Christian Ethics: The Emperor vs Love

When reading The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics, I could not help but notice the similarities between the evolution of Christianity with my father's own way of raising me. Within this ethic, the relationship between God and his people was that of the superior-inferior. God was considered superior to all other beings and we as the inferior must strictly obey what he has set forth for us. This strict obedience to the covenant would prevent individuals from sinning and allow them entrance into the kingdom of god. This is the god of the Old Testament, one that was considered to be vengeful and that should be feared above all others. The relationship, to me, resembles that of an emperor and his subjects, with disobedience leading to the destruction of life as we know it.

However, this edict changed rather quickly with the coming of Christ on earth. He taught his followers that it was through love, repentance, and faith that one would enter the kingdom of God. God did not want his subjects to blindly follow his orders, like a storm trooper following Emperor Palpatine. Instead, his aim was a radical conversion of the mind that lead one another to love as God loved them. It is my belief that God realized that the way of the Old Testament was not growing true believers, and, in fact, was creating resentment towards him, even if no one of he time admitted it.


When reflecting on my own life, i see my father has changed his ways in a similar fashion. He is a former warden of New Jersey State Prison and he ran his household like it. He used to "bark" out orders and demand compliance. When I moved to Florida, he did not come with us because he had to continue working in New Jersey, which was during my adolescent years. During this time, i grew to resent my father and honestly hated him for how he treated me: never telling me that he was proud of anything I had done and treating me as another one of his inmates. When he moved to Florida, I think he realized how much his attitude effected my development (my mother had been warning him this would happen for many years) and so he changed how he treated me. I was no longer being ordered to do things, he trusted my judgement and showed he was proud to have me as his son. Now if my judgement was wrong, I definitely received a nice, long lecture, but it was having the ability to make the decision that changed my attitude and, in turn, allowed me to internalize more of his teachings. The path of the Old Testament leads to the makings of a General Grievous, while the path of love leads to the makings of Obi-Wan-Kenobi.

Family Traditions

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is surrounded by family traditions in the United States. It is a holiday in the fall were families come together and give thanks for what they have. 

Thanksgiving is believed to be traced back to a Pilgrim celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts in the 1620's to celebrate and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Some traditional foods associated with Thanksgiving dinner include a full cooked turkey, cranberries, and vegetables like carrots and turnips.

Every family has their own unique traditions that make this holiday a memorable one. This was made clear in class when we all discussed our own personal traditions. Each person had unique family traditions that made Thanksgiving special to them. My family has roots in Plymouth so we have a very traditional dinner with the same types of food served every year, similar to the ones typically associated with Thanksgiving.

These types of family traditions can be related to the deep rooted beliefs of the importance of family and tradition in Native American culture. Native Americans consider their whole tribe to be one big family even if they aren't related by blood. They also value tradition and even now in modern days they still perform traditional rituals that they have done for hundreds of years.

Less Judgment, More Love

In The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics, it identifies the idea that we are human and make judgments. These normative, or everyday, judgments can be either made through moral obligation and value versus non-moral obligation and value. The book tries to decipher what is needed to follow an "ethical life". 

When comparing judgments such as "My room is painted the best color" versus "People are obligated to tell the truth" there really is no comparison. Judgments are based on personal morality gathered through experience. In the Bible, God is the one to make the final judgment. But how is that possible is everyone's idea of how to lead an "ethical life" is different or skewed.

So is God subjective or objective when making that final decision, that final judgment. Does God base it solely on judgments of moral obligation and value or does he too take into account non-moral obligation and value as well. If God is to make a "final judgment", it seems a bit hypocritical to me if we are not allowed to make any judgments on others. I only wonder if that then causes people to think it is okay to place judgment because it is modeled by God in the Bible.

I assume that if God were to make no final judgments in the end, that people wouldn't feel the need to do the same. 

