Extra Credit Blog

I am a frequent Yoga person usually doing it twice a week at the local YMCA. I often that the I was getting the full culture of yoga in the classes because the instructor stated how we relate the poses to the world. After reading the article I found myself slightly offended. Going into yoga I fully realized that it was a type of meditation but that is not what I wanted to get out of it. I instead wanted to get the benefits of the poses and stretches and to help me relax more. The article stated that their are the equivalent of the 10 commandments.  "Most people are not aware that the practice of the Asanas or stretches is actually the third step in the classical school of Raja Yoga. The first step is the practice of 5 Restraints: Non-Harming, Truthfulness, Non-Stealing, Self-Restraint and Non-Possessiveness. The second is the practice of the 5 Observances: Purity, Contentment, Austerity, Self- Study and Surrender to God. (Notice there are 10, as in the 10 Commandments)." I guess this can be taken in a way that Americans have taken it to a new level. 


After every yoga session you have a relaxation time where the teacher has you relax your body and mind to fully reach your spiritual self. The teacher then states the beauty and peace in everything and to relate things to your personal life. I come out of yoga feeling relaxed and a new state of happiness, although the instructor does not specifically mention the religion aspect of yoga; I feel as if I am coming out of a church sermon with the strength to carry onto the following days. 


I appreciated that Professor Rasnic wanted to inform our class of the Americanized way of yoga but I have to disagree with it. I think that the article is bias as to the way that Americans practice this tradition. Another link that Professor Rasnic posted said that the only real way that Western yoga will hold its appeal for Westerners is if it continues to possess its degree and intensity. I can agree with this on the lines that as long as the teachers continues to relate yoga to religion is the only way that it will survive the next "big" movement of exercise.  

The Tunnel and Shinto

The first couple minutes of the movie were rather boring, but I suddenly got into the movie. A lone soldier is walking through a dark tunnel and the suspense is building through the movie's choice of music. A dog appears in the tunnel with what appears to be dynamite strapped around his neck. Quite sad. As the soldier walks through the tunnel and exits you hear another set of footprints. Out of the dark appears a solider that appears to be dead ( you later learn that he has died). He is confused and doesn't know what is happening. In the second part of the clip a whole group of dead soldiers appear and ask what has happened to them. This movie seems like it was a tragic butchering of the soldiers and the alive soldier possibility a chief or something is astonished. The soldiers line up and are ready for action. He asks then what they are doing here and that they should be resting in peace instead of helping others.
This is a crucial point in Shinto; as  it states that you should be to helpful to others in the world at large through deeds and actions without though of rewards and seeking advancement. Another main point of Shinto is to bind others with the harmonious acknowledgement of the emperor, to pray that the country may flourish; to maintain peoples peace and prosperity. This is exactly what the soldiers were doing, even though they were dead, they came back to fulfill the duties of the king and to help others. The chief states that he would rather have died with his troops then be alive alone. In Shinto, they have may afterlife's and I can't help to wonder if the afterworld is on the lone road, because their underworlds are like this world and not like a typical "heaven".
This movie seems to me that it is awfully similar to the current situation in Japan. People place their government and authorities over themselves. This is very different to what we have in the United States where we put ourselves above and beyond the government. I do not have an opinion on this because I believe that in each of the ways the countries are run there is something right and something wrong with the method.
Overall, I liked this movie and it was a great eye opener to different perspectives of religions.

The Tao of Pooh

When I first heard the name of the book I was taken back because it had Winnie the Pooh in the title, and I loved him growing up. Then once I purchased the book I saw him on the cover and it had the Yin and Yang on it. I started reading this book way before it was due because it seemed like something that would be more understandable to me rather then the other books that were assigned. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it was able to relate to me. It had funny stories of Pooh, and the book was written so that book was written in Pooh terms. "By the way Pooh, how do you spell Tuesday?...' Tuesday, you know Monday, Tuesday... What comes after Wednesday, 'Thirdsday." Pooh often had a cute, funny way of talking but with this book the author uses Pooh's voice as a way to approach Taoism in a sensible manner. What really make this book stand out from others is that it takes a religion, philosophies, and practices and puts them into a "language" that everyone can relate to. 


I thoroughly appreciated the section about Americans being Busy Backsons. Americans are constantly developing the newest cell phones, computers TV's, all to have the bigger and better technology. Today, we even have energy drinks that provide us with caffeine and other nutrients to wake people up to continue with their busy lives. We as Americans don't know how to truly relax, we sit down to watch TV, we play on computers, we text or call people. True relaxation is doing nothing... absolutely nothing. I think we fear that in doing nothing we won;t accomplish anything and will be completely cut off from the world that this new age in technology has made us feel like we need to be. 


If Americans really and truly took to heart Taoist practices and doctrines do I think that would solve a lot of problems. Is that practical in today's society? No. The problem with Americans is that we always have numerous things to do but Taoism is taking the easiest path and not making things difficult. This is an unsolvable problem because we are always to that if we want something, work harder. Until Americans understand that less is more this will continue to be a problem. 

