Hunter Bronder: Image and Pilgrimage - hikes vs pilgrimages

            In Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture, it says that once someone takes a pilgrimage, they will be freed from social structures. I think that most people who take a pilgrimage will come across some of the ideas we learned in the class. The ideas of flow and communitas seem like they would be present in the same way on a pilgrimage as they are on a hike. To me this means that a hike on the AT could be similar to a pilgrimage for some people. The only thing that could be different between the two could be the way people approach a pilgrimage. People on a pilgrimage may have a deeper spiritual appreciation than people simply hiking. Still though I think that some hikers turn their trips into a self made spiritual journey, which make them seem almost identical to a pilgrimage.  

Hunter Bronder: Image and Pilgrimage - emotional tone

In Images and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture, it says an emotional tone goes along with pilgrimage. I feel like this can relate also to journeys on trails such as the Appalachian Trail. There is an emotional tone that goes with trips such as the AT. For example, in the footage we watched on the last day of class the guy who reached the end of the AT was very emotional. At times he was laughing while at others he was crying. I believe that trails that have the ability to affect someone’s values such as he AT could be said to have this emotional tone. If a hiker did not allow him or herself to experience the emotions the trail gave them they may not take as much from the trip. Just as a pilgrimage should be taken serious, so should a hike. Hikes also have this ability to change someone when approach in the right way. 

Hunter Bronder: Images and Pilgrimage - rituals

In Images and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture, the author shares parts of a ritual that are preformed at a certain rock. Having been part of something where rituals were preformed, I found it weird that they would share parts of the ritual. Usually when a ritual is preformed, it is secret or special to the person or group performing it. Rituals are important to making a place sacred. This made me wonder if a place is considered sacred then how sure are people that it was made extraordinary by ritual. Do people that make places sacred ever share the ritual preformed or is it just in certain cases where ritual cannot be shared.  

Hunter Bronder: Nolan Trail class

Some classes I can only learn or see things from in a classroom. In other classes, such as this one, it is sometimes necessary to venture outside of the classroom to gain a full understanding of the subject. When the class took a trip to the Nolan Trail it was one of these, allowing me to see first hand some of the ideas we had learned about.

            Only being outside for an hour and fifteen minutes, it was hard to grasp some of the things we had learned about. One thing I was able to see in the short time I was out there though was flow. Flow deals with freeing ones mind of the conscious world and becoming one with your surroundings. At one point the whole class was on a bridge watching the turtles. I though that this was when no one was really thinking about anything else going on and everyone was simply watching these turtles swim. For that brief amount of time everyone was free from the world and focused only on the turtles.

            Besides learning, there were also some interesting things I saw in nature. One thing that really stuck out to me was a tree that at the very bottom started as one trunk, before separating into two, then coming back to one, only to separate again. The tree showed just how cool nature can be at times. First the way the tree grew apart at the bottom was interesting but not as much as when it came back together. I always see nature as something that is just there, sometimes forgetting that it’s actually alive. I wonder why this tree did this? Maybe something wrong with part of the tree and the other came to help out or the tree was not balanced. Either way this made me realize what I forget sometimes, that nature is real and has to work together with its surroundings the same way we do.

            This nature class was beneficial to help me see things nature has to offer. I was able to gain the feeling of flow and realize some beauty in nature. Times like this allow me to reflect on things related to landscapes that I may would not have noticed.    

Tyshawn Harris Communitas

Communitas was a word I caught on to very quick because it was something I could relate to. Communitas means a group of people different people coming together for the same reason. That is popular on sports teams, churches, etc. Communitas plays an important role in peoples lives because with out people from different views coming together for some of the same things what would the world be these days. For instance, The NFL team the Saints they will have to come together this year more than every because of the bounty suspension going on without having their head coach, they will have to come together to fight and be strong without him. 

Tyshawn Harris Cold Fever

The was the strangest movies or  films I have ever seen in my life but the message was strong. It would take a movie like this to put out a message like this. What I took from this movie was never forget where you came from and never forget what you believe in. Hirata's parents have been died from some years and he still hasn't perform his ritual that his family believe in. So since he hasn't perform the ritual his parents are not resting peacefully and until he do so they won't. All the people that was at the rest stop pretty much show me that no matter what happens like the weather it should never slow you down if you have something to do thats important to you.

Tyshawn Harris Lane's 4 Axioms

In this book called Landscapes of the Sacred by Lane, he talks about these four axioms. The first axiom is "sacred place is not chosen, it chooses" which basically means that for a place to become sacred people do not say I claim this mountain sacred. It doesn't work like that, the place has to prove to you that it is sacred. It will find some way to communicate with you and when that happens it has become sacred. The second axiom is "sacred place is ordinary place, ritually made extraordinary" which means that and ordinary place will stay ordinary unless people perform rituals on it. The third axiom is "sacred place can be tred upon without being entered" which means that every place can be walk on or to without being entered and how you eneter a place is by having something happen there that was expected. The fourth and last axiom is "the impulse of sacred place is both centripetal and centrifugal, local and universal" which means that the experience you had while at a certain place happens there and once you leave it will always be with you.

