Wikipedia Trail: From Yajna to Shaktism

In this week's reading, I came across the term yajna. It means sacrifice, worship, offering, or devotion. In Hinduism, it is often a ritual with mantras performed in front of a sacred fire. The tradition began as offerings to gods in sacred fire and transformed into "symbolic offerings in the presence of sacred fire."

That article led me to Agni, which means fire in Sanskrit. It is also associated with the Vedic fire god in Hinduism. Agni guards the southeast direction, and he is the mouth of the gods and goddesses. Agni (fire) is also one of the five elements in Indian religious cosmology.

Agni led me to Holi, which I have heard of before but never knew the significance. Holi is an ancient Hindu festival that is known as the "festival of colours/love/spring." It's purpose is to recognize the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It gives people a chance to "repair broken relationships" and just take care of each other. What a beautiful celebration!

"The Mughal Indian emperor Jahangir celebrating Holi with ladies of the zenana" from Wikimedia Commons

That led me to Shaktism, which is a Hindu tradition where "the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically feminine and Shakti is regarded as the supreme godhead." I was pretty confused by this article, but generally I think Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism where certain goddesses are seen as the highest powers. 

Week 9 Reading Notes: Nine Ideal Indian Women, Part B

• Sati falls in love with Siva. 
• I really loved this quote that shows Siva's character: "When he called Siva a beggar, Daksha Raj spoke truly, for among all the gods there was none so poor as Mahadeva, who owned the whole creation but had nothing it it to call His own, for He had given all to others and had for Himself only an ox." (page 2)
• Pages 3-4 give some really beautiful description about Sati and Siva enjoying a peaceful life together.
• Sati goes to her father's yagna that she was not invited to. 
• Sati ends up dying because her father's disapproval of her choices. Siva is enraged and begins to destroy the world, but Vishnu helps to reverse this by putting pieces of Sati's body on Earth. These became temples of Siva. 

"Sati shiva bishnu" from Wikimedia Commons

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Bibliography: Nine Ideal Indian Women: Savitri, Damayanti, Sati, and Uttara, by Sunity Devee.

Week 9 Reading Notes: Nine Ideal Indian Women, Part A

• Savitri falls in love with a boy (Satyaban) in the forest. It turns out he is an exiled prince. Savitri's father doesn't want her marrying him because he was an "exiled beggar" but he also doesn't want her to be forced into obedience. He learns that the boy's father (the king) was surrounded by enemies from day one on the throne, making it really difficult to rule anyways. Then the king became blind, and he was eventually driven out of the kingdom by his brother. Satyaban and his mom followed him into exile. This makes Savitri's father more okay with her marrying him, but then he learns that Satyaban is destined to die within a year (which reminds me of The Raven Cycle!!! That is a key point of that book! I wonder if that's where she got the idea...).
• Savitri still wants to marry him despite knowing he'll die in a year.
• The way their love is written about is really beautiful. I might write about a single moment/day in their relationship where they are just doing daily domestic activities, helping Satyaban's parents, but both of them are admiring each other, and Savitri is trying hard not to think about how she will live without him.
• When Satyaban dies, the King of Death comes. Savitri begs him not to take Satyaban's body, but eventually gives in. She follows the King of Death, saying that she can't live without Satyaban so he should take her also. The King of Death says he will grant her wishes if she stops following him. She wishes for: her father-in-law's sight back, her father to have a son as an heir, and sons for herself. She then says that all of that is pointless to her if she doesn't have Satyaban, and she also wishes to die. The King of Death is surprised and realizes he has been conquered (love this!!! Reminds of Harry Potter). He gives Savitri her husband back. 
• Satyaban wakes up and thinks he has been sleeping there all night. Savitri doesn't tell him he died. This could also make a really interesting story--they continue gathering wood, and I could write about how Savitri is looking at Satyaban, thoughts racing and admiring him. 
• I love how everything just fell together perfectly in this story. Everything had a purpose: the birth of a girl instead of a boy, the exile, the wishes, the death, etc. 

Savitri and Satyavan from Wikimedia Commons

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Bibliography: Nine Ideal Indian Women: Savitri, Damayanti, Sati, and Uttara, by Sunity Devee.

Week 9 Microfiction: Harry Potter, Book Four

The Perils of War Show No Mercy: Cedric Diggory

A flick, a flash; an innocent, pure heart stopped. A pointless murder, but a necessary one all the same. 

Book Four

The beginning of a darker time. 

______

Author's Note:

My two sentence microfiction is about Cedric Diggory, who was murdered on Voldemort's orders. Diggory is one of my favorite characters, and it took me two re-reads to finally accept his death. At first, I was completely distraught because it felt pointless. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Diggory's death was a pivotal moment in the books. It was the evidence many people needed to realize that Voldemort was back, and that he was going to do whatever horrible things he had to to achieve power. Killing Diggory was one of the biggest mistakes Voldemort made for so many reasons, but the biggest was that it brought people together. Anyways! I wanted to make it a six-word story but in the end I realized a short two-sentence story was more meaningful. Also, I really like the idea of creating a long title for such a short story. It feels kind of silly but also important. It forces the reader to take in every single word and gives them more to analyze.

My six-word story is about the book in general. The ending of The Goblet of Fire is a turning point in the series that introduces some very intense and unsettling content. I wanted to convey this in a succinct way, and I think a six-word story does it well.

Bibliography: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Image information: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire poster from Flickr. I haven't seen this before and I thought it was so good!

Famous Last Words: Week 8 Assignments Finished!

Week 8 was a review week, and thank goodness for that because I badly needed some reflection time. I have not had much time or energy to seriously contemplate my work and schedule this semester, so being forced to do so was immensely helpful. It is wonderful how much reflection can help clear your head and take a weight off your shoulders that you didn't realize was there before. This also makes me realize I need to put aside some time for journaling again.

