Ron Tecson Post# 15 "Sacred place that moves" 4/21

I was reading an article from Mobilities Journal entitled Taking Sacred Space out of Place: From Mount Sinai to Mount Getty Through Travelling Icons. It is about Dr. Veronica Della Dora who was pursuing her postdoctoral research at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles when she was asked by the Museum if she could assist in the translation of precious sacred Greek objects that the museum was about to showcase. By witnessing and being an active participant in the behind-the-scenes tour of these sacred objects, Della Dora hypothesized that Sacred Places could be circulated through material objects. In her article, she was able to destabilize traditional notions of sacred space as an immovable entity. She depicted icons and other ‘travelling’ sacred objects as vehicles for the circulation and displacement of holy places outside of their physical boundaries. Della Dora suggested that we need to conceptualize sacred space not as an immobile place but to pay attention to the product between human and non-human (sacred things) interaction, where according to Della Dora relies the successful transfer of one 'sacred place' to a different location.

Ron Tecson Post#14 "A new perspective on meditation" 4/21

Before taking this class, I always thought that meditation requires that you sit on the ground with your eyes closed and be still like a statue. Through the various discussion and readings that we have for this class, I discovered that my belief regarding meditation is wrong. I discovered that by a simple walk in the trail, you can achieve the same benefits that people who meditate and sit on the ground with their eyes closed achieves. It is hard for me to sit in a space and try to clear my mind, I prefer to walk in the trail and slowly enter a state of meditation. I think nature is a great way to remind us that there is a higher power above us that whatever is going in our lives, that higher power can definitely fix. Nature is a good reminder that life does not have to be complicated at all. We just need to go with the flow, enjoy life and learn from our mistakes, that is all we can do as human beings.

Ron Tecson Post# 7 "The natural stress reliever" 4/20

One of the things that I miss about living in Guam is the fact that no matter where you live, you are just minutes away from the beach. I remember that whenever I feel stressed from school or at work, I would drive down to the beach, watch the sunset and walk barefoot in the sand as I listen to the sounds of the waves. For some reason the roaring sounds of the waves seemed to tame the stress that was harassing me the whole day. The sand rubbing against my feet felt like mini massagers, providing a feeling of relaxation. I remember leaving the beach feeling refreshed and energized ready to face any challenge that comes my way. This reminds me of the class discussion that we had regarding the mask of God. The ocean hides and reveals its greatness at the same time. The waves could be mild and relaxing but at the same time, big and powerful enough to destroy anything that is in it's way.

Ron Tecson post #5 "A different point of view" 4/19

I was going through my files and discovered this poem that I wrote about twelve years ago...

My unknown hunger and my endless thirst
by Ron Tecson

I am walking in the crazy world of the wild.
Dehydrated and thirsty like the desert,
Pale and hungry like a dying lamb.
Oh, I hate this long and tiring journey,
Looking for the food that I don't even know,
Searching for the drink that does not exist,
Looking for the way where my Father sits.
I heard a voice from a white man within,
Offered me a piece of bread and a cup of wine,
Convinced me to follow him and become divine.
I ate the bread and drink the wine, thinking I'll be fine,
But in my dismay, I became dry like a hay.
I think I am dying....incomplete, almost empty...
So, I bended my knees and began to pray,
"My God, My God where are you now?
I thought I found you, but obviously not."


Obviously, I was still seeking the connection of God, nature and myself back then. Taking this course has educated me a lot to have a different point of view regarding God and Nature. It's amazing what books and life itself can teach us, shaping us as a person that we are.