RT4002 Understanding Ritual Experience - Tuesdays 5:45-9
- looks like all assignments will be via google doc?
- How long should a written assignment be? I strongly subscribe to the idea that better writing is shorter writing. The longer a written assignment goes on, the more likely that our thinking is muddled and unclear. I will not assign page or word lengths. My strong advice is to focus on what the assignment is asking for, and to write it early so that you have time to edit it for clarity and brevity.
- Big assignments
- At the top of ritual observations (3) include your definition of ritual before anything else
- Engaging Discussion Leadership - week 3- lead a discussion on one of the readings
- Sacred Text and Sacred Story - week 10 --- present a poem, reading, or song that could be used in a ritual and how it fits. I am thinking the half woman/half universe song as a means of grounding onself at the beginning of a ritual. OR
- Chosen Rite of Passage: Ritual outline and commentary
- Integrated Work (Final Paper): Observations, Readings/Lectures, Experience, Story/Text
SD1001 The Art of Discernment - Thursdays 5:45-9
- Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have.
- Understanding Discernment Paper-Due: NOVEMBER 6 (25%): This paper should be 6-8 pages, double-spaced. It should include the following information:
a. How do you understand discernment?
b. What contemplative practices assist you in your discernment process?
c. What experiences or circumstances are hindrances to your discernment processes? How do you address them?
d. Discuss two authors that we engaged through readings, videos, or podcasts who influenced your developing understanding,
e. In what ways do you assess whether you have made a good discernment?
Monday 9/1Tuesday 9/2Academic planningmovie night with boyfriendWednesday 9/3Davis-Floyd and Laughlin: Intro: What Is Ritual? - WK1 - 14pgThursday 9/4Syllabus still not up.. so I can't access the assignment instructions.Ter Kuile, Intro: The Paradigm Shift - WK1 - 31 pg - this book is beautiful.go through this with a highlighter. this is so good. - pg 3 and 18 esp. pg 23 with the quote on pg 3 to help define ritual for me.Friday 9/5Druid friendsSaturday 9/6Finish academic planningnails @3Softball with RachSunday 9/7see Boyfriend <3See mom for dinner
Monday 9/8GymReading: Rose Mary Dougherty, Discernment: A Path to Spiritual Awakening - 73 pgClass Discussion Prep: How do you define discernment? How would you explain it to someone who is not connected to religion in any way?Before Class: Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have.In the reading discernment seemed to boil down to a few core pillars: mindfulness, authenticity, and prayer - in whatever form most suited your true self. What is a form of prayer that is unique to you? I find this interesting because sometimes the most mundane things in life to others can be sacred to oneself; I find the idea of a person's faith truly fascinating. For me personally, one such example of unique prayer for myself, is singing in the car. It is often through singing in the car while driving that I find myself most open to the divine and reflective on my life and self in my most honest and authentic voice.Read the interview series entitled, “What Is Contemplation?” in the Journal of - WK2 Contemplative Studies https://contemplativejournal.org/what-iscontemplation/#/page cannot be foundOrr: Ch. 1: What Is Ritual? WK1 - please let it be here in time....Tuesday 9/9CLASS 5:30-9my working definition: The intentional repetition of an action or thought done to express significant meaning or contribute to a desired outcome.My name is Pixie; I default to she/her but any pronouns are fine. I am currently in the Madison, WI area. I have been a practicing eclectic pagan since I was about 14, even before I had a name for it. I now would say that i am both pantheistic and polytheistic. I work with mostly Irish deities but am not limited to them, my ancestors, the fair folk, and like to describe my practice as primarily ecstatic bardic witch craft. I am a member of a local druid seed group; I do not define myself as a druid but I find a lot of common ground there.Bennacti - blessings in old irshGaelic Animism - Dispora DruidryWednesday 9/10GymMovie night with boyfriend - out of townDavis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 1 Symbolism in Ritual WK2 - 26 pgThursday 9/11CLASS 5:30-9Bake BF bday cakeTer Kuile: Ch. 1 (48pg)Friday 9/12OBOD - BF stay the night :) - cook dinnerTer Kuile: Ch 2 (31pg) Connecting with Self/Other WK2 - 31 pgSaturday 9/13BOYFRIEND BDAY - - see the lights in the dells?Sunday 9/14Orr: Chs. 2-3 What is Druidry; Sources of Inspiration Wk2
