Aphorism Reflection

"You can't put a limit to anything. The more you dream, the farther you'll get." is the aphorism I picked by Michael Phelps. I believe this quote reflects in Joseph Campbell's idea of the hero's journey in many ways. Joseph says that the ones a hero when your life starts, for it is a great fight when the baby is born, and when that happens the baby has outdone himself. When you think of a hero, you think of  a person that never gives up, always saves the day, and succeeds every time. This quote gives the idea of never giving up, and always fighting, so no matter how many obstacles you need to pass for success, you should never give up. The hero needs to be ready for that new success he/she is visualizing in his/her life. Saying this, the first part of the quote, where Michael says you can't put a limit to anything, I believe it means that the hero needs a very big idea of what he can achieve. Looking beyond what he believes he/she cannot do.

The quote can inspire people to do everything. Because if people don't look forward to their dreams or goals in life, they will never actually succeed. People need to fight for what they want, and thats is why "the more you dream, the farther you'll get" because if you dream of success you will eventually achieve it.

Aphorism

The aphorism I selected is a quote by Michael Phelps. "You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get."

I found this quote in this  website

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/michaelphe167139.html#ermV8FVwfpVFuFXG.99 

I selected this one because it was in the sports section, and I believe sports takes up to 80% of my life. Although it is a little cliché, but I can still relate to what he was trying to say. 

This quote made me think a lot of myself. I love sprots, and I have always been a very sporty person. I like to move and exercise my body. I have been in the school gymnastics team for almost 11 years. I've been always under a lot of pressure and I have thought of giving up. But as the quotes says, the more you think about it, and fight for what you want, the more you will achieve. I agree with this feeling because it is true, every time you think and be positive about something, you will do it. When I am in gymnastics in a competition and I feel like I can't do anything else, and think of giving up, I just imagine me being successful and achieving what I want, and that positive thinking and attitude gives me strength to keep on fighting. Also when I run, I think and believe I'm not tired, even thought I've been running for an hour. Like the quote says, you can't place a limit, because you can achieve practically anything you are up to achieve. I believe people just have to believe in themselves and keep giving more of them each time. I feel this should be the "motto" of life, because with this people can do whatever they want, and will be successful. I feel that this quote and that believe, have made the athlete I am now. Because I never gave up, I always kept on thinking on the great things I could be doing in the future, and what would I lose if I gave up.

Section 4

Section 4 i find it the most important and the one that teaches the most. After Kamala's death, Siddhartha tries his best to bond with his son. He is still sad because of his mother, he doesn't understand what happened and how it will ever be fine. Siddhartha wants to teach his son most of his knowledge, so he as his father, can understand things. But he is reminded that he could never pass his knowledge though his son had to experience it all. He had to experience to be able to understand everything Siddhartha understood. The son runs away through the river. Siddhartha and Vesudeva try to find him but they can't. Siddhartha goes to the town but gives up, because he knows he will never find him. SIddhartha feels hurt and sad for waht his son did. He keeps on learning from the river and Vesudeva, who know is seen holy and as a god to Siddhartha. One day Versudeva tells Siddhartha he need to listen to river, he hears all the voices togteher and feel an eternal peace and unity to the world. Siddhartha had finally achieved enlightenment. Versudeva confesses he wants to leave and wander through the world, so he can find his own inner peace. He leaves Siddhartha as the ferryman, and disappears into the forest. Govinda is still a monk, but he has been notified that there was a very wise and holy ferryman. He goes and visits this ferryman without knowing it was Siddhartha. They discuss and he finally knows it was his good friend. Before Govinda leaves, Siddhartha asks him to kiss him in the forehead. WHen this happens Govinda watches Siddhartha's entire live through his eyes, all the faces, the suffering and happiness. When he steps back he feels a need to worship and venerate Siddhartha.

This section can give the reader many emotions. Siddhartha finally found illumination an a perfect balance between his life and the whole universe. He found what he was looking for, and could share it with his dearest friend Govinda. But the end of the book also gave me a lot of questions. What happens to Govinda after this experience? Will he try to achieve illumination? What will happen to Siddhartha? How come people learn from him, if he couldn't teach his knowledge? The end of the book made me a little emotional. Govinda felt the need to look up to Siddhartha, I feel the same for my big brother. Without him I would never be the person I am right now. I would had never fallen into the path of Buddhism, or see things as I see them right now. I would feel part of the society that know rules the world. Without my brother I believe I wouldn't feel as proud of myself and my actions as I am now.

