SelenaScrapbook2

=**Ms. Riddle's Scrapbook**= = = =**With The Semanas**= = = =**The Assignment**= To get a feeling for how the Samanas, Indian ascetics that are found in the novel // Siddhartha //, try to reach enlightenment, we gave up something we enjoy for a week. I chose to give up coffee, because it's technically not something I ** need **. Technically. = = = Beginning of the Week = This past week I attempted to give up eating chocolate. At the beginning of this challenge, I was mostly gone from my house, so I was not tempted to indulge in the Snickers and Kit Kat bars in our Halloween bowl. Much like Siddhartha thought, "When all ego was overcome and dead, when every yearning and every impulse in the heart was silent, then the Ultimate had to awaken, that innermost being which is no longer the self-the great mystery" (7-8), I thought that this project would be hard, but then as the week went on I believed that my desire for chocolate would wane away. I was wrong, instead of feeling self-denial, my mind just came up with more reasons why I should just give up.

= Middle of the Week = = = = = By the middle of the week, I had lost sight of the goal of giving up chocolate. My mom made chocolate dessert, and my willpower gave up on me. For me, chocolate is very much a mental treat as well as a physical treat, it bumps my blood sugar up in the middle of my treacherously boring fourth block classes, and mentally I feel like I need it. During this segment of the week I asked myself similar questions that Siddhartha asked his good friend Govinda, "What do you think? Have we made any progress? Have we reached any goals?" (9). I think that I stopped trying to resist eating chocolate because I found no reason to continue. For the Semanas, they give up everything in an attempt to reach nirvana, however, me giving up chocolate had no spiritual background, so I didn't feel compelled to continue. = End of the Week = = = The final leg of self deprivation was easy! I was once again blissfully and guiltlessly eating away at chocolate! After I decided that giving up chocolate truly had no emotional meaning to me, thus it was unimportant-I felt so much better. Suddenly I didn't feel enslaved by my own feelings of desire. I was not more searching for something I could not achieve,and it felt good. Siddhartha came upon this same conclusion in his three year search for nirvana, "But we shall never attain nirvana, not he, not we"(10.) Once Siddartha came upon this conclusion, he was able to give up and enjoy life without nearing death.

=Awakening= ==
 * Siddhartha reached awakening after he talked to Gotama, and realized that his doctrine was not perfect. Siddhartha left Gotama behind in the grove, and thus he began his awakening. To him, awakening looked like individual self discovery, "I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha" (21.) I chose to draw Siddhartha meditating under water in the beautiful, natural new world. "he felt that in that grove his previous life, too, had remained behind him and had separated itself from him. As he walked on slowly, he pondered over that feeling, which filled his mind completely. He thought it over profoundly; as if sinking into deep waters//"// (20,)**

=**Kamala**=


 * Name**: Kamala


 * Location**: The Pleasure Grove


 * Eyes**: Mahogany Brown


 * About Me**: I am wealthy and enchanting in many ways; my "very soft, very clever face, bright-red lips like a newly opened fig" (28) attract anyone, but that's just the beginning of my beauty. I enjoy being visited by rich Brahman bachelors who wish to partake in my profession of love. I know my game of love very well, so watch your step, because I am a mischievous lover.


 * Hobbies/ Profession**: I profess in the knowledge of love making, I teach young men how to love women right. My price is high, yet I offer a very hands on course. I teach around the main point of "Love can be won by begging, it can be bought, received as a gift, found on the street, but it can not be stolen" (31.)


 * Looking For:** Handsome young men who are wealthy and searching for guidance in my profession. "He must have clothes, and shoes, good-looking shoes, a lot of money in his purse, and gifts for" (30) me. I expect this of a man, nothing less, and more is always welcome! And do not even think about coming to learn my ways of love if you do not posses such fine riches.

=Samsara=

My Daily Life
1. Wake up 2. Shower 3. Eat breakfast 4. Go to Marching Band 5. School 6. Walk dog 7. Homework 8. Eat dinner with my family 9. Do homework 10. Sleep media type="custom" key="21311008"

Siddhartha's Quote
"And a few times he was alarmed at these thoughts and wished that it might be vouchsafed to him, as well, to take part in all the childlike activity of each day passionately and wholeheartedly, really to live, really to act,really to enjoy and to live instead of merely standing by in that way like a spectator" (39.)

Analysis
My life definitely follows a very routine schedule. I wake up, have a cup of tea or coffee, then get all ready for school. The movements are the same, the dreadful feelings (for having to go to school) are the same and the time is the same! It's not so much that I hate school-as it is that I hate waking up earlier than 10:00! Usually by the time I'm awake and at school I feel moderately happy, the best part of school is the social aspect! I love spending lunch and in between time with my friends. Typically after school lets out I have marching band practice, however, I did not include this in my comic because marching band ended yesterday. However, I do keep up with my best friend Colette even when we don't have marching band. That is probably the best part about each day-I love spending time with her! When I'm with Colette or any of my friends I "take part in all the childlike activity of each day passionately and wholeheartedly"(39,). In the evening my family always has dinner together. I think that is a significant thing in my day because not many families get to spend that time with eachother. That's the only real time I get to catch up with, so I really cherish that. After dinner, and typically before too-its homework time! The rest of my day is spent locked up working on homework until I pass out.

