Week 11 theoretical- Indigenous Australian Spirituality

Indigenous Australians suffered a lot socially, environmentally but also spiritually, however nothing was 'more devastating than the pervasive doctrine of Aboriginal worthlessness' (Stanner 2009, p. 84). Although Indigenous Australians were regarded as sub-human and heathens, upon study of their spirituality it was found that their faith was something 'inseparable from the pattern of everyday life and thought. The connection was so intimate that there is no sharp demarcation between secular and sacred life' (Stanner 2009, p. 84).

For instance, it is common in Indigenous Australian milieus to discover that great guardian spirits exist to look after the living peoples (Stanner 2009). However not all spirits were thought of as ancestors or as human-like, some where thought to be quasi-animalistic, ethereal, formless or indescribable in form.

Even though Indigenous Australian spirituality is often referred to as one of the least materially minded faiths, the ordering of the cosmos through nature and spirituality helped construct the socialization of the 'body, mentality and social personality' though stages of life (Stanner 2009, p. 88).


Reference
Stanner, W. E. H. 2009. 'Religion, Totenism and Symbolism'. In A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion. Ed., Michael Lambeck. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford and Victoria.

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1155413

Week 12 reflection- Witch-House Music

The somewhat contested underground sub-genre of music, witch-house, is an interesting phenomenon. It has been described as any of the following: occult-based house music, sluggish tunes with stop-timed beats, shoegrazing, noise and drone, dark melodic or dark music-cult. The music itself is usually dark and slow, but the severity of the darkness of the music wavers. Another common feature in this genre is audio loops of people talking or quietly wailing about politics, spirituality or other unintelligible emissions. 


Another unique feature of the genre is that most of the artists names are typographic and include symbols like crosses, triangles and other elements of unicode. For example: ~▲†▲~ , ∆N∆ZT∆Z†∆, DE▲th▲Co▲ST, K▼L▲M†††B▲R▲NG or WIZ∆RDS. Part of the reason for this is aesthetic solidarity but also partly to make it harder to find on the internet or to download and to keep it underground. 


Common features in the album artwork or the names of the artists are supernatural in content. Lots of crosses, ethereal figures and mystical images. In fact the very name witch-house is explanatory enough. I thought this an interesting example of young people still engaging in spirituality through music, albeit the darker side of spirituality. Below I have posted a video clip for the witch-house artist LAKE R▲DIO who also goes by the alias Ritualzz. The clip features audio loops of the following lyrics:


Ghetto Ass Witch, I'm writing rhymes on Ouija boards,Ghetto Ass Witch, Satanic swag and wicked ho*s, Ghetto Ass Witch, I'm ghost-riding blasting drone, Ghetto Ass Witch, Big magic hustling demon dope

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7A_s6jtS7Y&feature=related

Photo

http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1087848

Week 10 theoretical- Sport as a Religion and Cultural System

Sport can be examined as a cultural system, that is religious or spiritual. Geertz argues that sacred symbols 'function to synthesize a people's ethos - the tone, character, and quality of their life, it's moral and aesthetic style and mood' (Geertz 2008, p. 58). Sport does fit this theoretical model as a competitive, engaged and athletic religious mood. In addition, the character and aesthetic style of sport is continuously reinvented through advertising on television and in newspapers.

Geertz continues to describe religion as:

'(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic' (Geertz 2008, p.59).

To analyze sport as a religion by Geertz's first point, is simple. Sport has the symbols of team jerseys, logos and the sporting equipment itself. These symbols are tools for engaging in the religion, but when portrayed in still form, also evoke an emotional response in the sports fan, as he or she might reminisce or be eagerly reminded of a match.

Secondly, the symbols do 'establish powerful and long-lasting moods' in the fan (Geertz 2008, p. 59). For instance the sports fan will feel a rush of ecstasy when his/her team wins or loses a match and will often create discussion for weeks to come, if not longer.

Thirdly, sport does formulate concept for existence in our society. A widely accepted 'mens' or 'boys' past time is sport, generally speaking, it is right and perhaps necessary for a male to be interested in sport. The fourth point continues on to say that this assumption should be clothed in actuality. In our society it is accepted that men, but mainly men are the fervent sports fans. However, this assumption leaves out the plethora of avid female fan, even though the assumption is widely referred to through male and female vernacular.

