View points

1. What do you like about Viewpoints?

It was interesting to play around with how the people around you moved and how it was going to affect you. Also the surrounding furniture and sounds also brought some affects to the table. Like music was more fun to work with but without the music play you could hear everything and everyone. For examples you could tell by footsteps or the sounds of joints cracking. I liked that we all worked as a group but we're still able to keep our individuality. Like the grid, we all were on the same lines but the way we reacted to each other when we were close to contact was our own ordinal impulses.

2. Where there any moments that felt particularly alive for you?
I feel like when props were added in everyone got to experience an ego free state and were able to let the kid out of them. It felt very alive and authentic because we were all just reacting with our natural impulses.

3. Where there times when the activity felt dead and forced? If so why and when?

I feel like the only time something was ever forced was when we had to try and balance the room. I personally felt like I had to run to the other side if no one was there so I defiantly felt like that was restraining me from being able to let go of that structure. 

• a. Summarize Primary Control, Unreliable Sensory Appreciation, Inhibition, Direction, Ends and Means
  
• b. Reflection: What did you find interesting, helpful, confusing, etc. about the reading?

Primary control- is the dynamic ever changing relationship for better or for worse in every position 

Unreliable sensory appreciation- use or reliability on kinetic senses 

Inhibition- the ability to stop and delay our responses until we are ready

Direction - is the position of you body to have the best free and placed voice

Ends And Means-to keep all the options open so that he could find out which would work out the best

I feel like it is very repetitive and confusing just the language of the book like there was never really a straight forward answer and the explanations are usually just examples. The categories in this are interesting but are not original for example ends and means is like that saying of the ends justify the means which may have been what he was trying to say.

Alexander technic

Alexander was the oldest of eight kids in Australia. He had a massive temper so he never really kept a job for too long. When he hit his early twenties he decided to start acting. He would stand in front of he mirror to notice his manner of doing. He discovered primary control. he decided he wanted to learn how the positions of the body affected the voice. In 1899 he went to Sydney to talk to surgeons about what he learned. As time went on people started to understand and someone explained it as a 'new direction for education'. His work was attacked by Dr. Ernt Jokl and he testified the science behind his work and won the case in 1948. He had a stroke and was paralyzed on the left side, it didn't stop him. People said that the last five years he did his best teaching then. He died in 1955.

The use and function that Alexander talks about is the use and function of the body. Use is the process of control overall actions that seemed to have potential to control. "successful efforts to overcome destructive habits is the fundamental decision to change". Function is "the most fundamental form of misuse is failure to make choices. we can choose we have a choice". 'The body is our instrument for fulfilling our purpose on earth'. The way we use and function is how we show our presence on earth.

Video 1: Anthony De Mello on "Self-Observation"


1. What is the most important thing you can do when no one can help you?

self- observation - watching yourself, 

2. What is the difference between self-observation and self-absorption? What is self-observation?

self-absorption is the ego or feelings that a person feels makes up who they are. self observation is to watch everything in you and around you as if it were happening to someone else

3. Why do we suffer?

we identify with each of our problems such as anxiety and depression we think we are those but they may just be in us but is not us

4. Anthony De Mello uses the analogy of the sky and clouds to speak about the relationship between our true "self" and our thoughts/emotions/different states of life. How does he define the the self/"I"?

we are the sky, passive detached observer, just watch observe don't fix everything because we cant fix everything and everything may not need fixing 

5. If you understand things they will do what?

They will fix themselves 

6. Finish the sentence from 5.25: "What you judge you ...."

cannot understand 


Reflection: 

7. What do you think about DeMello's statement, "I am not my depression, I am not my joy?" Who/What is the "I" that can say, "I am not myself?" Make a list of your most precious qualities and character traits. Does that list account for everything that is your "I?" If not, why not?

honest 
blunt 
carefree 

I feel like each of these traits in-body who I am whether good or bad (most people find it rude to be honest but whatever). I are part of my life but I feel like sometimes if I try really hard I am able to stand back and look at these traits and observe.




Video 2: Ted Talk by Angela Bradshaw on the "Alexander Technique"


1.  What happens to us when we experience fear, stress and anxiety? Why?

we shorter ourselves and compress ourselves because it is a defense mechanism from fight or flight response.  

2. (minute 3.15ish) The Alexander Technique does what?

enables us to choose a different response

3. Finish the sentence (4:10ish) "Nature would prefer...."

to be in balance and share our body weight

4. What are the three points of contact for the foot?

the base of the big toe and little toe and the heel 

5. What are the three hinges in our legs?

the three are ankles, knees, and hips

6. Where are the hip joints?

it is in the front of pelvis by your pubic bone

7. Allow the pelvis to be heavy like a .....?

anchor, in gives you structure 

8. Where is the top of the spine?

between ears and behind your eyes

Reflection:

9. What, according to your view of the world, is the connection between your mind and body? 

If you think about and are conscious of how you are standing you are more relaxed and to be free of tension. This will free you mind and your body and allow you to be present with the world around us. 