Tyshawn Harris Noland Trail

The class we went to the Noland Trail was one of the best classes all year. I never been on the Noland Trail, it was something new and different. I sat and observed my surroundings it was very peaceful. The trail was something every person should get out and experience. Just the way everything is like from the water to trees, plants, animals, bridges stones, could make the Noland Trail a sacred place from someone. The way everything falls in place, how everything balances could be a great experience. I love just walking the trail it helps me take my mind off of my problems but at the same time helps me think about it and what is important. I should and just might go out there more often just to think about things. Its something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Jem Kamran- The hunger Games

            I just finished The Hunger Games. And I realized that the premise of the “utopian” society that is created by the antagonists of the book is achieved through isolation of wilderness. In the book the government has divided the country into twelve; each district specializes in a part of industry like coal, agriculture, lumber, fishing etc. By limiting people to one landscape or aspect of the natural world the government of the novel obtained the power to oppress, and control any dissidents. They have manufactured and have been able to control aspects of the natural world in order to further subdue the people for example the mockingjay birds that they have genetically modified to imitate the words that have been spoken. The governement manipulates the natural for their own devise.

           When the main character learns to escape to the wilderness to hunt and provide for her family- which is illegal to do- she realizes that there is more to life then to going along with what the Capitol says. Her entrance into the wilderness was the beginning of her revolt against the established government. So it is by no surprise that most of the characters in the book hope to one day escape to the wilderness. The wilderness becomes a symbol of hope and most importantly a symbol of freedom for them. 

            This book is first of the series and I hope to read on to find out how this theme of wilderness as a symbol of freedom  further develops through out the story.

Jordan Snider-Surfing

    Several weeks ago, my famiily and I traveled to Hatteras, North Carolina to go surfing for the weekend. This is something my dad got me involved in when I was just six years old. If you've ever been surfing, you'll understand just what I'm about to describe. The feeling of catching your first wave is something you will never forget. After you've done it once it becomes an addiction, and I've been addicted since I was six years old. There is just something about waves that draws people in. The fact of something so powerful propeling  and carrying you forward is just amazing. This is just one of Gods creations that I fell in love with. Surfing allows me to connect with Nature. It's something that clears my mind and gives me feeling of connection with the world and the worlds creator, God.

Jordan Snider-The Noland trail

The Noland trail class was probably one of my favorite class period because of how familiar I am with the trail. Every monday morning during the semester and throughout the summer I run this trail in the morning. By running this tral in the morning, I am able to experience the beauty and peacefulness because there aren't very manny people on it and there is not a whole lot going on except for nature. By running the trail alone, I am able to clear my head and get my thoughts in line. The one thing I love about the Noland Trail is that everytime I run it I notice something different. Whether its the new flowers that just bloomed or the leafs on the tree changing colors. The Noland Trail has a natural beauty that I will forever enjoy.

Andrea Rowley - Thoughts on the Labyrinth

Ending our last day of class on the labyrinth on the Great Lawn was really neat. It was a way for us to try to connect with ourselves and our thoughts while working our way along the snake-like path. Doing so with a class of 20 people who were not entirely in the zone to really take it seriously was discouraging and made it hard to fully devote to. I could not get what I wanted out of it, and I wish I hadn't let some people's ways of making the labyrinth a joking matter get in the way of my state of mind. It could have been a great opportunity to allow ourselves to try something different, something we were not used to, but it was a failed attempt. If I could not get what I'd hoped out of it, I at least am glad Dr. Redick introduced us to the concept.

Andrea Rowley - Walking With Freedom

After writing about Lion King's documentary, I poked around on Trail Journals and came across his website - http://walkingwithfreedom.com/.

Just by reading his About Me, I have a whole different opinion about someone who I already thought positively of. Lion King, or Michael Daniel as his parents call him, has been hiking since 1998, and since then has hiked over 10,000 miles. 8,000 of those miles were thru-hikes on the AT. Not only has he hiked the AT, but he has thru-hiked the John Muir Trail in 2002 as well as The Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in 2006. There is so much more to this man than we saw in his film, and it is admirable to me how dedicated he is to something he loves.

I am unsure of how dated this particular piece of information I found on his website is, but he is hiking/has hiked the American Discovery Trail which totals over 6,000 miles from coast to coast and will also be the first time ever a person has walked non-stop the entire length of the trail in one trip on foot. On top of that, he raised money for the American Heart Association over the course of nearly a year of walking.

Lion King has done so much for himself and for others just through hiking, and I just thought dedicating a journal entry to him was appropriate. For those of you who intend to start hiking - do it until you can't anymore. Nothing stopped Lion King.

