Sacred sounds

All throughout history Sound has been manipulated and incorporated into cultural and religious settings. From as early as simply beating a hollow 'drum' to make a rhythm; and usage of our multiple vocal cords to chant. These sounds have been explored in their use as a medium to communicate with the sacred.

Every culture throughout history uses music, or at least an assortment of sounds to communicate with each other, and their relative Deities.

As time progressed more and more instruments have been developed to suit the growing cultures needs, and wants to try to get their point across. The oldest known instrument aside from our own voices, and the concept of a drum to create rhythm is said to be the didgeridoo, these instruments native to Australia are known to be made out of various woods, and into different shapes. they are considered sacred, in that, on rock art in Australia dating back thousands of years supernatural beings are depicted to be playing these instruments.

Terrance Mckenna on communication

Terrance Mckenna in his book "Food of the Gods" goes into explicit detail on his personal interpretation on the evolution of man. His idea is that the use of psychedelics actually played a large part in the discovery of self, as well as the development of spoken language. Mckenna goes on to discuss research done in which people were unknowingly given a small amount of psilocybin, the psychoactive chemical in "magic mushrooms". the results were that people actually had increased brain activity, as well as improved capacity for manipulating speech.
Mckenna is not alone in this conclusion, and many others believe that these mushrooms played a role in the early development of homo sapiens.


It is a known fact that many early indigenous people ritually used, and worshiped these mushrooms, and Terrance Mckenna went another step in suggesting the possibility of their use in human development.


Stephen Brock

The Internet as a Sacred Space

Outside reading #5
"Cyberspace as a Sacred Space: Communicating Religion on Computer Networks: Stephen D. O'Leary

When one considers sacred space, they think of the environment or perhaps houses of worship. And there is obviously an enormous amount of religious content on the internet, and simple search proves this easily. In this article, O'Leary intends to address how religion has been transformed with the help of technological advancements and prospects how it will continue to shape religious practice.

Not only does the internet serve as a research tool for religion at a basic level, it has extended its reaches in order to serve as a means by which to participate and practice religion. It is a forum for connectivity of spiritual people in real time around the world. Church goers may attend services from their office space if they so choose.

It also seems contradictory. The sacred commune that people are meant to experience is potentially lost in cyberspace. It is a convenient excuse to be spiritual. Can intermediate communication take place in cyberspace?

What Are Myths

Outside Reading #4
"The Study of Mythology" Scott Leonard and Michael McClure

"Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions." This definition of myths is short and sweet but only a stepping stone to the all encompassing purpose that myths serve. They are not static artifacts, but mostly living texts. They serve to propose cultural values and behaviors as well as help to develop the intellect by which one questions and achieves self understanding. They are a gateway into understanding a cultures belives and practices and are the underlaying factor in developing moral and ethical belief systems. They are the traditions of life passed down through generations.

Oracles in Central Africa

Outside Reading #3
"Consulting the Poison Oracle Among the Azande" E. E. Evans Pritchard

For the Azande of Central Africa, divination is an important part of their religion. They practice divination through a poison oracle "benge." Azande consult "benge" by reading its effects on chickens. In short, the chickens are poisoned, and their reaction to the poison is interpreted by older men. The legal system of the Azande is based off of this divination.

It is really interesting to think of this as a form of divination. Generally people think of the Oracle at Delphi, or a Diviner. The tools these interpreters use, usally take the form of crystal balls, tea leaves, tarot cards or palm reading. Seldomly is divination taken so seriously in the post-modern world. It is very interesting that it serves as the legal system for these people

An Anthropological Approach to Symbols

Outside Reading #2
"An Anthropologist's Reflections on Symbolic Usage" Raymond Firth

Firth talks about the Anthropological contribution to symbols as being "comparative, observationalist, functionalist and relatively neutralist." Anthropologists connect religious symbols to social structures, events and condition. They raise the importance of context and bring it back into the pictures, which seems all too often easily forgotten when thinking of something so specific and precise as a symbol.

Anthropolgists explain symbols with a heavy concentration on the cultures that they reflect and this further helps understand the meaning behind and the processes of life for certain groups of individuals.

Priests and Prophets

Outside Reading #1
"Religious Specialists" Victor W. Turner

One of the ideas that turner considers here is the difference between priests and prophets. First, priests are associated with the function of organized and permanent structures concerning Gods. They interpret and apply predesignated ideas. They maintain the permanency of tradition and represent the tradition in time and space. His/her service is sacred and a tradition

The prophet on the other hand is differentiated from the priest due to a "personal call." The attributes of the prophet are derived from divine association, he receives revelation and is responsible for spreading them with a certain acquired charisma (charisma not meaning exciteableness but with fervency and importance that inspires and alters the masses).

This distinction is important when you think about the difference between religion as a force of social change and as a maintainer of social stability

A Time Before Deception "Indigenous Forms of Communication"

This chapter is very interesting because it explores the other means by which peoples communicate. It is easy to assume the communication is relatively specific, involving a transference of knowledge or ideas. This takes a oral or written form, both of which are based on language and/or text, these are necessary at the basic level. Even immediate connections require an understanding of language, you cannot communicate mental pictures so much as you can communicate ideas.

This chapter talks about communication that takes the form not only with verbal bases, but with signals, art, music etc. things that don't necessitate a communal language. This is an interesting concept. For these things to be used as a form of communication they have to become associated with another thing or meaning, this does not require a name or title, simply a meaning or idea or implication

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #3"

"Communication may be understood only through analysis"

I don't really follower Cooper's train of thought here, not the assumption he makes or his attempt to refute it. He says that communication is not only understood through analysis. He says this is so because individuals, in this case, Native Americans require a communion with each other and with nature. Fair enough, but it seems as if his argument is inconsistent. Communion and communication are two similar concepts but in the end, different things. The way he puts it, it seems as if communion is a means by which individuals communicate though technically there is no communication involved, thereby making it communion.

Even if we assume that communication and communion are the same thing, or interchangeable or what have you, i disagree with his objection: that they cannot be understood through analysis. He presumes that this analysis comes after said information is transfered, be it via communion or communication. If you think about it, without prior information, knowledge, reason, existence...etc even via communion, information is analyzed. This mental connection is only possible because of prior knowledge, something previously (though perhaps subconsciously) analyzed.

The Great Happening of the Universe

By: Andrew Sakach

Topic of Choice: 5

After having the discussion involving immediate communication and 'happenings' it seems that it would be really interesting if scientists tried to find out what goes into the making of a good party or a good team. While I know it seems impossible some people do believe that it could be done to a relatively good degree.

When happenings do occur it does seem like something magical or sacred is going on, but why? Why do these things occur? Some people may say that it's because you knew people in your past lives, or maybe you have connecting zodiacs but that seems so arbitrary. It is interesting to think about higher plans that you may be just a glimmer in. All I know is that I either immediatly click with someone and say to myself, we're going to be good friends, or I don't.

The Sacred Net

By: Andrew Sakach

Other Classes: 5

Can profane communication become sacred? In my Internet Law and Policy class we discuss the Internet in all it's complexities and how it is used primarily as a networking source and as a social utility. But can this technology be integrated into the sacred somehow?

In this ever increasing technological world of ours expands it's horizons we tend to see a drift to the secular in most facets of technology. However what if someone tried to create something within the internet that could revel truth or connect us with the sacred through this medium? Our literate society is very much eye oriented so why not? If people ever wanted to make the internet into a sacred place it would have to be on individual networks where people believed the same things, because as it is, nothing is sacred online.

Multiple Ultimates

By: Andrew Sakach

Assigned Readings: 5

The one handout that was given to us about whether Apache sacredness was attributed to the land through the people, an argument by Sartre, or, as the author posits, is gained from the land from an innate sacredness was very interesting.

Sartre's argument is that of social construction of reality, while I believe that this theory is true for the most part it seems that there are very large forces that influence it and are believed to be 'human universals' such as contemplation of the meaning of life, death, birth, food, etc. While these things all people undergo or perceive it seems that if these 'truths' are inherent then why can't other truths be inherent from outside of ourselves in the greater reality?

The author takes the side of the Native American worldview that believes their myths are given to them as the truth and take them as such. After taking many anthropology courses I'm inclined to believe that there is no one 'ultimate truth' when going down to a societal level, even while recognizing that speaking of ultimate truth is a very... interesting subject to say the least. What I mean is that peoples conceptions of the world are not to be judged as right or wrong, they should be taken as truth when dealing with the culture and anything short of that would be comparing apples and oranges.

Not Many Answers

By: Andrew Sakach

Topic of Choice: 4

One question that had been plaguing me was, Could people live a certain kind of earth based way in the city, or urban areas?

It bothers me because people tend to become complacent if their needs are being met in the present, maybe this is only because this is how our society socializes us, but as a whole people tend to not change if they're more or less happy. Even though happiness is subjective it is also constrained to what we know. How can you know what happiness is if you've only experienced but so much of the world's experiences? While this in itself is an infinite amount of situations how much is enough to be able to judge what should be striven for?

Mountains, Trees and Ice

By: Andrew Sakach

Topic of Choice: 3

After watching the film with the big glaciers in them we discussed the difference between habitus and habitat. Habitat is the environment that is occupied while habitus is the way of dwelling in that environment.