Monday 9/15GymDavis-Floyd and Laughlin; Chs. 2-3 Beliefs, Myths, Paradigms and Rituals; The Process of Truing WK3 - 35 pgTuesday 9/16Class 5:30-9Davis-Floyd and Laughlin; Chs. 2-3 Beliefs, Myths, Paradigms and Rituals; The Process of Truing WK3 - 35 pgMAKE PRESENTATIONWednesday 9/17Reading: Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness - p6 pg - Wk2": keep your attention focused on the work, be alert and ready to handle ably and intelligently any situation which may arise —this is mindfulness. There is no reason why mindfulness should be different from focusing all one's attention on one's work, to be alert and to be using one's best judgment. During the moment one is consulting, resolving, and dealing with whatever arises, a calm heart and self-control are necessary if one is to obtain good results. Anyone can see that. If we are not in control of ourselves but instead let our impatience or anger interfere, then our work is no longer of any value. Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves"Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have.I personally found the second chapter's talk about Jim sometimes forgetting mindfulness and growing impatient with his son's homework as it feels like a waste of time. I personally have to deal with this sort of frustration when I am driving. Sort of like how there is washing the dishes to wash the dishes vs washing the dishes to have a clean cup... I find that sometimes I drive to get to a destination and its times like that in which my road rage flares up... but then there is driving to have the drive - I can sing, meditate, reflect, and be open to the gods while driving with mindfulness. What are some examples in your life that you feel you could be more open to the divine/presence if you practiced more mindfully, as opposed to completing the task for the sake of having the next step or completion?Class Discussion Prep: Spend 30-45 minutes in an activity where you are slowing down from your normal pace. Be creative and intentional about choosing something that helps you to shift gears and get into a place of inner quiet. It could be, for example, a slow walk in nature, meditation, sitting still in your most comfortable place, making art or doing a craft—whatever helps you connect to a more contemplative way of engaging your life. What do you notice about yourself in this shift? - Wk2I find that when I slow down and focus, i do something mindfully and intentionally, I become more open. When I do this while walking my dog I become more open to messages and intuition. When I do this anywhere near paper - with nothing else to distract me - I find myself draw to write poetry or prose. When I actually slow down in life, I become more open and mystical. My heart rate slows, my breathing deepens, and I am moved by Spirit.Thursday 9/18Class 5:30-9Quin: Chs. 1-4 30 pgFriday 9/19Druid friends?Ter Kuile, Ch. 3 Connecting with Nature Wk3 - 36 pgOrr: Ch. 4--The Language of Ritual WK3 - 15 pgBF coming to town :)Saturday 9/20Morning group meeting OBOD Ritual? -- observe for class essayWrite ritual observation essay pt 1 (&2 if jeramie walks me through it)Sunday 9/21Festival with BF
Monday 9/22GymReading: Thibodeaux, Armchair Mystic - first 106 pg pg - wk 3Class discussion prep: Reflect on your experiences of doing the contemplation exercises from the Thibodeaux book. Which practices worked for you, and which were more challenging? - wk 3Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have.- wk3I have to be honest - this book was very uncomfortable to read. I have a big issue with how the book goes about "the human condition" and the judgment the author seems to have towards the inmates who would rather watch TV as opposed to listen to some preacher teach them how to pray. There, overall, seems to be a holier-than-thou tone to the book. My question to the author is this: Who is to say that God doesn't speak to people through every day occurrences - maybe there is a message that one of the inmates gets from the TV show they watch? Maybe the person working out at the gym with a contemplative mindset as they listen to music and quiet their mind through physical exertion and meditative breathing is "being with God." Who are you to judge? All of Chapter 3 pretty much made my stomach upset reading.PRESENTATION DUETuesday 9/23CLASS 5:30-9 --- PRESENTReading: Thibodeaux, Armchair Mystic - 65 pg - wk 3Before Class: Pick two prayer exercises to engage from Thibodeaux’s appendix, pages. ix-x and do the prayer practice. - wk 3Rocking made the solitude time easier. (3 minutes)Exercise B: The Mantra - In sets of three, with one word in and one word out: Gods above, Gods around, Gods below. Spirits above, Spirits around, Spirits below. Divinity above. Divinity around. Divinity within.Exercise H: this was the only prayer exercise in chapter 4 I felt I could do. There are several songs I sing as prayers; Ashes by Celine Dion as a prayer to Brigid; lately i've been singing The maiden and the selkie as a prayer to my spirit, to the sacred Spirit that unites all things, as a prayer for transformation. I will also say I could relate to the authors friend who received a "grace" through a song he sings as a prayer and how he sometimes hears God singing it back.Exercise S: I did not do this but i will give it a try the next time i use my nightly prayers and find myself unable to focus.Wednesday 9/24Thursday 9/25Class 5:30-9Quin: Ch. 5 The Bard’s Craft--How to TELL a Story Wk4 - 10 pgTer Kuile: Chs. 4 -5 Connecting with Transcendence; Already Connected Wk4 - 47 pgFriday 9/26Boyfriend stay the night?Saturday 9/27Sunday 9/28SEEING SLEEP TOKEN
