Philosophy and Spiritual Teachings

In this teaching we get to learn more about Krishna and how wise she is. She talks about life and death and how it is a cycle. "it is not born, it does not die; having been, it will never not be, unborn, enduring, constant and primordial, it is not killed when the body is killed" (34). We sometimes think we know everything, but we are wrong, just like Arjuna, we have to be humble and know we are always pupils because we are constantly learning new things. I think that in a way Krishna is trying to convince Arjuna to kill and not be so caring about family and how society is changing, but also makes the best out of the opportunity and teaches him other things. She says we will all die any ways, and she is right, but thinking from Arjuna´s point of view, why not make the best of the time we have here and do good things? She also talks about how we have a beginning or origin and an end, and how we have a duty to accomplish. "Look at your own duty; do not tremble before it; nothing is better for a warrior than a battle of sacred duty" (36).
There are also the teachings about discipline and understanding, and how discipline can be reached only after having accomplished understanding that helps you be unselfish and not individualistic, "when your understanding turns from sacred lore to stand fixed, immovable in contemplation, then you will reach discipline" (39). Last but not least, she teaches how anger and not being able to control our emotions can lead us to so many bad things, because "from anger comes confusion; from confusion memory lapses; from broken memory understanding is lost; from loss of understanding, he is ruined" (41). This shows the importance of having discipline and being serene, and that will help us control our desires.
In this short but crucial teaching we can all learn how to be better people, even though it might seem to be a random book, we can actually learn many things because it is easy and simple, yet interesting and helpful for all of us.

Arjuna´s Teaching

This seems to be a very interesting story. Everything starts with two main characters that talk about things that we can relate to now a days, such as family and how we can affect society. It tells what is happening around them, and all the sins or bad things that are destroying society.
First they show how important family is for them, and in a way how things have been forgotten and how we have let those bonds between them fall slowly apart. It tells how things change, and how there start to be fights and violence, that leads to war and makes society change. Not only is this a story, but it’s something that is actually happening and we have to learn from this to stop the chaos from happening, because things will then be hard.
We can also learn about what some of the ones that had soft and caring hearts felt, they felt lost in a way, not really knowing or understanding what was going on and what they could possibly do to help. They care for everyone, they are all family: "there are teachers, fathers, son, and grandfathers, uncles, grandsons, fathers and brothers of wives, and other men of our family."(28)
"Krishna, I see my kinsmen, gathered here, wanting war. My limbs sink, my mouth is parched, my body trembles, the hair bristles on my flesh."(27) They start to lose hope and start to think there in nothing else they can do, "I see omens of chaos... I see no good." (27)
When there is no hope and nothing else to hold those last bonds between the family members, there is violence, wars and corruption, because "when the family is ruined, the timeless laws of family duty perish, and when duty is lost, chaos overwhelms the family" (28).

My Gilgamesh Conclusion

After reading this story, I was able to learn a lot about early writing and how literature actually started. Gilgamesh was the first book ever written, and I personally think it was a good start. I believe that when writing it has to be nice or good for you to read, something that will help you in a way, but at the same time it’s the feelings and thoughts the person that wrote it wanted to express, and that’s why there are so many different books, and why all of them are unique and really are special and important for those telling their story. Not only is every one of the writers different, but also the world they live in, the beliefs they have and what’s surrounding them. In Gilgamesh´s case, we can see a lot about gods and the strong beliefs they had in them. There is companionship and different trials and adventures they had to go through, unlike the ones we have in our lives, but challenges anyways. I really thought this was going to be much harder to read, but it was really nice to find out how easy and simple it was to understand and at some points actually enjoy the passage. Even thought this book didn’t really have anything extremely amazing or important for humanity to learn from, I really think everyone should read this book and learn how important it has become for us to have a record of the things that happen or whatever we want to preserve, just by writing them. I also feel others should read this book and realize how lucky we are to have writing in our lives and just know how everything happened, the root, the center, what holds everything, and the beginning that would lead to this future, full of wonderful stories, and all thanks to those who wrote those first tablets, and gave them the name of Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh XII

