YOUR Topics

Hi All,

Please share your thoughts about any other topic of your choice here!

Happy Holidays and All the Best for 2014!

Gudrun

from: http://mousebreath.com/2012/01/unlikely-animal-friends-reveals-animal-bonds/

The Importance of Storytelling

Hi All,

As you have seen in the movie by Tom Shadya, I Am, which we have partly watched in class (http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/i_am_2010/),  the stories we tell our selves have a crucial influence on how we define who we are - including our values and belief systems. All traditional cultures have been aware of this  and therefore been telling sacred stories (= myths in the anthropological meaning of the word as 'sacred stories') about their views of the creation of the universe, important cultural and scientific insights, and central cultural values. These sacred stories would then be passed on from generation to generation in order to communicate and teach this important knowledge.

Storytelling - and this includes the creation of fictional movies (such as I Am) - can thus also be used as a tool to change our awareness of who we are, i.e. our identity as a cultural group or even as a species.

Please think about this topic - and share your reflections on any aspect of it with the rest of us. You are also welcome to share your favourite creation story or to comment on the TED talks below, which are about this very interesting - and always current - topic:

Chimamanda Adichie, "The Danger of a Single Story":
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

Elif Shafak, "The Politics of Fiction":
http://www.ted.com/talks/elif_shafak_the_politics_of_fiction.html

Chris Abani, "Telling Stories form Africa":
http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_abani_on_the_stories_of_africa.html

Thank you!

Gudrun

from: http://www.clipartpal.com/_thumbs/pd/education/large_open_book.png

Research Articles You Like!

Hi All,

Please share some research articles that you have read in the context of your Oral Presentations about how to solve existing global problems and create a better world and that you find really interesting! Maybe add a one or two sentence summary of your article - so that people can get an idea of what it is about.

This is also a great practice for your final exam - since you will
a) practice citing an article in MLA format and
b) remember at least one or two "typical" examples of research articles!

Here a reminder if you don't remember how to cite in MLA format:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/


Gudrun

from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Ayn_Rand_quote,_American_Adventure,_Epcot_Center,_Walt_Disney_World.jpg

The Science of Consciousness

Hi All,

Please watch the following two videos and think about consciousness - as well as about the power that thoughts and/or emotions have to change  or even create reality - then share your reflections with us!

   Conversation with Deepak Chopra  & Stuart Hameroff: Consciousness

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erSd5xep30w    

   Peter Russel, The Primacy of Consciousness

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d4ugppcRUE    

Thank you!

Gudrun

Art by Scott Facon - from: http://scottfacon.deviantart.com/art/Universal-Consciousness-128366544

Music, Sounds, Words, Thoughts and Matter - or: the Amazing Influence of Vibrations

Hi All,

Many of us have always felt the power of music - as well as the power of words on our well being. How sound changes the form of matter can be shown in simple experiments. Please watch, for example, the following links:

Cymatics - Bringing Matter to Life with Sound

Part 1 (of 3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Io6lop3mk

-> PLease follow prompts for the other 2 parts

and:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zw0uWCNsyw

Similar experiments have also been performed on water. See, for instance:

   Water Has Memory:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNzbiLpnWX8  

   Water Memory and Structured Water:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwaNfNcurvQ

 

   Interview with Dr. Masuru Emoto:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZDOPQRdxJM 

    Spirit Science, Part 20: “Water”:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtDennZr5fA

Please think about how vibrations, sound, and words - or even thoughts! - can affect us and the reality around us!

Thank you!

Gudrun

Water Crystal - after being exposed to the word TRUTH

from: http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/water-crystal.html

Movie Time :)

Here some links to movies that fit into our course theme of building a better world:

Tom Shadyak. I Am (movie - 2010):
http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/i_am_2010/

Gandhi (movie - 1982):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HT4BM7cgJw

Wayne Dyer: The Shift (movie):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_UA2l9ZkY

What the Bleep Do We Know? (movie - 2004):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr48dwDcj9U
See also the What the Bleep Website:
http://www.whatthebleep.com

Please comment on any of these movies - or on movies with similar themes!

Thank you - and enjoy watching!