Religion and the Western Mind

As Vine Deloria Jr explains in God is Red the western mind assumes that the change in personality in humans must take place for religion to effective.  Most of this includes major changes in ones life.  This, in my opinion, is not a way to change someone for the better as it just changes the person completely, his or her ideals and all.  These ideals have been adopted from European decent and eventually transferred into the minds of Americans.  To summarize, the Christian religion involves a major change in your own intentions and ideals.  In contrast to this, the Native American religion does not aim to change personality but behavior.  I believe this is a much more effective method of becoming a better person.  By changing personality you are essentially stripping yourself of who you are but by changing behaviors and actions, you can better yourself by being kind to others.  This is what all religions should be striving for.  Another major difference between these religions is how they view their Deity.  "When we turn from Christian religious beliefs to Indian tribal beliefs in this area, the contrast is remarkable.  Religion is not conceived as a personal relationship between the deity and each individual.  It is rather a covenant between a particular god and a particular community" (194).  This quote summarizes nicely how these two religions differ.  The Native belief is that your relationship with your god is not based on an individual level but a community level for all to share.  I believe that this is a great basis for religion as it allows people to rid themselves of greed and selflessness.  By adopting this method we can all strive to become better people as a community instead of on an individual basis

The role of forgiveness

The Bible has forgiveness as a prominent theme. Growing up as a Roman Catholic, forgiveness was always a topic we went through in religous class and I would here on Sundays at church.
Although hearing about forgiveness may sound like the practice is easy, the theory is really far from the reality.

My mother with my grandparents 

Being a person that doesn't change her opnions and thoughts easily and also has her pride high, forgiving was always something hard for me, admitting I was wrong, even harder.
My mother is half Italian, half Lebanese making her personality really strong and most of the times she is really stubborn and refuses to admit she is wrong. Multiple times I had a hard time connecting with her because of that. We would just get into huge fights and not give up on any side and things with time would go back to normal. My view of this changes a few years ago when my mother and my grandfather got into a huge fight. My grandfather being the Lebanese side of my mmother is also really hot headed and his proud is also really high. My mother bought him a dvd player and they got into a fight about the electronic and how he said he didn't want one and my mother bought anyways. They didn't talk for about six months until my mother finally gave in and apologized in order to have their relationship go back to normal.
After seeing the way my mother would be upset about not being able to talk to my grandfather I started to think how bad it was I felt ashamed of apologizing, I understood forgiveness is not something you should be ashamed of, on the contrary. It takes a strong person to understand their mistakes and redeem themselves about it. The fact that today I don't have a problem forviging or asking for forgiveness made me feel like a better Christian.

My mother and I 

Christian Ethics: Protestantism

"Entrance into the kingdom comes through repentance and faith." 

Through studying central themes in Christian ethics, I was able to better
understand and interpret the origins of my own religion.
The basis for Christian ethics support that the good life is not the quest for happiness but the pursuit of God's kingdom. Other components of the Christian faith include salvation through divine grace, devotion and obedience to God, a pure heart, treating others like family and God as the father, acting selflessly and generously, and maintaining a focus on the future.

Martin Luther/The Reformation

The traditional fundamental principles of Protestantism include the scripture alone, justification by faith alone, and the universal priesthood of all
believers. Protestant values clearly are built on the foundations of Christianity.
                                         

It was the Protestant Reformation however, in which Protestants examined what they believed to be errors within the Roman Catholic Church and eventually established a separate division of Christendom. Differences in interpretation or opinion of the Bible on which Christianity is based, split this western religion into the separate denominations we acknowledge today.
Despite the three major divisions of Christianity (Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism), all are united under the same general beliefs of the Christian faith.

Bringing Infinity to a Finite World

         

Weirs Beach

Lake Winni...Winnipe..What?

It's a mouthful of a name, but a pretty well known body of water if you're somewhat familiar with the Northeast or the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the state, at approximately 21 miles long and anywhere from 1 to 9 miles across. That makes the shoreline about 288 miles long. It has at least 258 islands and takes over an hour to drive around the entire basin. 

        My family stays at Weirs Beach in Laconia on Lake Winnipesaukee. The Weirs has the largest public beach and a long board walk full of arcades and cheap places to get pizza. When I was younger, this was the best place in the world. My favorite thing to do was walk down from our apartment after dinner with my father and get a Hart's slush (like an italian ice) and then walk down the boardwalk to sit by the water. At dusk, there's no better place to be than on the water. Taking day trips to Gilford for the 3 mile hike up Gunstock Mountain is one of my favorite things to do. Right next to Laconia is Meredith, home to the Mills Falls Marketplace, my favorite little collection of boutiques for shopping. The MS Mount Washington is the flagship vessel of the lake and offers scenic cruises around the beautiful lake. 