I am still having a lot of fun writing my Harry Potter microfiction. I feel like I'm starting to run out of writing steam, though, so I might take a break from biography or microfiction? Although usually right when I give up on those, I come up with an idea to write about. Before I know it, the assignment is done. Maybe that is saying something about how I need to stop overthinking... Some of the best advice I've ever heard is "don't try so hard" (from the show Parks and Recreation), and as simple as it is, it's definitely what I need to hear most of the time.

My other courses are okay, although I'm starting to feel a mid-semester lull where I am tempted to skip... (This is why I prefer online classes! The amount of energy it takes just to go to campus, find parking, get to class, wait for the professor, etc. is equivalent to doing an entire module in an online class.) But I am too scared to miss class just in case a professor decides to throw in a pop quiz or extra points that day, so I still go to class anyways. The main connection I see between this class and my other classes is that Indian Epics helps me improve my writing skills, which makes essay-writing easier for other classes. It's wild how just a few weeks without practice can make it so much harder to write.

To finish, I randomly came across this HEART image and wow do I feel personally attacked. I've always struggled with over-highlighting because everything feels important to me. But then when I try to minimize my highlighting, I end up focusing on things that apparently the professor doesn't see as important. It is such a frustrating cycle!

Meme from Learning by HEART blog

Week 8 Biography: Camelback Mountain

The sweat on my back and my twitching muscles were constant reminders that my body was not used to such rapidly increasing elevation. Camelback Mountain was no joke, especially for someone who had never seriously hiked before. I laughed at my confidence from an hour before, when I brushed off warnings about this strenuous hike for those who were inexperienced. Locals passed me one by one, and I had to remind myself to not get competitive and to instead take my time. Up and up I went, using my hands to climb up and over boulders. I soon realized this was not so much a hike as it was rock-climbing. My journey to the top was not an easy one, but once I made it, I basked in the pleasure of my accomplishment. For me, hiking will never be a pretty or elegant venture, but it will always be a worthwhile one.

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Author's Note:

In keeping with my hiking biographical writing, I wrote about my Camelback Mountain hike in Arizona. I have been trying to write a shorter story but have found it to be very difficult since I can't figure out which details to leave in or take out. I'm so glad I was finally able to do it! I'm pretty happy with what details I decided to share in this one. It tells the story of how brutal this hike was for me, but I hope it also shows how it is one of my favorites. I have a lot of love for Camelback Mountain, and I'm glad I was able to write a small tribute to it.

Image information: Personal images of Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, March 2017.

Week 8 Wikipedia Trail: From Trimurti to Pāṇini

I started with Trimurti, which is a term I saw mentioned in a past storybook for Indian Epics. This is a triple deity in Hinduism that personifies creation (Brahma), maintenance (Vishnu), and destruction (Shiva).

I then clicked on Maitrayaniya Upanishad, which is an ancient Sanskrit text in the Yajurveda. There are so many terms I'm unfamiliar with in this article so it's hard to decipher exactly what this term means, but I think it's a really important text in Hinduism.

I had no idea what the Yajurveda was so I clicked on that next. It is basically scripture for worship rituals said by a priest. It is one of the four Vedas and was probably made between 1200 to 1000 BCE.

From there I clicked on Pāṇini, who was a "Sanskrit philologist, grammarian, and a revered scholar in ancient India." He is known as the father of linguistics (just in India, I believe) and he did a ton of work to form and improve Indian language.

The Trimurti at Ellora from Wikipedia

Week 8 Microfiction: Harry Potter, Book Three

Lupin's Decision

Remus held the Hogwarts letter in his hand, wondering what possibly qualified him to be a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He wondered how Professor Dumbledore would justify and explain the werewolf issue to parents. His main concern, though, was the memories. He didn't know if his heart could take being back in the only place he had ever been truly happy, surrounded by the ghosts of his past adventures. He thought of James, Lily, and Peter, and how they would have told him to take the job. He thought of Harry. Then, he replied with: Yes, I accept.  

Sirius in Azkaban

He was innocent. Dementors don't care.

________

Author's Note:

In continuing with my Harry Potter microfiction, I wrote some about book three. For my first story, I wrote a 100-word story about what I imagine it was like for Remus to get the request from Dumbledore that he teach at Hogwarts. It was extremely brave of him to say yes, especially with all the PTSD he definitely had... I'm not sure I captured the amount of immense anguish and indecision he probably felt in that moment, but I did what I could with 100 words.

For my second story, I wrote a six-word story about Sirius' time in Azkaban and how brutal dementors can be. I chose to write a six-word story for this one because there really isn't much more to say than that (if you understand the context)--he didn't deserve the pain he endured. I had difficulty with tenses, though. I wanted to say "the dementors didn't care" but that would be a seven-word story, which defeats the purpose... I think it works this way, too, though.

Bibliography: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Image Information: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by mcgenabdgma is licensed under CC CC0 1.0

Week 8 Progress

Looking back, I am happy with my progress so far. I'm proud that I got ahead and stayed ahead, which I really did not expect considering some of the personal issues I've had to deal with this semester. My weekly routine for this course isn't exactly a standard routine--it's more just that I do the work for this course when I want to procrastinate for other courses that I don't enjoy as much, or I do this coursework in between classes. The assignment I enjoy the most is the stories. At first I always feel pressure with them because I'm worried I won't be able to come up with an idea, but once I just start writing, the story basically writes itself. In terms of extra credit options, I'm definitely making use of those. I'm having so much fun with the biography and microfiction, although I am not the best microfiction writer. I feel like I'm improving, though! In terms of building my website, there isn't much to say. I worked on last semester's website until I was completely satisfied with it, so I then just used the exact same layout for this semester's website. 

Looking forward, there are not really any changes I want to make for the second half of the semester. I do want to avoid trying to hurry through the assignments, though. This class gives me a creative outlet, and once it's over I know I'll miss it. I want to try to take my time with these last ~100 points I have left, although I also want to avoid striving for perfection. I need to find a middle ground.

