I am the head of a youth group and I am in the process of planning a Spontaneous Nativity. So after a Wednesday night dinner, we will be telling the Christmas story. My youth kids will be reading the Word (the Bible is a sacred text and a piece of art in the form of word for van der Leeuw), they will be dressing up and playing different roles (drama is the second piece of van der Leeuw's art). The third piece of art that is incorporated is the use of Christmas hymns. The songs are all from the olden days and carry a level of tradition that make them special and meaningful in light of the nativity.
The Spontaneous Nativity is an artform that allows al to dress up, perform, sing, and take an active role in the forming of the nativity. The action taken by each individual allows them to take a part and connect with the divien and holy as an act of worship. Therefore, the nativity is a tool for rememberance, reflection and a way to connect with fellow believers and truly appreciate the holiday season for it's intended purpose.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Lindsay Conrad - Christmas music
I love that Thanksgiving Day marks the beginning of Christmas music. I will not announce publicly, but I start listening to music as soon as I get wind that a radio station is playing music, I turn on my Christmas jams on my iPod till Turkey day to play it on my loud speakers to announce to everyone Christmas time is here! The music itself is great! There are silly songs and seroius songs and slow songs and fast songs and songs with words and songs with just music. The tunes are all familiar and bring a special feeling to my heart as I prepare for that glorious Christmas morning!
I think van der Leeuw would consider most Christmas music to be profane. I would way that some of it definitely is, but there is no way to completely strip Christmas of it's true meaning in the way of Jesus entering the world in the most humble of ways. The art of music in the midst of the Christmas season gives a refreshing, reflective, and sometimes even silly twist to get even the grumpiest of grinches in the Chrsitmas spirit.
I think van der Leeuw would consider most Christmas music to be profane. I would way that some of it definitely is, but there is no way to completely strip Christmas of it's true meaning in the way of Jesus entering the world in the most humble of ways. The art of music in the midst of the Christmas season gives a refreshing, reflective, and sometimes even silly twist to get even the grumpiest of grinches in the Chrsitmas spirit.
Lindsay Conrad - Christmas Lights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmgf60CI_ks
This video is the beginning of a phenomenon that started a few years ago with the Christmas lights that are a part of the music and blink in time with the music itself. I love being able to tune my radio and see the Christmas lights dancing away in the spirit of that which is Holy over the holidays. The Christmas lights seem to be a part of the holiday, but not a reason for celebrating. I think they seem to get in touch with the divine on the level of showing that which is beautiful and connecting with the words and beats of the songs geared toward celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus.
van der Leeuw would say that the image and music are both great examples of connecting with the other. The use of two of van der Leeuw's forms of art make the divina experience all the more enjoyable and special.
This video is the beginning of a phenomenon that started a few years ago with the Christmas lights that are a part of the music and blink in time with the music itself. I love being able to tune my radio and see the Christmas lights dancing away in the spirit of that which is Holy over the holidays. The Christmas lights seem to be a part of the holiday, but not a reason for celebrating. I think they seem to get in touch with the divine on the level of showing that which is beautiful and connecting with the words and beats of the songs geared toward celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus.
van der Leeuw would say that the image and music are both great examples of connecting with the other. The use of two of van der Leeuw's forms of art make the divina experience all the more enjoyable and special.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
kara walling blog 15
outside readings: Twilight
12/1/09
Twilight is a book I finished reading right before the semester started and believe it or not, besides the whole vampire/love story, I actually found ties in the book that are a representation of religion. Carlise, who is the head of the vampire family, was the son of a preacher before he was turned. Up until he was turned into a vampire he also was going to be a preacher. This concept is what brought up the questioning of the afterlife and whether we have souls or not. Once Carlise was turned he refused to feed on humans because in his afterlife he didn't want to be a monster.
Also if you look farther into it, and this might be a stretch, but I can see how vampires in this book are viewed as mythical and beautiful. Unlike the vampire characteristics we have all grown up to know, in the book vampires shine in the light and sparkle like a million tiny diamonds. This gave me a sense of "aww" because something so deadly can appear so beautiful. When reading the book I felt like my complete other was awakened and I needed to know and experience more of it. I think I finished the book the week I opened it, haha.
12/1/09
Twilight is a book I finished reading right before the semester started and believe it or not, besides the whole vampire/love story, I actually found ties in the book that are a representation of religion. Carlise, who is the head of the vampire family, was the son of a preacher before he was turned. Up until he was turned into a vampire he also was going to be a preacher. This concept is what brought up the questioning of the afterlife and whether we have souls or not. Once Carlise was turned he refused to feed on humans because in his afterlife he didn't want to be a monster.