Gudrun

Image from: http://paneandov2012.com/2013/10/25/knowledge-speaks-but-wisdom-listens/

Ways to a Happy and Fulfilled Life

Hi All,

Here some links to videos that I think are useful in finding your personal path to a happy and fulfilled life:

The Dalai Lama: Paths to Happiness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOvDbJV-_60

Oprah Winfrey in Conversation with Thich Nhat Hanh (video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ9UtuWfs3U

Deepak Chopra: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. (audio version of book):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfgt2M0r4bQ

Wayne Dyer, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life (video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqecaHjl73s

Eckhart Tolle: Spirituality and Happiness (video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KopmSpe33Eg

Please enjoy - and share your comments and insights!

Thank you,

g

Image from: http://thinkspeakpeace.com/2012/08/10/happiness-is-the-key-to-life/

Staying Healthy During Stress

Hi All,

Since this is a very stressful time for many of you, I thought I'd give you some opportunity to think about - and practice - some strategies that might help you stay physically and mentally healthy.

Here some links that might be useful. Please feel free to comment on any aspect of stress and/or stress management you find important and/or useful.

Stress Management (practical strategies):
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Meditation and Yoga for Stress Relief:
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/meditation-and-yoga
and:
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Yoga+meditation+boon+mind+body+study+suggests/9231534/story.html
research articles:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/30863901/MBSRMAJPR2004.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1385952163&Signature=hpS4b8iFU%2FIu%2F6p2qaGCoRCId9o%3D&response-content-disposition=inline
and/or:
http://mahashakti.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_The_Effect_of_a_Mindfulness_Meditation-Based_Stress_Reduction_Program_on_Mood_and_Symptoms_of_Stress_in_Cancer_Outpatients.pdf

… and here a hands-on introduction to meditation led by Deepak Chopra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0IOf08pTRc

Hope you will all do some yoga and/or meditation during the next weeks :)

gudrun

Image from: http://www.heykiki.com/blog/2013/09/30/incorporating-yoga-in-your-artwork/

Finding Our Purpose in Life - Some Tools

Hi All,

Although we are - ultimately - all one and thus intimately interconnected with each other as well as "the whole" (humanity, all species, our community, our ecosystem, our culture, our planet, our universe, the multiverse), everybody is also unique and different from everybody else. Sages from various cultural and spiritual traditions have said that this uniqueness has a particular function: we all have a specific purpose to fulfill in the grand scheme of things, i.e. we all have come here to serve the whole with our unique interests, abilities, and talents.

Since it is often very difficult to figure out what our true purpose is, here a few links that will hopefully inspire you.

Deepak Chopra: "What Is the Purpose of Life?" (short video & short blog text)
http://intentblog.com/deepak-chopra-what-is-the-purpose-of-life/

Deepak Chopra: "Are You Living Your True Purpose" (short article):
http://www.healyourlife.com/author-deepak-chopra-md/2013/06/lifeshelp/intuitive-guidance/are-you-living-your-true-purpose

Wayne Dyer: The Awakened Life (audio-version of book):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAM9lqLotBo

Myers-Briggs Personality Test:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp
Or:
http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

Dharma Test:
http://www.spirittype.com/dharma-test/

Finding Your Purpose in Life - Some Steps to Take:
http://addicted2success.com/life/11-actions-you-can-take-today-to-discover-your-lifes-purpose/
Or:
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-Your-Life's-Purpose
Or:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prescriptions-life/201311/helping-you-find-your-life-purpose


Please choose whatever appeals to you - or something else - and share your experience if you wish.

I hope you will enjoy discovering who you truly are - at least at this moment :)

G

Building a Research Library

Hi All,

Thank you all again for sharing your highly interesting presentations in class and on this blog! Since quite a few people were interested in similar topics, I think it might also be useful if you could share links to interesting articles, websites, and projects you have come across in the context of your research. I know that some of you added links in your individual presentations already. I just would also find it useful to collect them in a little research library here. Maybe with a focus on 1) sources that analyze the  problems that exist in today's world and 2) sources that suggest solutions for these problems.

The purpose is to have these sources all together in one spot for potential future team-projects!

Thank you!

gudrun

Image from: 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Interior_view_of_Stockholm_Public_Library.jpg