As for an image to motivate me for the big push through the end of the semester, below is a comic that always helps me. It's a good reminder to focus on the present and do what you can with what you have right now. It's one of my all-time favorite images that has helped me through a lot.

Comic by Pictures in Boxes from Unearthed Comics

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

The quality of comments and feedback I am receiving from other students is really high. My peers are making a lot of good points. The comments I find most useful are the ones that ask "what if", meaning that they are making recommendations for ideas I could add to my story to make them more interesting.

I would say the quality of the comments and feedback I am leaving for other students is pretty good. I'm not great at making recommendations for changes, but I'm getting better at it as we go. I am definitely getting good ideas for my own writing when I read other people's writing. A lot of my peers think outside the box, and reading their writing helps me do the same.

I definitely have a sense of getting to know people by connecting with them on their blogs. Their introductions are really informative and help me understand their writing even more. I am happy with my introduction post, although I might go back and edit it a bit to add some new details.

To make the feedback assignments more useful for others, I might go back through our earlier feedback assignments and look for suggestions on how to give good feedback.

Image From Growth Mindset and Feedback Cats Blog

I chose the above image because it's such an important thing to remember when I receive feedback. I often skim over the praise and go straight to the criticism, which then makes me feel like a failure of a writer. It's important to balance the good and bad, and accept feedback without taking it personally.

Week 8 Reading and Writing

Overall, the reading and writing assignments are working well for me. I had never read Indian stories before this course, so learning how to navigate them is interesting. There are so many long names I get confused by but I'm getting more and more used to them. I'm having a lot of fun with the writing assignments because Indian epics have a lot of elements that I haven't seen in other stories before. They're giving me a lot of good writing ideas.

I'm happy with my blog and project website, although I'm not sure how I feel about my project yet... My first story didn't flow as easily as I hoped it would, but hopefully after I make edits, it'll sound better. I am really enjoying how my storybook is based more on overarching ideas rather than specific stories (i.e. I use Wikipedia and other online resources rather than citing a book).

My favorite reading so far has been the Ramayana. It just had so many fun ideas, plus it was basically my introduction to Indian stories, so I think I'll forever have a sort of emotional attachment to it. I'm also happy with my notes for my readings. I take notes on things I know I'll forget even though I really enjoyed them, which then gives me ideas for a story later.

Ravana slaughtering Jatayu the vulture, from Wikimedia Commons

I chose this image because it is such a vital scene in the Ramayana. It shows the dedication that certain characters had towards Sita and Rama. That love for the characters drove the entire story.

Looking forward, I don't really want or need to do much else to get more out of the reading and writing in this class. I feel like I have a pretty good routine going, and I'm getting a lot out of the readings already. I'm pretty happy with my progress in the course.

Week 7 Famous Last Words: Thoughts from the Week

The reading for this week went well, although I still prefer the Ramayana. I did love a lot of the aspects of the Mahabharata, though, and I finished both sections. All the odd stuff with the Pandavas was really interesting and unexpected.

This week I had a ton of fun writing my story. I wasn't sure about it at first because I didn't know what perspective to write from, but I'm really happy with it. I didn't realize how much can be written about so little, but that was kind of the whole idea of it for me. I needed practice in drawing out a scene because I too often just speed through scenes/topics like they don't matter. I also had fun writing the Grand Canyon story, although I think it could do with another round of edits.

I have been looking at other people's storybooks and I'm really looking forward to reading them! They all look so fun. As for blog stories, my absolute favorite so far that I've read in this course has been this one (I'm not sure if it's weird to link other people's stories.....but I am going to anyways). It just feels so beautiful and meaningful to me, and the wisdom that comes from it is something that I would have a hard time writing myself. I'm always so impressed with the stories people come up with in Laura's classes--so many of my peers should seriously consider writing outside of this class if they don't already.

I know the week 8 assignments are review posts, so hopefully I can get even more ahead with those. I did not expect to almost be done with all of week 7 by today, so I'm definitely excited about that. I only need to do the project story, but I always put those off until the very end. I really need to stop doing that. Over the next week, I'm also going to continue working on cover letters for internships, and I'll probably take Yumi to the dog park since the weather is getting better. :)

To close, here's an unrelated picture of Yumi from our snow day recently. :)))

Yumi playing in the snow (personal image, February 2020)

Week 7 Wikipedia Trail: From Tapas to Eschatology

I started with Tapas (Indian religions), which is mentioned in the Mahabharata. I was interested to learn more about it as a form of meditation and spiritual growth, so naturally I decided to research it. I then clicked on Asceticism because I wanted to know more about abstinence from sensual pleasures and why certain people choose to do this. According to the article, usually people do this to achieve spiritual goals. It sounds like people who do this find a lot of fulfillment in the spiritual realm--I'd imagine they'd have to, to be so dedicated to something like that.

That led me to an article on Zoroastrianism. I clicked on that specifically because it's such an interesting word...I had to know what it meant. It turns out its the word for "one of the world's oldest continuously practiced religions" and it focuses on good and evil (amongst a bunch of other things). It has influenced tons of religions, including Christianity and Islam.

I finished off with Eschatology, another interesting word. It's a part of theology that focuses on the "final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity." This is definitely something I'm going to look into more, as it's right up my alley in terms of things I like learning about.

Four horsemen of the apocalypse, as depicted in the Apocalypse work by Albrecht Dürer from Wikipedia

Week 7 Biography: The Grand Canyon

At the trailhead of the Grand Canyon's South Kaibab trail sits a sign warning hikers not to hike down to the Colorado River and back in one day. For me, it was a little too late for that knowledge, as I had just spent months planning and training for a rim-to-rim day-hike. Ignoring the sign, I shouldered my bag and went on my way.

Ooh Aah Point about a mile into the South Kaibab trail (Personal image, May 2017)

Hiking down was more difficult than you would think. I had to use a set of muscles I don't typically put to use, as I'm not typically walking on a downward slope for about six miles. Still, I knew I'd be missing it in a few hours when I was on my way back up.

