Art Project

For my Modern Religious project, I decided to choose the unique style of wood carving. This oriental style is produced by arduously carving into a hard wood block to form indentations and rivets that resemble a figure. Then ink is rolled onto the uncut surface to produce a shine. Paper is then put on top and rubbed so the paint rubs on the paper. The paper is taken off to show the cut surface. My project was influenced by the Japanese Shinto religion where everything in nature has a spirit or a “Kami.” Rivers have spirits and rocks have souls. I used three religious principles in this art project.  The Tori Gate is my main object in my carving. The Tori Gate is a religious symbol that represents Shintoism. I used the ancient style of wood carving to stimulate one way how art was produced during that era of time. Wood is nature’s bricks and because I wanted to use nature in my project, I use wood. This is because Shintoism is revolved around respecting the flow of nature. 

Temple Visit

I think that the idea of life sprouting from cold ground is fascinating and beautiful to think about. I think it is amazing how the most beautiful flower in the world came from one ugly seed. Or how a famous Buddhist symbol, the white lotus, grows in muddy waters. When I visited the temple, I got a clear understanding on why people would seek out a religious truth. Settled in a beautiful forest, the temple was full of paintings, figures, and statues. But what was striking to me, was the aspect of nature. Whether it was a flower or the color blue, nature was everywhere. This shows how significant nature is to the Buddhists. I believe that humans subconsciously wish to be the lotus flower and grow from an ugly seed in dirty water to another stage in life.

ryan meditating

Buddhist Mediation

      While meditating I discovered a sense of serenity and the beauty of silence. While ephemeral as the bliss was, I could not control what flows in and out of my mind. As I realized that I was not thinking about anything in my mind, I thought about it, destroying those few seconds of peace. Much like a storm, my mind was full of flimsy thoughts and worries that had no significant value to my life at all. Thoughts such as, "What am I going to wear tomorrow" or "I want orange juice," came out. I could not control the nuances that my mind created, whether it was thoughts spiraling out or thoughts spiraling in. There was no way I could "empty" my mind. I figure that it is impossible to complete this enigmatic task. How can it be possible to not think of anything! I did not receive any "inspirations" or "flashbacks" or any of those "enlightenment" visions everybody talks about. Maybe because I failed in blowing away useless thoughts or maybe because it was not possible for me. Much like a child who craves more chocolate, I had a sudden craving for that feeling of those few seconds of discovery-- like the feeling of discovering a lost village.

Gandhi's Vision

         Gandhi's example of Hinduism was definitely novel. He portrayed a vision that he had and portrayed these ideas through concrete, physical actions-- a conquest that is rare these days. He believed that the only way to fight against a opposing altercation was to actually not fight at all. Although this may seem contradicting in all points, he indeed fought a force but through tranquil protest. Even when the opposition, the British Army, fought back with bats and guns, Gandhi and his protesters remained calm believing that this moral act of protest will strike a chord in the enemies conscience. In the movie, salt factories fiscally belonged to Britain, but rightfully the Indians. The Indian men refused to fight for the ownership of the factory but decided to attempt to walk through the guards. Bleeding and broken Indian men were strewn over as the aftermath of this protest. Overall, Gandhi refused to fight back no matter how bad the strives and riots got to be. He eventually started a fasting era in his life where his purpose was to promote peace and serenity in India with the use of moral blackmail. This original stand in promoting an eon of a harmonic India, regardless of how ephemeral it may have been, makes Gandhi one of the most respected men in the world.

“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

         This acclaimed quote is an addition from the trite and cliched quote originating from the ancient Mesopotamian era: "An eye for an eye." This antiquated quote states that if a man happened to pluck another mans eye out, the law lets the handicapped man pluck the offenders eye out too as punishment. However, Gandhi played with this quote and stated that revenge will only hurt everybody. This quote is quite phenomenal as it accurately explains Gandhi's pursuit for an idyllic India. Gandhi believed that violence will not solve anything, thus he resorted to peaceful protests to fight the moral conscience inside all of his enemies.

Response 2

Bringer of the Star

Twin of Ra

Guider of the Disc

Brings forth light and warmth 

to the black lands of Kemet

Partner of the monster of the Nile
 Growth and vegetation is at its hands

 It breaks the Dusk

It births the Dawn

Too much light and life will burn
Too little light and life will freeze

We bow down to Kheper
For life turns to him


Pulling the supernatural disk across each horizon
Moving the cosmic energy across the stars
The Great Mounds and the Lion of the Sahara

Watches the halo Kheper brings to our land

Response 1

     Religion has made a prodigious impact in my childhood. The all powerful God and Jesus Christ governed the way I lived and viewed my life. I was brought with many rules and guidelines presented in the scripture. My vision was slightly tinted as I avoided taboos and aimed solely towards placating and pleasing the heavens above. When I was an infant, I was too inexperienced and inferior to understand the laws of physics or growth and development. Thus, I was brought up to believe that God held power over every rational force of nature, and I believed the world was considered capricious and erratic. When my first pet fish died, I did not understand death as I would have today. In my youth the elders told me God planned every fate that every living thing was going through. The mystery of death was not important to me at that time of youth as I was saved from the confounding confusion of the supernatural. I knew about the heavens, but I was raised to incorrectly believe that simply attending church service would successfully fulfill any requirements for a guaranteed landing to the Everlasting Kingdom. But now I understand that the acceptance to the land of Christ is given to solely those who live for the word of Christ. I did not have rituals or sacrifices like other religions. But I did have a "shaman" or an "incantation" of some sort--it would have been referred to as a priest of a prayer, respectively.

My attitude and perspective of life was primarily caused by the introduction of Christ in my early life. For this reason I sometimes believe the Christian liturgy has in some way, snared me. Whether this is a good advent, as my morals were encased in solid rock, or a malicious one, as I am not exactly "freed" to act as I wish, religion has nevertheless played a seminal role in the development and creation of my original, initial beliefs and outlook of life that still stands ground to this day.