"But perhaps there is only one main sun: impatiance." After i read this passage I ran the book over to my mom and made her read that passage as she is the most impatient person that i know. Then I got to thinking that maybe it's not just the quality of being impatient that Kafka belives is sinful, but perhaps the context in which impatience seems to happen. Usually, from my point of view, people grow impatient because they have better stuff to do or have more things to take care of. Thus, thinking of themself as the number one priorty, and not taking a second to step back and take a look at the situation to assess what is really making them impatient. I would say that this is also called selfishness.
"The fact that our task is exactly as large as our life makes it appear infinate." I'm not sure why that makes it seem infinate but I do like the first part of the quote. The reason that our task is exactly as long as our life is because the task is life. To live is the reason that we are put here. Everyone takes their own route and completes their "task" in a different way. It's humbling to think that you aren't the only person taking this journey and completing this "task", and that you become a piece of the journey of everyone that you meet along the way. That really puts things into perspective for me. Im just one small person in a big, big world.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Novalis
"There is only one temple in the world and that is the human body." I really liked thi s quote because it raised awareness that I did not previously have. I thought, "Of course! That makes sense." Everyone had their own set of beliefs and their own ways of worship. And every individual houses everything within their own body. It doesn't matter uf they go to special designated place ti worship, everything happens WITHIN them.
I also really liked the quote, "Marriage is the highest mystery." This struck my because not only is it the highest mystery, but it is also something that almost everyone strives for. I find it interesting to want something that you don't even know how it is going to work out. Wanting marriage isn't like wanting a new car or new clothes because emotions are hardly involved. But to want something that takes so much time and effort and commitment, and to be completely unsure about the outcome seems completely insane...but we do it anyway.
I also really liked the quote, "Marriage is the highest mystery." This struck my because not only is it the highest mystery, but it is also something that almost everyone strives for. I find it interesting to want something that you don't even know how it is going to work out. Wanting marriage isn't like wanting a new car or new clothes because emotions are hardly involved. But to want something that takes so much time and effort and commitment, and to be completely unsure about the outcome seems completely insane...but we do it anyway.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Abu Yazid Al-Bistami
"Nothing is better for a man than to be without anything, hvaing no ascetism, no theory, no practice. When he is without everything, he is with everything." This story reminds me of one that professor File told us in lecture. I belive it was Buhhah who was approched by a follower and he said he had done all these things and if Buddah would accept him. Buddah asks him to give away all his money and to come follow him. The point of buddah saying this is because he believed that once you have nothing, you have everthing, same as this reading.
"For thirty years i used to say. 'Do this' and 'give that'; but when i reached the first stage of wisdom, I said, 'O God, be mine and do whatever you want.'" This part, to me, illustrates prayer for most people. Every night they pray to God asking him to "do this for me, " or to "give this to me." But when one realizes what is truely important and realize that when they have God's ears they should jsut ask for him to be theirs and that is the only thing that really matters.
"For thirty years i used to say. 'Do this' and 'give that'; but when i reached the first stage of wisdom, I said, 'O God, be mine and do whatever you want.'" This part, to me, illustrates prayer for most people. Every night they pray to God asking him to "do this for me, " or to "give this to me." But when one realizes what is truely important and realize that when they have God's ears they should jsut ask for him to be theirs and that is the only thing that really matters.
Muhammad
"We created man: We know the very whisperings within him and we are closer to him than his jugular vein." I found this to be a powerful choice of words. For some reason the choice of words alone makes this statement all the more powerful.
"My servant does not cease to come near me until I love him; and when I love him, I am the sight he sees with and the hearing he hears with and the hand he receives with and the foot he walks with." This passage reminds me of Christianity in the sense of followers seeking God's acceptance. When the followers finally believe that they have the acceptance of God, that's the only thing that really matters when it comes to their religious practice.
"My servant does not cease to come near me until I love him; and when I love him, I am the sight he sees with and the hearing he hears with and the hand he receives with and the foot he walks with." This passage reminds me of Christianity in the sense of followers seeking God's acceptance. When the followers finally believe that they have the acceptance of God, that's the only thing that really matters when it comes to their religious practice.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Gospel of Thomas
"...the kingdom is inside you and outside you." Alot of these reads really reinforce to me, why i have never really tried to follow any religion. The kingdom is inside and outside of you? Alright. So i have a kingdom inside of me that i was never aware of. I don't know, it just seems silly to me. All of the philosophy and odd explanations don't seem to make any sense to me. I want something where i can here, This means that and only that. Whereas this something else shows this specific thing.
However, the part that reads. "Recognize what is in your sight, and what is hidden will become clear to you," sort of made sense to me. To me it sort of meant, you have to figure out who you are as a person, and everything else will fall into place.
However, the part that reads. "Recognize what is in your sight, and what is hidden will become clear to you," sort of made sense to me. To me it sort of meant, you have to figure out who you are as a person, and everything else will fall into place.
Jesus of Nazareth
I really liked the very first part of this read which talked about doing good to those who hate you. I liked it because it reminded me of something my mom has been telling me ever since i was young, and that is to "kill them with kindness". Although that person may not think very highly of you, you can still be nice to you and perhaps in the end that will work to your advantage.
The next part of the read that i found interesting was , "Don't be anxious about what you will eat or what you will wear. Isn't your life more than its food, and your body more than its clothing?" Basically saying that you shouldn't worry about that stuff because God will take care of it for you. I'm not sure i liked this statement because I'm pretty sure that if i sat around all day and did nothing food and clothes would not just appear out of no where. I don't know though.
The last part of the read i enjoyed was the very last paragraph saying, "The kingdom of god does not come if you watch for it." It really opened my eyes to how similar all religions are. Many of the other reads we have read so far say the same thing
The next part of the read that i found interesting was , "Don't be anxious about what you will eat or what you will wear. Isn't your life more than its food, and your body more than its clothing?" Basically saying that you shouldn't worry about that stuff because God will take care of it for you. I'm not sure i liked this statement because I'm pretty sure that if i sat around all day and did nothing food and clothes would not just appear out of no where. I don't know though.
The last part of the read i enjoyed was the very last paragraph saying, "The kingdom of god does not come if you watch for it." It really opened my eyes to how similar all religions are. Many of the other reads we have read so far say the same thing
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Hui-Hai
"'Reality is percieved through your own body.' If you don't run after sounds and sights, or let appearences give rise to conceptual thinkning, you will become men unattached to all things." I took this to mean, relating back to the previous post, if you don't feel feelings or think about the feelings that you feel, you will not be anything. You will be stuck in the "Center". The state in which you were born.
I also really liked the quote "We may compare it to a mirror which, though it doesn't contain any forms, can nevertheless reflect all forms. Why? Because it is free of mental activity." I really liked this metaphor that was used to describe pure essence and perception. In order to to expierience the perception, you have to clear your mind of everything and only then you can reflect pure essence.
I also really liked the quote "We may compare it to a mirror which, though it doesn't contain any forms, can nevertheless reflect all forms. Why? Because it is free of mental activity." I really liked this metaphor that was used to describe pure essence and perception. In order to to expierience the perception, you have to clear your mind of everything and only then you can reflect pure essence.
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