Going down the South Kaibab trail (Personal image, May 2017)

At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, tadpoles swam in the Colorado River, and the flat ground provided much-needed relief from a slope.

Near the bottom of the Grand Canyon (Personal image, May 2017)

I had not been making very good time, though, so I had very little time to enjoy it. I stuck my feet in the river, took a few minutes to enjoy the view, and then went on my way.

On the way back up (Personal image, May 2017)

On the way up the ~8 mile Bright Angel trail, I eventually thought I wasn't going to make it. About a mile in, I couldn't believe I ever thought I enjoyed hiking. About three miles in, I thought I would have to be one of those people who are helicopter-lifted out. But I refused to quit, because I knew I could do it. I knew I was stronger than my mind was telling me I was. That last mile was tough. It never got easier. By the time I reached the Bright Angel Trailhead at the top of the Grand Canyon, I didn't even really care. After 12 hours of walking (well...probably nine hours of hiking, and three hours of eating, drinking water and gatorade, and resting), I was just glad to be done. Eventually, I was glad to have challenged myself, but at the moment of finishing, I just wanted a bed and a massive amount of food.

Someday I hope to hike the Grand Canyon from rim-to-rim-to-rim, but I'm at least self-aware enough to realize that I am definitely not in shape enough for that right now. But someday.

__________

Author's Note: Last week I wrote about my Manitou Incline hike, so this week I decided to keep writing about my hiking adventures. I tried to write a 100-word story, but obviously that didn't work. Still, I tried to keep it minimal and only give the most vital details. When thinking about my Grand Canyon trip, these are the snapshots I remember, so I didn't try to dig too far into my memory for the sake of writing more. I felt like these were the most important points, and they would make for the best story.

Week 7 Story: The Lake

In a world where impatience thrives, wisdom is ignored, and greed flourishes, there is a lake that seeks to change this. He who approaches the lake feels a thirst unlike any he has ever experienced before. It burns, drying his mouth thoroughly until hardly any coherent thoughts can be formed. In the lake sits a crane, quietly awaiting the next mortal who desperately needs admonishment. The crane watches, day after day, night after night, until a traveler stumbles upon the water. The water is unlike any water a person has seen before. It sits like a mirror, so clear, clean, and motionless that it reflects the sky. It begs to be consumed.

The mortal reaches out, excited to finally be relieved of such extreme dehydration. But then to his horror: a voice, snapping him out of his reverie, reminding him there is a world around him. He sees a crane moving its mouth open and shut. In his dazed condition, he doesn't know what it is saying. He catches a few words, wait, don't drink, riddle. But doesn't the crane understand? He wants it now. He doesn't need to listen to a bird. He will do whatever he pleases. Right now, that is drinking this water in front of him.

He dips his hands in the lake, ignoring the incessant warnings of the crane, and lifts the water to his lips. He already feels refreshed, just having it so near him. It touches his lips, and as he swallows, he feels a regret unlike any other. He realizes he could have waited, he should have waited just a few more moments to hear the crane out. He thinks of those he has hurt. He wonders why he had wasted so much time focusing on himself when he could have been helping others--and then nothing. He stills.

The crane looks away and sighs. Another one gone, she thinks. A sadness fills her, making her wonder if any of this is worth it. It makes her wonder why she even tries. Sometimes the world feels doomed. She folds her feathers in and focuses on the few who were changed for the better because of the lake. She thinks of those who listened to her warning and felt grateful for the change in their heart. She tries to focus on them. It is not much, but it is something.

Crane (Bird) from Wikimedia Commons

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Author's Note:

For my story, I focused on the crane and the lake in the Mahabharata. Originally, this crane/voice was actually set up as a test for Yudhishthira and his brothers, but I liked the idea of the lake so much that I made it an actual setting that anyone could encounter and end up being tested at. I made the lake a little more mystical and magical than mentioned in the book. In my version, the lake attracts people whose hearts have been corrupted. The crane sits there to stop them from drinking it, but the character in my version doesn't even bother to listen. I really loved this part of the book because it is such a conflict--the characters were so thirsty, but they definitely could have waited a few more moments, just as Yudhishthira did. It says a lot about the human spirit and how difficult it is for us to be patient.

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata

Week 7 Microfiction: Harry Potter, Year Two

Riddle's Diary

Ginny felt lonely; the diary knew. 

Tom Riddle's Diary by James_Seattle on Flickr

The Voice

Isolated his whole life by differences, Harry found that even in the world in which he belonged, he was an outcast. This didn't bother him much, but the voice in the walls that only he could distinguish did.

__________

Author's Note:

For the first story, I did a six-word microfiction about how Tom Riddle's (Voldemort) diary was possessing Ginny. I had trouble deciding if "the diary knew" should have been first, but I think this order packs a punch a bit more. I'm doing six-word stories every week to get better at them (I need a lot of practice...it's definitely not my forte), so that's why I decided on that length. 

For the second story, I wrote about Harry hearing the basilisk in the pipes that was causing paralysis  in Hogwarts. I wanted to depict Harry's differences, but when reading the series I noticed that Harry had much bigger things that he focused on than "woe is me." He had Ron and Hermione, which helped him get through any feelings of isolation, and he listened to his instinct in the second book, telling him that the noise was definitely something concerning. I decided on a two-sentence story because I wanted to point out two different things, and I felt like that necessitated two sentences. 

Bibliography: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

Week 7 Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D

• Bhima tricks Drona into thinking his son, Ashwatthaman, is dead. Drona is then extremely distraught and ends up being killed. It could be interesting to write about Drona's thoughts while he's paralyzed with despair--thinking about his worst fears and his anguish. 
• After the battle, Dhritarashtra is grieving and wants to kill Bhima. Krishna makes a metal statue and puts it in place of Bhima. 
• At the end, Yudhishthira goes to Bhishma and gets information about being a king. 
• Krishna's people get into a civil war and end up destroyed. 
• Krishna is murdered by a hunter who things Krishna's feet are birds. 
• There wasn't much in this half that I'd want to write about, but I do like the above points. It feels like they could be details in other stories I write for my storybook (or details from the story I will write this week). 

