I find it ironic that while some of our emotions have developed out of a genetic evolution, those same adaptations are now wreaking havoc on the psyches of those who don't fit into our little narrative.  The first and most obvious example is that of physical beauty.  "Along with the idea of romantic love, she was introduced to another- physical beauty.  Probably the most destructive ideas in the history of human thought." (Bluest Eye 122)  In this particular case, Mrs.Breedlove receives the idea of physical attractiveness from not the most reliable of sources- the movies.  It's in part due to Hollywood that stigmatisms about appearance really begin to take shape.

To be sure, physical appearance has always been a part of genetic selection.  More symmetrical faces are considered attractive because they indicate good genetics.  Just as wide hips or breasts on a woman are deemed beautiful because they connect to the ability to birth and feed healthy children.  But such attitudes were in the background of our consciousness and only came to present a challenge when faced with a different culture where the norm is suddenly upset.  Suddenly, that innate niggling fear begins to crop up.  "Fear of being rejected because of our appearance, abandoned by the group, left homeless." (anthology 370)  This fear is also genetically programmed as our species is meant to thrive as a group.  Generally speaking, becoming an outcast in the primordial world meant you were easy pickings for predators, hence the necessity to stay within the group.  And out of such a fear, people have a tendency to lash out.

Physical appearance and adhering to the norm are a big part of avoiding becoming ostracized.
http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/2007/07/bluest-eye-featured-in-quilting-arts_30.html

To protect ourselves, we degrade other's self-worth.  It's a vicious cycle that is all too easy to fall into.  And even those who know that they are being abused by the community at large seem often unable to escape its pull.  "He believed that since decay, vice, filth, and disorder were pervasive, they must be in the Nature of Things." (Bluest Eye 172)  I assume it's because if you've heard often enough how ugly or unworthy you are, no matter how much self-esteem you originally had, you'll eventually start to believe it.

And just look at the imploding self-destruction that happens within the Breedove family.  "No one intervenes to save the Breedloves: they face the ineluctable fatality of Psalm 109: 'May the crimes of his fathers be held against him and his mother's sin never effaced." (anthology 389)  And everyone in the family ends up suffering because of their acquiescence to the community's attitude of what they are.

But I don't mean to say the whole situation is irreparable.  Yes in the novel Bluest Eye, the protagonist Pecola is never redeemed in the eyes of the community but this is a work of fiction and doesn't have to be the fate of the world at large.  I think it's important to consciously be aware of assumptions of physical appearances that we make each day.  Just analyzing our thoughts and reactions to everyday life can be awareness to the situation at hand.  And that awareness is necessary to go to the next step of compassion.  There's no perfect '5 Steps to being a Better Person' or some such short cut to solving racism, sexism, or even plain out meanness.  But if we can slowly learn to see our failings and try to change, bit by bit, I think it's possible to move beyond our fear.

I thought this was an interesting concept showing how random it is that we receive our physical traits yet they make a tremendous difference in how we are perceived as people by the world at large.
http://www.thebingomaker.com/index.php/bingo-cards/people-vocabulary-bingo-cards/physical-appearance-bingo-cards.html

ESTJ in an ISFJ world

I still remember the summer before freshman year of college.  I was perusing the plan II class catalogue and Professor Bump's class caught my eye.  It wasn't just that the reading selection was different.  I also felt like the short paragraph of the course description was somehow more formulaic and specified.  It turns out my hunch was right as Bump's myers-briggs personality pulls heavily from the sensing category which tends to be detail-oriented in providing directions.  And while that lines up perfectly with my personality categorization of ESTJ, there are other aspects which have proved quite the challenge.

"ISFJs are characterized above all by their desire to serve others, their "need to be needed,” according to Heiss." (2009)

For me, I have trouble relying on someone for any kind of help.  I'm self-reliant and have been so since I was a very small child.  I'll ask for clarification but very rarely will I request help.  I'm sure this has cost me as Professor Bump is very good about offering a variety of services to help our academic career.  For example, he's mentioned the Writing Center on campus both in the anthology and on the website as well as in person during class.  But I must say I've never made the time to visit and find out how I could improve my writing skills.

I didn't actually draw with a ruler but I was known to stack my slices of banana into 2 towers before eating them (and doing so by taking evenly from each tower so they remained the same height.)
http://www.greythinking.com/2010/01/24/perfectionism-as-a-career/

But that's really just peanuts compared to the main statement made in the more recent class assessment by Roo.  According to his research, "It’s time to tear off the shackles of oppression and “perfection” and embrace the ideas of Professor Bump’s Voltaire Coffee: destroy Plan II perfection!" (2011)  I must say, it's ironic that I'm just getting around to writing this blog, and I've recently had a change in opinion on this aspect of my life.