This was a very unusual ending, because Enkidu is already dead, yet he appears again and goes to Nether World to help his companion Gilgamesh. How did this happen? I don’t really know, but if we read the notes at the end of the book, we can get to the conclusion that the part of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and their adventure in the Nether World was actually a poem. Even though it was really nice to see Gilgamesh and Enkidu together again, as the old companions they used to be, in a way it’s as if it was a summary of the whole story, but a different version of the characters. Gilgamesh is there and Enkidu goes to help him, only this time Gilgamesh cares much more for Enkidu´s wellbeing, not like it was before, when he was really selfish and proud, but Enkidu didn’t follow his advice. Enkidu used to be the brave one and still was only this time he was less humble and caring, but still went to help Gilgamesh. Just like the story, Gilgamesh felt sad and missed his friend, only that unlike the book, in the poem he was able to actually save him. To conclude, we see how the theme of this story was the companionship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and just like at the very beginning, since when they first meet: “Gilgamesh and Enkidu, companions, tried to embrace, and kiss one another, companions.” (90)

Gilgamesh XI

It is interesting all the new things we learn with Utnapishtim´s story about all he has to go thought. It is unusual, but at the same time, it seems to be something like the story of Noah and all they had to go through with his family because the people didn’t believe a flood could really happen. I think it’s important that we know more about other characters that are in his story, such as the gods and other choices they have made throughout history and how their different ways of thinking and doing things affect them in many different ways.
Something else that was different in this tablet was that there is another type of test for Gilgamesh. He had to stay awake for a week, but he really didn’t do that, but instead he slept and when the seventh day came Utnapishtim woke him up. I didn’t really understand what the test really wanted to test him on, the gods said it was to be able to know if he was worthy or not, but I personally think it was unuseful way to find out if he was or if he wasn’t. If Utnapishtim would have never awakened him them he would’ve probably lost. Then there is once again the long journey back home. In their way, the boatman tells Gilgamesh “measure Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh.” (82) This is interesting and I think it meant something more like care or remember and build up or make stronger or try to make it the best it can be or something like that, that in a way probably has to do something with the story Utnapishtim told him or just to be aware and ready for however the gods decide to react next, but we shall see that latter on.

Gilgamesh IX & X

Gilgamesh is actually a really good friend. I would never have imagined that before, but after all the long voyage he had to go through, and having to do it all alone, we can really understand how much he cared for Enkidu, what he really meant to him. This makes me think of the song that goes “you don't know what you got 'til it's gone” (A Little Bit Longer, by Jonas Brothers). And how that usually happens to all of us, we get used to having a good life and then when things get harder they seem to be impossible, just because we are not used to them and when they are over, nothing is like it used to be, and we then realize that we actually had a good life, we understand that we had been privileged and didn’t make the best of it, or even worst, didn’t realize we had it.
Gilgamesh had to live through that. Having a great companion that would help him, that would be there in times of need and would always be the leader, the one in charge. Now Enkidu is gone and Gilgamesh is left with nothing, except the knowledge of having wasted what he had: his brother, companion, Enkidu.
We can also see how Gilgamesh has improved in his journey and after all the trials he had to go through. At the beginning when he first got to Veiled Siduri, the tavern keeper, he told her that he had been the one that had beaten the lions, Huwawa, the Bull of Heaven and so much more, and then after having his small selfish moment he was able to be humble and realize that he had had some help, that Enkidu had done that and so much more for him, when he explains his story again to the Urshanabi, the boatman.
I think that something really interesting is how he wonders if he should die too. We sometimes think “why didn’t that happen to me instead of him/her? Or why did it happen to him/her and not to me? ” if can be frustrating, but we have to understand that we are all different and we all have different things we have to go through in life.
To finish, I really liked the wise things that the old man told Gilgamesh at the end. He gave many examples of how there are so many things that don’t last as long as we believe they did. “From the very beginning nothing at all has lasted.” (64).

Timon and Pumba (Gilgamesh and Enkidu)

I decided this video was a good way to understand the companionship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. We can think of Enkidu as Pumba, the huge strong, loving and helpful, yet powerful and wild one. And Gilgamesh as Timon, the coward, well known, powerful one, that when decides to be someone, is, but he is also the one that cares for Pumba and is there to support him whenever his help is needed.

