Erica Gamester: I-it vs. I-thou "Student Choice" #1

Reflection of I-it vs. I-thou

Growing up in suburban community, naturally rooted forests accompanied by wondrous wildlife was a task to locate. Sure, there were sidewalks bordered by shrubs that landscapers were constantly grooming, along with the occasional tree whose leaves crisped to a bright orange in the fall.  Though, a plot of land contaminated by pesticides and covered with turf isn’t what I yearned for.

As I was following a concrete path on the perimeter of my townhouse neighborhood, I spotted a secluded, forested area that appeared to be undisturbed by humans. I instinctually ventured into the natural refuge and noticed the life around me. The surrounding tree branches swayed with ease, gently shedding their crunchy souvenirs. The creek’s water tenderly swished over the pebbles and carried the tadpoles to their next destination. The sun peeked through the naked branches to communicate with the seemingly infinite wildlife below.  The plants absorbed the sun’s succulent energy and swung their limber bodies in its praise, appearing to respond with “thank you”. I return to this spot time and time again only to witness the fluctuating relationship between the sun and the wildlife occurring as the seasons change. Reflecting upon my past experiences at this location, I am able to better understand the idea of I-It and I-Thou.

Martin Buber states that, “Relation is reciprocity” (58) which I truly felt in this environment. Although unspoken, the sun responds to the plants, which responds to the insects, which responds to the squirrels and so on. There are thousands of subject-to-subject interactions within the natural boundary of the secluded environment. I say subject-to-subject because each possesses a project of which they communicate. For example, this creek flows towards the east in order to erode the land to deliver minerals to other parts of the land. The creek also allows the tadpoles and other organisms to briskly follow the created path in order to complete their project of finding food for development. The project of the creek and the tadpole intertwine, creating a subject-to-subject interaction and relationship. As long as one is helping the other along their project and vise versa, a relationship is reciprocated from both subjects.

Some fail to realize that there is life sustained within even the tiniest of organisms. I spent time standing within the wild weeds of the environment. I noticed the ants passing over my toes and extending, latching on to a blade of grass as it met the ant on the other side. Each blade of grass has life and so does every ant. Martin Buber states that, “all actual life is (an) encounter” (62) which rings especially true in this example. The temporary project of the strand of grass is to assist the other perceived subject, being the ant.  The ant’s project could be to protect the by swarming any predators. Both the grass and the ant are proven to be living organisms with assumed projects, thus creating a subject-to-subject encounter rather than an experience.

The entirety of this environment is my own personal proof of the existence of a subject-to-subject encounter beyond human interaction. However, one can choose to see these natural entities as simple objects rather than subjects with a project. For example, the ant could be the subject while the blade of grass is simply a prop rather than a helping hand. Encounters and experiences are subjective to the subject. Therefore, the ant is the only one who can really tell us how if it encountered or experienced the blade.

Erica Gamester: Spiritual Rambling "Outside Reading" #2

Spiritual Rambling: Long Distance Wilderness Sojourning as Meaning-Making

In class lecture, we discussed “askesis” being defined as strict self-discipline and self-control for religious or meditative purposes. One of these reasons could be to simply break away from the influence of the “market place”. The market place overpowered with everyone’s ego versus another; they all seek to gain advantage of the market place for personal gain. Whether we realize it or not, we are all apart of the market place by inevitably conforming according to the rules of society.

“Askesis is distanciation from the marketplace reality” (Page 17)

However, St. Paul believes that anxiety caused by the market place deteriorates the quality of life for humans. This is because humans become caught up in attempting to manipulate what is out of one’s immediate control, ultimately losing sight of his/her own “project”.

“The marketplace is the epitome of humans vying against one another to gain an advantage at securing a position where self-interest is paramount.” (Page 17)

Askesis in pilgrimage involves a similar ritual of abandoning comfort and common luxuries. Pilgrims develop discipline as they tread the land over long periods without the promise of a next meal or even a private area to go to the bathroom. These onerous stretches of self-control open the mind and soul of the hiker, allowing spiritual renovation to occur.