Image source: The Death of Bhishma

__________

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata

Week 7 Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C

• I was really intrigued by the voice in the lake. It'd be really fun to write a story about this, as well as the mysterious giant deer. I could have a character (or a series of characters) from another story approach the lake, or I could re-write the scene where the Nakula and the others find the lake and drink from it. Or maybe a story about the crane??? So many options. (Pages 176-185ish in my version of the book.) I'm a little confused about if the crane eventually only became a voice, or if it was killed?? But overall I really like the idea. 
• "He came down and proceeded towards a crystal-clear pond, sapphire-like, reflecting the sky. He fell down on his knees and splashed the water on his face. As he did this, a loud voice, which seemed to come from a crane standing in the water, cried, “Stop! This pond is mine. Don’t touch it until you answer my questions. After answering, drink or take away as much water as you like.” Nakula’s thirst was so searing that he could not wait. He bent down and, cupping his palms, raised the water to his lips. He immediately collapsed, and lay, to all purposes, dead.” (Excerpt From: R. K. Narayan. “The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic.”)

Yudhistira and Yaksha from Wikimedia Commons

__________

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata

Week 6 Biography: The Manitou Incline

As my alarm rang at 4:00 in the morning, my excitement mixed with anxiety. I tried to ignore all of the emotions I was feeling and just accept that I was going to do this no matter what--I would hike up the Manitou Incline whether or not I was physically ready for it. I had driven to Colorado primarily for the Incline, and I would not leave until it was done. I would push through every single one of the 2,744 steps even if it took me all day. Locals apparently hiked it weekly in under an hour with ease, so why couldn't I at least try it?

The first few steps made me overly confident. It wasn't too steep yet, and I was passing people already. Then, about 15 minutes in, I realized my error. Those people I had passed were now passing me as I slowed to catch my breath. I knew I would need to take it slower.

The Incline from near the bottom. The top half is hidden from view, which makes you constantly think you're almost there...but you're far, far from it. (Personal image, October 2018)

Some minutes would pass quietly, where it was just me, the sun rising, and the people hundreds of steps both ahead and below me. Other minutes, someone would catch up with me and a stranger would become a hiking buddy. Then one of us would decide to pick up the pace or slow down, and silence would return.

Halfway up, I sat down to take a break and was glad for it. While the amount of steps I saw below me did not compare to the amount I thought I had walked up, it was still an incredible feat. That didn't even compare to the view of the town below and the mountains in the distance. I was happy to be there, even if my rapidly beating heart wasn't.

About 2,200 steps in, a deer slowly made its way across the stairs, giving me an excuse to take another break. 2,400 steps in, I wondered if I should just turn around, but then realized my brain wasn't thinking clearly because that would make no sense--I was almost there.

Those last 344 steps were a lot. Extremely steep, and extremely tiring. There were some times when I almost fell backwards because it was so steep. I had to use my hands to climb at one point. Every muscle in my body was screaming, so I took multiple breaks because I'm a firm believer in not creating a preventable dire emergency situation.

Near the top. (Personal image, October 2018)

Then, at last, after about two hours total, I was there. I had pushed through all the aches and pains, and I could now enjoy the view from 2,000 feet up. A few chipmunks were running around, looking at all the sweaty and exhausted people. I didn't really know what to do with myself at that point, so I just sat down and appreciated what I had accomplished. I ate some trail mix, made some friends, took some pictures, and watched Colorado be beautiful.

View from the top. (Personal image, October 2018)

Then, with stiff muscles, I began my descent.

I'm hoping someday I can live near the area and learn to hike it in an hour like the locals, but for now I'm proud enough that I finished. I definitely got lost on the way down (you have to take a different route back), and then proceeded to get trapped in my hotel elevator for 45 minutes and had to have firefighters help me out, but those are stories for a different time.

A chipmunk(?) friend I made at the top of the Incline. (Personal image, October 2018)

A picture I took on the way down. (Personal image, October 2018)

________

Author's Note: In trying to decide what to write about, I realized a story could be told about my hiking adventures. I might write about my Grand Canyon and Hawaii hikes in the future, but for now I started with this one that is extremely important to me. I'm not sure why, but it holds a special place in my heart. Ever since I visited Manitou Springs and saw people walking up those stairs, I knew I wanted to trek up it, too. It's such a simple hike but it makes you feel like you've accomplished so much. While writing this story, I had trouble deciding what to include and what to take out. I didn't want to make it too long, but there are some details that are just too significant to leave out. I'm pretty happy with the length I decided on and the way I told the story.

Famous Last Words: A Fairly Average Week

The reading for this week went well, although I am definitely more of a Ramayana person. There are so many names to remember and keep track of that I keep getting lost. This means it takes me forever to finish a single page. Still, I did have time to finish both portions. Once I realized how long it would take to get through it, I allotted the necessary amount of time for it in my schedule. The reading did leave me with questions about the characters and certain ideas in Indian culture, so hopefully I will be able to explore those in future Wikipedia Trail posts.

Since I did a story lab this week, I don't really have many choices of my best writing from this week. So far from this course, though, my favorite writing has been the story I wrote about Yumi. I also had a lot of fun writing the introduction for my project last week. I have never described a place in so much detail before, so it was a new writing style for me.

Outside of this course, my coursework is going okay. I am struggling with quizzes in one course, which is frustrating because I know I can apply the knowledge we've learned but I just have trouble memorizing it. Doing the work for this course provides much-needed relief and helps build my confidence when my other courses aren't going well.

