Final Post

http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/meditation-can-offer-help-for-suffering/

I am going to apply all the meditation and montras to my volleyball team. I want to apply the positivity to all our games and use it. I would like to use breaths to use when in stressfull times during the games. I am also going to try doing yoga or meditate once a week.

http://www.ri.net/RInet/Fr_Doyle/schoolsports.html

 I am also going to continue working on my writing skills because I have noticed that when I work on it and care about it the thoughts come to me. I enjoy writing and if I continue I think I can improve a lot.

Final Project

I am working on my final project with Kayla. We are creating a childrens ABC book all about yoga. We have a bunch of different terms that reflect yoga and what you have to do. We are then taking pictures of the different words and putting them together like a collage.
The project represents what I have learned this term because it combines all the ideas around yoga. It includes books such as The Prohpet and the Baghavad Gita. The book will include all the knowledge that you have given us about yoga and the east.

http://www.rrsd.mb.ca/resourcesandprojects/grade4/grade4.html

On Beauty (The Prophet)

http://jhh.blogs.com/reflections/

Beauty is not just what is on the outside. Its not the superficial exterior on a person. Beauty is what comes from the inside. Beauty should be what shines from the inside out not the outside in. When you have a beautiful inside you exude beauty. Society has told us to believe that beauty comes from the outside such as models ect. I think that beauty that radiates from the inside is the most beautiful beauty that you can find!

On Prayer (The Prophet)

People can pray in times when they are hurt and down or in times of happiness and gratitude. Prayer is what you make of it. Everyone prays for a different reason whether it be positive or negative. Prayer is where you can put your darkest secrets in return for advice or a place to give thanks to those who deserve thanks in return karma. Pray is something that no one can learn but can do. When there is no one to help He answers in return and is always there for you no matter where you are. Pray is the go to place when there is no one.

On Talking (The Prophet)

Talking is a mere expression of how people react to thoughts running through their heads. When your inside emotions can not be controlled that is when the words from your heart spill through your lips. When you talk your thoughts are running so fast that sometimes what is in your heart does not come out through your mouth. Many people feel the need to talk when they fear something may happen so words come up and mean nothing. Many people use talking to sounds smart however the opposite comes out. They are thinking only with the brain so nothing that they say sticks with someone. Talking to people through yourself, feelings and truth is when people will listen the most. Those words are the ones that stick with people forever.

http://www.photoshopdaily.co.uk/featured/transform-your-portraits/

On Friendship (The Prophet)

http://media.photobucket.com/image/friends+are+like+stars/nguyen95138/M175Good-Friends-Are-Like-Stars-Pos.jpg

Your friend is someone that you can tell anything too. Someone that makes you happy and shows you love. Your friend is the person that is there with you through the good and the bad. Your friend is able to listen to you through the words you say in your heart not just what comes out of your mouth. A true friend is someone that you want to be with no matter what your mood. You want them to be there when you are having your last breathe. A friend is someone that will always no matter how far apart will always be there. Friends can share your pain and love, but a true friend is someone that feels your pain and love.

Pain (The Prophet)

Pain was another one of my favorite passages from The Prophet. I like how it tells you pain is something that you can control. You have the power to say what is painful and what is not. Sometimes it can be misunderstood through emotions. Even when something terrible happens there is always a good side that is going to come out of pain. You must listen to others to coax your pain and help them help you. Pain can be something that you can control but when you put up a barrier because of previous pains you will miss out!

http://playstationlifestyle.net/2009/05/24/psn-review-pain/

Reason and Passion (The Prophet)

I loved the section Reason and Passion. It conveys such a strong and important message that you have to use your heart and you head have to do the thinking. So when you have that gut feeling to do something then that is you heart and head talking. My favorite line was about the pace maker and how we should be our own. It was a really good analogy that made me think I would do a lot of stupid things if that shock of a gut feeling did not kick in. You should believe in your reasons behind decisions and let your passion go to make decisions.

