1. Siddhartha–Read and annotate Kamala and Amongst the People.
2. Goodreads
3. Mandala Project due March 24th (READ VERY CLOSELY AND VISIT THE LINKS)
Mandala notes:
Jung and the mandala:
I had to abandon the idea of the superordinate position of the ego. … I saw that everything, all paths I had been following, all steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point — namely, to the mid-point. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the centre, to individuation.
… I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self I had attained what was for me the ultimate. – C. G. Jung. Memories, Dreams, Reflections.
If we agree that the center of the mandala represents this center of the universe, thus the center of the self (the true self), then what would reside at the center of you…your true self. As seen in many of the examples, much, if not all, of the mandala is abstract expression. Certainly the center of the mandala should be abstract as it is a representation of your Self; yet, as you move beyond the center, closer to the edge, your visual may become more concrete as you are closer to your persona/ego, that which is tangible/material. So how will you represent your true self… We understand that the mandala is an expression of Self at the moment of its (the mandala’s) creation.
Due Friday, March 14th (Thursday, March 13th for H band):
*A full-page blueprint (I understand that it is a work in progress) of your mandala
*You should know what each element of your Mandala will represent (i.e. The interlocking circles will fulfill what roll in your mandala. For Kelly they many represent various stages of her journey; for Kat, perhaps they will serve to represent the layers of her SELF.)
*A “rough” idea of what your center piece will be…the abstract representation of you (at this point in your journey, or your true self as you know it thus far, etc.)
As for dimensions, there is flexibility here: if square 12-16 inches on each side; if circular, appx. 12-16 inches in diameter. Once again, there is flexibility here. Review the following link to get another sense of the creation process. Note that the structure of the mandala should consist of precise geometric shapes.
Short Story notes:
You will write a 5-8 page allegorical short story. The short story should be a complement to the mandala. So the two should work in concert to reveal your Self.
Allegory: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Visit the following link to get a sense of how to write an allegory:
http://www.writerlylife.com/2007/10/how-to-write-an-allegory/#.UxnrgtxbTwI
Visit the following link for tips on writing a short story:
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/
A couple of things to keep in mind:
- Allegories stand to represent issues, events, ideas, etc (i.e. Animal Farm). You do not have to struggle to determine what your allegory will represent as your allegory is to represent YOU! Your spirit, soul, and/or self will be the setting for your allegory. You must then establish a character or characters who stand to represent various pieces of You (i.e. personas, ego, Self, etc). Then consider the plot. What is the narrative? What is the conflict? The story takes place within you but is, perhaps, greatly affected by the outside world. As for the narrative, naturally you cannot in 5-8 pages capture the entirety of your existence; rather, you are using the allegory to capture a snapshot of who you really are at this moment in your life. You can get funky creative here! We will talk more on Monday.
• Put thought into the point of view. Why did you choose that point of view?
• Use of vivid imagery and fresh metaphors. So your narrative should be “painterly” as you bring your Self to life.
• As with any piece of fiction, you must have a conflict.
4. E-Media Fast
Here are the official ground rules for the first annual E-Media Fast. Starting today at 5:00 PM the challenge begins. The fast will end Monday morning at 7 am. So over the weekend, you will not enjoy the “benefits” of the following:
- Television
- Radio
- Computer
- Ipod (or any music player)
- Any handheld computer (Tablets)
- Game consoles (xbox, xbox360, Atari 2600, Pong, PS2, Intellivision, ColecoVision, etc.)
- Portable game players (DS3)
- Cell phones (You may only use your cell phone to talk to your parents—anyone else and you have failed the challenge.)
- E-Readers
Notes:
You may access the computer to take care of all school-related responsibilities.
We are playing by the HONOR CODE. I am operating under the assumption that all of you will be truthful throughout this experience.
I want you to document the entire experience in your notebook. As it takes place over the course of two days and three nights, I am expecting a “diary-like” series of responses. Pay attention to how you use your time. I want to know the details of the journey (highlights, special moments, etc), including the moment(s) when you failJ. If you do fail, do not abandon the challenge. Document the failure and continue on till Tuesday. Of course, if you cannot bear the “pain”, then GIVE UP…document that too. I look forward to hearing your tales. Maybe this is the year that I have more than two students per class successfully complete the fast.
I expect everyone to give this challenge a shot. No opting out…
Really guys, have fun with this. I understand that for so many of us this electronic media constitutes some of/much of the content of our weekends. Nevertheless, leave it alone…find new content this weekend. But don’t just watch time pass by…live.
Let’s try and get back to reading books, writing, engaging in outdoor activities, talking to each other, playing board games…If only for a little whileL. The TV, Internet, video games, etc. will still be there waiting on Monday.