We then talked about how when people become alienated from their environments, such as being separated from the food we eat through stores or by living in cities that are completely artificial environments. By becoming alienated we effectively make the environment that we dwell in a simple background while living. That sort of disturbed me because I constantly felt that, while being on the AT that everything felt so surreal, like I couldn't quite grasp that we were on the very same kind of mountains that I saw in the distance even though that's the closest I've come at living among the land in that kind of intimate way before. Is it because I'm constantly separated that I felt this? Can one really appreciate the land if they live in this kind of separated way we tend to? I really don't think so, unless people can incorporate the world around them into their everyday lifestyle or maybe make 'Haj's' to the mountains every year in order to reaffirm their desire to be connected and their way of life while not connected with the land. Another question was if an apathetic person could precieve the sublimity of a giant glacier or a mountain or a beautiful sunrise? Can someone really experience the sacred within the land if they aren't open to it from the beginning? Mmm questions...

Change is in the Air

By: Andrew Sakach

Topic of choice: 2

After viewing the movie in class about the Aborigines in Australia I loved the part about how people only do jobs if their 'called' to do them. We also talked about charisma in class being one touched by the gods or the sacred. It's so interesting to me that people may have a purpose in life that's meaningful to themselves and the people around them.

I used to have a problem with what I was going to do about all the crappy things in the world. I used to think that, oh maybe I'm just lazy because I don't want to go out there and fight against the man at every turn effectively sacrificing myself for 'the greater good'. Then after reading some inspirational things by Daniel Quinn I realized that everyone can change the world at whatever they do and should do things that they feel good about doing and are good at. At any time you can communicate with people about how the world is and their place in it and change their mind about how they may be living, while some people can make a career out of doing this most people can not because they may not be independently wealthy or don't have the means to. Change comes incrementally or not at all.

Of Spells and Gods

By: Andrew Sakach

Topic of Choice: 1

In classroom discussion about Martin Buber's I-You, I-It relationships magic and religion were brought up. It was said that an I-You reflected religion because it was a treating of the other object as an entity of it's own and that treating as such you would beseech it for help. Contrarily magic was the manipulation of the spirits instead of a relationship, by performing something right you would invoke the intended result, an I-It relationship of utility.

I can't help but think that some religious experience is much like magic is. Such as, do this this and this and you'll go to heaven or you'll escape samsara, or whatever. That seems like there's no real relationship between the practitioner and the deity or You, it seems much like a steptual process leading to a desired result, magic. Granted you could say that it's through the grace of God that it allows you to go to heaven, not the procedure, however you could also say the elements or forces or spirits are allowing you to manipulate them even though you invoke them to do something. It all seems very... hmm... dichomatic for my liking when comparing magic and religion in this way.

The Technology of the Sacred

By: Andrew Sakach

Other Class: 4

In human adaptation we had to do a project that involved determining what people would be like 100,000 years from now using what we knew of evolution in regards to environment, genetics and culture. This project just got me to thinking on how technology advances depending upon the cultural values of an any given society.

In our culture war, population and food are our three biggest concerns. Our technological progress reflects these in our weapons, our medicine's and sanitation and the way in which our food techniques, primarily agriculture and animal husbandry, have advanced ridiculously.

How would our technology progress if we considered our top priorities to be sacred oriented, whatever could connect us with the sacred the best, or if we valued art and music, how would our technological acheivments reflect this? It's rather staggering to think about.

Destruction and the Sacred

By: Andrew Sakach

Other Class Readings: 3

In Human Adaptation we read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. The book discusses how our societies views of the world are as utility and have no sacred or intrinsic values attached with it while other societies have existed for thousands upon thousands of years living in relative harmony with the rest of the world.

It seems to me very interesting how other cultures tie the sacred into almost every aspect of life where we, in America have this notion of separation of church and state and of the secular and profane. this division has probably caused us most, out of all the destructive cultures within the past 100,000 to be the most destructive.

The ancient Greeks used a method of 5 criteria in order to see if something was to be used within their society, the ones I remember were the beautiful, sacred, useful, good and something. If we only had checks like these in whether or not something should be part of our society it would be better for us all. However we cannot and maintain such a large population under one government, even now with one group of people making all the rules for a vast amount of differing people is rather ludicrous.

Storytelling Sacred Comm

By: Andrew Sakach

Out of Class: 2

I read a book called Storytelling and the Sacred. It was a great book and a section in it talked about how storytelling was a sacred means of communication (hence the title). The man, who was an Abanaki Indian, that wrote the book said that most Native American stories were very powerful and had a multitude of meanings, and that a person should never tell the story if they do not know all the meanings because storytelling was a powerful thing. There were also taboos on when you could tell certain stories and the time for storytelling typically rested between the first and last frost of the year. This was mainly because story's would distract other animals from completing their duties during the spring and summer because stories would be so entertaining or interesting. Other reasons may be that because winter was such a harsh time for people and there was not much to do, stories were used as a way of entertaining and teaching during these times when there was not much to do.

The author also talked about how stories had the power to heal. Certain stories gave people something that nothing else could and that by listening and participating in the storytelling one would gain the knowledge imparted by the story and live by it accordingly.

Head of the Cow

By: Andrew Sakach

Out of class Reading: 1

In Primal Religions we saw a movie, Cabesa De Vaca about a shaman who was a Spanish man that had been captured by Native Americans after the ship he was on wrecked. As the story progresses his crucifix becomes a medium of his power and is used in part as a sacred symbol and as a sacred object.

It's interesting to think that outside of his current circumstances those items may not have had as much power as they gained through his use of ecstatic states of being. As a Spanish man in the New World or Spain he probably would never have experienced such altered states of perception and if he had would probably been persecuted for them, as is brought up in the movie.

There are many ways in which to gain an altered state of consciousness however Western religions only typically 'allow' but a handful while prohibiting the majority. Why is this?

When we had our class with the co-teacher who taught us about other societies forms of communication through music brought up how she believed that the reason why Christianity limited the things that happened was in order to differentiate it from the majority of other religious traditions. But could this be the only reason... I don't know why I'm so sceptical, maybe I'm slightly cynical when it comes to majoredly dogmatic religions but meh.

Myths and Indians

By: Andrew Sakach

Book Topic: 4

In Eliade's Images and Symbols the second section of the Function of Myth's the concept of time and place is presented as being cyclical as opposed to linear. Eliade explains that 'Indian' myths are mythological first before they are Indian. This is saying that all myths perform the same function in their communities by providing a story in which people live.

How stories function in a society is what I wrote my paper on in Primal Religions. Eliade goes in depth about how myths function in society and explains their importance as a tool of social engineering, though not quite stated as such in sociological terms it may be labeled like that however.

Walking in Perpetual Liminality

By: Andrew Sakach

Book Topic: 3

In Victor Turners book the concept of liminality piqued my interest. When discussing liminality through separation it was interesting that Dr. Redick brought up that most people go to their rooms when they are having a hard time because their rooms are full of things that are self affirming.

When thinking about myself and all the liminal times that I've been through, starting school, going to college, hiking the AT, different relationships, some religious experiences it seems interesting that when I go through a hard time I go for a walk. I never walk anywhere in particular, I just start walking, whether down the road, around campus or to the Noland Trail, my room doesn't seem to comfort me that much. I always feel really closed in when I'm in my room even though I'm surrounded by familiar things.

Maybe it's that when things start to bother me going into a liminal place, not being anywhere in particular, helps me think about my situation by removing myself from it.

Aggregate Stability, Anylitic Flexibility

By: Andrew Sakach

Class Book Entry: 2

In Ong's book the attributes of oral cultures being cultures that have aggregate knowledge as oppose to analytic knowledge is interesting to me to compare with our own and why they are that way.

Ong states that oral cultures have to have aggregate knowledge because of the bases in which they store their cultural frame working, through orality. While literate cultures can more easily question their own cultural models (and it's a good thing because these models are so new, species wise). While aggregate knowledge is nice to have because it does give their culture a sturdy, known to work model to live by, they are more hard to change and adapt than literate cultures. While it is true that literate cultures may gain outdated information the ability to be analytic and critical is good in order to insure usefulness of information within their societies.

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #2"

Cooper's 2nd refuted Assumption: "Complexity and Sophistication are Superior"

The title of this assumption alone makes it dangerous. It is clear that in countering these assumptions that Cooper intents to counter cultural bias as a means of better understanding. However, in doing so he becomes a victim of his own cultural bias.

Cooper attempts to refute superiority of the terms 'complexity' and 'sophistication.' However, in applying these terms only to the western world (his example is Mozart) he not fails at discounting the necessity of complexity and superiority, but really suggests that these terms are not even considerably applicable to the non western world. He forgets that these terms are subjective and while his intention is pure he falls victim of his own biases. Technically speaking, any thing may be considered at least sophisticated if not complex relative to the group of people being considered, especially by themselves. Furthermore, it seems a completely individual notion, especially concerning the topics at hand, to determine what is and what is not superior.

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #1"

Cooper's first assumption concerning cultural bias is that "literate cultures are superior."