Outside of school, I have been looking into publishing internships. I recently realized how much I want to work in children's literature, so I just finished editing my resume and writing a cover letter for internship applications. Unfortunately, I lack qualifications and experience, but hopefully someone will take a chance on me.

Next week, I am hoping to get back into a routine. This past week I have been busy catching up with assignments, so next week I need to get back to my schedule. I definitely notice a difference when I don't have a routine, and I haven't been taking very great care of myself so the plan is to allot some time for resting, reading, and working out.

Reflecting on this past week - Image from Growth Mindset Memes blog

Week 6 Microfiction: Harry Potter, Year One

Story 1: The Train Station

Platform 9¾ was only the beginning.

Story 2: The Philosopher's Stone

The stone did not tempt Harry, for even he knew there were more important things than immortality.

_____________

Author's Note:

For my first microfiction, I did a six-word story on the famous Platform 9¾, where it kind of all started for Harry. It was the entrance to a world that introduced him to the realization that he was loved. It's where he met the Weasleys, and it's where he got on his first train to Hogwarts. I wrote a six word story for this one because I wanted to see how much I could tell of Harry's story in six words.

For the second story, I wrote a <100 word story on the Philosopher's Stone. It's based off of the part where Harry is able to obtain the stone because he has no desire to use it. I feel like this shows his character so well because it emphasizes what he values and what he doesn't--which inevitably leads to later successes for him. I had a hard time writing this one, too, and I definitely had to cut it down to be less than 100 words because I have so much more to say about it.

Image information: "Headed to Hogwarts" by Daniel Incandela is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Bibliography: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling.

Wikipedia Trail: From Ganga to Samsara

For this Wikipedia trail, I started with Ganga, who is the river Ganges personified. She was mentioned in the first few pages of the Mahabharata and I was really curious to know more about her.

Hindus believe that bathing in her river lead to "liberation from the cycle of life and death", which is known as Moksha. I clicked on Moksha because I was really intrigued by that idea, and that led me to Nirvana.

A depiction of liberated souls at moksha from Wikipedia

Nirvana is a term I've heard of before but knew very little about. Basically, it's when a person doesn't have any suffering or any desires. It turns out this is actually another term for Moksha.

From there I clicked on the word Samsara. Coincidentally enough, I actually just found and listened to a song with this title the other day. I had no idea that it is a Sanskrit word meaning "wandering" or "world", and it emphasizes cyclical change. What a beautiful idea!

Week 6 Lab: Writers Write Articles

I read the article Why You Need Consequences In Fiction, which talks about how to make your stories matter. Writing characters with dimension is important to keep readers interested. If the characters are perfect and have no flaws, it can get boring really quickly. To make your stories more realistic, you should ensure your character's choices and actions have consequences.

I also read this article on cheat sheets for body language. I often have difficulty finding the exact right words. I know what I'm trying to say, but I can't quite put my finger on the phrase or term. Having cheat sheets like this is so helpful, and it even gives me more ideas that will help expand my writing. One of my favorites on the cheat sheet is, "Secretiveness: tight-lipped smile, hands in pockets look away, cover face, look down." The article also lists good reasons to describe body language. I'll definitely be putting this cheat sheet to use in the future!

This article on 10 Powerful Recurring Themes In Children’s Stories is exactly what I am interested in. I love children's literature, as it has played a huge role in my life. I really hope to be a part of publishing children's stories some day. They can give kids such important life advice without the kids even realizing it. The list includes things like courage, love, and friendship. It gives specific examples, and one of my favorites is Harry Potter, which it mentions shows how to have courage in the face of evil. There is so much depth to children's books that we don't even think about. They're more than just cute and interesting stories--they're introductions to important life lessons that will teach kids how to be kinder people as they grow up.

Children's books from Wikimedia Commons

Week 6 Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B

• (Chapter 7) Shakuni and Yudhishthira play a dice game, and Yudhishthira loses everything he owns. He keeps laying, though, and loses his brothers, himself, and Draupadi. Duryodhana tells Draupadi to take her clothes off. She calls to Krishna for help, and when her sari is taken off, another one replaces it. It could be a fun story to re-create this story with other characters or personified animals. 
• Dhritarashtra gives Draupadi a wish, and she uses it to free Yudhishthira. She uses another wish to free her other four husbands. She declines to use a third wish. Dhritarashtra gives back all the Pandavas' things and sends them back to Indraprastha.
•  Krisha visits Yudhishthira and says Duryodhana and his allies will be punished. Draupadi thinks its wrong that Yudhishthira is being forgiving towards their enemies, but he tells Draupadi to be patient. Vyasa teaches Y a mantra that allows him to get weapons from the gods. Y teaches this mantra to Arjuna, and Arjuna gets weapons from some of the gods. 
• Indra is impressed with Arjuna's self-control and says his curse will end up being a blessing later. 

The Disrobing of Draupadi (Vastrapaharanam) (from a Persian Mahabharata)

__________

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata

Week 6 Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part A

• Ganga drowns seven of her sons because they are the reincarnations of the Vasus, who are being punished for stealing cows. 
• Ganga took the eighth son with her and brought him up herself. It'd be interesting to write a story about him growing up and Ganga mothering him, since we know so little about it.
• Drona is a guru who is training the Pandavas and the Kauravas, as well as Ashwatthaman. They have to shoot an artificial bird, but only Arjuna is able to do this. 
• The Pandavas have to escape and everyone thinks they are dead since the home they were in is set on fire. 
• During a contest, Arjuna strings a bow and hits a target, which means he wins Draupadi as his bride. 

Image source: Pandavas Escape the Fire

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata

Biography: Okinawa

As my grandma and I walked out of the plane into the Japan airport, I was overwhelmed. Signs all around us were only written in Japanese characters. I did not know nearly enough of the language to figure out where to go. I glanced at my grandma, concerned that we wouldn't be able to get to our next plane, but I had never seen her more confident in my life. She steered us to the exact right place, weaving in and out of crowds, down long hallways, and through baggage claim. She had not been here in years, but muscle memory took over. She was home.