Monday 9/29Gym- Before Class: Read through “Discernment” in the Practicing Our Faith website
https://practicingourfaith.org/practices/discernment/ (If you have time, skim through the other practices.) - Wk 4
- Reading: Holmes, Crisis Contemplation - 138pg - wk 4
- Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk 4
- I was intrigued to see the premise of darkness as positive, s a synonym for mystery, or the opening of the void of spirit. This actually resonated with my own practices. Have you ever had an experience where you found meaning in the dark? Alternative question: We are all a part of larger community - what is an example of a community trauma and how did your community come together afterwards? --- the mass shooting at pulse night club. The candleight vigils, fund raiser drag shows, etc. I also really liked how community was seen as the big C - it included the spirits of the ancestors.
- Class discussion prep: Be prepared to discuss 1-2 ways that your definition of discernment has expanded and deepened since our discussion in the first class.
- Contemplation -- seeing this as a perspective instead of an action. So discernment being the ability to sense and interpret the divine through a sense of contemplative awareness. - wk4
- I originally thought discernment was an interreligious term for being able to sense the divine in everyday reality. Before this class I didn't know it was specifically Christian nor that it was part of decision making in a religious sense. I have since learned that while Discernment is similar across religions, there is nuance differences. For now my definition remains roughly the same, but I have simply added that it involves sensing and interpreting signals from the divine through contemplative awareness. And that for this class, we do not approach it from an interreligious point of view.
- Before Class: Read through “Discernment” in the Practicing Our Faith website
Tuesday 9/30Class 5:30-9Davis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 4: Ritual Drivers Wk4 - 23 pagesOrr, Chs. 5-6 The Setting; Tools and Offerings Wk4Wednesday 10/1Darts or BF movie nightThursday 10/2Class 5:30-9Quin Ch. 6 The Craft of Ritual Wk5 - 6pgDavis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 5 Ritual Techniques and Technologies Wk5 - 17 pgFriday 10/3Druid friends?Orr, Ch. 7 The Guiding orm Wk5Saturday 10/4Shamanism retreatWrite Essay for ritual #3 --- finish essaySunday 10/5Leslie Bday - no bf.
Monday 10/6GymBefore Class: Listen to angel Kyodo Williams, “The World Is Our Field of Practice” on the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett, original air: April 19, 2018, updated: September 10,
2020. https://onbeing.org/programs/angel-kyodo-williams-theworld-
is-our-field-of-practice/ - Wk5
Reading: Liebert, The Soul of Discernment, Part 1: An Invitation to Social Discernment, pages 1- 70. - wk 5Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk 5The podcast talked ab out the need to do the internal work when we are in discomfort, sitting with our anger and healing to transform as oposed to just changing. This is called Shadow work in my practice. "In order for us to change as a society, we have to change as individuals". I Think this goes to speak on the importance of individual growth and progress, and how by individual work we progress as a society. What are some ways that we can discern the internal work needed in order to better ourselves so that we are able to better our community? I was also interested in the conflicted identities - the warrior spirit with zen Buddhism.Class discussion prep: In what ways does social context, culture, and power affect both individual and social discernment? What are the similarities? What are the differences - wk5Tuesday 10/7CLASS 5:30-9Finish homework from yesterdayWednesday 10/8DartsListen to podcast on way to see bfDavis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 6 Ritual Framing Wk6 - 26 pgThursday 10/9Class 5:630-9Orr, Ch. 8--Rituals for Everyday Living Wk6Friday 10/10OBODQuin Ch. 7--From Myth to Magic Wk6 - 8 pgBoyfriend?Saturday 10/11Boyfriend? Visit mom?Sunday 10/12Boyfriend?
