.
Back to Siddhartha...
Then just like McCandless when he can't cross the river to get food, realizes he's alone and is so little in nature. I think that this whole awakening is like the last day of school, you no longer follow the teaching of others and it's a time to really find and explore yourself. I think it's an exciting but terrifying thing.
Got-ama?
This chapter starts out with Siddhartha and Govinda in Savathi. Just with the first page I noticed something different to modern day, which is that the first door Govinda & Siddhartha knocked on welcomed them and helped them. It's kind of like the myth we read last class "Baucis and Philemon",
about Zuess and Hermes when they come to earth and nobody opens up or them except for the poor family.
about Zuess and Hermes when they come to earth and nobody opens up or them except for the poor family.
So I guess I think that part was cool because they didn't have to go looking all day, it's probably since they're in a really religious town. I noticed that Govinda seemed a lot more enthusiatic about seeing Buddha, Siddhartha seemed all business. My suspicions were confirmed on page 22, "Siddhartha did not reply. He was not very curious about the teachings. He did not think they would teach him anything new." But at the same time Siddhartha loves him and is kind of breath taken from all the peace he radiates.
Something thats hard to adjust for me is that The Illustrious One, Gotama, & the Buddha are all the same person? I'm pretty sure its all one but it's confusing me a little when reading.
When Govinda decides to stay and become a follower I felt proud of him just like Siddhartha because he finally chose his own path, he wasn't following Siddhartha, it was like he was becoming who he wanted and doing what he wanted. (Even if that meant following someone else.)
My favorite quote in this chapter was when Siddhartha ran into the Buddha in the woods and talked to him about the flaw, and Buddha responded in a part saying;
"Opinions mean nothing; they may be beautiful or ugly, clever or foolish, anyone can embrace or reject them"(Page 27).
I think this is really important especially for kids my age. So much time is spent on worrying about what other people think about you. When at the end of the day you're the one who decides if those opinions really count. This reminded me of the book"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". In it, it talks about the circle of no control, basically things we have no control over. In this case opinions of other people. Then there's the circle of personal control,things we can control like either crying about what people think of me, or brush it off and maybe even use it as constructive criticism.
Siddsaywhat?
Whoa, so this chapter was pretty happening. First off, Siddhartha here decided to be all hipster "A goal stood before Siddhartha, a single goal: to be- come empty, empty of thirst, empty of wishing, empty of dreams, empty of joy and sorrow."
This makes me think of the book Into the Wild ,even though Alexander Supertramp's goal wasn't to become empty like Siddhartha. McCandless saw the wilderness as a pure place where he could be free. Ultimately his goals end up being more selfish, as he hurts so many poeple around him by dying. He spent most of his days trying to survive then really appreciating what he set out to live. I wonder if this will happen to Siddhartha, will his compassion and intentions end up biting him in the butt?(I know that was cliche) Or will the message I think he's trying to send be recieved? I guess I'll have to read on...
A part that I found interesting was when he decided to learn to breathe with only a few breaths, and found out that it was possible.
It's kind if like taking things for granted. The cliche saying "you never know what you have until you lose it" that kind of stuff. Maybe we do know what we have, we just never thought we would lose it.
Going back to the whole breathing thing, it's like we fill up on all these material things and ideas but they're all things we can live without.
This makes me think of the book Into the Wild ,even though Alexander Supertramp's goal wasn't to become empty like Siddhartha. McCandless saw the wilderness as a pure place where he could be free. Ultimately his goals end up being more selfish, as he hurts so many poeple around him by dying. He spent most of his days trying to survive then really appreciating what he set out to live. I wonder if this will happen to Siddhartha, will his compassion and intentions end up biting him in the butt?(I know that was cliche) Or will the message I think he's trying to send be recieved? I guess I'll have to read on...
A part that I found interesting was when he decided to learn to breathe with only a few breaths, and found out that it was possible.
It's kind if like taking things for granted. The cliche saying "you never know what you have until you lose it" that kind of stuff. Maybe we do know what we have, we just never thought we would lose it.
Going back to the whole breathing thing, it's like we fill up on all these material things and ideas but they're all things we can live without.
Siddsorry
Starting with just the first sentence, "IN THE SHADE of the house, in the sunshine of the riverbank near the boats, in the shade of the Sal- wood forest, in the shade of the fig tree is where Sid- dhartha grew up, the handsome son of the Brahman, the young falcon, together with his friend Govinda, son of a Brahman." this reminds me of a fairy tale, a perfect setting; a perfect life? That's how it starts out but, as I read on I realize that this is like the life of many people I know. Everybody expects the best from a certain person, the star jock, student, artist. Or maybe that one person who we think has the perfect life, a perfect relationship, appearance.