http://blogz.org/Blog571775-Human-Heart-Conditions-Does-Your-Heart-Beat-For-God.htm

Yoga Nov 4, 2010

http://www.yogadork.com/news/study-restorative-yoga-defeats-depression-in-breast-cancer-patients/

Today I did restorative yoga because my foot was so swollen it was hard for me to bend it. Everyone around me was moving, and there was talking in the background from the movie. A couple months ago I would have never been able to find quiet in a noisy room. When I first shut my eyes the movie was probably the most distracting part, however moments later I came to my breathes that seemed to echo in my head and drain out the movies noise. I said my mantra for the day over and over breathing it in and out. Focusing mainly on my own thoughts I was able to complete restorative yoga and end feeling better then I did at the beginning of class. I felt more grounded and through the rest of the day I was able to stay focused. I feel like I was more focused because of the restorative yoga I did while others were doing active. Did it teach me disiplin?

On Clothes

"On Clothes" talks about how clothes hide your true beauty. The human body is a complex beautiful thing that clothes only hide. Although clothes express your individuality they are not to be ostentatious. Clothes can be a cover of something that is hidden under. " For the breath of life is in the sunlight and the hand of life is in the win." Clothes should not stop you from doing what you love to do. I think that the section is not referring to clothes at the material possesion but rather you as a person. Do not let things cover you up and make the outside look beautiful; but have the inside shine even brighter.

http://www.bulldogblog.net/category/community-events/

Bucket List

1. Sky dive

2. Travel

3. Marry

4. Drag Race

5. Live in Italy for a year

6. Hike Mt. Everset

7. Huge road trip going to every place

http://www.silveroaklimo.com/street-talk-blog/bid/40934/Nashville-Before-There-Was-a-Bucket-List

The Prophet (On Marriage, On Children, On Giving)

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/vintage-on-etsy--the-prophet-by-kahlil-gibran--1958-by-dogwoodvintagebooks

On Marriage: In "On Marriage" Kahlil Gibran is talking about how marriages are with someone you feel you have known your entire life. There may be fights between the two of you but let them happen and learn and grow from them. In marriages you make mistakes so let them happen. You should let love be love, but not have to force it; it should come naturally. Even if the two of you are different share the light and the love and be happy.


On Children: Children are a blessing from G/d. Although you have it and make it, the life is passed by G/d onto you. You should love them your entire life and share with them what you would want to hear if you were them. Children should be children while they can you should not stop them from being who they are or what they want to become; let them dream big.


On Giving: This one was really hard to comprehend however I think it is not just the thought of giving away what you owned, to think you have done good. However it is your internal giving making yourself aware of what you have done. It is self absorption that makes people think they are all good inside.  However we give so little to others and more to ourselves that we do not realize what we are doing. We feel pitty for ourselves more than we do others. I like to think of it as tunnel vision we cant see the whole picture but what we can see we will do something about. The blind spots on the side is where we give back to ourselves, so there is more self giving then giving.

Love Prompt #18

Love is an indescribable feeling that only the lucky ones get to experience. Being at the young age of only 17 love has not crossed my radar. There have been times when I have liked someone a lot but not nearly close to the feeling of love.
Love (n.) a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
I dont think that love can be described in a mear definition. Love is that feeling that when you experience it it is the most amazing feeling that can not be repeated. Love is amazing in ways that it can manipulate a person and make them better or worse. It is like no other feeling that you can feel. Love is pure.

Prompt #17

Without concern for results,
perform the necessary action;
surrendering all attachments,
accomplish life's highest good.