Monday 10/13GymBefore Class: Listen to the following podcasts on Learning How to See with Brian McLaren- Episode 1: “Why Can’t We See?” --- 37 min
https://cac.org/podcasts/why-cant-we-see/
- Episode 6: “Seeing, Doubt, Contemplation and Action” --- page not found
https://cac.org/podcasts/6-seeing-doubt-action-andcontemplation/
Reading: Liebert, The Soul of Discernment, Part 2: The Social Discernment Cycle, pages 71-174.Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk 6Class discussion prep: Think of an experience of community decision-making you have had. In what ways did you observe or experience conflicts of perception in the community that became obstacles to what needed to be done? What did you do? - wk 6Tuesday 10/14CLASS 5:30-9Ritual Observations Due by midnight, Oct. 14Orr Ch. 9 Rituals for Eight Festivals Wk7Quin Ch. 8 Storytelling Skills Wk7 - 4pgWednesday 10/15DartsDavis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 7 Ritual As Performance Wk7 - 30pgThursday 10/16Class 5P:30-9Work on reinventing ritual paperFriday 10/17Work on reinventing ritual paperBoyfriend?Saturday 10/18Halloween candelight theater!!BF stay the night :)Sunday 10/19BF :)
Monday 10/20Gymwork on your Understanding Discernment paper (Due: November 6th)Tuesday 10/21Before Class: work on your Understanding Discernment paper (Due: November 6th)finshWednesday 10/22DartsThursday 10/23Reading: Brown, Coming to Light - 31 pg - wk 7Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk7Class discussion prep: Reflect on a time in your life when you spoke to several people in a group setting about a decision that you had to make. What was helpful about the experience? What was difficult? - wk 7- Friday 10/24
- Work on reinventing ritual paper
- Spooky shenanigans?
- Saturday 10/25
- spooky shenanigans?
- Boyfriend :)
- Sunday 10/26
- Work on reinventing ritual paper - FINISH
Week 7
- Monday 10/27
- Gym
Start Understanding Discernment Paper
- Tuesday 10/28
- CLASS 5:30-9
- Quin Ch. 9 Next Steps wk 9 - 4 pgs
- Orr Ch 10 Rituals for Life’s Journeys wk9
- Wednesday 10/29
- Darts
- Davis-Floyd and Laughlin: Ch. 8 Ritual: The Four Stages of Cognition wk9 - 23pg
- Thursday 10/30
- Class 5:30-9
- Friday 10/31
- Halloween!! Festivities? Boyfriend? (have to get up at freaking 9am....)
- Saturday 11/1
- Shamanism retreat.. no obod ritual :(
Work on Understanding Discernment Paper- Sunday 11/2
Understanding Discernment Paper-Due - Finish
Week 8
- Monday 11/3
- Gym
Before Class: Read Kathleen T. Talvacchia, “Disrupting the Theory-Practice Binary” inQueer Christianities: Lived Religion in Transgressive Forms. - WK8
https://www-jstor-org.theoref.idm.oclc.org/stable/j.ctt13x0q0q.23?seq=1- 11pg- Reading: Joseph H. Nguyen, SJ, Christian Contemplation: Theological Foundations and Contemporary Practice, Chapter 2 “Spiritual Discernment in the Contemplative Life”
- https://r1.vlereader.com/EpubReader?ean=1781725286733# - 30 pg? - wk8
- Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk8
Class discussion prep: Read “What Are the Spiritual Exercises?” in the website IgnatianSpirituality.com. - wk8https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatianprayer/the-spiritual-exercises/what-are-the-spiritualexercises
Davis-Floyd and Laughlin: Chs. 9-10 and Conclusion wk 10 - 60pg
- Tuesday 11/4
- CLASS 5:30-9
- Reinventing Ritual Project Due midnight
Orr Ch. 11 Rituals for Inspiration; Going Deeper wk 10
Quin Appendices of Resources - 10wk - 10 pg
- Wednesday 11/5
- Darts
- Reading: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom: Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - 1-75 - wk 10
- Thursday 11/6
- Class 5:30-9
Understanding Discernment Paper-Due- Friday 11/7
- Druid friends?
- Boyfriend stay the night, we get ready and then go get mom?
