IPOR

a.       What is the ‘Natural Attitude’ (p. 8)?

Natural Attitude is everything, what everything is a part of. It is a base, a foundational understanding that everything “is”, it is a “given” to our everyday experience.  It is what things are, it is what it is.

b.      What is dependent co-arising (pp 10 -13)?

The dependent co-arising is that everything is co-related, nothing is completely self sufficient, independent. Even when something seems wholly independent it is undeniably interwoven in its existence. Nothing can exist in a vacuum. Our experiences and objects are shaped by everything and everyone.

c.       What does he mean ”Emptiness then means fullness?” (p. 10)

This means that even when something appears to be empty of meaning or connections it is completely full and connected. It may seem separate and independent, yet once we dive into thinking about we realise that nothing can be independent, it evokes meaning, purpose. It is a good practice, when you consider that something is more that is appears you open yourself up to possibility. You are open to more experiences and infinite potential.

d.      What is ”coming to understand” entail (p. 15)?

When you haven’t notice the interconnectedness it means you haven’t put the pieces together yet. There is more to everything than our initial reaction. When we come to this understanding or thrive to approach the world this way we will see a fuller world. However, it is a choice to act upon this coming to understand and the practice can be difficult to keep up with.

e.      What is the danger here (p. 18)?

There is a danger to this process though. One might start feeling overwhelmed and overburdened. There more you unfold the interwoven workings of our lives, it just begins to grow and grow. Everything is connected, connected with past, present and future. It can be difficult to comprehend the connections yet once you start and become well practiced at it, it should become easier

f.        How is the act of ‘mutual composure’ related to teaching  and learning in schools, in this M Ed? (pp 22-23)

If we do not practice this, we miss out on a fuller experience. By making sure we practice and have the tools we become better educators. As well, if we can pass on tools and techniques it can help our students and the next generation. If not we might miss the big picture and the connections to everyday life.

g.       Describe an experience you have had that was like the one he centered this paper around

This reminded  me of being at my cottage, on  a Saturday night when the guitars are out and everyone is performing their own party piece, singing, story, joke, around the campfire. I sat back and unfolded the scene. I thought of the songs, the songs we hear every campfire, the meaning the song has to us as listeners, to the singer. How whenever I hear this song, it puts me right back to this chair at the campfire when I was 10, 15, 25. But even that is a limited view of my experience. I must think of where this song came from, who wrote it, what did it mean for the first singer. Now my seemingly personal independent experience is connected to people and places I do not know. And what experiences influenced that person. I could do this with everything that makes that one moment for me, the fire, the people, the chairs, the trees, the stars. A rock is not just a rock. By unravelling my experience, I feel a more genuine and fuller experience.