I think that this is an important part of the Gita because it talks about how we should not expect anything after working hard. As David explained that once we are able to reach this we will be happy. I think it is important to not expect anything for working hard because it is what we should do. The picture below should not be your motivation.

http://myspace-comments-myspace-graphics.pizbo.com/GetCode.php?img=/congratulations/congratulations-graduation-comments-graphics-images/images/hard-work-paid-off.gif

Prompt #16

Write a paragraph or two about why it speaks to you and how it could be relevant to your own life.
Chapter 2 was the easiest chapter to understand for me. I was able to comprehend a lot more then I thought I would be able to. My favorite passage in chapter two was in 47-47 because I was able to relate to it...

You have a right to your actions,
but never to your actions' fruits.
Act for the action's sake.
And do not be attached to inaction.
Self-possessed, resolute, act
without any thoughts or results,
open to success or faliure.
This equanimity is yoga. (47-47)

I have always been afraid of failing and letting the pressures that others give me effect how I view myself. Failing for me can mean that B+ that is so close to and A- because I feel like I failed myself. It is not just about the grade but it is that one time that I did something where I could have been doing something else more productive. If I did that something more productive I could have moved from that B+ to the A-. However I then realized that the only reason why I care so much is from the pressure that others give me and expect of me. If that pressure was not their I would not feel like I cheated myself because I would not know the expectations. I want to be able to set my own standard and not have the standard that people want. Having my own expectations will make me more concentrate on what I have to do. I will not be as worried and stressed because I would not be compared to people and their standards and expectations.

http://www.scadconnector.com/opinion/editorial-cartoons/students-under-pressure/

Prompt #15

http://mirror-us-ga1.gallery.hd.org/_c/leaves/potato-sprouting-in-soil-with-roots-visible-rotated-small-AJHD.jpg.html

Add captionhttp://www.ehow.com/care-for-bamboo-plants/

          My bamboo tree looks happy. Always trying to have a positive outlook on life and living life everyday to the fullest. My bamboo lives life like a Panda Bear will eat it tomorrow. It is full of life and bubbly personality. However my bamboo is showing at the top of the soil but it has not reached its potential. It is taking time to  have it full come out of the ground but it will soon. Everyday I will water it with a kind gesture, the golden rule and being grateful for what I have not what I do not have. When my bamboo is ready it will grow 3 feet everyday until it can not grow anymore.

Prompt #13/#14

http://gospeltoday.ning.com/profiles/blogs/let-your-light-so-shine

Saturday: 
I sat down in a dark room with a candle lit on my dresser and laying down on my floor with a warm blanket underneath. Laying there for what I thought was 10 mins, I woke up looked at the time and it had only been 3 mins. I was to hyper to do it during the day so at around 11pm I did the same thing but this time i was tired so i sat up and mediatated counting my breathes. I was able to really concentrate on my breathes and what was going on around me I was very nice. I ended up with a total mediation of 22 mins. After I felt extremely tired so I crawled into bed and went to sleep counting my breathes as I fell asleep.

http://www.climbing-frames-etc.co.uk/trampoline-14ft-round-sk14g.html

Sunday:
Since it was soo nice out today at around 4 I went outside with my laptop and played meditation music. I decided to sit on my trampoline to really test my concentration. I counted my breathes...1,2,3, hold, 1,2,3 ect. I sat out there for a total of 13 mins. To my surprise it was much easier to meditate outside rather than in a room. The nature noises put me right into meditation and as the music played I was able to focus more. Being outside was much more relaxing then being in a room with a bunch of distractions. I was able to even sit on a trampoline and not have to urge to stop meditation and jump up and down.

Prompt #12

http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/42-21521863.html

          The definition of self is someone who is proud to be who they are. To only look through their eyes and not make what other peoples eyes want to see. Self is someone who has control of their emotions and body. I would define myself as happy. I try to stay positive as much as I can and to think realistically about what is going to happen. Self is how you define yourself and how others can not define you. It is how you choose to see yourself.