Gunstock Mountain

       So why is Lake Winniwhatever my sacred place? I've been coming to Lake Winnipesaukee every August for the last 19 years. Even before I was born my family (which then consisted of just my parents and my older sister) began this summer vacation tradition. I really began to appreciate how special the area is to me roughly when I was in middle school. The significance my favorite place falls directly into the first and most familiar kind of sacred lands discussed in God is Red. Its a place "to which we attribute sanctity because the location is a site where, within our own history, something of great importance has taken place." (p.275) Lake Winnepesaukee is sacred because its part of my history. So many of my most significant childhood memories have taken place in there in New Hampshire. I look forward to going to the Lake every single August. I love the drive there, the clear Lakes Region air, the pleasantness of retreating from my own town to somewhere else. I have grown up to love this area and everything it has to offer exorbitantly. 

As years go on I notice more and more changing about the area I grew up loving. A few years ago, there was a terrible storm that wiped out half the boardwalk at the Weirs and the railway that ran next to it. It was rebuilt, but isn't the same worn, tired wood that I remember walking on with sand covered bare feet. A lot of the same arcades and restaurants are there but many have been replaced over the years. While the area has changed a great deal, it still possesses the same charm that made me fall in love with it as a child. 

The One Place I Will Always Call My Own

 

When i hear the phrase "sacred land", I automatically think of my grandparents house in Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay. When i was 6 i drove down to Virginia with my father and two uncles to help my grandfather build this house. My grandfather had owned a company that built houses for years but wanted to build a house with his 3 sons. Once the house was finished i went on vacation there for two weeks every summer with my brother. It wasn't just any ordinary place to go, it was family land and it was our own little piece of paradise. It was a house that would be kept in the family for generations to come.

This piece of land is located in a small country town called Deltaville, Virginia. Deltaville is the stereotypical small country town with a population of around 1200 people and farm after farm. The nearest supermarket is over a half an hour away and cell service is scarce. This town defines what it means to be in "the middle of no where" and that is the best part. It is the perfect place to escape to and block out modern society. It really allows you to enjoy the beauty of the ocean and beach, and enjoy the company of family. Some of the best quality memories i have with my brother growing up took place on these vacations solely because we were forced to spend time together. If we were to get bored we would find something to do TOGETHER and always make the best out of it. Ocean tubing is one of the things we enjoyed doing together the most. It is always a constant competition of who can stay on the longest.

Another thing my brother and I really love to do together is search for shark teeth on the beach. We did research on the teeth we found and learned out they are millions of years old even dating back to prehistoric times. We even found a tooth that we later identified as a meglodon shark tooth. These sharks are extinct now and have teeth up to 7 inches long. These sharks were the biggest sharks to have ever lived weighing up to 50 tons and extending to lengths of 60 feet. Finding these teeth on the beach is pretty hard with how well they blend in but for some reason my brother and i were always very good at it. These are some of the teeth we found.

This is a place i will always be able to call my own. No one knows this place better than my family and no one ever will. This piece of land has its own secret fishing spots, sand bars, and shark teeth that no one else will ever know about. What makes this land so sacred is the fact that it was created within the family, and will always remain family land. Most of all it is a place that my family and I have left our mark on. We have shared memories and laughs here, and it will always be a place to call home.

This is very similar to the ideas explained in chapter 16 of "God is Red". This chapter explains all about the Native American lands and the reservations that the government kept in place for them. The Native Americans have left their marks on these areas as well having survived off of them for 100's of years. This differs from my sacred place however because these lands are all the Indians know. My sacred place is considered another home, but i know life elsewhere. These Indians have been on these lands of all of time and they don't know what its like to live anywhere else. They were there far before anyone else discovered this continent and they should not have been required to move or give up any of their land. They left their mark on their land just as others have left theirs on their own sacred place.The difference between the two is that a sacred place is a place to go to where you can always feel welcome, the native Americans sacred place is their permanent home.

A Place Where Dreams Come True

            While I do not believe in the “sacred lands” belief that Native Americans hold, if there was a place that I had to choose that best resembles this belief it would have to be Disney World. My family and I have gone on trips there every year since I was three years old, and they had been going long before I was even around. It is a place where the worries of the outside world are silenced, and every individual that steps into the park is transformed into the quintessential child looking for fun and excitement at every turn. 