Andrea Rowley - Cold Fever, Pt. 2

I've already blogged about Cold Fever, but I just want to revisit this film for a second.

I have been in love with Iceland for years. No, I have never been there, but the entire culture of that place fascinates me. I follow certain blogs based out of Iceland just to get a glimpse of the land and the people in pictures. Their language is uniquely beautiful and one I have been slowly teaching myself (emphasis on the slowly).

For those Sigur Rós fans reading, my wanderlust to travel to Iceland only grew exponentially upon watching the band's 2007 tour documentary titled Heima (view trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhLZP6Cz2dA). I mean... just LOOK at that place. It is, as we spoke of in class, awesome. The opening quote of said trailer ("I sometimes get this strange and sort of uncontrollable urge to want to go home.") is one I have always connected with in terms of my home, but I dream to someday visit their home to see exactly why he feels that way.

In short, when Dr. Redick said Cold Fever was an Icelandic film, by heart skipped a few beats. The land and the culture of the Icelandic people is simply beautiful.

Andrea Rowley - Lane's Cultural Approach

This particular post is somewhat of a cheers to John's post about the cultural approach with my own personal reflection of it pertaining to my life.

Aside from my first two years in Maryland, I have lived in various parts of Northern Virginia for the past 20 years of my life. As we all know, Northern Virginia has come to be one huge traffic jam all day every day, it seems. It is stressful and highly populated. It can take almost an hour to go 20 miles. It can be frustrating, and I know traffic in Hampton Roads is not the best either. BUT - I will go so far to say that I prefer NOVA/DC traffic to HRBT tunnel traffic any day, just because that place is home. It is all I have known, and I love every part of it. No matter how beautiful or different or calming someplace else can be, I have never connected with a place quite like Northern VA. I was literally the only person in my group of friends in high school who was sad to be leaving home for college. Everyone else went to Tech or UVA or someplace out of state, and while I am two hours from home, I still make it a point to go back whenever I have a free weekend. This place is who I have been for most of my life, and I cannot see myself feeling this exact way about any other culture or place.

Sitting in the comfort of my house right now, even if I am just here for the weekend, it is something I have been looking forward to.

Michael Pistininzi - Experience

This semester I went owl watching at the Great Dismal Swamp. It was very neat to sit and wait until dusk waiting with the ornithologist guide. He had pictures of different owls we might see and had their noises recorded on a tape to play to attract them. He also had a red light to shine on the owls to spot them. The owl was this unknown night creature that I knew nothing about and as the screech owl got closer their calls got louder and louder and I felt as if this was their home and I was a visitor. I knew that they saw me way before I saw them and it took patience, and quiet to get them to trust our group and get closer tree by tree. Eventually they came right up to us and observed us from above and occasionally swooped over us. It was an awesome experience.

Michael Pistininzi - Outside Reading

Yesterday my botany professor sent me an article about organic farming. There's some research going on about using nature's cycles to farm while reducing the impact of the farm on the surrounding ecosystem. I think this is so cool to use natural systems like composting and bio-diverse crop cycles to respect the area that you're using to farm. I think that land we use needs to be respected and anything we do to the land needs to be accounted for. I believe if more people saw the affects of their actions on the land, they would learn to respect and take care of it.

Michael Pistininzi - Outside Reading

I was reading an article about Natural Geographic photographers. It talked about how these photographers set up camp in these far off isolated places and they have to sit there for days waiting for the perfect lighting, situation, and moment to capture what their assignments are. They can be in the Sahara, Amazon, Artic, or in an African village. I think it takes such discipline to wait so long, but I feel like those photographers really connect with their subjects. I think it would be such an experience to even sit with one of these guys because they must have so much patience and the things they see while they're waiting must be so cool.

Michael Pistininzi - Outside Reading

With the research I was doing about Buddhism I was leaning about how Buddhists respected and cared for nature. I think it's great how Buddhists, especially in Asian cultures, have a certain way of thinking about nature and the natural balance and harmony it maintains. Nature isn't thought of that way in our culture for some reason, and as consumerism spreads and industrializes some of those cultures, it seems that respect for nature is lost in the need to maximize profits. I think gardening is a key hobby that more people should get involved in because it helps bridge a little bit of the nature-industry gap. Buddhists have been gardening for hundreds of years in an attempt to recreate a peaceful reflective space that incorporates nature.

Michael Pistininzi - Lane Reflection

I had a real flow experience the other week at the farmers market. All the sudden the market that I had been working to organize all semester was here. Farmers were arriving and students were crowding the entire area. I was totally in the zone telling people where to set up and getting music going and meeting all the farmers and taking pictures. I was blown away at the student and faculty turn out we had. The market started at 2 and was over at 6, but I had no idea 6 had come when it did. I was so impressed and happy at the work and fun everyone was having that time just seemed to disappear. I was glad it all worked out and I look forward to experiencing that feeling again next semester with another market.