Blog #11

My Samskaras -->

Photo from google.com

• Checking facebook
• Doing the same thing in the shower (wash hands, wash face, shampoo, condtioner, wash body).
• Listen to music in the morning while getting dressed.
• Wake up in the morning and wash my hands and go to the bathroom.
• Repeat myself.
• Have breakfast.
• Doing something athletic after school.
• Play with animals then go do homework.
• Have to get to sleep by 10.
• All the lights have to be off when I go to bed and I shut the shades.
• Cant sleep without my 2 cats on the bed at night.

Sweet Enlightenment

http://community.livejournal.com/bakebakebake/1048087.html

http://www.allthingsheartandhome.com/2010/03/26/chocolate-chip-banana-cake-2/

          In the section Indonesia I think that Gilbert is a lot more self aware. She talks about herself in the form of a cake. Gilbert says, "That basically [she's] the cake that just came out of the oven, and it still needs some more time to cool before it can be frosted. [She doesn't] want to cheat [herself] out of this precious time. [She doesn't] want to lose control of [her] life again."(Gilbert, 284). I feel like Gilbert is trying to show that it takes time to reach the highest point. When she is ready it will come and be sweet- so to speak. She knows how to control her life now and everything is starting to go her way. I feel like in the Indonesia section of this book Gilbert is finding her way to enlightenment. 

           The mood has changed in Indonesia from India in a positive way. In India Gilbert was still a little lost and not knowing how to focus and meditate. In Indonesia Gilbert is more focused and working on the small things. When she meets Ketut it seems that her whole attitude turns around. She is able to be more friendly and free going. Gilbert is letting go of control and is letting things come naturally to her. For example Gilbert said, "I've been here only a few weeks and I feel a rather mission-accomplished sensation already. The task in Indonesia was to search for balance, but I dont feel like I'm searching for anything anymore because the balance has somehow naturally come into place." (259). She is telling herself that instead of pushing like to find this sense of inner awareness immediately that she has to take time and experience it and let it come naturally without being stressed while finding it.

Prompt #9

--------meets--------->

On page 222 Ketut is reminded by Liz on the picture he left her with. Liz describes the picture he made as, "...The figure with the four legs ("so grounded on earth") and the missing head ("not looking at the world through intellect") and the face in the heart ("looking at the world through your heart") and he listens to me politely, with modest interest, like we're discussing somebody else's life entirely." I fell like this statement is exactly what yoga teaches; to use your mind, body, heart and soul to make decisions. When she left Ketut 2 years ago this is the image he left her with. This image is one identical to the yoga she learned in India. I feel like this image resonates with me because its something that I aspire to do. I want to know what its like to look through the world with your heart and not your head. Or what its like to be grounded to the earth or not look at the world through intellect. I feel like everything I look at I always think about and it always comes from what other people are going to think. I do not always use my heart to make the decisions but I use what is more sensible or practical for the time.
The thought of being able to link all theses together and use your heart to see and not just your mind and be grounded and not always use intellect to make decisions is beyond me. It was be the most amazing poignant experience. I think that it is something that once you are able to do once you will want to do it again and again until it comes to you naturally. This would be amazing to do because it would give you a whole new perspective of the world and what it means to live..

Thoughts

I think that Richard means that you need to let your thoughts funnel through a system. Let the good come to you and let the bad stay in a separate section of your mind that you can access when you feel the time is right. When you think positive you will feel better and almost like a cleanse. The good thoughts will make you feel better and stop worrying about what the world has to say about imperfections, time or anything. However when you decide to access the bad thoughts let them come and let them hit hard.
A way that I can take control of my thoughts is to let it say what it want but then tell myself the opposite. So when my thoughts are running and they are all negative push them aside and bring up a happy time that you have had and let it over power my bad thoughts. So next time I feel self conscious about something, I will think about the positives that I have!

Wishing Time Away.