Gilgamesh VII & VIII

I feel really sad about Enkidu dying. How could the gods do that to him? He was always a good wild man, he had always good intentions towards others. They say they took his life because he had done something to the forest, killed Huwawa and taken the Cedar tree. He wasn’t the only one that did it, Gilgamesh was there too. One of their reasons to not kill Gilgamesh was because he was more gifted, but I disagree. “Enkidu most die but Gilgamesh, the gifted, must not die. “ (37) He was coward and wouldn’t have done anything unless Enkidu did it first or gave him the energy to do it. Something I don’t really understand, is that after the gods had realized how strong the bond between them was and all the things they had already gone through together, they took only one of them and let the other one suffer. I know this is just a story, but it happens in real life too. It’s unfair. “Together we killed Huwawa, together we fought the bellowing Bull of Heaven, and killed the Bull, and together the two of us sat down to rest.” (45) The only positive way we could probably look at it would be if we actually accept that we can’t control what happens to us, like death and that it might happen for a better thing to come next. What if Enkidu and Gilgamesh weren’t really made for each other, but there is someone much better or that this is happening to make them even stronger and greater men?
Once again we see the importance of the dreams and how it’s like seeing the future or what will happens next. That can be something good but at the same time I think it’s sometimes better to not know what will happen after. Life is full of surprises, why ruin them? How would it be if we all knew how and when we would die? We would all be prepared for it would avoid it at all times so that moment would never come.
I finally start to like Gilgamesh a little better, and understand him some more. He really isn’t that bad I as had believed he was. I think that at the beginning he was selfish and proud, but then after not having Enkidu and finally realizing how important he really was for him, he was able to become more humble and in a way thank him and make him be remembered. “He was the shield that went before the battle; he was the weapon at hand to attack and defend.” (44)
I think this happens to all of us and we don’t realize until, like Gilgamesh, it’s too late. We feel bad for what we have done and wish we hadn’t done it or been that way. “It is Enkidu the companion for whom I weep.”(46)

Gilgamesh VI

In this tablet I was able to learn much more about Enkidu and Gilgamesh. After the event with the goddess Ishtar and how she wanted Gilgamesh so much made me realize how selfish we can sometimes be. It also made me think on how we close ourselves so much that when others get close or even say a simple thing to us we react in such a bad way that we start to judge them and overreacting. That leads us to different outcomes. We all have the right to decide what choices to make, but we have to know that depending what we chose there will be good or bad consequences. The same happens here. Ishtar was selfish and that led her to feeling really bad and having to hear those things from Gilgamesh. He insulted her and told her foulness, and that made him have to deal with the Bull of Heaven she sent. We see it everywhere and just like we saw in the story, we should be more careful. Again we get to see more of the bond there is between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, who fought and defeated the bull, and how they now call themselves brothers. I was able to get to know Enkidu much better in this few lines. He is always the positive one. The first one, the humble, “loving” one. Since the bull got there he started to defeat it and then Gilgamesh came along to be there to show he was powerful too. “Life of man is short, let us content with the Bull of Heaven, and win”, explains how positive Enkidu is by not even planning to win, just knowing it. He shows his “love” by supporting what Gilgamesh felt about Ishtar by threatening her. And is humble when after he had done almost all of the job of killing the bull he lets Gilgamesh stay with the trophy or the bulls horns, and them having to hear Gilgamesh going on and on about how strong he is and how he is so glorious that his sons will be secure by his fame. He just stays quiet; not complaining about what surrounds him. There is indeed a lot to learn from Enkidu, the wild one.

Gilgamesh IV & V

As the story continues we can see how some things stayed the same and others changed and made everything clear. Something that stayed the same was the repeating. I think that’s important, because it gives it emphasis and at the same time it isn’t exactly the same, but something else is added. Like the part when Gilgamesh has the dreams and how everything happens exactly the same and then the dream is always something different. “After a time of oblivion of sleep poured in upon the king, the strongest of all. He slept, but at midnight suddenly awoke, and awakened the companion, Enkidu: “Did you call put to me, just now in the night? … I had a dream…” ” (21 and 22)
Something that was interesting and new was how Enkidu was able to uncover the mysteries in Gilgamesh´s dreams. I often have weird dream I would love the real meaning to and I think that then that happens in the story, it gives it a “special touch”.
Again we see how Enkidu´s and Gilgamesh´s companionship bond develops. We can see how now they trust each other and in a way know that they do. At the beginning it all seemed a bit confusing how there could be a sort of bond between them, but as the story continues and they have more adventures, you can easily start to understand how the bond really works and what it really means. A great example of it is when they actually find Huwawa. One gets scared and the other goes back to get him and support him by giving him the strength they were looking for. “Enkidu found him and said: “Two people, companions, they can prevail together against the terror.”” (26)
There was something different in this tablet. There was irony. Didn’t they call Gilgamesh “the terror”? I think they did, but it was probably because that was what people thought when they saw him because of his size or something like that, because latter on with the dreams and being in Huwawa´s presence it looked to me as if he was the one being terrorized.