In Okinawa, we met family, stopped by my grandma's favorite childhood spots, and visited ancient castles. My grandma saw Okinawa from a touristy perspective for the first time (for my sake) and was shocked by the growth of the island as a vacation destination. As for me, I learned to live off the few Japanese words I knew, as well as the kindness of my relatives. They did whatever they could to communicate their love without words (when my grandma couldn't translate). One day I told my great-aunt that I loved the sata andagi (Okinawan donuts) she had given me. The next day, she handed me two bags full of them to take home. The language barrier felt very minimal at times like that.

Visiting a non-English speaking place changed my perspective on the world. It was extremely humbling to have to depend on someone else to translate everything for me. I had to learn to let go of being in control because I couldn't. Language barriers are tough, but allowing that to stop you from exploring places with one will cause you to lose out on a lot of incredible experiences. The day we left Okinawa, I felt a sadness in my stomach that I had never felt for any other place. I know I will go back someday, and until then, I'll keep brushing up on my Japanese.

(Personal image of Okinawa from the top of an abandoned castle.)

Author's Note:

For my post, I used this prompt: Have you traveled or lived in a place where you did not speak the language spoken around you? Write a story prompted by that experience. I was going to make it a 100 word microfiction, but I ended up wanting to tell a longer story. Japan (and Okinawa specifically) means a lot to me, and I wanted to write a bit more of an emotional story than the one I wrote for my favorite place post.

Week 5 Story: Snapshots from Sita's Imprisonment

On day one of imprisonment, Sita's faith in Rama was steadfast. Her love for him was unwavering, and her belief in his ability to rescue her was resolute. Ravana could do what he wanted to her; she would not give in. She would choose death over his hand in marriage.

On day five, Sita walked the ashoka grove peacefully, refusing to spend more time than necessary in the palace of the evil man who had captured her. Her anger and revulsion towards him was unmatched. How could he think she would ever choose him over Rama?

Day 38 came and went. Sita momentarily felt a trace of doubt but crushed it only a second later, thinking of her lover's face. It shone brightly in her mind, a source of light that she would not let go.

Day 97. "He's not coming," Ravana said, smirking smugly. Sita crossed her arms, tilted her chin up, and defiantly looked away from him.

"Silly girl, forget about Rama. I can give you anything you want," Ravana said on day 56.

"Anything I want?" Sita asked, a small, mocking smile forming on her lips. "Give me Rama, then."

Ravana rolled his eyes and decided he would try again tomorrow.

Day 170 was a day of weakness for Sita. The pain of the unknown began to suffocate her. Was Rama still alive? When would he rescue her? She did not know how she would survive another day of imprisonment. She fell asleep that night hoping that tomorrow would bring her the faith that she needed to survive.

Day 252. Sita's heart was stirring with anxious joy. A rumor had been spreading that Rama was desperately attempting to rescue her. There were stories of brave deeds and near-death fights. Sita wasn't sure any of it was real, yet still she held on to each tale for dear life.

Ravana approached her on day 350, as he did most days. She sat in the ashoka grove, staring absently at the ground and not even bothering to look up as Ravana's footsteps grew louder.

"You must be feeling some doubt, hm?" Ravana asked fiercely. "Your lover has yet to come. Maybe he does not love you in the same way I do. Let me make you my queen."

His voice woke Sita from her depressive stupor. Hatred boiled inside her, threatening an explosion. Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his. "Never. Rama will save me."

Ravana's composure broke for the first time in 350 days. His eyes lit with impatient anger and he raised his sword. "He will not, for you shall die."

"Good!" Sita stood quickly, glaring daggers into Ravana's eyes. Rid me of my sorrow! Kill me!"

They glowered at each other for minutes, until Ravana backed down and turned away, muttering under his breath. 

Sita let out a frustrated breath and slumped back down, head in her hands. A moment later, she felt something light bounce off her feet. She looked down, and there sat Rama's ring. Heart beating rapidly, she looked up, only to find a monkey standing in front of her. She yelped with fear.

"It's okay!" he said. "I'm here with a message from Rama. He's coming to rescue you."

On day 364, Rama and Sita embraced, holding more tightly to each other than ever before.

_________

Author's Note:

My story gives snapshots of what Sita might have been doing and feeling during imprisonment. We barely get any information about her actual time spent with Ravana, but for the few scenes we are given, I added them in (e.g. I took the "never", "He will not, for you shall die", and "rid me of my sorrow" lines directly from page 53 of The Divine Archer). Also, I wasn't exactly sure how many days Sita was imprisoned, so I made it a year. 

Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould.

Image information: Ravana and Sita painting from Wikimedia Commons.

Microfictions: The Bow and Sita's Commitment

Story 1: Rama and the Bow

The strength of love had won.

Story 2: Sita's Commitment

Even in her deepest pain and sorrow, Sita remained firm in her devotion to Rama. No threat or temptation would ever replace the love and longing she felt for him.

__________

Author's Note:

For my first story, I was inspired by the part of The Divine Archer where Rama has to bend the bow to marry Sita. The way the story talks about Rama's love for Sita (and vice versa) makes their love seem more powerful and stronger than any object, which is what inspired my six-word story. I chose this short of a story because I feel like fewer words packs more of a punch; it makes the story even more charming and emotional.

For my second story, I wrote a two-sentence story summarizing Sita's time under Ravana's capture. I imagine the imprisonment was difficult emotionally, but the original story makes it seem like her love for Rama never faltered. Although corny, it does make for a beautiful love story!

Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould.

Image information: Rama bends the bow from Wikimedia Commons.