            When attempting to categorize this land, I believe it is like the first, and most common, types of sacred land Native Americans believe in. This type of land is defined as a sanctified land, where an event in some time throughout history occurred and is of profound importance. I wouldn’t necessarily say that a profound event occurred there, however the effect I feel when I do go is profound. I can go there and just be me, not having to worry about how others perceive me or how I need to be around others.

            I think a time at Disney World that is relatable to that of Americans digging up sacred lands would be when they changed one of the theatres at Disney World. When I was young Hollywood Studios (known as MGM Studios back then) had a theater where they would put on a miraculous performance of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is one of my favorite Disney movies. 

 However, they closed it down and some years later opened up Lights, Motors, Action in its place. I was infuriated when it first occurred, seeing my favorite show replaced with some good for nothing stunt show. These corporate officers ripped up something that had intrinsic value to me and replaced with a show they believed would boost profits. Unbelievable. 

The Seer Reflects In The Mind Which Is Your Mirror

The yoga unit of Professor Salazar's ethics class really changed my perspective on many things in my life. The topic of Purusha was crucial in this perspective change, and really captured my attention. Purusha is the soul, the self,  and the state of consciousness. During this unit i read a quote by Swami Satchinanda in sutra four of, "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali". In this quote Swami Satchinanda says, "The seer, or true you, reflects in the mind which is your mirror. Normally, you can't see the true self because your mind is colored. If the mind is dirty you will say I am dirty. If it is all shining and polished you will say I am beautiful".To me his is saying that people are sometimes afraid to be themselves based off of what others will think of them, or the stereotypes they have encountered in society. In my opinion Purusha is being true to yourself regardless of whether that image is acceptable to others.

 

This relates to my experience with the way i approached yoga. In the beginning i was opposed to the idea of ever doing yoga. My pre-judgement told me that it was a very feminine practice, and it wasn't something i would enjoy with such an jock-ish background. As i began to experience the different yoga poses and participate in the class' weekly challenges i found that yoga was actually a great way to loosen my muscles after working out and a great way to relax my mind from the stress i was feeling with schoolwork. Yoga allowed me to take a break from my schoolwork and totally clear my mind of everything. Once i was done focusing on my muscles and my breathing i was then able to refocus my mind and make rational decisions on how to accomplish the work i had to get done.

People now days are so concerned with the judgment of others or the “color” clouding their minds, that they are afraid to dig deep and reveal the true person they are. In my case i was so concerned with my friends seeing me doing yoga and what they would think of me that i was afraid to try something out of my comfort zone. The stereotypical feminism associated with yoga also popped into my head and "colored" my judgement on the subject. I was so focused on what other people and society thought of yoga that i instantly rejected the idea of ever enjoying it. This goes hand in hand with another one of Swami Satchinanda's quotes which says, "The true you is always the same, but you appear to be distorted or mixed up with the mind. By making the mind clean and pure, you feel you have gone back or you appear to have gone back to your original state”. This says that the true you never changes, but you appear “distorted” to yourself based off of others judgment. In my case i appeared distorted to myself because i was doing an activity that wasn't considered typical for males as opposed to females. This prejudgement really clouded my mind and at first prevented me from completely giving yoga a chance.

 

In my opinion it is up every individual to “make the mind clean and pure” or clear the mind of color (prejudgments), before engaging in a new activity or meeting someone for the first time. These stereotypes and prejudgments could be completely wrong and totally prevent you from enjoying this new activity or making a new friend. This unit has taught me to never pre-judge anything until you have given the activity your all. You can never truly judge someone or an activity until you have first cleared your mind of judgement and really participated with that person or activity. Prejudgement clouds this world and creates different opinions amongst everyone which poison great new experiences before they have even begun.