“Such discipline is truly a distanciation of the real from itself, distancing the hiker from the dominant culture’s attested to reality so that new possibilities manifest and the hiker’s consciousness is opened to transformation” (Page 18)

Through class lecture and outside reading, I have developed the understanding that askesis commonly practiced by many in order to develop a deeper sense of their religious/spiritual self. In order to fully participate in askesis, one must abandon influence of the market place and other external influences. If one doesn't seek separation from the market place, he/she can lose sight of their own project by trying to manipulate irrepressible factors. 

Erica Gamester: Communitas “Outside Reading” #1

Communitas: The Anthropology of Collective Joy #1 “Outside Reading”

“Communitas can only be conveyed properly through stories. Because it is the sense felt by a plurality of people without boundaries, there are numberless questions as to its form, provenance, and implications.” (Page 1)

The excerpt provided from the novel, Communitas: The Anthropology of Collective Joy, describes how “flow” is necessary in order to form “communitas”. Flow is the merging action and awareness that allows us to encounter one another’s entirety of being.

 Communitas is defined as an unstructured community in which people regard each other as equals, particularly when liminality is experienced in a group setting; the term can also plainly refer to the spirit of community.

Reiterating the quote from the novel, the spirit of communitas is only transmittable through stories. My own hypothesis to why this may be is that intimate setting that storytelling provides helps maintain the group’s spirit and connectivity. The stories could involve personal memories, historical events, as well as other note-worthy situations.

However, the spirit of communitas comes to those who welcome it. The type of person most likely to experience and participate in communitas is prepared to abandon modern social structures. This is essential in order to see each individual group members as an equal entity.

“Communitas occurs through the readiness of the people—perhaps from necessity—to rid themselves of their concern for status and dependence on structures, and see their fellows as they are.” (Page 1-2)

 In conclusion, understanding and practicing “flow” is an important first step to creating an unstructured spiritual community, also known as “communitas”. However, the stories that the people bring to the group are what truly define and create the spirit of communitas.

Erica Gamester: Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture #2

Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture #2

In class lecture, we discussed that a sacred place is also known as a “storied place” through context of the novel, Landscapes of the Sacred. This means that myths and tales hallow the grounds and make this a place of tribute and spiritual enrichment. It offers the pilgrim a sense of connectedness with the location’s past and the other travelers present.

The novel, Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture, reciprocates this idea of a “storied place”. However, it proposes that without the pilgrims the stories and myths would cease to exist. Consequentially, the place would be nothing more than ordinary.

“Like all sustained mass movements, pilgrimages tend to accrete rich superstructures of legend, myth, folklore and literature. Legend may be defined as the corpus of written accounts of the marvels and miracles connected with the genesis and development of a pilgrimage system;” (Page 23)*

However, the power lies within the pilgrim to choose his/her journey. Connecting back to the novel, Landscapes of the Sacred, a sacred place can be tread upon without being entered. Therefore, the pilgrim follows his own intuition in order based on his/her purpose of travel, which may or may not always result in a newfound connectedness with a sacred place.

“…It must not be forgotten that each pilgrimage has its own entelechy [the realization of potential], its own impermanent force controlling and directing development… A pilgrimage’s foundation is typically marked by visions, miracles or martyrdoms.” (Page 25)

There are layers of rich history that occur within a place. Pilgrimages recover resonances of these past historic events, both local and regional. In even greater and vaster pilgrimages, the journey can be “shaped and colored by international, even world history” (Page 23).

When read in succession, the two novels, Landscapes of the Sacred and Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture explain a relationship between the pilgrim and the environment. Again, a sacred place is a “storied place”.  However, the land can only be considered sacred or storied with due to pilgrimages or other hallowed events. Pilgrimage naturally acquires myths and legends as they recover and create history, which is then indefinitely connected with the location. In conclusion, the pilgrim is naturally involved in a reciprocating relationship with his/her surroundings.