Specifically, my adherence to the perfectionism required for a pre-med student.  Every time I attend my plan II pre-med meeting, I'm constantly bombarded with the message that I should get all A's in all my science classes while simultaneously volunteering in a hospital and getting research experience and a whole other plethora of things to do.  I spent nearly my full first semester stressing about whether I was good enough to get into med-school.  And then this semester hit.

Chemistry seems to have me in a perpetual state of frustration with my imperfections.
http://www.campuscalm.com/premed_stress.html

I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been pretty.  I've done very well in all my classes except chemistry.  While that might not seem so bad, the problem is that there's a good possibility I'll get a C for the course.  As a perfectionist, that's something that's never happened to me before and it terrifies me.  But I feel like I've been able to keep from being swallowed whole by my fear and concern.  All thanks to coping skills I learned in Bump's class.

"Also, instructors should attempt to subvert the rigid ESTF’s meticulous attention to detail by making things crazy!" (2011)

In my opinion, world lit couldn't be any more insane!  Our plans for the day are usually sporadic and ever-changing.  In no other class do I experience such confusion as when I enter Parlin and take my seat at the round table.  Our discussions and activities range over such a wide variety that I'm never quite sure what to expect.  And that acceptance of things being beyond my control has slowly helped me come to terms for the fallibility of people (and of myself in particular).  I'm by no means saying I've given up work as a detail-oriented worker.  Only that I can allow myself a little slack in my ambitions.  I have a full four years (possibly plus some?) years of college and I should use them to explore and define what sort of career I want to hold.  College is not just a factory churning out medical students, it's a place to develop who you want to be.  I've just got to remember that next time I begin to panic over some ambiguous instructions or less-than-perfect score.

The Eye of the Beholder (cue Twilight Zone music!)

I seem to remember The Bluest Eye being on a reading list somewhere in my history of schooling but I don't recall when or where.  I never really gave the book much thought besides curiosity at the strange title.  After completing the book last night (I ended up staying up past my self-appointed bed time just to finish the last chapter), I realized ho relevant it still is to our world today.

The first and most obvious theme presented is that of beauty.  And what an abstract yet potent idea that is.  I never really cared for my appearance as a child so it was disturbing to hear Claudia say"I had only one desire: to dismember it.  To see of what it was made, to discover the dearness, to find the beauty, the desirability that had escaped me, but apparently only me." (20)  How could such a doll pull so much hatred from this little girl?  But at the same time, I can relate to her confusion over what makes someone or something truly beautiful.

As I said before, as a kid I wasn't much concerned with appearance.  In fact, throughout middle school I purposely wore clothes that didn't necessarily match or were deemed "uncool."  It was in part because I despised the popular kids who wore expensive clothing and partially because it made more sense to wear things I didn't mind getting dirty.  I've always been an adventurous person and coming home with ruined shirts was a regular occurrence for me.  But as I moved into late middle school and early high school, I began to observe the social dynamics and how much of an effect the exterior appearance had.  It was easy to pick out the popular kids who had the Hollister shirts, long straight blonde hair, and (for the girls) a very skinny build.  Even back then, I wasn't build like a twig.  I've always had broad shoulders and muscular thighs.  For the most part, I'm thankful for my body type because I know I have the strength to take care of myself.   But for a few years, I really hated my body.  I was just too big.  Lined up in class photos, I'd look chubby compared with the wisp of a girl I was standing next to- even if I was mostly muscle.  I don't think it was until junior year in high school that I finally got over the fact that I would never have a slight build.

None of the girls in middle school were this skinny but I have to wonder- if thin is our idea of beauty, are we moving closer to something like this being considered the standard?
http://forum.gaijinpot.com/showthread.php?69615-Miss-Universe-Oz-controversy

And by now, I've really become pretty much satisfied with the way I am.  I relate much more to Claudia than Pecola because I'm more interested in what my body can do for me physically, not the attention it can bring.  "We felt comfortable in our skins, enjoyed the news that our senses released to us, admired our dirt, cultivated our scars, and could not comprehend this unworthiness." (74)  We're made to enjoy the world and our senses are the core means that allow us to do so.  I'm not just talking about sight or sound but also the tactile experiences.  There's nothing quite like feeling the power of your legs as you spring across the soccer field or the steady rhythm of your arms as you swim through the water.  The sensation of doing has become what I find beautiful.  You don't have to have a pretty face to be good at basketball but making a perfect slam dunk or 3-pointer is every bit as gorgeous.