My Everlasting Place of Serenity and Sanctity

My Sacred Place

My sacred place unlike most is not one that is tangible. It is not one that can be found on a map. It is a place that can be anywhere I choose. It can be found in my past, it is in my present, and will be found in my future. It is my everlasting place of serenity and sanctity. My sacred place is being in the presence of God. At any point in time, I can be in the presence of God; whether it be in my room, church, on a train, anywhere. As can be seen in the picture above, when I am in my sacred place, I am in the hands of my creator and there is a sense of peace and safety all around me. When I am in my sacred place, I forget all my worries, whether it be school, work, friends, bills, and focus on the present moment. And in that present moment, I get joy unspeakable; it is a feeling that is indescribable. In my sacred place, I cannot be bothered or disturbed because in that present moment, it is just me and my Father; my creator; the King of kings; the Lord of lords; the Alpha and Omega; the Beginning and the End; the one and only GOD. 

You may wonder why my the presence of God is my sacred place. Why I did not choose a childhood playground or even my house. Well, in the presence of God, great and miraculous things always happen and I feel pure and complete and no one else can come in; that is what makes it so sacred. This in a way is in accordance with the  Native American view of scared lands. According to Native Americans, "The first and most familiar kind of sacred lands are places to which we [Native Americans] attribute sanctity because the location is a site where, within our [Native Americans] own history, something of great importance has taken place." (God is Red, pg. 275). However, their sacred lands are actual places that can be located on the map and those places are related to the pain and suffering of their people. These two aspects of their sacred lands differ from that of my sacred land. But it is so sad that the Western world does not respect the sacred lands of Native Americans due to their selfish gains, ignorance, and superiority complex. Truth is, everyone has a sacred place; and if someone tries to desecrate our sacred place, we would be upset. And for this very reason, the presence of God is dear to me and I would hate for it to ever be stripped away from me. That is why Americans should stop debasing the Native American sacred lands because they would be outraged if it the tables were to turn. 

 

The Serenity of Plymouth

White Horse Beach, Plymouth, MA

The sound of the waves, the smell of the salt air, the feeling of the warm sand.  The view of the endless ocean and the flow of the waves seem to carry away all my worries and bring me into a place of deep calm and serenity for me. This is my most sacred place because it brings out this inner peace inside of me and because of a long family history at this place.
The beach in this picture is one that I have visited every year since my birth and is one that my family has visited for over 50 years. My family is also descendant of the first baby born on the new land after the Mayflower landed in Plymouth so this place is even more special. My family has been tied to Plymouth for many years and I feel a deep connection to the land and this beach.

Plymouth Plantation

Since my family has such a deep rooted history with Plymouth and this beach, I can relate to the Native Americans in the way that they feel towards their sacred lands. The Native Americans viewed their land as "places to which we attribute sanctity" (Deloria 275). They treasure their sacred and vow to protect it wholeheartedly. They feel upset when something or someone destroys what is most sacred to them. I can understand how the Native Americans feel when they describe how much they care for their sacred land and how much importance it has to them. Even though others may not be able to see the value, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Just like I want my beach to be treasured, the Native Americans want their sacred land to be treasured. If people can think of their most sacred place before destroying native soil, they may be more sympathetic to the feelings of the Native Americans and learn to treasure all nature as if it were their own sacred space.

Everyone Has Their Sacred Land

Ever since I was a child, my family would get together to spend the Sundays at our farm. This tradition was there even before I was born and was created by my grandfather as a way not only to unite the family, but having us on one of his favorite places in the world. I grew up learning how to love that place and spending all my week looking foward to the Sunday we would pack the car and leave the apartment to spend the day at the farm. This place is definetly my sacred place.
My  family is spread throughout Brazil but a large part of it live in the city  I grew up at and every Sunday we would wake up early, stop by a local business to get food and drive about 25 minutes to the farm. It is a beautiful place and we have a house in the middle of the property where my father, uncle and grandfather would cook the barbecue while me my siblings and cousins would play by the pool being watched by my mother, aunt and grandmother. In the afternoon we would go by the lake and tell stories, go see the animals and, my favorite part of the day, would be late afternoon when we would take the horses for a ride.

My cousin and I playing at the farm's pool

Because of the opportunity I had of having that place as a sacred place I understand the Native American relatuionship with their land and how important it is for them. In God is Red, page 274 Vine Deloria Jr wrote "When informed of the meaning of this decision. most people have shown great sympathy for the traditional religous people. At the same time, they have had a great difficulty understanding why it is so important that these ceremonies be held, that they be conducted only at certain locations, and that they be held i secrecy and privacy." This passage made me think about my situation with my family as well. Since we grew up it has been about six or seven years that we moved from having our Sundays not at the farm but at my aunts house and today it has lost all the magic of it. We go to her house on Sundays, eat and right after we leave. The moment together, all the things I looked foward as a child are not there anymore and that makes me think about how the land does matter when it comes to activities like this, and how it is not different for the Native Americans and their sacred land.