This is an obviously flawed statement. Literate culture assumes a superiority because of the supposed higher importance of technological advanacemene, scientifically verifiable intelligence and higher socioeconimoc status. The same way you can't consider man today as having progressed over man 200 year ago, you can assume that textual communication alludes superiority. Especially when you consider the social implications of oral traditions, through which it seems that cultural values are better retained and appreciated. Oral traditions emphasise the importance of family and their elders. Oral tradition is absolutely necessary for the survival of such a culture.

We can see that in literate society, less significance is placed on rituals and traditions. In putting religion into writing, it standardizes, making it applicable and accessible to the masses. however in doing so it becomes less personal and less connectable. It removes the role individual commune. In literate culture, it seems as if religion has become more of a moral safehaven than a sincere communion with the sacred.

Truth?

By: Andrew Sakach

Book Topic: 1

In the beginning of the year we were talking about how myth's reveal the scope of reality which is what is true. With this idea and the other ideas about discussed from our readings it lead me to draw up a picture of Truth and Understanding.

The picture has a big circle on it and everything on the inside of the circle is Truth while everything on the outside of the circle is Not Truth. The line that makes up the circle is labeled Myth, the scope of our cosmos. However Reality is everywhere in and out of the lines. Truth given to us through our mythos explains the reality that it encompasses, everything outside of that reality is either interpreted as not true or not real.

I wonder if it's possible to understand reality to be all true, therefor having an all encompassing circle, however the nature of the metaphor is that there is a line that includes and secludes, so like Heidegger's Gestalt, can we both perceive a truth and see all truths? Or can we only see one truth at the expense of another?

Disney as a sacred place

I have to say, that the connections that Dr. Redick made in his paper were well thought out. I though he did an excellent job. However, by calling Disney World a sacred place for commercialism, gave it a dark connotation, at least for me. I suppose it is because commercialism itself always seems to have a dark side so to speak. In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed the paper.

Microchasm

Microchasm is defined as a small representation of the whole world and we can only handle that small amount.
Interestingly, we do not know that we a re practicing a ritual until it is analyzed. For example, a greeting. It helps you become attuned to the person you are greeting. However, we usually treat the friend/acquaintance the same day to day as if they are the same day to day; which is not the case
A ritual can be considered a microchasm. Every microchasm has a center, a place that 'makes sense' and it helps one relate to their world.

Film: Jesus In Art

I found it quite peculiar how they face of Jesus in art has changed throughout history. There are many motifs repeated in his depiction, such as him on the cross, a crown of thorns on his head, light radiating from him, etc...yet the actual face of Jesus varies. Granted, this is due to the fact that all art work of Jesus is an interpretation so to speak of what Jesus looked like. That is, artists did not focus on historical accuracy. This is okay, because the artwork's main goal is to tell of Jesus and his stories. However, the question, "What did Jesus really look like?" still comes up. It is an interesting question, but the real question I have is "If we found out what Jesus really looked like, would that change peoples' views of him?"

Drum Circle

I regret the fact that I was unable to attend the drum circle, but since I attended the class where Mr. Gardner discussed the particulars of the drum circle, I now have a better idea of its relevance. Perhaps by not going to the circle, but attending the discussion about the circle has better prepared me for when I do finally attend one. I think what was most interesting to me about other classmates' experiences at the drum circle was when they had to switch instruments halfway through the ritual. Some students enjoyed the change while others suddenly felt out of sync because the lost the connection they had with the previous instrument.Interesting...

Special Presentation

I just wanted to say that Dr. Branislava Mijatovic's presentation on sacred music was really cool. The part that stuck out in my mind was the music group Enigma's spin on a Gregorian chant. How they were able to change the context by which the music was interpreted through their video was very creative. I also enjoyed listening to all the other forms of sacred music she brought for us to listen to.

C.S. Lewis Quote

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." -C.S. Lewis

If you've been reading my blogs, then you've probably noticed that I've used a lot of C.S. Lewis refrences. I find C.S. Lewis to be one of my favorite writers, and theologians of all. From the time I was younger, I enjoyed his fictional novels, such as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Now that I'm older, and my complexity if thought has developed a little better, I am attrackted to his essays and non-fictional books. Lewis, in my opion, is arguably one of the gratest thinkers on Christian thought of all time. His techniques are well thought out. He approaches a critic of Christianity, not in a one sided way, but rather tries to see it through the eyes of a non-believer. However, he always seems to prove in favor of god and that is what I like of him.

The Axis Mundi

In class we talked about the Axis Mundi and it's purpose. The connection between Heaven and Earth is a powerful thought. Everything in this world is symmetrical and at the core is where peace and joy resides. In the Bible Jesus describes Heaven as being in the sky and the Universe and one day Heaven will be here on earth. It's a place where man can feel total connection with God. The spiritualness that comes with the idea of Axis Mundi is powerful and overflowing. Being centered and at complete peace is a goal we all strive to have each and every day.

Ethnocentrism

Life doesn't revolve around our particular ethnicity. Since the beginning of time ethnicities have felt like their people are the center of the universe. In today's society we as Americans feel like we are the center of the Universe and that our people are superior to others. This is not a Christian belief because all ethnicities and all nations are loved by God the same. We forget that other cultures exist because we don't have that interaction with them on a daily basis. If we could all understand each other's cultures and ethnicities and come together as a family, our world would be a much better place. Ignorance is not an excuse and we should all embrace each other.

The Resurrection

Jesus Christ was resurrected for our sins. Death is a part of life, and as Jesus Christ was risen from the dead, we as Christians will live again in Eternity, in the Kingdom of Heaven. This concept really inspires me to live a righteous life and follow the path of the God. Knowing that I can be renewed makes me get up every morning. I used to not think like this, but now I truly see. With life comes death, and that's ok, because death is not such a bad thing. Eternal life awaits those who have accepted Christ as their savior and eternal life in Heaven will be much much greater than the life we live on Earth.

Art as a Medium

We watched a video in class about Aboriginals in Australia and how their way of life has inspired many cultures. They used art as a way to express what was going on in their lives spiritually, and in everyday life. Animals were often seen as Godlike creatures and were very sacred to the Aboriginals. The wall paintings were used as the medium in which to communicate with future peoples and to the God's. Today, we use art as a very sacred form of communication as well. In the Church you can find stained glass windows with scriptures and pictures from the Bible. This type of art is very sacred to me, and very important.

Non-believers and Morality

Kessler talks about morality and religion as going hand in hand. People who are non-believers can have very high morals and act very kind towards others. This does not mean that this person is a child of God however. In the Bible it says that good deeds and being a good person alone will not allow you into the Kingdom of Heaven but by faith, and faith alone. Missionary work is so important in reaching those who are non-believers and teaching them about faith and how their morals are good, yes, but they by themselves are not enough. "RELIGIONS" can teach people that being a good person is all that you need, but true Christians know that is not the case.

Myth vs Fact

In this world there are myths and there are facts. C.S Lewis talks about Christianity almost as a myth. I don't understand any of this. I understand that there are many different beliefs, and no one can truly prove their own belief, but Christianity is different. The Bible is full proof that the faith is real. The key word in my last sentence was faith, and the reason why Christians persist and push for their faith is because it is REAL. No other faith has a creator that died for his own people, and then resurrected himself from the dead. Jesus saves! FACT!

I-thou Relationship

Martin Buber talked about the theory of "I-thou" relationships. The only way a person can connect with God in a relationship is through the I-thou relationship. Having a personal relationship with God is extremely important for spiritual growth as well as personal growth. He is the creator, the Great I AM, and the I-it relationships just won't cut it. Walk with him, and experience the greatest relationship you'll ever have because he is the greatest friend and father you'll ever know!

Religion vs Faith (sacred)

I hate the word religion. When we talked in class about religion, we talked about how it is very ritualized. Tradition is important in any aspect I agree with that, but it doesn't make it sacred. The Sacred, or Faith as I like to call it is real and powerful. It is a spiritual connection to a higher being, God. In Christianity we hate the word Religion as well because so many people who have not received Christ as their savior but who claim they are religious, truly are not believers of God. The traditions that religious people follow usually don't have any spiritual connection to anything for that matter, but rather it is an act of going through the motions. It's not real! But the Sacred, or Faith, is very much real and we should stand strong in it.

Landscapes

In class when we saw the slides of your trip to Scotland, I could really feel the spiritualness that went along with that trip even though I wasn't there. The part when you talked about the ram in the middle of the road and how it seemed he was letting you pass through his mountain was awesome! I can imagine how that must have felt. The trip itself seemed so incredibly long, but after seeing the pictures of the landscapes and how beautiful they were, I'm sure it was more than worth it. God's ultimate landscape seemed like it was wherever you guys were going. Whether it was at the top of the mountain, or at the bottom of the hill. Powerful stuff.

1 Corinthians 15:12-32

In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul adresses the authenticity of Christ's death and its imporatantce to human salvation. Paul also states that God is all and is in all. Paul is basically making the claim that if there was no ressureection, then our faith is usless. This reminds me very much of a C.S. Lewis saying about Christ. Lewis notes that Christ is either who he says he is, or he was a complete lunatic. If he was a complete lunatic, then everything that he taught would have no basis and therfore he is false. If he is who he says he was, then he is God. He cannot be both.