Video 1 - Playing the Game of Life, by Alan Watts

1. What does our society tell children?

Society tells us as kid that we have to go through all this school and then after school we work a job where we spend years and years trying to get higher up on the food chain and then best part is retirement 

2. What is our society's "preparation for life?"

School starting us into the system at around 5 where we grown up into high school and that last year of high school first year of college we have decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives

3. When one arrives, Watts claims that he or she often feels cheated. Why?

Because life is a game you sit and play for years and years and the end result is just death or close too it.

4. What is the final goal of our society?

Retirement but then we are usually too old to enjoy ourselves and everything we did was completely useless to our life

5. What is the problem with living ever for the future?

When you live for the future you are still living in the present. Lawl Inception. 

Video 2: The Secret of Life 

1. What is the Chinese word for nature? What does it mean?

ziran = that which happens to itself without any control of an outside boss

2. According to Watts, you stop the spontaneous flowering of nature if you do what to it?

By telling the plants you must do it and you stop them..... that did not make since to me honestly.....

3. According to Watts, what are human beings?

The fabric and structure of existence itself

4. What is the secret of life according to Watts?

To be completely with what you are doing with the here and the now and instead of calling it work call it play. 

Video 3: You're Already Awesome

Note: Dr. Judson Brewer is a professor at Yale University's department of psychiatry.

1. What was Dr. Brewer's experience of flow?

He was riding on his bike and he was in such deep focus and he was so present that he just was which is flow. The mental state which a person is fully immersed in the present in a feeling energized focus

2. According to the Harvard study mentioned by Brewer, what percentage of time do we get caught of up thinking?

50 percent of the time this is also included in day dreaming and worrying about the past and the future.

3. Finish the sentence: "A wandering mind is a  _____"

unhappy mind 

4. What happens to the brain during meditation?

Everything is quiet, brain activity is quiet.

5. In nine minutes, the test subject mentioned by Brewer learned the difference between what?

He learned the difference between thinking about the breath versus feeling the breath.

Reflection Question:

Reflection question: How does all of this relate to our yoga practice? How does it relate to killer ball? To performing? Was there an idea in any of these talks that stood out to you? If so, what was it and why?

(If you think that all of this is nonsense, please share those thoughts too! Don't feel like you ought to say things simply to get a good grade. I love it when students say, "I think this is a bunch of crap." Feel free to speak your mind!)

I think that the first one definitely spoke to me because my friend said almost the same thing she told me something along the lines of do what you want because if you do what you hate you are just suffering through life not living it. Also in the second video when he says in death you can't worry so you will be alright.... That hit me like wow never thought of it like that.

(Video 1) What is Mindfulness - Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn

How does Dr. Kabat-Zinn define mindfulness?

He says mindfulness is paying attention on purpose in the present moment non judgmentally as if your life depended on it

Why, according to Dr. Kabat-Zinn, does our "life depend" upon mindfulness?

It keeps the body the heart and the mind in balance so that we aware of the present moment and we can find our freedom. Without these three in balance we can get too much in own heads and think too much. We are taught since we were kids how to use our minds but it's not until later on in life when we are taught to use our body and heart together.

Does it matter what thing or things you pay attention to?

No it doesn't matter it's the act of paying attention that is what we need to do what we should crave for

Is Mindfulness a technique? 

No it is a way of living and connecting with your life

(Video 2) All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes - Andy Puddicombe

What does Andy suggest we "do" for at least 10 minutes each day?

Nothing 

According to the Harvard study cited by Andy, what % of time are our minds lost in thought?

It says that our minds are lost in thought about 47% of the time that's almost half of the time our minds are wandering.

Is Mindfulness about controlling our thoughts and feelings? If yes, explain. If not, explain

Yes being mindful if you thoughts and feelings but also your body and how you are with everything around you and how it affects you. You just can not get stuck in your thoughts and feelings because then you lose the presence you have in this world.

How does Andy's juggling with the three red balls relate to our activity of balancing sticks?

He explains that if he was so focused on the balls he would not be able to speak to the audience. You need just the right amount of balance and the right amount of focus to be able to live with you mind and body in harmony.

Patsy Rodenburg defines presence as three circles the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd circle. The first circle are shy and sort of have a defense system up. The second circle is being aware and always ready. The third circle is someone who is pompous and over exaggerated with their speech and gestures. The true actors live in the second circle because they are always ready for anything.

The ways that presence can be lost is by people getting in their own heads. If you let your gut and natural impulse guide you your actions you would be able to be more present and able to communicate best with people. Sometimes complete honesty is not the rational way to deal with humanity considering having a truly present and honest person as a friend is a lot to handle.

The first circle is like the past. It is what holds someone back from doing something that really want to do. This is how most shy people are they put their guard up and to try to protect themselves from getting hurt.

The third circle is like the future. It is people who are obnoxious and over exaggerated. It is a defense mechanism for people with large egos. It is when someone tries to overpower everyone with their words or personality. The third circle is overpowering and unnecessary.  

The second circle is the present. It is being the moment and being ready for anything. It is reacting to what is around you and being able to fully be who you are with anyone and anything. The second circle is being able to fully be honest with everyone around you and being able to reveal yourself and everything you have been through to be able to relate to the person you are speaking to

The second circle is where everyone should live.

The second circle is honest

Everyone living in the circle would either be beautiful or the end of the world