"Joy leapt in his father’s heart for his son who was quick to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he saw him grow- ing up to become great wise man and priest, a prince among the Brahmans." (Page 1) "Siddhartha was thus loved by everyone. He was a source of joy for everybody, he was a delight for them all." (page 2) Everybody looks up to that person. Some wish they where them, even if the person is discontent on the inside. Then the pressure from the parents, friends, and family. The high expectations, and when you don't live up to them, that horrible feeling of letting down the people who believed in you.As we grow up I think we begin to wonder, we realize that maybe our parents aren't perfect, neither our teachers or our heroes, and for some, God. That may be what is happening to Siddhartha "The sacrifices and supplication of the gods were excellent- but were they everything?" (Page 2) I know that feeling, when all these questions come to your mind and all you want to do is answer them all, you get so overwhelmed and feel like you have to know the answer to them all. You begin to question your belifs, morals, judegment."Did the sacrifices give a happy fortune? And what about the gods? Was it really Prajapati who had created the world? " (Page 4)This reminded me of the first day of english class, we came in and had the questions that humans have tried to answer since the beginning of time they bug you untill you get through your head that there are some questions that have no answer.It reminded me of when you feel that those things that make others happy or pretend to make them happy might not be the same for you.
"Joy leapt in his father’s heart for his son who was quick to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he saw him grow- ing up to become great wise man and priest, a prince among the Brahmans." (Page 1) "Siddhartha was thus loved by everyone. He was a source of joy for everybody, he was a delight for them all." (page 2) Everybody looks up to that person. Some wish they where them, even if the person is discontent on the inside. Then the pressure from the parents, friends, and family. The high expectations, and when you don't live up to them, that horrible feeling of letting down the people who believed in you.As we grow up I think we begin to wonder, we realize that maybe our parents aren't perfect, neither our teachers or our heroes, and for some, God. That may be what is happening to Siddhartha "The sacrifices and supplication of the gods were excellent- but were they everything?" (Page 2) I know that feeling, when all these questions come to your mind and all you want to do is answer them all, you get so overwhelmed and feel like you have to know the answer to them all. You begin to question your belifs, morals, judegment."Did the sacrifices give a happy fortune? And what about the gods? Was it really Prajapati who had created the world? " (Page 4)This reminded me of the first day of english class, we came in and had the questions that humans have tried to answer since the beginning of time they bug you untill you get through your head that there are some questions that have no answer.It reminded me of when you feel that those things that make others happy or pretend to make them happy might not be the same for you.
Spooky Spellbound
5 words I didn't know how to spell before watching spellbound.
allegory
mattock
crocodilian
cephalalgia
wheedle
Zwieback
Should we have a spelling bee? Why?
I think that we could have a spelling bee but, it shouldn't be obligatory. The students who want to participate, should but those who don't want to should be forced or put under the pressure that some of the kids we saw in Spellbound.
allegory
mattock
crocodilian
cephalalgia
wheedle
Zwieback
Should we have a spelling bee? Why?
I think that we could have a spelling bee but, it shouldn't be obligatory. The students who want to participate, should but those who don't want to should be forced or put under the pressure that some of the kids we saw in Spellbound.
Harvard & Yale..My Future Schools
While reading this article it really made me consider if race does actually matter when applying to colleges.
Why did I find Martha L. Minow & Robert C. Post´s views on this matter to be very engaging?
Because, they conveyed that race played a not defining, but an important role in admissions in the interest of being able to pick the best students. In the following text they express that race plays a role in being able to assemble the best class possible."Our reasoning is simple. We admit students to accomplish two goals: to get the best possible students and to assemble the best possible class. These goals require us to examine each applicant in detail."(4th paragraph) In conclusion, I thought that they had a very valid argument, a diverse class will allow and prepare them for the future in which they will be exposed to colleagues, clients, and managers from many different backrounds. "To select the best students and to assemble the best class, we must conduct holistic, individualized assessments of our applicants, including consideration of race where appropriate." This text from the second to last paragraphs is the one that in my perspective has the most valid point. I say this because in able to authentically select the best student possible, and also the best environment for them to learn both from the faculty, and, each other.