Love and what it means

Love is compassion. Love is kind. Love is gentle. Love can be seen as so many different things to so many different people. "Love your neighbor as yourself" I love this scripture because it is the most true thing in the world. We first have to have love for ourselves. Once we can find love for ourselves we need to spread that love to others, and love those other people unconditionally. I associate love with happiness, and God wants us to love and in return we will find happiness. Love, I LOVE IT!

Communion

The partaking of Communion is a form of communication that has special meaning. The bread represents the body of Christ while the wine represents the Blood he shed for us. It might be the most sacred act that is performed in the Church because we remember his love for us and what he stands for when we partake. It nourishes the mind, body and spirit. I have been taking Communion since I was a little boy, and I had a general understanding of it way back then, but now it means more to me because I am older and truly understand the significance of it. Only true Christians should partake in Communion because unless you have given your heart to the Lord, you cannot partake because the soul must be pure. Communion is a powerful tool.

Anointment with Oil

The anointment of oil has been a sacred form of communication in the church for a long time. It has a very powerful spiritual meaning to it. The preacher usually uses the anointment of oil on those individuals who seek the Father and come to him with an open heart. The preacher would put the oil on his finger and draw a cross on the forehead of the individual, while it represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is used for protection and to help cleanse the mind, body, and spirit. I was anointed when i was first born into the church and I have recently been anointed by my Brother Tom who prayed with me and was there for me. The power is so strong I felt at ease almost immediately. The concept itself is very interesting to me, and I might further look into it for myself to get an even better understanding.

Power of Prayer

The power of prayer is so powerful it's almost hard to describe. But I will try to describe what it has meant to me and how it affects my life. Prayer is a personal conversation and fellowship with God himself. It is a very intimate experience praying, but it is even more intimate and powerful when multiple people pray together. Everyone praying for the same thing with ultimate faith is the most powerful thing in the world. The feeling of the Holy Spirit running up and down your spine shows how powerful prayer and mankind's touch really is. However, it is not man that is to deserve the praise for this power, but it is God who creates the power. Praying and then seeing your prayers answered is one of the most beautiful things a person could ever see, but it takes strong faith and believing. Do you believe? I know i do!

The Cross

The Cross is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. It has a very special meaning to me personally because it represents God's ultimate sacrifice, his son Jesus Christ. Mankind can have a place in Heaven because of this great act and the Cross symbolizes the hardship he went through on that Cross, and how man is so incredibly thankful. The Cross also represents love to me. Unconditional love is a concept that not many people can truly live by, but God showed us this unconditional love and we are forgiven because of him. Awesome stuff.

Sacred Music

Sacred Music never meant as much to me as it does now. The other day I found myself walking in the Church at night to pray, and what I found was some of the most Holy and amazing music I had ever heard. I have never danced and worshiped in Church before because I had always been afraid to, and I always cared about what people thought. Well there was only two people in the Church at the time and this man Tom said to me,"this music will make ya move them feet" and I arose to my feet and started praising God through dance. It was amazing!

Class text - Tattoos

While some type of tattooing has been found on most continents, the elaborate full body tattoos have been found on particular groups such as the Marquesas Islanders. This discovery gave revealed to scholars the evidence of tattoo complexity and beauty. Depending on tribe and location, tattooing could communicate any or all of the following meanings: genealogy, social status, protection against evil spirits, archetypal symbolism, and personal kinship, or tribal history (Cooper, 56).
Just over a year ago, I decided to go to the tattoo parlor. I knew what I wanted to get for over a year, so I had no hesitation as I sat down in the chair and watched him press the ink needle to both of my writs – permanently sketching YHWH (LORD in Hebrew text) into my left and Agape (Unconditional Love in ancient Greek) into my right. I did this to signify who I belong to, my core beliefs, and where I place my hope and trust. In order to get something tattood on you body, you better believe in that thing with you entire self, or you’ll come to regret it one day. I get asked about my tattoos just about every day and I get to share the most important thing in my life with these people. How awesome is that?

Drew Harrell

Class text "I-thou" vs. "I-it"

This semester in Sacred Communication, I learned about Martin Buber and his theory of “I-thou” “I-it” relationships. I-Thou is a relationship that stresses the mutual existence and relationship between two beings. I-Thou involves a concrete encounter, because these beings meet one another in their authentic existence, without any qualification of one another. The "I-it" is based off of an idea treating the “it” being as an object. One key I-thou relationship Buber identified was that which exists between a human being and God. Buber argues that this is the only way in which it is possible to interact with God, and that an I-thou relationship with anything or anyone connects in some way with the eternal relation to God. It has become a personal goal of mine to strive for an “I-thou” relationship with my God. I don’t want to be view as a lifeless object, but as one meant for a relationship with his creator.

Drew Harrell

Myth Became Fact by C.S. Lewis

In his essay, Lewis writes about an idea that was presented to him by a friend. His friend states that none of us are actually Christians and that Christianity was historically barbaric and that no modern person could possibly believe in it. However, Lewis comes back with the fact of persistance. He writes, "Why, on his view, do all of these educated and enlightened pseudo-Christians insist on expressing their deepest thoughts in terms of of an archaic mythology which must hamper and embarrace them at every term?" This quote is awesome. Lewis seems to cut right to the chase. What is it that causes us as christians to persist? If it was all just a myth, then I don't understand how Christianity would have survived through the ages.

Washing Of Feet

Probably one of the most sacred experiences that I've ever had happened during the summer I spent working at a younglife camp in British Columbia. The thing about this camp is that the location is so remote, the only way to get there is by boat or seaplane. This factor contributed to my experince. I remember sitting on a rock at the inlet's edge, looking out into the dark night. I could see the shadows of huge mountains in the distantce. I had never seen stars the way they shined in the Northwest. It was at this time and place where my leader had washed my feet. This was a very sacred interaction. He was doing for me what Jesus had done for hid disciples over 2000 years ago. I remember being very toched in a place deep within my soul. I could feel god's prescence like I'd never felt it before.

Class Text - Letters of the apostle Paul

The apostle Paul is my favorite author of the New Testament. I feel like I can relate to his enormous mistakes and strive to accomplish as much as he was ultimately able to carry out during his lifetime. With his words he was articulate, kind, straightforward, and honest – all of the characteristics I look for in a good friend. The letters of the apostle Paul, the earliest surviving Christian writings, were in many respects unlikely candidates for scriptural regard, chiefly because they are real letters and, as such, documents of the moment tailored to the specific concerns of the individual Christian congregations to whom Paul wrote (Denny, 39-40). In fact, it is thought that Paul’s letters were almost thrown out – to be a piece of forgotten history. In spite of this, many of Paul’s letters were not only preserved but by the end of the first century had been gathered up into a sacred collection. It’s unknown how Paul’s teachings were preserved so well over all that time – I like to think that he had some big time supporters who saw the wisdom and love of Christ in those letters.

Denny, Frederick M. and Rodney L. Taylor, eds. The Holy Book in Comparative Perspective. Colombia: University of South Carolina Press, 1985.


Drew Harrell

Communication v. Communion

Many class sessions ago, we discussed communication ond communion and their relation to sacred communication. I recall that communication was described as a relaying of information to another being. For instantce, If I were to approach someone and say "Hi," I would be relaying to them information letting them know that I was greeting them. We talked about how communion goes much deeper than communication. I belive that communion could be defined as the sharing in the sacred. Communion to me occurs when I feel the closest to God. when I feel his presece about me. It is almost indescribable. Thus, I belive that it is my communication that allows me to have this communion with God.

Free Write - The Drum Circle

The drum circle, as an act of sacred communication, was a unique experience and something I'll never forget. Upon arrival, I felt a bit uncomfortable and uncertain with the activity. It was something that I had never experienced before, so I had no idea what was about to take place. As we began playing our instruments, though, I began to loosen up. I was able to block out any and all distractions and simply focus on the activity before me. While the majority of us were probably not “musically inclined”, I sensed that we were all connected somehow – and the rhythms being created were so beautiful to me.
I don’t know anyone else’s motives for playing – or who they were playing for – but I was out there worshipping God. I know that everyone has their own reality, their own explanation of life and it’s purpose - I put my hope in Christ. He’s the reason I live, the reason I am able to love, He’s the reason I am able to suck at life and be forgiven anyways. He’s my purpose. Funny enough, while I was out there I was imagining that everyone else was playing for Christ, too. Though I know that wasn’t the case, I like to think that it will be some day.

Drew Harrell

Outside Source - The Sacred Book

For decades, a popular theme of interest has been focused on the sacred collection of books known as the Holy Bible. I often ask myself, “is the Bible really holy? What sets it apart from other religious texts?” I don’t really have an answer to these questions. Personally, I just feel like whenever I read anything from the Bible, it strikes a chord in me that no other “sacred” text is able to do. There is some connection that is made between the literature on the sacred pages of the bible and my own life – a relationship that I cannot explain, but am certain is real. I believe that my personal connection to the words in this book is a connection that many people are unable or unwilling to experience. I often spend time in personal reflection after reading this text because I believe every word in it to be true. I believe if I follow the suggestions of this sacred text, then I will be filled with contentment, wisdom, and a more complete knowledge of God.