The River
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"Like a river flows surely to the sea Darling so it goes Some things are meant to be"
 * Lyrics:**

"But as for him, you should let him go, friend; he is no longer a child, he can help himself" (67.)
 * Quote from the Text**


 * Analysis:** This piece by Elvis is a simple, endearing love song, which he sings about how his relationship is simply right-or "meant to be". In his chapter of Siddhartha, his young son runs away from his hut and takes all of Vasudeva's money with him. Siddhartha is left heartbroken and upset that his son left him, so as a loving father would naturally do-Siddhartha intended to chase him down. However in his haste to row across the river, his friend, Vasudeva stopped him to say that he "should let him go"(67,). Although ignorant at first, the river opens Siddhartha's eyes to the realization that this was "meant to be".

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 * Lyrics:**

"Cause it grows stronger, like a river flows And it gets bigger baby, and heaven knows And it gets sweeter baby, as it grows"


 * Quote from the Text:** "Gradually there blossomed, gradually there ripened within Siddhartha the realization the knowledge of what wisdom really was, what the goal of his long quest was" (70.)


 * Analysis:** This song, "River Deep, Mountain High" is about how the singers love grows, and gets stronger every day. When compared to this quote, one would see a parallel drawn between this strong love, and between Siddhartha's understanding of life. By the river in this chapter, Siddhartha awakens to the knowledge that the river has to offer, and here is when Siddhartha's understanding of love and life "gradually there ripened" (70). With this new platform of what his goal in life was, Siddhartha was able to share his peace with Govinda and open his eyes to the miracles of the river.

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 * Lyrics:**

"And we just lay awake in lust and rust in the rain And pour over everything we say we trust It happened again, I listened in thru hallways and thin doors Where the rivers unwind, rust and in the rain so easy These are the comforts that be"

"By that river he halted, lingering hesitantly on its bank. Fatigue and hunger had weakened him-and, then, what reason had he to continue on, and where to, toward what goal?" (47)
 * Quote from the Text:**

I just heard this song for the first time, and I think its interesting because its about how the couple is losing its strength, and when the truth comes out, they are questioned in their relationship. I feel like this song really relates to Siddhartha's experience by the river because he "lingered hesitantly" (47) contemplating his major life decisions that had been made by the river in previous years. Similarly, Jason Mraz "rust(s) in the rain so easy" when he realized how much his life changed.
 * Analysis:**

=Om:Children's Story= media type="custom" key="21510488" Part 1 media type="custom" key="21510518" Part 2 There once was a young boy who went by the name of Siddhartha. He lived in a palace with his father among many religious leaders of the town. Siddhartha was a smart boy who was “eager for knowledge” (1;) especially in the field of religion. At a young age Siddhartha felt “dissatisfaction” (2) in his heart from the emptiness of his life at home. One day, Siddhartha left home to follow a new type of people; the samanas. The elder samanas taught Siddhartha of their wisdom in fasting, prayer, and self-deprivation. The goal of meditating and depriving yourself, Siddhartha learned, was to “become empty” (7,) of everything in order to reach nirvana. After several years with the samanas, there came news of a young man by the name of Gotama who became the Buddha through reaching ultimate peace from within. All the samanas in Siddhartha’s tribe excited over the idea of going to meet the Buddha, while Siddhartha began to feel unhappy. Upon this day, Siddhartha spoke with the Sublime One and decided to break apart from the Enlightened One’s doctrine and to continue his search for true life through happiness. Now a young, handsome man, Siddhartha traveled to a distant city to live like a regular person. Siddhartha came upon a beautiful young woman named Kamala. Kamala aroused new feelings for Siddhartha-desire, and attraction. Breaking apart from his samana days, Siddhartha allowed himself to give in to such emotions. Kamala was a teacher in love, she expected money, gifts and only listened to well dressed, rich clients. Under the leadership of Kamala, Siddhartha learned how to love a woman. For a long time Siddhartha indulged in the worldly pleasures of money and love. However, these things failed his soul once again, and he left the town, in search for the path of true peace. On his travel back to the river to escape the town, Siddhartha fell into a deep, restful sleep. When he awoke after several hours, the enchanting river mesmerized him with om. Om, a peaceful “utterance” (48) in which Siddhartha felt happiness. Siddhartha was by the river when the ferryman paddled up to Siddhartha, welcoming him into the ferry to take him across. On the soothing ride, Siddhartha explained to Vasudeva (the kind ferryman) of his experience of internal peace through om by the beautiful river. Vasudeva was delighted that Siddhartha found so much pleasure in the river as he did, so Vasudeva invited Siddhartha to stay with him at his hut and work as a ferryman with him. Vasudeva was a quiet man, however, through his joy from the river, he connected with Siddhartha. After living next to Vasudeva as a close friend for a few years, Siddhartha learned to find peace in his soul from listening to the river. One day, Siddhartha was carrying a woman and a young boy across the river, and he realized that he knew the woman. It was Kamala. Once they reached the other side of the river, Kamala explained to Siddhartha of her journey for life, and in that moment, she was bitten by a poisonous snake. Taken back to Vasudeva’s hut, Kamala laid on her deathbed and told Siddhartha that the young boy was his son. Not long after, Kamala died. Siddhartha was left to take care of his young, spoiled son who he instantly loved dearly. The young boy was bitter and did not find happiness from the river or his father. With anger in his heart, young Siddhartha ran away from Vasudeva’s hut in the night. Siddhartha was heartbroken, upset and angry. His wise friend tried to calm him down by telling him to listen to the river. Finally, he fully understood what Vasudeva had been speaking of, he felt happy inside as he took a moment to truly listen to the river. Only know, did Siddhartha feel happy, and truly content with life in his heart.