Pedro Ramos 3/4/19 POL 301 Third Blog Post Generally, the contemplative practices hold little meaning to me, but one that stood out was when we talked about where we are from. It was interesting to see how many people in our class have different backgrounds and it puts into perspective just how diverse America is. It shows how embracing… Read more »
Prior to this quarter I had never engaged in a contemplative practice. The very first time we sat in the classroom, in the dark, tuned into our own experience it felt uncomfortable and silly. However, I somehow felt more connected to everyone in the classroom once we were done. Now I look forward to these practices. After participating in a… Read more »
Sitting in a dark room and listening to a variety of wonderful poems has allowed me to experience a personal exploration unlike any other at the university. In these moments I feel comfortable and at ease because I can turn my attention to my internal experience. Before taking this course, I was always focused on the past and future but… Read more »
I’d like to talk generally about the contemplative practices that we’ve been engaging in since the beginning of the quarter. To be quite honest, after the first contemplative practice, I felt awkward, confused, and a bit out of place. The idea of being in a vulnerable state with the lights off and with complete silence in an environment where I… Read more »
In her poem “Kindness”, Naomi Shihab Nye writes:“Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,You must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.…Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,you must travel where the Indian in a white poncholies dead by the side of the road.You must see how this could be you,”. Professor Litfin, as she read the… Read more »
The use of contemplative practices in an academic setting is a good way of understanding some of the symptoms of living and studying in an anthropocentric society. The functional way in which information is related to student is symptomatic of a society built around utility and economic growth. Information is given to a student as rapidly and in as large… Read more »
From the very beginning of our class, I still vaguely remember our first contemplative practice when Professor Liften made us to think about the world in a system way. Sitting in a dark room with a bunch of strangers, and the only voice we can hear was our Professor. Even then, not knowing any of my classmates, I was able… Read more »
Contemplative practices. Before this class I had heard of contemplative practices and mindfulness and had attempted to make them a habit but never could stick with it. During the first couple of weeks I felt like I had all those years ago; super confused. I felt really awkward and uncomfortable, sitting in silence only amplified that. Well almost silent. Professor… Read more »
Before I took this class, the term contemplative practice was not anything new to me. I used to devote half an hour of my time for my modern dance class every day. I found it boring and time-consuming because I cannot find any purpose for such practice than just laying down next to a bunch of strangers in bright daylight…. Read more »
In participating in contemplative practices, one opens the possibility for a different sensory experience, other than the typical hustle and bustle state we ordinarily operate in. In a contemplative practice the things that we are so accustomed to such as electricity-powered lights are dimmed or turned off, and our bright blue-screened gadgets are put away. It is a time dedicated… Read more »