Moffatt, James. The Sacred Book in Religion
Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 53, No. 1. (Apr., 1934), pp. 1-12.
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/

Drew Harrell

Outside Source - The Sacred Meal

For every religion, only certain foods are deemed acceptable during rituals. According to E.S. Drower, the usual foods for the ritual meals are bread, rice, certain vegetables, certain fruits, and in the case of Christians, honey (Drower, 228). In today’s American society, few individuals still obey their religious text in upholding significance of ritual foods.
I know that, for example, the Last Supper between Jesus and his disciples is a meal that I would consider to have been a sacred encounter – I would therefore deem the food at the ceremony sacred as does the Church today. During communion, the bread and wine are considered a representation of what Christ did for each of us – came and lived a life in the flesh, lived a perfect life, and gave himself as a final offering for his saints. This ritual meal is something which is of great importance to me. I enjoy publicly sharing this meal with others as a representation of my belief is Jesus and his promise to return.

Drower, E.S. The Ritual Meal. Folklore > Vol. 48, No. 3 (Sep., 1937),
pp. 226-244. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015

Drew Harrell

Outside Source - Sacred Space

According to a scholar, sacred space is that which marks a break in the concept of mundane from the holy. These breaks provide access to the center, also an axis mundi - a break in plane which creates a connection between cosmic levels. It is breaking into this sacred connection when one is able to connect with a higher being. Since the center stands apart as the extraordinary place where the real is integral, it is always a sacred place, qualitatively different from mundane space.
The concept of space, again like many other ambiguous terms, is difficult to give a clear cut definition. Though it is defined as “the infinite extension of the three-dimensional region in which all matter exists,” it is much more than that to an individual. Isaac Newton believed he had “conceived of space as God’s means of experiencing the world and of time as an absolute structure with an endless past and future, as well as a uniformly moving present.” Space and time are hard concepts for the human mind to grasp, but I feel like Isaac Newton was explaining that there is no beginning and no end to either of them, and in that I think that in certain places we can become more connected with these truths that are so elusive and difficult to grasp.

Shiner, Larry E. Sacred Space, Profane Space, Human Space
Journal of the American Academy of Religion > Vol. 40, No. 4 (Dec., 1972), pp. 425-436
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/

Drew Harrell

Outside Source - Sacred Song

Whenever sacred text has been created, one of the first things historians ask is, “who wrote this?” The author is then deemed as either credible or unreliable in comparison to their past thoughts, actions, and judgements. Though, on rare occasion, the authorship of a text may be unknown. In the case of the sacred song Might I in Thy Sight Appear, the authorship has not been traced, leaving it to be described as ‘Anonymous’.
In my opinion, I don’t care who wrote a particular sacred song, as long as it was truly God-breathed through that individual. I can see curious individuals might gain a deeper understanding of the song in knowing its history, but to me, the words speak loud enough. In fact, many of my favorite quotes have unknown authors. I don’t know if they would have been my favorite quotes had the author not been labeled “anonymous’. I think there is an aspect of fascination that draws my attention to anonymous authors – and I like the fact that the particular author didn’t write the song or quote to be recognized or become famous, and the whole thing is more mysterious to me this way. - Was the author going through hard times when they wrote this song? What were they like? Were they well known or were they like me? This is what I like about the idea of authors of sacred song being labeled ‘anonymous’. In my opinion, the uncertainty and unknowing is a large part of what makes Sacred sacred.

Taberer, Alfred A. Wesley's Sacred Song
The Musical Times > Vol. 107, No. 1477 (Mar., 1966), p. 222
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org

Drew Harrell

Outside Source - Sacred Comm

The great Billy Graham has been respected for decades as a result of his steadfastness and boldness for the Lord. In one text, defining Sacred communication, Graham explains that “scripture” as a comparative category is not so self-evident as it seems. Once reserved primarily for the Jewish or Christians Bible, it is now often extended by analogy to any sacred or religious writings or books. However, the analogy breaks down if serious comparative postredactional history is pursued. The more broadly the historian of religions looks at the form and content of “scriptures,” the more ambiguous and elusive any definition becomes.
The oral and literal translation of biblical scripture has been lost. According to Graham, “The biases and presuppositions of modern western culture have diminished our capacity to grasp the scripture as an active, vocal presence.” The American culture teaches each other that things must make sense – fact must line up – in order for something to be validated as truth. The sad thing is, the less we look to the Holy scripture as truth, we limit God from speaking truth into our lives that has been written down into text for you and I to study and apply to out lives.

Waldman, Marilyn R. Sacred Communication.
History of Religions > Vol. 30, No. 3 (Feb., 1991), pp. 313-317
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici

Drew harrell

Free Write - The Axis Mundi

The axis mundi, in religion or by what is known through myths, is the center of the world and the connection between heaven and earth. Common to practically all cultures on Earth, the axis mundi has become a very important characteristic of major religions, though it plays a much greater role among its native peoples. The axis mundi both connects heaven and earth as well as a path between the two. Throughout time, it has commonly been referred to or represented as a rope, tree, vine, and a ladder.
I feel like finding the axis mundi is often predetermined by higher being – one who is beyond this world. This state of being is hard to attain, especially in today’s western culture. According to a scholar, “Since the center stands apart as the extraordinary place where the real is integral, it is always a sacred place, qualitatively different from mundane space.” (Ray, 370). I feel like the axis mundi is a place often found in the wilderness, but it can also be found in a place of busyness – but it must be revealed to the individual and made sacred through experience. It is in this place and only here, away from daily distractions, where one is able to find their real self and can allow their god to speak to them.

The Way of the Wild Heart: Introduction

I've read the John Eldredge's book Wild at Heart earlier this year, now I've been reading his sequel, The Way of the Wild Heart. In the introduction, Eldredge is describing a seakayaking trip that he and his family took to Alaska. On the way, they had stopped at Chichagof Island. This is a place were many grizzlies inhabit. Eldredge writes, " I began to walk in the marked trail, stepping into the firm, deep-worn places where bears had walked for centuries. I'm not sure how to describe the experience, but for some reason, the word holy comes to mind." This thought that Eldrege feels is sacred . He is touching upon ground that has become sacred, because of events that have occurred at this particular site.

Free Write - Nature Communicates

“There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.”
- Linda Hogan


Too often, we believe the lies of this world. The lies that tell you, “You’re not good enough,” or “no one cares about you.” I constantly find myself listening to these deceptions that are constantly hurled at me and let them slowly tear me apart. It is only in brief instances of my life when I truly feel alive and believe that I am good enough to run the race with the rest of all these people who seem so strong. It isn’t until I make a genuine effort to seek out my God for the authentic truth that I am able to regain a sense of who I think I am, who God thinks I am, and my self worth.
Earlier this semester, I randomly decided to put on some running shoes and jog the Noland Trail. Shortly into the run, surrounded by trees and brush, I found myself talking to nature. I located a bench beside the path, sat down, and tried to initiate conversation with my surroundings. Discouraged, I decided that I wasn’t hearing anything but my own thoughts racing through my mind. Even while spending quiet time surrounded by God’s beauty, it’s so easy for my mind to get distracted and run back to its meaningless clutter that constantly seems to occupy my thoughts. I suppose it is because it is part of my sin nature to cling to that which I want to get rid of, and that is one of the most aggravating things ever.
Somehow though, while sitting out on the Noland Trail on that particular day, I was able to step out of my own little world experience nature’s beautiful stillness, which ironically spoke so loudly. Once I was able to block out the clutter, God was finally able to begin speaking to me in ways that no one on this earth ever has ever done or will ever be able to do.
Though I felt so small while engulfed in the canopy of the trees, the enormous sun setting on the far side of the river, and the simply beauty of the flowers blooming throughout the forest, I was somehow reaffirmed by them all. Through my time of conversation with nature, I was able to express that I felt so insignificant compared to their greatness in God’s eyes. I remember that I was immediately affirmed that that was a lie and I shouldn’t believe it. Then, I heard nature say, “If you think I am full of greatness and splendor, then you should see how God sees you. He invested so much time and energy creating everything about you – down to the smallest detail.” Though I still feel like it is okay to be humbled by beautiful sights, I now believe that God’s love is infinite times stronger for me than even his love of nature.
Visiting nature will always be an important part of my life. Not only does it refresh my mind and empty it of clutter, but it refurbished my relationship with my God. Though the connection between me and Him is often weak, many times all it takes is time spent in quiet meditation. More than anything, it’s important to hear that you are worth it, that you are a prized creation, and that you are thought about and loved more than you’ll ever know.

Drew Harrell

Free Write - Definition vs. Expirience

Terms such as wilderness and sacred may have clear cut definitions in a dictionary, but no person will ever be able to come up with a universal definition for them that is able to fully capture their meaning. Each term has different meaning for each individual depending on how God has wired one’s heart – their desires, life mentality, and experience with the sacred. I think defining such terms according to one’s own experiences and desires is essential in order to truly know yourself and to completely connect with sacred aspects of life which constantly surrounds us.
An example to distinguish the meaning verses the definition of these terms would be a sacred encounter with a specific individual. While these encounters are rare and few between, they happen and there is no way to put your experience down on paper. While a written description of the meeting would merely describe the physical encounter, a brief synopsis of conversation, and other minute details; the person who experienced the extraordinary encounter knows there was more to the experience than can be orally or textually expressed. I believe this is where the separation between definition and experience is made clear.