- Saturday 11/8
- FANTASY BALL WITH MOM AND BOYFRIEND
- Sunday 11/9
- Reading: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom: Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - 75-150 - wk 10
Week 9
- Monday 11/10
- Gym
- Before Class: Watch video on You Tube, a video from the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry, October 4, 2022. Dr. Melanie L. Harris, “Ecowomanist Spirituality in a Time of Climate Change” - 1hr - 10wk
- https://www.youtube.com/watchv=T2LTkyM7I0M&ab_channel=BCCloughSchoolofTheologyandMinistryCont.Ed - Wk 10
- Tuesday 11/11
- CLASS 5:30-9
- Reading: Rachel Mann, “’Queering’ Spiritual Direction: Towards a Trans*-Literary Praxis,” Theology and Sexuality, volume 20, number 3, 2014, 214-224. - 10pg
- Cindy S. Lee, “Introduction” in Our Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation, pages 1-14. - wk 9
- Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - wk 9
- Wednesday 11/12
- Darts
- (Happy birthday momma)
- Before Class: Listen to Parker Palmer and Cortney Martin, “The Inner Life of Rebellion”
on the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett, original air: January 8, 2015, updated: September 22, 2016. https://onbeing.org/programs/parker-palmer-courtneymartin-the-inner-life-of-rebellion/ ---- pg not found! :)
- Thursday 11/13
- Class 5:30-9
- Reading: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom: Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - 150-200 - wk 10
- Friday 11/14
- OBOD?
- Saturday 11/15
- No BF
- Sunday 11/16
- No BF
Week 10
- Monday 11/17
- Gym
- PRESENTATION DUE --- present folksong for ritual as a means of bardic offering to the fae; inviting them into the sacred space. OR present half woman half universe as a form of meditation for a new moon ritual. New moon being the time to plant new seeds of intention to grow into the full moon, one such part is honoring your own divinity.
- Tuesday 11/18
- CLASS 5:30-9
- PRESENT STORY
Reading: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom: Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - 200-300- wk 10
- Wednesday 11/19
- Darts
- Reading: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom: Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - 300-364 - wk 10
- Class Discussion: Reflect on both the video and the reading. What are the images or ideas from both Harris and Kimmerer that are the most vivid to you? - WK 10
- Reflective assignment due every week: For each week, please come to class prepared to share with the class one question from the assigned materials that you have reflected upon, why that question was of interest, and what response you have - Wk 10
- Thursday 11/20
- Class 5:30-9
- Friday 11/21
- Saturday 11/22
- Sunday 11/23
Thanksgiving week
- Monday 11/24
- Gym
- Review of the course questions and objectives;
- 3 “what helped” questions;
- discuss final project
- Work on final paper
- Tuesday 11/25
- Work on final paper
- Wednesday 11/26
- Darts
- Thursday 11/27
- Work on final paper - finish
- Friday 11/28
- Druid Friends
- Saturday 11/29
- Shamanism retreat
- BF stay the night?
- Sunday 11/30
Week 11
- Monday 12/1
- Gym
- Work on final project
- Tuesday 12/2
- CLASS 5:30-9
- Work on final project
- Wednesday 12/3
- Darts
- Thursday 12/4
- Finish final project
- 20 MIN PRESENTATION ON FINAL PAPER
- Class 5:30-9
- Friday 12/5
- My Birthday - shenanigans with BF
- Saturday 12/6
- My Birthday - Recoup with BF
- Sunday 12/7
- MY Birthday - spiritual right of passage?
Week 12
- Monday 12/8
- Gym
- Tuesday 12/9
- CLASS 5:30-9
- Final Integrated Project due midnight
- Wednesday 12/10
- Darts
- Thursday 12/11
- Final Integration paper due!
- Friday 12/12
- OBOD
- Saturday 12/13
- Shamanism retreat
- Sunday 12/14
Mid Course feedback: some of the readings are a bit too traditional Christian. whether nondenominational Christian, pantheistic Christian, a more spiritual/mystic Christian, or not Christian at all - there are many people who may struggle with the Armchair Mystic book. I myself was VERY uncomfortable with it and due to its high degree of traditional Christian language could not relate to about 80% of the book nor to almost all of the "helpful exercises" that were the whole point of the book being assigned. The only useful chapters that I found was Chapter 2,9, and 10 - which gave an overview of the 4 stages of prayer and how to differentiate if a message/discernment was from God or from self. Chapter 10 pretty much teaches you how to go about discernment in a nutshell. The entire rest of the book was pretty much useless and several times I almost quite trying to read it. For future classes I would either assign specific chapters or look for a different work book completely.
