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

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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.