Drew Harrell

Free write - Afton Mountains

The most recent trip I took to the mountains ended up to be my most memorable encounter with nature’s surroundings because it allowed me to take a step back and examine the decisions I was making with my life and why. During this time of self reflection, I was able to catch a glimpse of the amazing things that God had in store for my life. Upon reaching the summit of the Priest, I pitched tint and gathered some sticks to make a fire just before sundown. That night, I sat by the fire without a distraction for miles around and wrote in my journal, talked to God, and was quiet.
The next morning, I awoke at around five or so and relaxed on a smooth rocky cliff just at the edge of the mountain and gazed into the deep valley before me, which mysterious depth seemed to never end. I lay back on the cold boulder and watched as the sun peaked over the horizon. The brilliant sky above me began to fade from the darkest black into a display of the most beautiful shades of colors I have ever seen. Just thinking that God gives us that same breathtaking sunrise every morning made me so thankful for his gifts and now calms me when I feel like God isn’t making himself known to me. This specific site off of the Appalachian Trail is my sacred ground; my axis mundi.

Drew Harrell

Gregorian Chants

Our class period with Dr. Branislava Mijatovic gave me a different perspectiv on sacred music, especislly on the topic of Gregoeian Chants. In class, She had showed us a vidieo of monks doing a gregorian chant to a secular song by Evanescence. What I found so interesting about it was that the song was secular, however, if you had never heard the song before, you would not be able to tell that it was secular. The chants and voices of the monks completely changed the sound, tone, and meaning of it.

Controversey Over Sacred Place

A video that we watched in class about sacred places placed a new perspective for me on the explotation of Sacred Native American sites. In the video, There was much debate about rock climbers on Devil's Tower during a certain time of the year when the Native peoples there held a marathon arround site. While watching the discussion with the white locals, I became shocked by their responses about the Natives having an inferrior say in the sacredness of a site. One man claimed that a church is inside and not out. I would have to disagree with this statement, because I feel that Biblically speaking, a Church is peaople, and not a building. It is community.

Dreamtime

Dreamtime is the name that the Aboriginals gave to the time of creation. In this era, the indiginous peoples of Australia were in tune with the creator gods, many of whom have become animals found in the outback. What is the significance of the name Dreamtime? Was it a time of a lot of dreaming, or did the events actually take place for the aboriginals? To me, the Idea of the Dreamtime seems like an ideal time in which the divine and the mortal would have constant communion, kind of the equivalent of Adam and Eve in Eden with God.

A Time Before Deception

In the introduction of his book, Thomas W. Cooper writes, "A person who does not speak truth must not know reality." This quote is interesting in the fact that it presents the question, what is truth? Cooper goes on to write about uncovering the "fork" of communication and its pertainance to the Native American tradition of it. The thing that I find intruiging about the forms of indigenous communication is that it almost seemes more direct in some aspects, for instantce, they don't need a building or a church service. Cooper notes that their surroundings are all they need for communicationand that they are at home.

Aaron Stein - Choices

Everything I’ve ever done I’ve consciously made a choice to do because I understand that doing it would provide me with some benefit.  This might not sound good but I believe it is, and I believe it is something we are all guilty of.  For instance the example I’d like to give here is that of donating to charity.  Donating to charity is usually in most cases perceived to be a selfless act; you give up what you have so that another may have more.  However, if you obtained no benefit whatsoever from this then why would you do it?  The act is still selfless, however you have assigned the feeling that you will obtain by helping another more value than the money itself.  Anyway, the point I’m really trying to make with this is a question “Is it possible to complete act above oneself?” I firmly believe man can be good, and I firmly believe man can act selflessly, however I could never imagine a situation in which any person would ever make a choice consciously or sub-consciously without any perceived benefits.

Aaron Stein

Wild at Heart

One of my favorite books that I've read this year is a book by John Eldredge entitled Wild at Heart. It was written for men in search of a masculine journey. sounds kind of corny, I'll admit, but it is much deeper than that. I feel that a good deal of it would pertain to this class and sacred communication. It is the story of a man's design and how it pertains to the wild and adventurous side of his maker. It is not merely one man;s story, but rather the story of all men. Today, we live in a culture where the role of a man is no longer, well lets face it...Adventurous. The daily grind of a nine-to-five cubicle is not exactly what every boy aspires to obtain when he reaches manhood. However, God calls his men to become more than that. In his book, Eldredge notes that every man has a "battle to fight", a "beauty to rescue", and an "adventure to live." I feel that these ideas are a loud communication from God that can be hard to hear through the buisiness of our current society.

Aaron Stein - Repetition

What is the role of repetition in sacred communication?  Life is repetitive, over and over we are faced with the same problems under different circumstances and we must constantly adapt ourselves to act appropriately in these new circumstances. Ultimately as the problems continue to confront us we start to fear we may never solve them but merely find new ways to postpone them.  Many cultures even are very cyclical in their nature and the practice of their religions and traditions.  The question that I am really asking here is, “Is it better to use our spirituality to accept and embrace life’s repetitiveness or do we use it to attempt to transcend it by bringing ourselves non-linear or circular experiences?”  I think both are valuable but I feel more inclined to believe that embracing the repetition is better. d Personally I am much more fond of the ideas that things must be done over, and that we must have the same consistent successes and failures in our spirituality as we do in our lives.  I would much rather use my religious experiences to enhance my mortal life rather than to defend or escape from it.

Aaron Stein

Aaron Stein - Sacred Place and Time Travel

What kind of connection can we truly forge with the past?  A couple of years ago I traveled with my grandfather to Vienna, Austria; the place of his birth and of his youth.  As we toured the city more and more of his story unfolded and I found myself trying to picture what things were like when he was young.  It was amazing to me how the apartment building he grew up in was still there.  Walking around in it almost felt like a time portal, as he told the stories I saw them happening.  In a weird way I guess this really demonstrated to me the concept of sacred place that we learned about in class.   He could have told me the stories anywhere and I could have tried to put them into place but as he told me them in the space in which they actually took place I began to feel like I was a part of them.  This was more than just the visual association I was able to make with the place but the strange feelings that my presence there began to give me.  My grandfather was forced to leave his home during the holocaust.  Yet by going back to it with him it felt as if nothing had ever changed and that he was exactly where he left off, and I was right there with him.

Aaron Stein

jespah lara - space vs. place

in the critique article of wisdom sits in place there was made a distinction between space and place: "'space '[is]...an abstract or physical category and 'place' [is]...the realm of cultural meaning, identity, imagination, and significance." this is true about my places on earth. it is also true that while some people might consider a certain space a place, others might see it only as an arbitrary space with no significance.
I took this distinction between physical spaces and places and applied in to more abstract forms, in particular, texts. i believe that a similar division can be made. although, few, if any texts would be placed exclusively 'space' category (operation manuals, calculus textbooks, informative pamphlets) the category of place is a bit more tricky to define. the epitome of a 'place' text would be scripture. however, just as in the physical cases, some people might not agree on one scripture's categorization as 'place' text. for example, what of a really good text that has endured centuries of scrutiny and criticism, and still managed to be remembered and revered?
personally, one novel i have read that has really impacted my life in many dimension is one hundred years of solitude. even the review of it on the back cover says that it is the first book since the book of genesis that should be required reading for all mankind. that is a powerful statement, and i agree. in it's own way, it can be interpreted as a type of scripture. it is surreal, it follows the lineage of a family down to its apocalyptic ending, and it contains many, many themes that pertain to life: death, solitude, love, incest, insomnia, war, pride, jealousy, drought, flood, gypsies, innovation, wisdom, salvation, to name some. there are others..
so..does this book belong in the space category? certainly not, because it has tons of cultural meaning, identity and imagination. does it belong in the space category? and if so, does it deserve a status equivalent to holy scriptures?
some people (my sister, for example) would definitely attest that that book is far more important to them than the bible.
blasphemy?
blasphe-you?
blasphe-everybody-in-the-room.

jespah lara - darkness

once upon a time i was on a family vacation in guatemala. we were visiting the mayan ruins in tikal, which were completely fantastic and awe-inspiring. the hotel we were staying at was in the middle of the jungle and the only lights were the few ones provided by the hotel lamps. one night i went out for a stroll past the gates to the main road. i took a flashlight with me.
when i turned it off i experienced the most absolute darkness i had ever experienced in my life. it was thick, it was all over the air in slices. it was smacking my face. and i was scared. it's different when you're in a perfectly dark room, because you know you can turn on a light or leave the room. the darkness is not permanent.
out there in the jungle nothing would lift it. my flashlight was a pitiful tool to help me against the darkness that saturated everything. and it was after that that i realized how to cope with absolute darkness. my problem then was that i was separating myself from it. the was me, and the darkness, and because i was apart from it, i was afraid. i felt that there was something else there in the darkness (and of course there were many animals) that i didn't know of, but which perceived me. I disconnected myself from it and therefore knew nothing of it.
however, what i should have done, and what i do now, is i unify myself with it. when i don't think of me and the darkness as separate, but rather as a whole, an entity, i am not afraid at all. in that state of mind, i am part of the darkness, it is a part of me, we are whole, i belong in it. in that sate of mind i am the one who knows, not the one who is afraid.
it was very liberating to reach the conclusion.