Week 5 Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part B

• I'm considering doing a story about Sita's time as a prisoner, so here are some details about that:
• Sita is kept prisoner in a mansion in a grove of asoka trees.
• Sita was "pale and sad" and "her dark hair was twisted in one braid and knotted, as a sign of mourning for her absent lord."
• Ravana keeps asking Sita to marry him. She keeps saying no.
• Sita would rather Ravana kill her than marry her.
• I would imagine that while waiting, she was becoming more and more sorrowful and depressed each day. It could be interesting to write about her experiences with Ravana, and the hope she has in Rama for him to come rescue her. I could do a day-by-day recap of her thoughts or something like that. 
• Here is a good article on asoka groves. I could use this for details in Sita's story.

________

Image information: Ravana and Sita painting from Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould.

Week 5 Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part A

• Four sons are born, one of them is Rama.
• Rama grows to a massive size and then shrinks back down, which indicates to his mother that he is a cosmic being.
• Rama and Sita fall in love at first sight. Rama wins Sita's hand in marriage by bending (and snapping) the bow.  
• Manthara makes Queen Kaikeyi (Rama's brother's mother) oppose Rama. Dasharatha owes Kaikeyi two wishes, so Dasharatha is forced to make Bharata the successor and send Rama into exile. 
• Rama goes into exile, and Sita and Lakshmana join him. This could be a really interesting part to write a story about--Rama's emotions and his courage. 

• I love the character of Bharata. He is angry with his mom for what she did and tries to convince Rama to come back. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, he tried to mend it. It's rare to see two people insisting it's the other who should receive the success.
• A sage gives Rama divine weapons that will help protect him. 

________

Image information: Image source. Rama leaving for fourteen years of exile from Ayodhya from Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould.

Wikipedia Trail: From Ashwatthama's Gem to the Sudarshana Chakra

For one of my stories in my storybook, I will likely be writing about Ashwatthama's gem. Here is the link to the article on Ashwatthama. The article mentions that "Ashvatthama is born with a gem on his forehead which gives him power over all living beings lower than humans; it protects him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue."

(Ashvatthama uses Narayanastra, from Wikipedia.)

That led me to this article on Krishna, because Krishna cursed him after he had to surrender his gem. Krishna is the eighth avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love.

I noticed that Krishna had a few weapons, so I clicked the link for the Kaumodaki. This is Krishna's mace, and it is known as one of the oldest and strongest weapons. Vishnu is often depicted holding the Kaumodaki, along with three other objects, which led me to...

...This article on the Sudarshana Chakra. This weapon is another of the four things Vishnu holds. It's a spinning weapon and has been featured quite a bit in Indian mythology!

Week 4 Lab: Research for First Story

Firstly, here are some images I've come across that I will probably want to use at some point:

(Borgin and Burkes shelf by Harshlight from Wikimedia Commons)

(Borgin and Burkes image by Jared on Flickr)

Also, if I search "borgin & burkes" (instead of using "and" use "&") I end up getting way more results for some reason??? I'll have to keep that in mind. 

For one of my stories, I'll be writing about an astra. I'm not completely sure which one yet, so here is a list of potential astras:

• Brahmastra - Brahma's weapon. Can destroy the world and never misses a mark. Extreme mental concentration is required to use it, and it's not supposed to be used in combat and was a last-resort weapon.
• Trishula - Shiva's weapon. According to Wikipedia, "When looked upon as a weapon of Shiva, the trishula is said to destroy the three worlds: the physical world, the world of the forefathers, and the world of the mind. The three worlds are supposed to be destroyed by Shiva into a single non-dual plane of existence, that is bliss alone."
• Gandiva - An invincible bow created by Brahma. 
• Pashupatastra - Most destructive weapon of Shiva. Extremely destructive and powerful. Summons monsters. 
• Narayanastra - Creates a shower of arrows and discs. 

There are so many interesting ones! I think what I might end up doing is I'll mention a few in the story, but have the customer only be intrigued by one. 

Storybook Plan: Borgin and Burkes

Through my storybook project, I hope to give readers an experience that makes them feel like they are in Knockturn Alley. So that means feelings of unpleasantness and spookiness. My stories will probably be in the third person, and each will emphasize a specific Indian myth object that a character finds in Borgin and Burkes. The storytelling style I will be using is kind of like an anthology, although the overall topic/location will be the same.

I'm still not sure if I'm going to use the actual Indian characters who originally had the object, or if I'm going to adjust them to be Harry Potter characters that we already know about.

As mentioned in my previous project post, here are the three stories I am planning to write:

1. Cintamani Stone: For this one, I'm thinking Lucius Malfoy will enter the shop seeking out an object that can aid Voldemort in gaining strength. Borgin would explain the history behind the stone, who sold it to the shop, and how it has been used over the past few centuries. I think it'd be fun to mention Nicholas Flamel in there somewhere. Maybe he studied it to learn how to make his philosopher's stone? 
• Potential sources:
• Here is the wikipedia article about the stone.
• This article on alchemy and Rasayana seems really helpful!
• Here is information about Nicholas Flamel.
2. An astra (probably the Brahmastra?): The idea for this one is that Bellatrix (or some Death Eater) comes into the shop seeking a weapon that could help Voldemort (this would be near the end of the series). She would see the astra and harass Borgin about it. Borgin would be weary in explaining it because it's so destructive, but eventually he would tell her the history of it. 
• Potential sources:
• Pages 120-123 of my copy of Narayan's Ramayana mentions some astras (the Maya, Brahmastra, and Garuda) and provides some good background information on them. 
• Here is the wikipedia article about the Brahmastra.
• This is a helpful list of astras. 
3. Ashwatthama's gem: My basic idea for this one is that Tom Riddle will be working at Borgin and Burkes when he sees the gem. He'll ask Burke about it in the same way he was trying to learn about horcruxes from Slughorn (so Tom will be slightly manipulative and will try not to seem too eager). Burke will then explain what he knows about the story behind the gem and how it got to the shop. (Maybe Grindelwald was using it but then gave it to someone who sold it to the shop?? I'm not completely sure yet.)
• Potential sources:
• Here is the wikipedia article about Ashwatthama. 
• The Mahabharata