*All quotes are from Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture

Erica Gamester: Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture #1

Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture #1

“It has become clear to us that liminality is not only transition but also potentiality, not only ‘going to be’ but also ‘what may be,’” (Page 3)

In class lecture, we have discussed the idea of “liminality” being a doorway or passage (also referred to as “margin”). During spiritual rituals of transition, one is considered to be in this spiritual margin. These rituals of transition can serve as a powerful doorway from childhood to adulthood; for example, in Judaism, a ceremony is held once a child reaches the age of 13 (called Bar Mitzvah for males and Bat Mitzvah for females). Reaching this age signifies maturity and the ceremony poses as the liminal period, welcoming the child into the new regime of adulthood.

In the novel, Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture, liminality is described a period of transition as well as potentiality, meaning that liminality allows one to explore and reflect upon the possibilities presented. Returning to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah example, this liminal margin gives the child the opportunity to reflect upon the ideal future for himself before entering new territory of adulthood. This margin of transition is a time where opportunities are practically unlimited and it is obligation of the subject to seize the suitable one for him/herself.

However, this liminal margin isn’t confined to rite of passage rituals.

“Liminality cannot be confined to the processual form of the traditional rites of passage in which [Van Gennep] first identified it…Liminality is now seen to apply to all phases of decisive cultural change” (Page 2)

“Decisive cultural change” translates to modifications in cultural principles and tradition. This allows liminality to be identified throughout cultural practices, giving it deep roots in the development of culture as a whole.

                                                                                           

Once the liminal threshold has been passed through, it is common that one may feel spiritually different, but treated the same by others. Awkwardly, external acceptance only comes with time. But don’t be dismayed, a new spiritual foundation has been acquired and ready to endure and be built upon for a lifetime.

The novel, Image and Pilgrimage of Christian Culture, advances my understanding of the sacred margin, offering the opportunity to develop spiritually within a culture. Unfortunately, Americans are unlikely to fully experience liminality due loss of the power of rituals; this is because of the implementation of strict laws as well as the fluxing American culture.

Erica Gamester: The Phenomenology of Prayer #2

“Prayer is the beginning of responsibility because it begins a response.” (Page 17)

In the novel, The Phenomenology of Prayer, Samuel’s prayer is analyzed. This analysis breaks down the key qualities of prayer. Prayer is a selfless (kenotic) gesture that allows our spirit to absorb God’s word. It allows us to connect with our Higher Power as well as other humans when we pray for one another.

Prayer is defined as “a task of a lifetime” (Page 19). This gives humans the opportunity to develop their relationship with God at different rates. For example, a middle age man who has been praying his entire life so far can have a well-developed and prospering relationship with God. While another man of the same age and spends the same amount of time praying could have a more immature relationship.

For myself, a relationship with my Higher Power didn’t commence until my first year of high school in 2009. God and I were reintroduced at a Christian treatment center in Arizona. I was sent here to start my recovery from an eating disorder that had been eating away at me spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Previous to being admitted here, I wasn’t religiously or spiritually active. The only time I prayed was during Christmas mass that my grandparents took my sisters and me to once a year. My parents weren’t incredibly involved in religious practices themselves, so it’s not a surprise that my sisters and I turned out the same. But because of this, we were never taught how to pray or to even understand the foundation of faith.

In this treatment center, I was introduced to a group of girls with the same behavioral addiction/obsession with food. Disregarding our mutual downfalls, the girls were very kind and open to newcomers. They assisted me in quickly becoming accustomed to the day-to-day activities we took part in within the program. These activities included going to church twice a day, reciting prayer and scripture, discussion in bible study and participating in therapy groups. My inexperience and naivety caused me to be vulnerable to praying and receiving God’s word; Inevitably, I was able to jumpstart my newfound spirituality.

Through intensive daily prayer and seeking spiritual support through my peers, I began to develop my profound relationship with God. Even though it was at a later point in my life than most, prayer is a “task of a lifetime”; one’s understanding of God is not defined by the quantity of time praying, but the quality of the prayer itself.