6/16/2012

POST TEN : the end... or the begining

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THE SILENT BEINGS
For this last post, I decided to spare my eventual class readers from a lot of text, and to visually have a little fun, around the interconnectedness we all deeply believe in. I have always refused going to zoos or taking our kids to them, so I felt conflictual but went to the Sacred Monkey forest, hoping its sacredness, respect and pristine protection values could excuse me disturbing such a valuable peaceful(1) system. It was the illustration of a luxurious ecosystem, spiritually valued, a forest in an urban space owned land, with... an entrance fee. Watching us all, them and ourselves visitors ended up feeling more like I was participating to «chaos» then to «harmonious order». But is order ever harmonious? (2) (double framework or cognitive dissonance)
(1) A very hierarchical system between macaques.
(2) Shefa Seigel’s (n.d.) lecture on Purity and impurity, RRU.


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Crumb sculptures in the sacred forest.


A river for macaques' swims and play.


Hey-hey, look mom, she has the same ears I have.


-Mom, can you tell them to stop staring please?


-I am bored.


Hmm, now that Glutonnous Greedy's gone...I'm hungry. Want some?


-I found a soft potato too!


-Oh yes, right there, scratch me more.


-Selamat sore cousin, I'm Kiki.


-It's a bit like the red light here honey, only in green.

She had a disability of one hand and was gently flowing.
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US ALL

98.5% genes with the chimps, says science (Libé) (or 96.4% with orang utans said a T-shirt). I felt it directly and more like 99%, in my macaque version that day. I am just a little less hairy, a bit more dressed, a little more bashful and I have a camera. Our actions seen through a tangible lense, disturbing their privacy (which at first glance did not seem to bother them too much, my boyfriend notes.) felt uncomfortable but I also felt love and care was a hope. 
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Antropomorphism as always worked on me.
«I love you my little Macaku» she says.

«No, mommy I am scared, there he is again...»

Most of us have also fortunately have a different attitude towards our youngest vulnerable ones.
We have seen many mothers get together and run away to protect their little band, on the arrival of large males in rut.

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POST NINE : mini posts, small musings

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CASUAL JOURNAL 
This penultimate post will share a few little things of the many I have experienced, learned or seen, in parallel, during the length of our course, before leaving Indonesia and then staying in Germany. Taking part in sustainable living or not, could here be a short quiz.
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1. ORGANIC COFFEE PLANTATION 
I learned coffee beans had a gender.
As previous post noted, gender is not only an issue or tension for coffee in Indonesia.


The female bean is oval and flat on one side. It comes from a double chamber cherry.

The male bean (single chamber cherry), is called a peaberry, is smaller, rounder and said to be stronger in taste.

Separating the beans.


Cooking and thanking
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2. LITTLE THINGS MADE SIMPLE

Around the corner in Berlin, there was a little outside booth the «Give box», right on the street, where people brought and took things, books, shoes, clothes, and... old tech... It's nothing new to have -dropping-sharing- facilities of course, but done this way felt it was community oriented, and put a smile on many faces I am sure. Sharing or tangible proof of our overconsumming?

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3. COLORS


I saw Berliners had an organized sorting system for recycling. 3 colors for glass and textile boxes everywhere (besides the usual.) Compost was also found. Strangely, our rental miniature rental apartment had room inside recycling bins, but nothing but a garbage pale. We made some and invited the owner to encourage it.


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4. NATURAL 


I saw happy hens in the German countryside give green eggs and learned why. Why?

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5. ADAPTATION ?...






I saw nature had no choice...
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6. OFFERING MAKING CLASS



Bamboo leaves

Fairly easy so far.

Make a bunch of 6

6 of these ones as well, lovely...

Grouping them

Not bad! A little more complex


7. VALUES-BASED APPROACH?
Having seen women and young girls preparing them everywhere, I noticed the modern method encouraged staples. I asked to learn the traditional version thinking of the multiplicity of daily staples in the streets.


Ellipse, class was an hour 30. We are now at the little basket.



Offerings are everywhere. This person also had one on his car.


8. QUANTITATIVE SPIRITUALITY ?
Daily quantity to create depends on rooms and space in a home as well as activities. (+ car, business, temples, fridge, etc...)


A little last one. Multiply again.

Cutting is part of the secret.




9. WOMEN'S TASK
Desak, our cuisine teacher would have to make 50 offerings a day -a women's task once more, who are allowed to buy them prepared, if they lack time from working outside their home. But it remains too expensive for most. Our bike guide's wife lived in a 2 room place so she -only- had to make 15 a day.


Tadam. Their we go.
We learned 3 models of offerings, (depending on divinity or ceremony).


Then all these creations were inserted in one another, and, one could wondered why spend so much time, if even the third eye can't appreciate the details...



10. CREATIVITY
The slightest improvisation liberty was not entitled. There is only one side and way to pierce, on way to lay flowers. to please Brahmā (creation divinity) or Vishnu. The instructor moved all my flowers around and refused that I would like to offer Brhamā some monochromy.
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