While this class
is designed to be both nontraditional and independent, there are some traditional
values that are still important, such as knowing proper grammar. That is an area that I am really focusing on
in my comments this quarter, and I’ve also been asked students to revise their
posts more often. Though I understand
that most of them are not at the stage where they can write a grammatically perfect
blog, I want this to be a point of emphasis because I think it’s important in
the real world, no matter what future education or job they pursue. So hopefully anyone who is reading this is
going to see that blogs are being revised and that there are fewer and fewer
mistakes throughout the quarter.
Secondly, though most students who
took this class did so because they felt their strength was more in independence
than in collaboration, I do want this to feel like an environment where they
can work together to improve. Hence, I’m
making it a weekly part of class for students to take a day to just read each
other’s blogs and comment on them. At
times they will do this in partners, evaluating each other’s blogs and then
revising them, and at times they will simply scroll through the subjects to
choose entries that they want to read. Hopefully,
this will spark in person discussion outside of class. I heard a bit of it during class today, as
Sean was asking Luke some questions about a blog that he posted about a family
who turned a van into a home in which to tour Asia. Luke also revised his blog for yesterday to
include a citation. And later, I went
back and read some of the comments that were left during class today, and they
were very thoughtful. So those are two
things that we are going to try to push further second quarter.
This
week I thought I’d showcase Eric’s blog.
He does happen to be writing about one of my favorite topics, which is
self-exploration, but I also thought that his posts were thoughtful and
effective when he was posting about a topic in which I had very little
interest! So here’s Eric talking about
an amazing book, Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth.
Monday,
December 1, 2014
After Tolle explains
in A New Earth that people must be accepting if they are to be
happy, he further progresses into the process of spiritual awakening by
teaching the reader how to find their inner space. In a fascinating story
depicted in this section, Tolle speaks of an established monk and a disciple.
He says that while the student is trying to find the inner space within him,
the uncomfortable, forced effort disables him from attaining this peace. After
some time, the monk asks the student calmly if he can hear the distant stream.
At first, the student’s focus on Zen defers the very concentration he needs to
reach this mindset. Then while focusing on the sound, the student’s current and
clear mind naturally notices the little stream, exemplifying the very essence
of Zen. In using this story, Tolle states that finding one’s inner space does
not result from forced concentration, but from letting the concentration go.
While deliberating on
the topic of inner space, Tolle says, “Whenever you let go of these patterns,
you de-emphasize who you are on the level of form and who you are beyond form
emerges more fully. You become less so you can become more” (Tolle 254). In
order for the true Being of a person to blossom, he must let go of what he once
thought was his self. This “form” that Tolle discusses about is the structure
of the ego, or the believed to be “Being” of a person. In reality, a person’s
self is not characterized in form, but is instead something nonphysical.
Letting go of the ego, or the form, is not easily achieved, yet it allows the
emergence of something spectacular; trueness.
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Image by therevolutionchurch.me
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In human society, the “Being” of people can be entirely
misconstrued. Unfortunately, many people are entangled in the mess of
distractions, barring their trueness from surfacing. There are interferences
all around us and the best way to deal with these disruptions is to take them
lightly. We must never forget that the true being of ourselves is comprised out
of innate trueness and not of external forces. Unfortunately, the society that
we live in today consists of pronounced distractions, and, sometimes, these
things can detract from a person’s presence. For example, many people are
intertwined in sitcom television and their careers, leaving little room for
spiritual comfort. These people are practically “lost” because their life is
driven by forces that only coat their true self. Additionally, they are
distracted by futile things that only take away from their right to happiness.
While it can be difficult to be completely present and have inner space, it is
reassuring to know that the option to do so is always there.
Posted by Eric Raimondi at 1:58 PM
Yes, so
how would you say that you are progressing with being present? The example of
the stream always reminds me of Thoreau and how in the "Sounds"
chapter of _Walden_, he discusses sitting in his doorway while hours go by
without him noticing. In his case, it's not because he is thinking but because
he is not. On another note, I tried out a new yoga program last night and began
my meditation practice from that book on mindfulness that I was telling you
about. I'm not sure I need to start at the beginning of the eight week program,
but I'm going to anyway.
This
sounds awesome!
In
response to your question, I find that I can sometimes lose the concept of
time. In the morning while eating my breakfast, I often find myself staring out
the window at the bird feeder. I lose my "identity," and I become
merely an observer. I hope this answers your question.
I enjoyed reading this post very much. I too can relate to this
idea of being caught up in modern distractions that I often find myself trying
to be something I'm not. Our generation puts so much emphasis on being
"cool" or "accepted" that we seldom find ourselves being
who we truly are.
So far this quarter, I’ve read four
or five books that deal with childhood or have children as central characters. Each have been intriguing in their own right. Most intriguing was probably Sandor Marai’s Embers,
most disturbing definitely Lianne Moriarty’s Big Little Lies! My favorite books with childhood as a central
idea will always be Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and George Eliot’s
The Mill on the Floss, though. I
can’t see how any others will ever beat those two out.
CJF
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