1)
“They knew everything, the Brahmans and their holy books, they knew everything, they had taken care of everything and of more than everything, the creation of the world, the origin of speech, of food, of inhaling, of exhaling, the arrangement of the senses, the acts of the gods, they knew infinitely much—but was it valuable to know all of this, not knowing that one and only thing, the most important thing, the solely important thing?” (Siddhartha)
This passage from Siddhartha reflects the personal nature of a pilgrimage. Understanding something may begin with studying the books and already collected information on the subject, but ultimately, true comprehension of something is gained from personal interaction and reflection with the subject. This is why the symbol of the Labyrinth is so important. The Labyrinth, much like life, takes you on a path full of twists and turns. Truly getting to the center of the maze, whether it be a physical or mental maze, requires contemplation and introspection after analyzing the surroundings.
One cannot solely use other people’s experiences and apply them to their own. Yes, many others may have taken similar journeys and shared their lessons and wisdom from their trips, and this information is a great place to start when beginning a journey oneself. But, until one truly immerses themselves in the subject and thoroughly mulls over the question they are trying to answer themselves, one will never be truly satisfied. Unless somebody else’s answer will suffice, one must discover something on their own. This is what Siddhartha is wondering in this excerpt: whether all the work that the Brahmans have done and everything in the holy books is enough to satisfy his hunger to reach nirvana. Here, Siddhartha begins to understand that he will never be able to reach his goal by floating off of other people’s back drafts. Siddhartha must
“They knew everything, the Brahmans and their holy books, they knew everything, they had taken care of everything and of more than everything, the creation of the world, the origin of speech, of food, of inhaling, of exhaling, the arrangement of the senses, the acts of the gods, they knew infinitely much—but was it valuable to know all of this, not knowing that one and only thing, the most important thing, the solely important thing?” (Siddhartha)
This passage from Siddhartha reflects the personal nature of a pilgrimage. Understanding something may begin with studying the books and already collected information on the subject, but ultimately, true comprehension of something is gained from personal interaction and reflection with the subject. This is why the symbol of the Labyrinth is so important. The Labyrinth, much like life, takes you on a path full of twists and turns. Truly getting to the center of the maze, whether it be a physical or mental maze, requires contemplation and introspection after analyzing the surroundings.
One cannot solely use other people’s experiences and apply them to their own. Yes, many others may have taken similar journeys and shared their lessons and wisdom from their trips, and this information is a great place to start when beginning a journey oneself. But, until one truly immerses themselves in the subject and thoroughly mulls over the question they are trying to answer themselves, one will never be truly satisfied. Unless somebody else’s answer will suffice, one must discover something on their own. This is what Siddhartha is wondering in this excerpt: whether all the work that the Brahmans have done and everything in the holy books is enough to satisfy his hunger to reach nirvana. Here, Siddhartha begins to understand that he will never be able to reach his goal by floating off of other people’s back drafts. Siddhartha must
James Valencia
January 9, 2017
immerse himself in his subject and reflect. This is what the symbol of the Labyrinth
represents: a place for deep thinking and personal journey. A pilgrimage is not complete
without deep reflection. To obtain the answer to a question one must traverse paths of
reflection and discovery, similar to the journey people take in the Labyrinth to reach the
center.
2)
2)
“When April's gentle rains have pierced the drought
Of March right to the root, and bathed each sprout
Through every vein with liquid of such power
It brings forth the engendering of the flower;” (Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales)
These lines from The Canterbury Tales draw an image in my mind that resembles our Labyrinth. While we worked together to organize our maze in the wet grass, I felt a sense of relaxation and serenity that comes with the rain. The rain represents power, the prospect of growth, and a cleanse. “It brings forth the engendering of the flower.” This is what the maze represents, an opportunity to germinate a flower.
In a pilgrimage, an individual or group struggles through the travails and challenges that lie before their goal, to reach a new echelon and begin a new journey. In nature, we survive the harsh drought, to thrive in the serene gardens during the seasons of moisture and prepare for another year. Our maze fits in perfectly with the time of the season - the beginning of the year - a time of renewal and preparation.
