Smells and Bells

Kripal asks how the paranormal evidence he suggests makes us question what we know about science, time, religion, and our 'sense of the sacred.' After reading the exert from Kripal's book, Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred, the above is what I concluded to be the purpose of the book. So, I could not help but turn the question inward and reflect. I began to think about my own religious experiences, and whether or not I had experienced a 'sixth sense moment,' or witnessed any phenomenons I could not explain. I think this Tedtalk done by Kripal does a good job of better explaining our senses and the way we experience these different phenomenons.  When Kripal describes the Poltergeist, as 'the ghost of anger,' which is actually 'human energy exteriorizing itself in the environment,' something clicks for me. Although as a child I had many dreams of ghosts, and had times where I thought I might have 'seen something,'...

I happened to watch this video today, after spending about 25 minutes in CVS looking for the 'perfect'  Mother's day card, that would 'touch' my mom's heart in just the right way. When I realized the video had to do with eliminating a sense, and relying on other senses I couldn't help but share this sentimental experiment. PSA: Mother's day is approaching faster than you think, don't be the kid who forgets, Sunday May 10, and after you watch this video I don't see how you could! In the video we see young children blind folded (taking away their vision), but still able to identify their moms. The children use their sense of touch to pick out their mom from the group of moms; we see them touch their faces, hair, clothing, body, and then the mother and child share some type of 'special' affection (such as rubbing noses/ eskimo kisses). During our touch presentation our group attempted to explain how the use of touch has evolved over...

What Happens When On Thursday night I attended the What Ha ppens When performance. I was excited to finally see what this was all about so that I could better help plan for our final banquet. After the show I found it was rather fitting I went shortly after my touch presentation because I think a lot of the show had to do with touch, and also the other senses.  The show's focus was on sexual assault on college campus, but the purpose of the show was to get the conversation about what really happens, and what really goes on in the volatile hookup culture out there for everyone to be able to discuss.  The show made me think to the many Wheaton parties I have attended, where people are dancing, or just moving from place to place in tight body packed places, and how much unwanted touching goes on.  <- It's hard to constantly give off this "DO NOT TOUCH ME" face at parties, it's also not a face that many people will approach to spark up...

My taste on touch, inspired by Elizabeth Robinson During Tuesday's class Elizabeth Robinson, a massage therapist came in to discuss touch with us. When she began by asking for volunteers and activities I immediately felt uncomfortable... "I do not like to be 'touched,'I meekly announced to her. It seemed as though not many others in the class felt the same way, they were quick to volunteer to be touched, or touch. What made me different? Ms. Robinson heard me, she reassured me by saying I was not a lone and some people did not necessarily enjoy being touched, or even touching others; she said this had a lot to do with how we grew up. I was constantly surrounded by people who loved me as a child, and who showed me their physical affection, but I was never affectionate with my dad. To this day I only feel comfort and trust in the arms of my mom. Ms. Robinson asked if anyone in the class had ever had a massage, I was part of the minority who had not. I be...

Can your everyday family dinner be considered a ritual? Dinners look different at every household, this is something I knew, but recently I started to think about the "meals" I ate at Wheaton. Rarely did I go to Emerson either alone or with friends for dinner.  For some reason I could not necessarily break away from what I believed was a family dinner. This was not to say I had the same exact family dinner every night while I was at home, but there was something about them that made them a ritual for me.  When I think about sitting down for dinner this is the face I would like to have every single night. I want to prepare food that can not only give me the substance that I need to live but that will also put a smile on my face and the people (family) I am sharing it with. Some people sit down every night to eat dinner because they have to, they are not excited by their food, personally I think this effects the overall tone of the dinner. If people are not excited a...