Pretty Down Enkindu
After reading what we were assigned to in Gilgamesh I was pretty shocked by all that happened. I didn't expect for Gilgamesh to be so upset about Enkindu dying. When he said "Why am I left to live while my brother dies? Why should he die and I be spared to live?"(38) I didn't see the how whole going on the journey and be woeful would help him. "Gilgamesh wandered in the wilderness grieving over the death of Enkindu". (48) While I was reading I remembered that in class we had to make predictions. I had predicted that Enkindu at the end would become more like Gilgamesh and that Gilgamesh would become like Enkindu. I was right about Enkindu, at the end he became bitter. Enkindu was actually scaring me by saying things like "May the garbage of the city be what you eat" (here he was cursing the prostitute for bringing him to Uruk, page 40). I understand where Enkindu is coming from, I mean if I were dying I'd be pretty bummed also but, it sounded strange to me coming from him since he was so naive and free at the beginning of the book.
I realized that that is how life plays out sometimes, especially now that we're in high school. People turn into people they said they would never become. Enkindu never said that he would never be like Gilgamesh, though he did imply that he thought he was disgusting. When he said "Then Enkindu was full of anger and said: take me to Uruk the city of Gilgamesh whose aura and power cannot be withstood. I will cry out in Uruk challenging him". (14)This is after he was told that when a couple would get married "Before the husband, Gilgamesh will lie in pleasure with the bride in the marital chamber."Sometimes I think that the expression "you hang with the dogs, you get the fleas" is true, I know it sounds somewhat harsh but, this happens with a lot of people.
For example, looking back at Britney Spears in the early 2000's. After marrying rapper Kevin Federline who was known for doing drugs and partying, her life spiraled out of control. It is a lot to blame just one person for the down turn of somebody's life, and also there being no actual proof that this marriage had caused her to go out of control, you can infer that he was a big influence. Also that I cannot stop and not wonder what would've happened to Britney if she had never met Kevin Federline. Just like I can't help but wonder what would've happened to Enkindu if he had never been seduced by the temple prostitute. Would he still be happily living worry free with all the animals? Or would he eventually had found his way to human civilization. Two very different scenarios with different outcomes that I think about with curiosity just like I do about Britney.
I realized that that is how life plays out sometimes, especially now that we're in high school. People turn into people they said they would never become. Enkindu never said that he would never be like Gilgamesh, though he did imply that he thought he was disgusting. When he said "Then Enkindu was full of anger and said: take me to Uruk the city of Gilgamesh whose aura and power cannot be withstood. I will cry out in Uruk challenging him". (14)This is after he was told that when a couple would get married "Before the husband, Gilgamesh will lie in pleasure with the bride in the marital chamber."Sometimes I think that the expression "you hang with the dogs, you get the fleas" is true, I know it sounds somewhat harsh but, this happens with a lot of people.
For example, looking back at Britney Spears in the early 2000's. After marrying rapper Kevin Federline who was known for doing drugs and partying, her life spiraled out of control. It is a lot to blame just one person for the down turn of somebody's life, and also there being no actual proof that this marriage had caused her to go out of control, you can infer that he was a big influence. Also that I cannot stop and not wonder what would've happened to Britney if she had never met Kevin Federline. Just like I can't help but wonder what would've happened to Enkindu if he had never been seduced by the temple prostitute. Would he still be happily living worry free with all the animals? Or would he eventually had found his way to human civilization. Two very different scenarios with different outcomes that I think about with curiosity just like I do about Britney.
Super Awesome Opinion on my Gilgamesh so Far
In what we were assigned to read basically Gilgamesh and Enkidu decide to go on a journey into the woods to kill Huwawa. Huwawa.. Really? Not such a menacing name in my opinion, careful with the great evil Huwawa. Yeah, real scared now. So this Huwawa character "who's mouth is fire, who's roar the floodwater". Has been terrifying people for years so nobody goes to cedar forest where he resides. Obviously Gilgamesh has to go on this journey since he now has Enkidu as his companion/guardian. And he probably thinks he's invincib, as the news spreads all the people of the Uruk begin to gossip. The old men warn him that his strength will not be enough and that he should let Enkindu go first since he knows the woods and wilderness. That they should pray and offer to the god Shamash to quench their thirst, which is literal but, also means when in need pray and pray alot! Lastly they go the the palace Egalmah to Ninsun (gilgamesh's mon) and she telld them to be safes prays and actually adopts Enkindu a her pwn son!
Super Messy Picture Inferences
This is one of my favorite child hood pictures. From this picture you could infer that we are all watching a movie or tv since we are all super concentrated on something that was going on. You could also infer that we are messy eaters from looking at the chocolate all over our faces, lastly you could infer that we are all close friends and family just by seeing how close and comfortable we are. 
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