Native American Cerimony on a sacred land

The Great Outdoors

I would generalize my "sacred land" as being anywhere outdoors, particularly hiking or kayaking. I love getting away from the hustle and bustle of life. It does not matter where outdoors it is, as long as it is relatively secluded from our modern world. I have found that I enjoy doing this because being out in nature makes everything simple. There are no electronic devices to suck you in or work/school stress, its just you and the great outdoors.

Ever since I was a kid I loved being outside. Our family would go tent camping several times a year as our family vacation and my sister and I loved it. As we got older, we tended to complain about the lack of civilization involved with camping. However, at my current age I understand how great it is to truly get away.

The idea of a sacred land to me is a place that is to be respected and absorbed, similar to the view of the Native Americans. A sacred land is to be treasured. I let go of all my material belongings when I am either hiking or fishing because it does not matter. My sacred land is sacred to me because it takes away the future and leaves me at the present.

Identity and the Sacred Land

Ever since I was a little kid, nature has spoken to me in a way that most things cannot.  I could sit out in the forest for hours just listening to the sounds of the birds, looking at the different colors and movements of the trees and smelling the pine drip from the bark nearest me.  In nature, there is a sense of peace and calmness.  You can free yourself of your worries and meditate on your surroundings with no worry in the world.  It's almost as if for that moment, you forget about everything and just focus on the present.  There used to be a vine deep in the forest in my back yard.  I would be able to sit there for hours and just observe everything around me.  I had a strong sense of tranquility while observing nature.  I believe everyone needs a "sacred spot" in order to find their inner peace.  Without it, our inner calmness can be compromised.  The Native American's were directly affected by this as their sacred lands were stripped from them with no way to fight back.  Without these lands, there culture, beliefs and identity were destroyed.  "Every society needs these kinds of sacred places because they help to instill a sense of social cohesion in the people and remind them of the passage of generations that have brought them to the present.  A society that cannot remember and honor its past is in peril of losing its soul" (Deloria Jr, 276).  Your sacred land creates a sense of belonging in you.  Without it, you feel as though you have nothing.  The Native Americans had been performing rituals on these lands for hundreds if not thousands of years and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.  Their identity as a culture and society has been destroyed.  Without these lands, how can they practice the rituals and cultural ceremonies that there ancestors did years before them?  A sacred land should be something that is yours and only yours.  A place that you retreat to when in need.  Without this fallback, I can see how the Native Americans are struggling.  Without their land, there is no identity.

Mind Over Matter

One concept in yoga, commonly practiced through meditation exercises, is the idea of emptying the mind. Sutra seven of the Yoga Sutras states “The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony.” In order to find right, or valid, knowledge a person must rid the mind of thoughts. These thoughts should be eliminated altogether in a sense. The book places the analogy that all of our thoughts cannot be thrown into one single garbage pail. Our thoughts should be categorized and assembled to be removed meticulously (i.e. vegetables into the compost, paper and plastic separated).

All thoughts need to be discarded, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Holding onto good thoughts is similar to refusing to let go of your favorite shirt, even with all the stains, holes, and indefinite stench. In order to empty the mind, you must think “I no longer need this shirt” rather than “I could hold onto this shirt just in case I need it someday.”

The physical body is easier to control than the mind, making an empty mind a hard thing to come by. After controlling the physical body, we are able to control the five senses to excite awareness of the mind. Controlling our body, senses, and mind through mental modifications can change our view of the world because the world is our own projection. I agree with the idea that changing ourselves changes the world. It is easier to become liberated and change if we are the cause.

By reforming your thoughts you can reform your life. I think of the prison example in the sutras and twisted it into something more relatable: high school. During your time in high school, you are miserable because of the pointless school work, endless drama, and lack of freedom. If you continued to dwell on how miserable you were in high school, you would not be able to be happy now. Years later you look back on high school as a time you had a blast doing stupid things with your friends that taught some valuable lesson. Your perception of high school is different, even though you have photographic evidence of countless awkward phases. It is always easier to do this following events but can be achieved during the event with practice. Emptying the mind of the good and the bad thoughts allows us to just be.