My first year of summer camp was to a camp is called Cheley Colorado Camps it is in Estes Park, CO in the middle of the beautiful rocky mountains. I was only 10 at the time and almost half way across the country from my parents. I was terrified that something would happen to them while I was at camp, or how badly I missed them and my pets. Almost every night I would go to bed thinking about being home in my own bed with my own shower and eating when I wanted to. What I was missing is that this camp only comes once a year and is only 4 weeks long, I should enjoy every moment here. Once that happened camp flashed before my eyes and it was over and time to go home, and to my surprise I was not ready to go home.

Over the next 7 years I continued to go back to Cheley because I learned to overcome those thoughts and I took everyday there like it was my last, and living in the moment. And I have never had so much fun.

Soul Mate?

I have a mixed opinion on the definition. I understand that he is trying to say that they people who affected you in life in a positive way are your soul mates. However I do think that a soul mate is not necessarily a "perfect fit" but one that completes your empty spaces. It is the person that will be with you your whole life even if the road gets bumpy along the way. I have had soul mates in his definition of what soul mates mean but what I also think soul mates are I do not have one. I think my family as a whole is my soul mate because I love them dearly and we might have our ups and downs but we always are there for each other and each family member contributes a different and unique personality to our family.

Savasana

At first savasana did not feel like it was doing anything. But then after a couple minutes of focusing my breathes and believing that it will work my whole body sunk into the ground feeling complete relaxed. I focused mainly on my breathes slowly counting in 1..2..3, hold 1..2, exhale 1..2..3. Afterward I felt weak and mostly tired, but then when soccer practice hit I felt like a new person and full of energy which was very helpful because I was low on energy that day.

Mind Battle-Prompt 4

A struggle I have had within myself is everything about the college process. I am hearing all different stories and pressures from friends and family. There is a pressure to get into a good college, to write an amazing essay ect. All of the stress is adding and adding to the point where i want it all to stop...

Me: ok I'm going to sit down and write this college essay and get it to the college advisor ASAP.

Mind: You have to write this perfect the first time because if there is anything wrong with it you will have to do it all over.

Me: Well I will probably need to make corrections, as would anyone. This is only a first draft I have 2 months.

Mind: Exactly first draft plus all the supplement questions for the colleges. Your never going to finish all this in 2 months and then expect it to get you in.

Me: I can do this I just have to be diligent with my time and work hard and focus on what my priorities are that way I can go.

Mind: Do you really want to go to college? Or do you feel like your obligated to? Decisions....

Prompt 3

Today's class felt amazing. I was able to connect more with my body then I thought I was going to be able to. The healing with the hand over the part that hurts was amazing. When I woke up it felt much better than it did at the beginning of class. I personally never thought that it would work. But I kept my mind open, and to my surprise it worked. The whole experience was very cool because I was able to be really in touch with my body and focus on that rather then any other outside distractions. It was very relaxing to have that time for myself and reflect on what stresses are in my life and use the comfort to help me with it.
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Prompt 2!

So far I love the book eat pray love. Although I do feel that the main character does complain a lot she has the right to. She is almost broke and lost her husband. It is interesting to read because it is unpredictable which makes you want to keep reading. I love Elizabeth Gilbert's writing style although sometimes it can be wordy. From what i have read so far my favorite quote in the book is, " 'To find the balance you want...this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead. That way, you will know God' " (27)
I loved this quote because it told you that you cant base all your emotions off what your mind tells you. You need to think with your heart as well as your mind. If you lose a piece of the puzzle you cant complete it. So the three piece puzzle (mind body and heart) need to be intertwined to work. Your heart can tell you one thing but your mind can tell you something else. Just like the scene on the bathroom floor. The main character made the decision about her husband with her mind body and heart.
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What do you hope to get out this course?

In this course i hope to gain a self awareness as well as self discovery. I hope that this class will de-stress me this term especially with the college processes happening. Fall can be the most stressful time applying to colleges so i hope that this course will help with that. I also hope to break out of my comfort zone and be able to open up to people. As Ms. Akhtar told me at the beginning of class that this call will be physically draining as well as an emotional drain.