With paint, we have created a maze that pairs peacefully with the grass, to provide a place of reflection, where individuals can collaborate and internalize their mental state with the revitalizing seasonal shift. All this, to garner the forces of karma
Of March right to the root, and bathed each sprout
Through every vein with liquid of such power
It brings forth the engendering of the flower;” (Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales)
These lines from The Canterbury Tales draw an image in my mind that resembles our Labyrinth. While we worked together to organize our maze in the wet grass, I felt a sense of relaxation and serenity that comes with the rain. The rain represents power, the prospect of growth, and a cleanse. “It brings forth the engendering of the flower.” This is what the maze represents, an opportunity to germinate a flower.
In a pilgrimage, an individual or group struggles through the travails and challenges that lie before their goal, to reach a new echelon and begin a new journey. In nature, we survive the harsh drought, to thrive in the serene gardens during the seasons of moisture and prepare for another year. Our maze fits in perfectly with the time of the season - the beginning of the year - a time of renewal and preparation.
With paint, we have created a maze that pairs peacefully with the grass, to provide a place of reflection, where individuals can collaborate and internalize their mental state with the revitalizing seasonal shift. All this, to garner the forces of karma
into a new discovery or mindset that will help to endure the next pilgrimage or
undertaking.
Before anybody takes on a large challenge or forms an important goal, they must reflect on themselves and analyze both internal and external forces, to prepare for their journey. Often, the travails of life distract us from completing this pre-evaluation. However, in this month of January - launching us into 2017 - our Labyrinth provides a clear sanctuary of zen for us to begin our journeys mentally and perhaps even find new pieces of ourselves.
3)
Here is my mandala from class. I was messing with the photo filters and light bands and ended up with this. The colors look really intriguing I think and represent a journey from darkness and low energy to lighter yellow and high energy.
This mandala symbolized the endless possibilities there are on a pilgrimage with the constantly morphing shades and colors.
Before anybody takes on a large challenge or forms an important goal, they must reflect on themselves and analyze both internal and external forces, to prepare for their journey. Often, the travails of life distract us from completing this pre-evaluation. However, in this month of January - launching us into 2017 - our Labyrinth provides a clear sanctuary of zen for us to begin our journeys mentally and perhaps even find new pieces of ourselves.
3)
-
1. How did the labyrinth project and today's trip to the Peace Awareness Center
help you approach or understand your personal pilgrimage in a new light?
The Labyrinth project and today’s trip to the Peace Awareness Center have helped me to view my pilgrimage as more of a journey, something that takes time to traverse. I am a lot more focused on the path than on the destination, and this is really allowing me to enjoy and develop my pilgrimage towards learning to mix and master.
-
2. What insights can you share about your own process, discovery, challenge, or
success in connection to your project?
I have found that although there is much more information than I ever expected necessary to truly know how to mix and master, I am even more excited to continue. I now know I have begun a journey that will last many years. The more I have learned and the more I found I am able to do since I began this pilgrimage has really inspired me to continue growing and developing my skills. I may not be a great at mixing and mastering soon, but eventually, I know exactly what I’m doing and I will have completed my pilgrimage.
-
3. What ideas in the course were most meaningful to you?
I really liked the creativity that was cultivated and allowed to roam throughout Literature of Pilgrimage. I felt comfortable and excited for class during the semester because I knew that my mind would be allowed to wander within the confines of whatever we were working on. The idea of the pilgrimage as a journey in which the means are just as important as the end really stood out to me and made me think about how I could apply that in my own life. My outlook on life has shifted in this class and I think I look more towards the future now.
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4. What will you take forward from here?
I will take forward the idea of reflecting on my journeys and focusing on the path towards the goal more often. I think this will certainly aid me as I move onto my next pilgrimage in college. I am also excited to continue my journey towards knowing how mix and master, of course.
- 5. What quotations, images, or examples can you share to symbolize your greatest insights?
Here is my mandala from class. I was messing with the photo filters and light bands and ended up with this. The colors look really intriguing I think and represent a journey from darkness and low energy to lighter yellow and high energy.
This mandala symbolized the endless possibilities there are on a pilgrimage with the constantly morphing shades and colors.
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