Also if you look farther into it, and this might be a stretch, but I can see how vampires in this book are viewed as mythical and beautiful. Unlike the vampire characteristics we have all grown up to know, in the book vampires shine in the light and sparkle like a million tiny diamonds. This gave me a sense of "aww" because something so deadly can appear so beautiful. When reading the book I felt like my complete other was awakened and I needed to know and experience more of it. I think I finished the book the week I opened it, haha.
kara walling blog 14
assigned class book or journal:Thomas Cooper "A time before deception"
Cooper's book talks communication and ethics amongst Native Americans. He actually lived among several Native nations in Canada, which is taking a anthropologist standpoint, but his main focus was still on traditions and how those traditions were communicated. Being part of the living space in these areas, it allowed him to have access to their sacred spaces and sense of trust. This made me think back to traditions in general. Tribes would use their art, prayer, and music to communicate to the gods. A more recent example makes me think of the drum circle. Because we live in modern day society, it is hard for people to take a step back and relax their bodies and let them be taken over by sound and nature. This creates a harmony within the group. Nobody needs to say a word, but communicates through rhythmic motions. I feel like living amongst a different culture can be hard at times, but it shows you a entirely new way of thinking and view of the world that surrounds us.
Cooper's book talks communication and ethics amongst Native Americans. He actually lived among several Native nations in Canada, which is taking a anthropologist standpoint, but his main focus was still on traditions and how those traditions were communicated. Being part of the living space in these areas, it allowed him to have access to their sacred spaces and sense of trust. This made me think back to traditions in general. Tribes would use their art, prayer, and music to communicate to the gods. A more recent example makes me think of the drum circle. Because we live in modern day society, it is hard for people to take a step back and relax their bodies and let them be taken over by sound and nature. This creates a harmony within the group. Nobody needs to say a word, but communicates through rhythmic motions. I feel like living amongst a different culture can be hard at times, but it shows you a entirely new way of thinking and view of the world that surrounds us.
kara walling blog 13
outside sources: Mircea Eliade ideas on the nature of religion
12/1/09
Eliade believes that religious behavior is not only an imitation of, but also a participation in, sacred events, and thus restores the mythical time of origins. In class we talked about sacrament, which means something that is a mystery to us. A sacrament is a sign of something sacred and hidden and a sign of the ultimate reality of the world. Throughout explainging his ideas of religion Eliade refers to a religious person as homo religiousus, which I have never heard of so I thought that was interesting how he added his own language to describing religion. It was also interesting to find out about his interests in cross-cultural parallels and unities in religion. Because our culture is so ingrained in its ways, I like to read about different cultures and their religious beliefs. This is one think I really enjoyed about the presentation in class. Individually you get a chance to look at a piece of art and learn more by researching and analyzing, and as a whole you were able to sit back and enjoy what others looked up. There were only a few presentations I was already familiar with, and the rest were interesting to learn about and to compare to what we're used to in everyday life.
12/1/09
Eliade believes that religious behavior is not only an imitation of, but also a participation in, sacred events, and thus restores the mythical time of origins. In class we talked about sacrament, which means something that is a mystery to us. A sacrament is a sign of something sacred and hidden and a sign of the ultimate reality of the world. Throughout explainging his ideas of religion Eliade refers to a religious person as homo religiousus, which I have never heard of so I thought that was interesting how he added his own language to describing religion. It was also interesting to find out about his interests in cross-cultural parallels and unities in religion. Because our culture is so ingrained in its ways, I like to read about different cultures and their religious beliefs. This is one think I really enjoyed about the presentation in class. Individually you get a chance to look at a piece of art and learn more by researching and analyzing, and as a whole you were able to sit back and enjoy what others looked up. There were only a few presentations I was already familiar with, and the rest were interesting to learn about and to compare to what we're used to in everyday life.
Play Piercing - Kaitlyn Parmely
Play piercing is a ritual performed for sensation or experience where the hole is not meant to be kept open permanently by a piercing. Usually sharps or points (hypodermic needles) are used to pierce the surface layers of skin and multiple piercings are done in a row. Some Hindu based rituals are performed called kavandi rituals; which is large frameworks hold a large amount of needles in the skin for performers of the ritual. There intense ritual is used as a Hindu religious belief to offer endurance of the body to the Gods. Weight and tension are controlled by another person pulling on the two to three dozen hooks so that the needles do not pull out of the skin and cause pain to the person performing the ritual. In todays world some people have piercing fetishs' just because they enjoy the feeling or pain, but it is usually for personal pleasure rather than religous reasonsings. However, in Aztec culture tongue piercings were look at as a sign of nobility offered to the Gods on sacred holidays. Also, sometimes long cactus spines were used to pierce the tongues and a bowl was used to catch the blood that would drip from the tongue which was also seen as an offering to the Gods. Different cultures have different ways of using piercings. Hindu's and Aztecs use needles and "play piercing" as offerings to the gods and strengthening their bodies and expanding their pain thresholds.
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