Buddhism Blog Assignment

I chose two pictures, the stereotypical Buddha shirt and a political cartoon. When I think of Buddhism I think of the fat rub my belly Buddha. The cartoon was made just for sarcasm  and to pick on Buddhists. The common mis-perception is that Buddhists sit around all day in the mountains and mediate. They wear robes and try to help everyone with their problems. Until I took this class and fully learned about Buddhism I was one of the many people that had stereotypes. On the topic of stereotypes, I wonder what Buddhists think that Christians do... ie work all day, care about themselves etc. I wish that there was a way to rid people of their stereotypes and a way to set the record straight about religions. The most common way that stereotypes are shown to the world is mass media from TV, radio, cartoons, graphic art, websites etc. In many of these media displays the Buddhists are perceived as carefree, out of it, and mediate all day. I think its ironic that some Munks or Buddhists websites or media material publish stereotypes about themselves. Many people follow gurus and think that they are all knowing, I found a quote in Warner's book that I thought was very ironic to the stereotype. "Its important to show that all of us in this Eastern spiritual master game are no more supernatural than an Catholic priest, rabbi, minister, shoe salesman, or fishmonger." (xii) I think this is quite ironic and yet states that he thinks that no one religion is more powerful than another.  Another quote that I found relates to my earlier thought about how Eastern religions perceive Western religions. "There's a story in which a Zen master hears about a wandering monk who says, "If a clear mind comes, let it come. If a cloudy mind comes, let it come." The Zen master grabs him and yells, "What if neither a clear mind nor a cloudy mind comes?" The monk says, "I hear they're having a big sale on underwear at JC Penney" and wanders off. The master says approvingly, "I thought this was no ordinary monk!" (78). This book strikes me as a satire to Buddhism and almost pokes at it. Warner does an excellent job at relating his book to the common era and doesn't make it a boring read.

Buddhism Stereotypes

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Reflection on Posts

As the list of assignments progresses it gets continuously harder to find songs that fit under the categories. The Liberation Songs that I found were most common in Reggae. Liberation to me means freedom and that you are reaching your highest potential. I found these songs on my Itunes and  I find them to be very inspirational. Sugarland "Stand Up" is a really emotion filled songs as she wants everyone to be their own person and do as they wish.

 The Success Songs were the hardest to find for me. Rather then post songs about money, job status, wives, etc I wanted to find songs that were my definition of success. I think that success is something that isn't a physical attribute but more of an emotional high of YES, I have reached my goal. These songs are meaningful to me and contain a real meaning of success.

America today focuses to heavily on what the press and media wants. I think that singers should pursue what is truly meaningful to them and focus less on artificial things and more on what life is really about. 

Liberation Songs

1. Liberation Song Mark Wonder, Reggae 2002.
2. Free Zac Brown Band, Country 2010.
3. Learn to Fly Foo Fighters, Alternative 1999.
4. Stand Up Sugarland, Country 2010.
5. Liberation Morgan Heritage, Alternative/Reggae 2004.

Success Songs

1.Success by Duran Duran 1993 Pop.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A-ONUxz7B8

2.Success and Failures by Saccharine Trust Indie Rock 1981. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InI9VaVI5PI

3.Sweet Needles of Success by Alphaville 2005 Alternative. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnp9YPaZsiU 


4.Overnight Sensation by Tina Turner Pop 1986. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70x17m6oO-o

5.East West by Morrissey Indie Rock 1989. http://www.videolog.tv/video.php?id=615485

Reflection on Posts

The aim that I thought was more prevalent was the pleasure songs. It was a lot easier to find songs about pleasure as the majority of any songs are about it. People want to listen to songs that contain pleasure, as they can relate to it better than community service. The aim that was a lot harder to find was community service, which took a long time to find. This is a topic that many people can relate to, but few songs are wrote about it. I was most surprised that every song I listen to contains some type of pleasure it in. From drugs to love, to romance every songs does have pleasure. The Hinduism  view of pleasure it that people will eventually grow up of their desire for pleasure, but in the songs it is not mentioned. In community service, Hindi belief is that through doing community service, your next life will be better than your last. However, the community songs I found were strictly about helping others and your duty to serve others. 

Community Service Songs

1. Kevin Michael and Wycelf It Don't Make a Difference to Me  R and B 2007.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEOV7u3dIQ4
2. Jonathan Boulet - A Community Service Announcement  Alternative 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyU7udQhBr8
3. Jack Johnson Own Two Hands Alternative 2006.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMWS-wbuss
4. Chris Daughtry Home Rock 2006. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtceYoiNDs
5. Band Aid Feed the World  Indie 1985. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-w-CmCCF7k

Pleasure Songs

Kings of Leon Sex on Fire by   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0HhrwIwp0

Shwayze Corona and Lime http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8NV27gPI3g

Eric Church Smoke a Little Smoke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxWjtWONuGc

Gretchen Wilson One Bud Wiser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs48MvGUnD4

Toby Keith I Love This Bar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7ifSxp9xU