What is yoga?

What is yoga?
The majority of people would answer this with "Its an exercise for flexibility and meditation". This is correct in the sense that there is a physical portion of yoga that is used as a form of practice in unifying the body and the mind.
This is practiced by connecting mindful breathing techniques with the different physical positions to get the mind in sync with what the body is doing. This mind-body connection is one of the integral values of yoga. To fully understand yoga, one must look deeper than the physical aspect and see that the true focus of yoga has so much more to do with the mind.

One of the greatest mysteries remaining in science today is the mind and consciousness. While Western scientists have only recently begun using modern techniques to explore the mind, yogic sciences have been used for thousands of years to probe and unlock the mind. In one of the first sutras that govern yoga philosophies, the main goal of yoga is to travel through the Eight Limbs of Yoga to reach the final and absolute bliss of enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga follow the life path of a lotus flower. Its starts down at the root which is imbedded in the soil of the pond. This is the darkest point in the life of the lotus. As the lotus grows, it is getting closer and closer to the surface of the water and the sun light. When the lotus reaches the surface, it is nourished by the light and blooms.
This path is used to describe a yogis journey through their yoga practice up until the final bliss and enlightenment of Samadhi. A yogi starts in the dark, knowing very little about them self and being unaware of their true self. As the yogi practices and goes through the Eight Limbs, they are becoming more and more enlightened from each step. The yogi is at the final step of their yoga practice when the lotus of their mind blooms and they reach the ultimate bliss of life, becoming one with their true self and their mind.

The physical aspects of yoga are seen on the Eight Limbs as Asana (Postures) and Pranayama (Breathing). When the majority of people say that yoga is about physical poses and meditation, they are correct, but they do not capture yoga as a whole. Now when someone asks the question "What is yoga?" a full definition would include the physical poses and breathing, but also self betterment using the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

Following The Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eightfold Path in Buddihsm are eight different paths to end suffering and find happiness. They do not have to be followed in a sequence but rather it can be done when you realise you lack in any of the paths. The paths are: Right View, Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. 

One of the most difficult path for me is the Right Speech. According to Buddihsts, the effect of speech are not as immediately as those bodily but speech can have enormous consequences either for good or bad. Some circumstances makes people bring out the worst in them and I feel the Rigjht of Speech would be a good example in this. In my case, I tend to get nervouse or annoyed but the smallest of the situations if they don't go according to my point of view or my wants and my best way of reacting to it is the use of words. In the past I have used many words that hurted close friends and I did not even realized because of the heat of the monment. Achieving success in the Right Speech is something that would take a lot of work and dedication to me once sometimes it happens and I don't even notice it. Thankfully, not one of my wrong today ended up being the cause of a more serious action but just because it has not happened this far it does not mean it will never happened. In my Ethics Across Continents class, we had the challenge of recognizing one of the Noble Eightfold Path we have been lacking and change it for a week. The Right Speech was the one i chose and because of the stressfull week I had due to school work and personal issues, most of the days I did not succeeded with following the path, but there were days that I thought to myself, I should think this through, I should not say that. Practice will lead to perfection but again, this will take a time since is something I use as a mechanism of defense. 

Happiness is Found in the Pursuing of Purusha

Purusha, or the true self is a clear mind. "You can't see the true self because your mind is colored." (Sutra 3). According to this, the true self is a mind that is clear; one that is not colored. "But what creates these colors?" you may ask, thoughts. Your thoughts create colors or ripples which causes a distortion. However, once you stop creating thought forms, the true self, or Purusha, is seen. An important thing to know is that the true self will always

be the same, and cannot be anything but that. In Sutra 3 it says, "The true you is always the same, but you appear to be distorted or mixed or mixed up with the mind." You come to know Purusha by self-reformation, self-control, and self-adjustment. These three things are what Yoga is based on and that is how you come to know the true self. And by knowing the true self, you find happiness.

