Ron Tecson Post#10 "Pilgrimage" 4/20

Pilgrimage is best done when it is voluntary. Some religions made pilgrimages mandatory and some even made it as a penitential act. I think by doing a voluntary pilgrimage,pilgrims will get more out of the pilgrimage. Let's say your parents told you that you must go to college or else you are cut off from whatever they provide you when you were still in High School, don't you think that because you are being forced to be here, you will miss out the real essence of college life?
Pilgrimage is supposed to be about searching for the great moral significance in your life and not to pay for you sins or to just show to the world that you are indeed a good follower of that religion. Turner discussed the difference between Pilgrimages that are liminiod and liminal.

Ron Tecson Post# 9 "Go with the flow" 4/20

One of the most memorable hikes that I have done was when I hiked in the Shenandoah valley with a group of people from the church that I go to. It was a long day walking on the Appalachian Trail so we decided to go ahead and set up camp and sleep to prepare for another hike the following day. The following day, we were up early and by the sunrise we were already in the AT. I looked around enjoying the marvelous view when I suddenly felt like I should give praise to God for giving me the opportunity to see his majesty through the wonderful view in the AT. So I decided to sing a praise and worship song, next thing you know my friend pulled out his guitar and started playing, by the time I reach midway of the song, the rest of my friends started singing with me. We obviously experience what Turner will describe as flow.

Ron Tecson Post# 8 "Communitas in Basic Training" 4/20

Turner defines communitas as " a relational quality of full unmediated communication, even communion, between definite and determinate identities, which arises spontaneously in all kinds of groups, situations, and circumstances"
When I arrived in Lackland AFB in Texas for my Basic Training in the Air Force, I remember being so nervous and feeling so alone. I am surrounded by a bunch of strangers who are also hoping to become an Airman. We all came from different parts of the country with different backgrounds from one another and yet we all managed to get along and get the job done. In fact, almost all of us got along together very well. We formed a communitas, a brotherhood with a common goal and that is to graduate on time no matter what. Just like in communitas where there is no social status or ranking, it did not matter what we used to be when we were still civilians, everyone has to do their fair share in the dormitory.