Fifthly, Geertz discussed that the motivations and aura seem realistic about the spiritual experience. Sport conforms to this theory once again as the moods and motivations are for the favourite team to win, which seems a realistic goal. On a deeper analysis though, the moods and motivation seem quite unrealistic: for men to separate themselves from each other, don different coloured clothes and engage in athletic games to see who wins, only to try to prove their athletic superiority over and over again. Sport relies heavily on a constant state of transformation, path to success. It needs the constant striving to survive, like other religions who market a better version of self

Reference
Geertz C, 2008 Religion as a Cultural System In. A Reader in the ANthropology of Religion Ed., Lambeck M., pp. 57-75. Blackwell Publishing: Malden, Oxford and Victoria

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1295183

Week 4 Theoretical- Consumerist Spirituality

Wat Muang, Ang Thong Province, Thailand

Since modernity and the growth of capitalism spirituality has been practiced, lived and believed in more ambiguity than established religious traditions. Spiritualism is 'celebrated by those who are disillusioned by traditional institutional religions and seen as a force for wholeness, healing and inner transformation' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 59). We can see this in our society by the popular crystal healing and New Age type stores and with internet psychics and mediums selling their wares.

In this weeks article Carrette and King discuss the historical top-down change of capitalism on religion. How capitalism has entered into the religious or spiritual sphere with a 'specific economic agenda' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 63).  One only has to go to a shopping centre and see books like You Can Heal Your Life, or spiritual iconography in fashion, cosmetics, books and movies. Capitalism has discovered a renewed economic source within spirituality and has moulded it for re-production and economical expansion in the age of technology and industrialization.


With many shows like Crossing Over and Lisa Williams Live, and also spirituality laced self-help books, what needs to be examined is if these media actually help, hinder or even make a 'change in one's lifestyle or fundamental behaviour patterns' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 62). What now arises, is questions of authenticity. If you examine advertisements for such spiritual healing shows or books, one key loci of the ad is to promote the reality or authenticity of the experience and how that is attainable for the listener or watcher. This modern day mass mediated spirituality 'exploits the historical respect and aura of authenticity of the religious traditions' and it turn the authenticity is always firstly promoted and questioned by promoter and questioner alike (Carrette and King 2012, p. 64). 


A few key questions we may need to ask is; Does the economic agenda subtract from the pureness or authenticity of religious experience? Does the media produce and re package spirituality just for profitable gain or is it meeting the media demands for the technological age? For instance, is media re packaged as blockbuster movies and psychic television shows because now in our age, that is the preferred mode of engagement?

Here is a video for the aforementioned Lisa Williams psychic, just for interests sake.

Reference
Carrette J and R King 2012, 'Spirituality and the Re-branding of Religion', in Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader, pp. 59-70, London and New York, Routledge.

Photos
The photo is from my own personal collection of photos I have shot myself

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtDnsjHsu-A

Week 3- Reflection on Nature and Spirituality

The sun rising over Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sitting on the buffalo grass overlooking this slice of nature, amidst the asphalt and concrete jungle, a feeling of insignificance always emerges. This feeling is carved from the gargantuan spiritual and natural cosmos which has sustained human life and disposition. When you grasp those few moments of stillness amidst nature, one can't help but feel spiritual or whimsical as the beauty transcends our industrialized, mundane life, even if only for a moment. As the Sustainable Soul blog pronounces so poignantly:

'The Earth is Sacred. Beyond our differences; beyond religion, politics and culture, Earth remains, the (literal) ground of our being. Disconnected and distracted, we search for meaning. Overworked and overwhelmed, we struggle. Leave the struggle and the search behind. Whether or not you practice an established faith tradition, you are welcome here. By virtue of being a human being, you are connected to this Holy Ground. It is your birthright. Welcome' (Hecking 2010, p.1).

                 

A date with an elephant in Ayuttaya, Thailand

Perhaps as our modern lives have become so preoccupied with careers, goals, families and our metropolitan worlds that nature has evoked spiritual wonderment exponentially. Do not most of us prefer to go on holiday away from our cities? Do we not escape from the hustle and bustle of our lives to just exist, somewhere else even if only for awhile?

References

Hecking, R, 2010. The Sustainable Soul: Nature Spirituality, http://www.thesustainablesoul.blogspot.com.au, 14/03/2012.

Photos

All photos were from taken by myself and from my own international travels.