Happiness can only come from within. The moment you seek happiness from outside and not within, you will experience pain. "We attach ourselves to pleasure because we expect happiness from it, forgetting that happiness is always in us as the true self." Meaning, true happiness comes from the inner self, Purusha. Happiness is in your hands; it is in your control; you determine whether you are happy or unhappy. So, you needn't not pursue happiness. Instead, pursue Purusha. Why? Because in the pursuing of Purusha and getting to know your true self, happiness is found.

Yoga=Union

 Like many other people in our Ethics Across the Continents course, I began with the understanding that Yoga was a form of exercise-mostly used for strength and stability. I had little knowledge that the breathing exercises that accompany most of yogic practice are the basis of a very intricate science.

Yoga means "union" of the body and mind through breath (energy), as well as union with others, nature, and the divine. Yoga teaches us that in order to "be at one" with ourselves, we need to seek understanding and exercise wisdom over ourselves and our impulses. The yogic path is one that can potentially lead to better health as well as happiness in our minds, bodies and spirits. 

Yoga is prior to hinduism, beginning before 3000 B.C. 

The basics of yoga can be simplified as follows: Asana, refers to alignment principles, the energetic force, and exercise such as sun salutations. Pranayama is the part that deals with observing and practicing 3 part breaths. Dhyana teaches correct posture, breathing, relaxing, as well as sensory awareness. However the full eight limbs of yoga are: 

1.Yama-self restraints

2. Niyamas-Things to do

3. Asana

4. Pranayama

5. Pratyahara-detatchment from the world

6. Dharana-steadying of the mind

7. Dhyana 

8. Samadi-distinguished contemplation

Samprajnata samadi is accompanied by reasoning, reflecting, and rejoicing. Asamprajnata samadi is the firmly convinced practice of complete cessation of all mental modifications. This can also come through faith, strength, memory, contemplation or by discernment. Achieving ultimate samadi depends on the extent to which you practice and by total devotion to God. The keen and intent practitioner will achieve samadi very quickly. The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild, medium, or intense. 

Isvara is the supreme Purusha, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions of by any inner impressions of desires. In other words, he is all knowing-he is knowledge itself. The word expressive of Isvara is the sound "OM." Without you repeating it, this basic sound is always vibrating in you, its the seed in which all other sounds manifest. This is why OM represents God in the fullest sense. Its a variation of OM as Christians would see as "Amen." 

Its important to remember that Yogic practice is like an obstacle race, many obstructions are purposefully put on the way for us to pass through. Achieving full samadi is sometimes, something only possible for extremely dedicated Yogis. Purusha is not possible without complete detachment-something very difficult for most people. Its important to ask yourself : "If you eliminate all identifications of yourself, who are you really?" 

You then are able to seed that you're the same as those around you, if you detach yourself from all you identify with. 

Being a yogi is all about achieving enlightenment and liberation-but through your own methods. The more you practice the closer you are everyday to unity. 

You are the seer. 

Yoga: Unlock your mind

Before my college life at Western New England University, I thought yoga was just a form exercise mostly done by girls to stay active or to just look good.  Boy was I wrong!  On day one of ethics class, my mind opened up theories, ideas and experiences I didn't even think possible.  By reading the Yoga Sutras, I discovered that yoga was so much more than just exercise and stretching.  Yoga is about unification of the mind, body and soul to create harmony within yourself.  It is used to rid your mind of anxiety so that you can go about your life with a positive manner and to achieve your self fulfilling prophecy.
Aside from this, yoga is used to unite your mind and body with the physical word in order to create a sense of harmony that does not come easily to many.

One powerful element that yoga provides is peace of mind.  Whenever I participate in a yoga session I forget all of my troubles and I immediately feel a sense of peace and unification within myself. It's almost as if a sense of euphoria washes over me.  The highest level of achievement in yoga is known as samadhi.  By achieving this state, you have created inner peace within yourself and the outside world.  This obviously takes years of practice and dedicated efforts but it can be accomplished.  You can then live in peace as you have united your mind, body and soul.  Many people struggle with the conflict of their inner self because they are so busy with work, family and other daily obstacle.  People lack the time to just sit in a quiet place and meditate in order to clear your mind and be at peace with yourself.  Another aspect of life that many people struggle with are the mental attachment to physical objects such as our phones, laptops and televisions.  Yoga allows you to clear your mind and rid of these attachments.  We can successfully lift these limitations in our lives by doing yoga which allows us to live a more happy, carefree life.