Section 3

This section answered a lot of questions that were in my head. It explained a lot of Siddhartha's life and what he was going through. Siddhartha learned to be a business man, but saw his job as a game, for he was not interested in wealth. He saw normal problems in other people he found insignificant to life. He still had his ideal of a Samana. Kamala his lover, made him feel understood like no body else could. They shared a kind of love that was no common, but they both knew they could never love each other the way other could love. After a year of being a merchant Siddhartha starts to gamble, and his ideal start to fade. He has a strange dream in which he realizes and feels all his goodness is gone. He decides to leave his treasures and seek for the peaceful life he had. He doesn't say goodbye to Kamala, he just disappears, and without knowing Kamala is pregnant with his child. Siddhartha comes to the thought of suicide, he feels lonely, and depressed. While wondering through the forest, Siddhartha arrived to the river he had once passed, and reunites with Vasudeva, the ferryman he had met years before. He stays with him and learns from the river, and regains that peace he had once had within him. Govinda and Siddhartha come back together and talk, but Govinda is still a monk. He leaves Siddhartha, which know know that Gotama is sick and will eventually die. Kamala starts to follow the Buddha's steps with her son, and while trying to find him, she is bitten by a snake. Kamala is helped by Vasudeva and Siddhartha. Kamala is dies, and Siddhartha is left with his son.

This section made me think a lot because there are a lot of things that were left hanging. What will happen to Siddhartha and his son? Will Siddhartha reunite with govinda and Gotama once again? Will he stay with Vasudeva and keep on learning from the river? When will he become illuminated? All this questions came right to my mind when I read this couple of chapters. I felt in disagreement when Siddhartha thinks he had to suffer to achieve happiness and knowledge. Why would you have to suffer to achieve happiness, greatness or knowledge? Not everyone has to follow those steps. I certainly believe this is false, and why would you have to experience richness or wealth to understand they are not important. Those two ideals or believes make no sense to me. I believe that with effort you can do anything with out suffering or experiencing things.

Siddhartha blogposts I and II

Blogpost I : Section 1

I really can connect with this book, because of my beliefs, I like the way the author explains the story. I as Siddhartha in the section follow the teachings, and try to find a way to "illumination". I try to follow his steps, not to become the next Buddha, but the way he saw life and learn how to appreciate every second of it. I believe as the Bible the story of Siddhartha has many perspectives and many ways to interpret it. I believe this because this version of the story add things I had never seen before, and lacks of other things. But still I think it is because of the author telling the story. I haven't gone from my house to seek for knowledge, but I have attended classes and retreats. In this retreats I have heard the teachings of Buddha and many other illustrious men and women. This teachings help other beginners like me to start their path to live the life they are seeking for. I have really learned a lot of this "classes"like Buddha learned from the Samanas and the elders. What will happen to Sidhhartha now that he started his journey? Will he find what he is looking for? Will he motivate people to follow his teachings?

Blogpost II: Section 2

The more I read this book the more I find it similar to other books of the Buddha. For example the book "El Budacrita" is a book about the life of Buddha, in spanish. They are similar because the words they use and the story is mostly the same, except some little details, as I said due to perspective. I also read another book long ago I don't remember the name that was practically the same to this one we are reading. This book reminds me of the movie "Spirited Away" they have totally different topics, but I made a rare connection. In the movie Chihiro (the main character) enters a world of fantasy, in which she has to work and win her parent back. They have been converted into pigs. But I connect to the movie because as Buddha, Chihiro looks by herself how to get out of this strange dream. She keeps with her beliefs, but tries to look at them in another way. When she starts to understand the fantasy world, is like Buddha understanding he doesn't want to follow anyones teachings.

Visual Examples

1.

This is practically impossible, because if you look carefully both of the hands in the picture are drawing each other. It contradicts itself because it makes you thinking which hand actually started the drawing. It tricks the mind because I believe it shows a cycle, in which each hand will keep on drawing, because none will finish until the other one does. It is also impossible thought that the hands of the drawing are going out of the paper.

2.

This picture is mind teasing, because you can never know for sure which are the legs of the elephant. It is impossible to find the legs. Because if you follow the outline, they will guide you to a space, and if you count you can see up to 9 legs. I think this picture is amazing because every person can interpret it as they wish, and see as many legs as they like. I believe it tries to explain negative spaces, because negative spaces are the gaps from the drawing. 

3.

This is a really confusing picture, because the more you look at it the lees you understand it. It starts with a big spiral, which starts to shrink and enters the big one, and then it disappears. I really like this picture, because it shows a cycle like the one of the hands. It never ends and you can keep on looking at it for ever, without ever really understanding it. It contradicts itself, it is big big vs. small. 

Book 4

Reading this book I found this analect very important and a great way for people to think in a better way.

4.17 The master said, “When you see someone who is worthy, concentrate upon becoming their equal; when you see someone who is unworthy, use this opportunity to look within them.

I think Confucius quoted this analect  because people judge others with or without knowing them. I find it important because I think judging people is not a good thing. The analect is saying that if you see someone who is faithful, someone that shows respect, that deserves it, or someone who is good, you should follow his steps and become equals. But if you see someone who doesn't deserve trust, effort, attention, or respect, you should place yourself in his or her shoes. I feel like society should use this analect to live a not perfect but better life. I think this because people (including myself) judge other without noticing. I am a Buddhist, so I practice his teachings, and this one is very similar, because you will always feel like judging or talking about someone. But my theory based on my believes and on this analect, is not to judge, because I'm pretty sure that most of the time we judge, is not knowing the whole story. 

I truly believe that the world would be so much better without people judging others. We don't know what's happening to them, and it's none of our business. I know it is pretty hard not to do it, but with practice, we can make it better.