Aaron Stein - Holy Family

The role of family in regards to religion and spirituality is tremendous.  Even if we do not practice the same religious views as other members of our family the influence that they have on what we are spiritually able to become is undeniable.  Whether they have shunned us or kept us they without question make us.  The reason I make this seemingly obvious point here is because I cannot help but think about the connection of man to the holy in terms of family.  Is the holy an over looker and protector of man just as parents are to a child, or is the holy more like a brother or sister to man that grows up with it together, shares the experiences and acts as a complement?  Whatever our actual relationship with the holy it is one that we must never forget and we must be the ones who choose where to hold it.

Aaron Stein

jespah lara - the desert

once upon a time i was on a family vacation in peru and we were traveling along the coast on the panamerican highway. at one point we stopped and got out to walk around for a bit. there was the ocean front, the road, and desert. i climbed up a hill to a plateau that was about 100 above the road. there i could get a sense of the immensity of the desert. it was vast, but i was right next to the ocean so i didn't affect me that much.

later on in the trip my mother and i went on a dune buggy ride. that time we really got deep into it, though not really. at all times, i knew that if i walked in the right direction i would hit the ocean in five miles or less. it just seemed that way because at one point we were surrounded by nothing but sand. in every direction all i could see was sand, and that was a very scary and liberating experience. it was a juxtaposition of many competing emotions. i felt alone, connected, i felt afraid, yet calm, i felt trapped, yet free. ever since then i have always wanted to return to the desert and spend extensive time there. it is easy to see why so many prophets spent so much time wandering in the desert. the extreme of night and day, hot and cold, light and dark would surely bring on intense spiritual feelings.

jespah lara - drum circle

i did not attend the drum circle, and i regret it, but in my defense i had possibly one of the most rewarding statistic classes ever. really, we learned about stuff like population mean, and standard deviation.
but enough about the wonders of stat..

a few weeks later there was an impromptu drum circle in my house. i had just finished my final concert with the cnu world music ensemble and some of my friends in the group came over.
i got behind my drums and my friend started playing the bass. we jammed for about 20 minutes and then i looked up and realized that two of the people who had just been watching us had gotten drums from their car and were accompanying us, so i played more softly to give them more voice. the four of us started playing together with increasing passion and intensity.
then other people started joining in with whatever they could find to make a percussive noise. my friend was hitting a glass on a metal railing (she broke it eventually, after i told her not to break it) someone else was hitting the rail with drum sticks, someone else was just smacking the wall. pretty soon there were so many people all contributing to the rhythm. at one point we got lost in this looping rhythm that just kept going on, with no beginning or end, and i remember feeling intimately connected with the people that were a part of it. at one point this girl and i made eye contact because we were both playing on the same beat we connected through the rhythm. before that night, i barely new her.
it was an awesome experience.

Thoughts about John Piper and the Church

By Stephanie Snyder

1. The church will encourage maturity, not the opposite. ³Do not be childrenin your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature² (1Corinthians 4:20). 2. The church will press the fact that maturity is not a function of beingout of school but is possible to develop while in school.3. While celebrating the call to life long singleness, the church will notencourage those who don¹t have the cal to wait till late in their twentiesor thirties to marry, even if it means marrying while in school.4. The church will foster flexibility in life through living by faith andresist the notion that learning to be professionally flexible must happenthrough a decade of experimentation.5. The church will help parents prepare their youth for independentfinancial living by age 22 or sooner, where disabilities do not prevent.6. The church will provide a stability and steadiness in life for youngadults who find a significant identity there.7. The church will provide inspiring, worldview-forming teaching week in andweek out that will deepen the mature mind.8. The church will provide a web of serious, maturing relationships.9. The church will be a corporate communion of believers with God in hisword and his ordinances that provide a regular experience of universalsignificance. 10. The church will be a beacon of truth that helps young adults keep theirbearings in the uncertainties of cultural fog and riptides.11. The church will regularly sound the trumpet for young adults that Christis Lord of their lives and that they are not dependent on mom and dad forultimate guidance. 12. The church will provide leadership and service roles that call for theresponsibility of maturity in the young adults who fill them.13. The church will continually clarify and encourage a God-centeredperspective on college and grad school and career development.14. The church will lift up the incentives and values of chaste and holysingleness, as well as faithful and holy marriage.15. The church will relentlessly extol the maturing and strengtheningeffects of the only infallible life charter for young adults, the Bible.In these ways, I pray that the Lord Jesus, through his church, will nurturea provocative and compelling cultural alternative among our ³emergingadults.² This counter-cultural band will have more stability, cleareridentity, deeper wisdom, Christ-dependent flexibility, an orientation on thegood of others not just themselves, a readiness to bear responsibility andnot just demand rights, an expectation that they will suffer withoutreturning evil for evil, an awareness that life is short and after thatcomes judgment, and a bent to defer gratification till heaven if necessaryso as to do maximum good and not forfeit final joy in God.


I was reading this article by John Piper about and the church's role in helping grow children into mature adults. I liked his points about how culture has the tendency to cater to the immaturity throughout a child's later years into their teens and early 20's. This influence of culture that develops irresponsible, selfish, and aimless children that never grow up no matter their age is a growing problem.

I like Piper's sense of needing to address the church on this issue. I like how he doesn't make excuses for the church but rather challenges them to take the serious role of raising up real adults who will raise the next generation of children.

Leave No Trace Class Discussion

After listening to your speech on outdoor ethics and how they pertained to sacred communication, I feel that the subjects discussed were very valid. It was an interesting, However, to hear the two topics linked together in such a way that I have never heard them before. I remember the subject of Leave no Trace from when I was a boy scout, as well as from working at a mountainsports store. I coulsn'd agree more with the fact that the outdoors should remain as preserved as much as possible, especially when considering everything I do effects the next persons ebcounters with the sacred along some path which I might have previously traveled upon. I totally believe that the landscapes which we traverse are gifts that were created for us to enjoy, and as such should be treated with care for future generations to come.

Drum Circle

By Stephanie Snyder

By Stephanie Snyder

The drum circle was a very cool experience. The interaction that people had with their instruments and the earth and with each other without saying a word was an experience that I had never had before.

I liked the idea that the drums were made up of the elements of the earth that we were sitting on. With the shoes off, and the silence of no one speaking, it seemed as if though we were all completely in tune with the earth and the sounds made by the connections we were feeling with the earth.

The sounds seemed to come from the rhythm of what we were feeling from the earth. As we connected with our surroundings and with the ground beneath us, we were able to feel our own pulse with nature. Each pulse was different and unique and they responded with those of all the others in the circle.

I thought that the drum circle was a great experience and a huge portrait of the diversity in creation. It was as if we were all part of the earth, each a special part of nature that had our own beat to play. And we all had to contribute to make the circle what it was.

It reminded me of our participation in life. We all have our own beat and are created to play our own unique rhythm. It is the variety of beats, rhythms, and sounds that allow us all to fully experience nature and appreciate the connections that others have with it.

jespah lara - oral vs. literate

i don't recall who the author is, but the article on literate vs. oral societies really intrigued me.
I have this article before, and after reading it i remember being angry at having been born into a literate society. it struck a chord with me because in a specific way it relates to my life very personally.
i have always loved music, and i started playing drums when i was 16. i took lessons for a while, and then quit because i wasn't really learning anything. my approach to music has always been very unorthodox. i would love to do something with my life that involves creating music, but i was strongly against being a music major because i didn't want to learn it from someone else. i wanted to learn it from myself, because it's all right there, for anyone to grasp. music hasn't always been notated. someone came along and imposed a completely arbitrary structure onto a preexisting phenomenon. so why should i follow it?
whenever i talk with other drummers, or just musicians in general, and they use all of these technical terms regarding rhythm, or drum technique, i never know what they're talking about, because i didn't learn the jargon. if they want to understand what they want me to do in a song my usual response is "just play it". the second they play whatever it is we're working on or talking about i understand everything completely. that's because i know rhythms, beats and patterns by what they are, not by what they're called. i don't have the language filter, and i much prefer knowing music this way.
this is very similar to the differences between oral and literate cultures.
an oral prayer has so much more meaning, because it is just known from the heart for what it is, and for what it's intention is.

Sacred vs. Religion

By Stephanie Snyder

I enjoyed our conversation in class about the difference between sacred and religion. We talked about how sacred is that which is ultimately real. We also discussed how religion is that which is ultimate concern.

The two are related in the sense that they are concerned with ultimate... with the intense extreme of something.

However, religion is experiencing concern. It deals with what concerns us and discovering through thought and observation what our human minds don't understand or seek to know. It deals with rationale, with faith, with understanding, and knowledge. It is about our intereaction with one another and text. It helps us uncover truth and learn it.

The sacred, on the other hand, is about what is real. Sacred is more about experiencing and interacting with truth, rather than uncovering and learnign it. The sacred is being engaged with what is real and is the source of life (spiritual).

I believe that if we are spiritually dead, we truly do not live. Therefore, while one may experience religion, they may not necessarily engage the sacred. Unless you really engage the sacred, that which is real, you never fully embrace life and live it fully. The sacred is vital in unleashing the spiritual experience.

Nature and the Sacred

By Stephanie Snyder

In class, we talked alot about nature and the experinece of the sacred in nature. I appreciated some of the films that we watched that showed how people interact with nature and use it as a place to experience the sacred.