Gilgamesh II & III

Gilgamesh seems to be an interesting story, until now. It is easy to understand and it has ways to call the reader’s attention. It’s not like other stories I have ever read before. It has some weird names for different places, which are not very described, and then there are some people, like the main characters that are described in different ways. Some are physically described, and it explains what they really look like. Then there are other ways of describing them, by just saying “the terror”. This really makes me think, because in a way they are helping us understand the story by telling us exactly how they looked like, but at the same time it is giving us some clues to uncover the hidden symbolism it has.

Something else I have been able to realize when reading a short passage, was that there is a lot of repeating. There are certain words or phrases such as “protector of the people”, “hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands” or “Huwawa´s mouth is fire” that appear more than others. I don’t see this repeating monotonous or boring, I find it as a way to grab and actually hold the reader’s attention, because it is emphasizing and showing its real importance.

If you look at it through the perspective of The QUESTions, you can really see what they think about life and about themselves and who they really are in this world. More than just the questions on how they got here and were exactly they are going, I think we can see clearly that sometimes you just have to realize that you are not alone and that there are others around you that are willing to help, because believe it or not you need them by your side. Having someone helping you can be something good and bad. We can see, how it at first seemed to be something bad for Gilgamesh, because he was really strong and full of terror, but he didn’t know how to go through the forest like Enkidu did. This helped him understand that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that once in a while we need others to point them out and help us make those weaknesses into strengths.

Something I really liked was the way Enkidu reacted to his “new life”. Everything was different for him and yet he was opened to everything they introduced to him, such as the food, and new clothing. I think he acted in a very mature way and showed real bravery when he had to be with Gilgamesh, which at moments believed he was the best of the best and that there was nothing compared to his greatness.

A really weird part that I didn’t really like, or understand was the kissing there was between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Why did that even happen?

That’s all for now, still an interesting story, only now there is more things introduced in this second and third part that help us understand the characters, their ideas and beliefs a little better.

What is a blog. Questions

A. According to this author where does the word blog come from?
A blog comes from the word "weblog". Then in 1999 Peter Merholz, an author decided to change it from web log to we blog. And since then a blog existed.
B. Why might the writer object to a book about blogs? What is the difference between a blog and a book?
She might object because it might be hard to put blogs on a book. There is a difference between book and blog because a book is not as reckless, or as fast as a blog. In a blog you can write freely and its faster to do so. It might call your attention more because of all the different topics it invites you with and is not as closed as a book. Plus you can comment or decide what to read and what to skip, when in a book that’s impossible, because if you do you will just get confused.
C. How have blogs changes recently?
Blogs have changed recently because now days you can find a blog about anything, and not only one, but many on the same topic. We could say they have developed.
D. Why might you read a blog rather than a book, or a magazine, or a newspaper?
In a blog you can find a lot of information about the exact topic you are looking for. There you can also comment and decide what part you specifically want to read or which one you prefer to skip.
D. Is there reason to doubt the objectivity of a blog? Why? Why not?
I don’t think there really is a reason to doubt the objective of a blog, because at the end they all have the same objective which is to inform or help the people find what they were looking for. Even though different blogs will have different specific objectives depending on the topic they are based on, they really all have the same general objective.
E. If you kept your own blog, what would you title it?
Everything and Nothing at the Same Time.
F. Find three blogs that mention our summer reading.

Peak Oil News: http://peakoil.blogspot.com/2005/10/book-review-ishmael-by-daniel-quinn.html

People and Resources: Fire: http://peopleandresourcesfire.blogspot.com/2009/12/ishmael-by-daniel-quinn.html

Intro

Have you ever processed, broken down or deeply thought about what you understood from what you read? Well, thats called analyzing. And thats what this blog is for. To try to understand what a book really wanted to tell you and how we can use what we read and make it a part of our lives. Welcome to The Reading Analyzer!