I have never seen nature as a sanctuary until now. This class has opened up my eyes to how one can experience so many different aspects of the sacred just by stepping outdoors. As Dr. Redick showed us pictures of his trips to Scotland, Alaska, and the North East, I was captivated at what they experienced.

I remember his story about seeing a mountain lion. That moment of utter fear and utter respect for this wild animal struck me. To be in a place with such great power and life, to be able to view things with terror, to see scenery that takes your breath away, to experience the elements and interact with the Divine in meditation and interaction... I was captivated and brought to the realization that nature is God's sancutary.

There is no better place to commune with the Creator of the universe than to be out in the midst of His creation. To see the strokes of His finger in a vibrant flower, to taste the fruits of his wild berries, to come within a short distance with one of his wild creatures will awaken the soul and tune you in to His glory and majesty displayed in his Creation.

This class has inspired me to take a step outdoors into the great wild. There is a sacred sancturary in the trees where God is waiting for me to come and be with Him.

jespah lara - ancestors

i don't remember where i first heard this idea, but i remember that once someone was talking to me about how some cultures view an individual's body as a gift from their ancestors. this idea has stuck with me since then.
all of my ancestors have struggled for survival, have fought and suffered in order to allow me to have this body which i now occupy. a lot has gone into it. all of their pain is within me, and at certain times i can feel it. and whenever i harm my body in any way, it really makes me mad, not because of the pain that i suffered, not because of the effects that i will have to deal with later on, but because this body was given to me in perfect condition (not to say i'm perfect, but everything works as it should) and i have messed it up in some way. so when i hurt accidentally hurt myself, i am mad at myself because i feel that i have let them down in some way that transcends time and death.
i did nothing for this body. it's not mine. it's my ancestors. they worked to make it, and when i have a child i will feel like i have added my little bit to the lineage. and it will be cool, cuz i'll be like "yo! don't smoke cigarettes! those aren't your lungs! their mine! and i don't wanna smoke now!"

jespah lara - ultimate

The readings on ultimate reality made me ponder the question of whether or not ultimate reality is the central theme to all religions. Obviously, it is for many religions (Hinduism and Buddhism come to mind). These readings also made me ponder the question as to what ulimate reality is. Coincidentally my friends and I were talking about this a few months ago and I remember our conversation fairly well. I remembering reaching the conclusion that ultimate reality is the totality of all happenings, all expressions, all thoughts and actions, all material and non-material things that have existed or taken place in all of space, the whole universe, throughout the history of all time, past, present and future bound up into one unintelligible, ineffable "thing" that defines the conditions for all of existence. Of course, this "definition" is hugely, vastly inadequate as I have doubtless left so much unaccounted for. Nonetheless, this "definition" of ultimate reality brings into my mind the idea of the big bang. The point of origin for everything, the source of all creation is somewhat what I am eluding to when I attempt to define ultimate reality. Let us assume that the big bang theory is true. Then, it holds that at one time in the past everything and nothing were held together in an unimaginable point and that point contained anything and everything possible or impossible ever (I am trying to be as inclusive as I can). The world, the universe as we know it is that same point spread out across a vast amount of space and time. Ultimate reality, as I see it, is all of that combined, put together, and that is something that cannot be contained within a human mind.

Space

By Stephanie Snyder

Our discussion in class on August 29 made me start thinking more about space. We talked about the different mediums that people us to convey a message and changes the way we think about the world. We talked about how space is not the same for everyone. People are oriented differently to places than others are.

I was reflecting in an earlier blog about a sacred space, or place, for me... the beach. It is a place where I feel most connected with God and it is a place in which I am moved to worship, praise, and fall on my knees in prayer. I am captivated by the ocean and it serves as a medium in which I am able to connect with God.

I have shared this before with other people who would say the beach does not necessarily have that affect on them. Some people say that the mountains are this type of sacred place for them. I go to the mountains and can appreciate the creation, and experience God there as well, yet it is not the same orienation that others seem to have with them.

For me, this is the beach. And others do not necessarily share the same relationship with this space that I do. It is interesting to engage other people with my expereinces with space and see how theirs differ.

I believe this intereaciton gives you more of an understanding about people's expereinces with the sacred and it broadens your own appreication for places outside of your own sacred orietnation.

jespah lara - morality

Gary E. Kessler identifies four ways in which the relationship between morality and religion can be considered. These are psychologically, sociologically, historically, and philosophically. The mode of philosphical interpretation to this issue claims that morality and religion can never be fully separated, even if someone thinks that it is (for example an atheist). The philosphical view of connecting religion and morality in particular draws my attention because I was raised in an atheist household. Presenlty, I have not decided on any specific religious view, but I no longer hold the absolute view that "God" doesn't exist. The question of whether or not an atheist can act moraly intrigues me. I believe that I have a good set of moral values comparable to anyone else that might have a religious background. I wasn't taught these morals in a religious setting, but instead simply throught my parents and through life experience. So I do believe that non-religious persons can act moraly. However, the question then becomes whether or not an atheist's morality is separate from religion, even though that person is not religious. They might be mistaken in believing that their moral values are completely secularly based. I, personally, cannot think of a way in which my moral values have received any influence from religion since I have had very little exposure to it in my life. I, however, do not possess true knowledge of the nature of morality, and cannot account for its presence within me. It simply is within me. So does that mean that it was placed there by "God"? Or does it mean that humans have that innate capacity regardless of a divine source? Time and life will perhaps bring me closer to an answer.

The Beach

By Stephanie Snyder

The beach is the most spiritual place for me. Of all the places I have been in my life, quite simply the ocean, the sand, the horizon… it takes me to a place that no other place on Earth can.

Every summer, my family goes to the beach for a week in the Outer Banks. This time is special in that I spend quality time with my brother, sisters, and parents, I get to play in the water, work on my tan, and eat awesome seafood. But I have to say that the most amazing time I have at the beach are the nights when I can steal away by myself with a blanket and escape to the beach.

There is something about the whole sensory experience. Hands down, the view is a heavenly portrait. The smell of salt in the air, the feel of the sand as I dig my feet into it, the sound of the great waves crashing on the shore… I never feel more alive than I do in that moment.

The best experience I had on the beach was one night on the fourth of July. Such a night where there is so much going on, fireworks shooting along the shore as far as I could see… I laid there for hours. As the craziness died down, all I could see for miles were stars. I started realizing how big the universe was and how very small I was. It was a very spiritual moment. I had never felt so insignificant and small that I prayed that God would send me a sign to show me that I was loved and that I was small, but still significant to Him.

And then I saw it… a shooting star flashed across the sky. It was as if it was shot across from God himself saying “Stephanie, this is for you.” And the beach came back alive again.

Ever since that moment, the beach has become my spiritual place. It was as if that star stamped that spot as my special place to meet with God. He moves in me every day, but he dances with me at the beach. And I ache for those times to be completely in His presence, fully alive and energized.

Life After College

y Stephanie Snyder

I am finishing up the last Fall semester of my time here at Christopher Newport. It is a scary but exciting time in life. I keep thinking about how I have one more semester until I enter full adult-hood.

It’s a funny feeling. I always thought that I would know exactly what I wanted to do and that I would have everything all figured out by the time I was a senior in college. Boy, I have never been more wrong.

I find this time in my life to be the most spiritually challenging. I feel I have never been so reliant on God. My faith is being put to the ultimate test: Do I really trust God with my future, the unknown?

The hardest thing to do is to completely surrender my expectations and ideas of what is SUPPOSED to be after graduation. I am beginning to realize that God is the God of the impossible and that if I dream big dreams given to me by Him, regardless of how outlandish they may seem, I should not believe that they cannot happen.

I am beginning to dream beyond the ordinary. I do not desire the 9-5 office job with salary and security. I want to travel, to meet people, to venture out into the world and love people and experience God through the different cultures and lands He has created. I want to take risks.

It’s funny how you realize you are never fully prepared. I can only trust that my time here has taught me enough to help me take my next step into life after college.

A Thought About Christian Community

By Stephanie Snyder

I was just reading Romans 12 today, and I saw something that I thought would be worth sharing. Romans 12:4-5 - "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." What stood out to me here is that we each belong to all the others. This is cool, because we have a great sense of belonging. But, also, this implies that there is a need to be willing to submit one to another and to surrender our rights for the benefit of the community. For we belong to one another.

God said way back in Genesis that it is not good for man to be alone. Our discipleship is going to happen in the context of community. Also, in the context of community, sooner or later there is going to be conflict. When that happens, I think it can be tempting to disengage from the community, but I believe that God wants us to learn how to deal with conflict in the context of community. This is where the refiner's fire of the Holy Spirit will sanctify us. Finally, our community needs to be Christ-centered. This is key, and this is difficult. But the word fellowship, when properly used, is really reserved for believers. Non-Christians can experience community and friendship, and God can and does use those kind of non-Christian communities and friendships for His glory to draw men toHimself.

But non-believers can not experience authentic fellowship, because real fellowship can only happen between Christians. The point is that not all community - even between Christians - is really Christian community. But when Christians come together for the purpose of glorifying God as a community (rather than as individuals), then we experience something the world can never experience without God.