Images can't quite do it justice but there really is something graceful about a clean, point scoring kick.
Picture by me.

It's taken me a long time to learn (and I don't think I'm done yet), but I think beauty is something you show by doing something you love.  For me, it's taekwondo and seeing a match play perfectly into your hands as you read the opponent and score the match-winning point.  There's a kind of fluid grace and tempo in throwing kicks and dodging your opponent's that to me, is beautiful.  But I also think there is beauty in a well-played piece of music or a caringly crafted building.  What I'm trying to say, is that we need to accept that beauty isn't skin deep or even related to the skin at all.  It's about expressing your passion to others and having them love you because if it.  I may have gone off on a tangent here but I guess my view of beauty isn't really physical at all.

Maus

I must admit, this isn't my first reading of Maus.  Last year it was my summer reading assignment for senior GT English along with The Book Thief.  While most students congratulated me on my luck at getting to read a comic for homework, I couldn't quite share in their enthusiasm.  Just flipping through the volumes, I felt a confusing array of emotions.  A little horror and disgust for the horrible crimes committed, some excitement at having a light reading assignment, and a little apprehension over the fact that this author put the tragedy's into a format often called 'the funnies.'  Interestingly enough, Art Spiegelman owns up to the strange position he's in with the style of his piece.  "And trying to do it as a comic strip!  I guess I bit off more than I can chew... There's so much I'll never be able to understand or visualize." (16)  And isn't that true for all of us?  With an event that horrendous, there's no way we can comprehend it in its entirety.  I recently visited the National WWII museum in New Orleans and spent a full day moving through its chronological exhibits.  The images are all things we've seen in history books like flights of aircraft, Generals standing at attention, and 'Rosie the riveter' at work in the munitions factory.  But then when I came to the Pacific theatre, I was stunned by how large of a role racism played in our war against the Japanese.

Both the Japanese and Americans did their best to demonize each other as the enemy
and play off the racial prejudices each culture holds.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gruenemann/2051226628/sizes/o/in/photostream/

I know Maus covers the portion of the war dealing with Hitler and his plan to exterminate the Jews but did you know that idea originated from Japan?  The publication called "Japan und Die Japaner" was a treatise written by Haushofer from his visit to the country.  (As an interesting aside, check out this clip clip stating at 5:00 to 5:40.  It depicts Jewish movie maker Fritz Lang describing Haushofer's book.)  He claimed that their culture was so advanced and that their economy was so strong because they had a single, unified race.  This essay, combined with the already prevalent attitude of anti-semitism found in Europe, helped fuel the Nazi party's excuse for all out genocide.

This image depicts Rudolf Hess and Karl Haushofer whose political ideas helped influence Adolf Hitler.
http://www.answers.com/topic/karl-haushofer

And what an atrocity it was.  Maus doesn't go into too many of the specifics of the crimes committed in Auschwitz but the mental images it does convey are the sort that haunt you long after you've finished reading.  "And those what finished in the gas chambers before they got pushed in these graves, it was the lucky ones.  The others had to jump in the graves while they were still alive.  Prisoners what worked there poured gasoline over the live ones and the dead ones.  And the fat rom the burning bodies they scooped and poured again so everyone could burn better." (72)  In my opinion, this is the worst of the cruelties described.  It also immediately reminded me of an exhibit I saw at the Bob Bullock museum many years ago.  It was a history of Davy Crockett and one part discussed his involvement with the Native Americans.  I don't think he was ever involved with any raids against the indigenous people but there was an except from his writings that described an attack on a village.  Apparently a teepee burned down with it's inhabitants still inside.  The teepee was over a store of potatoes and since the men were starving, they ate the potatoes which had been cooked through with the human fat.

The bodies burning outside Auschwitz.
http://zioneocon.blogspot.com/2004_04_18_archive.html

Sorry, I didn't mean make a bad image worse.  I just though it was an interesting connection with our last reading of Black Elk Speaks and Maus.  As for tying in yet another culture.  I know that Bat already brought this up but Vladek is quite the racist for having suffered through similar treatment. When he sees an African American hitchhiker, he doesn't want to offer a hand and worries that the man will steal his groceries.  Art's wife is rightly outraged at is attitude.  "That's outrageous!  How can you, of all people, be such a racist!  You talk about blacks the way the Nazis talked about Jews!" (99)  It seems that even those who know the worst of racism still can't apply it to the world at large.  Is it because they had such an intensely personal experience that they can't back out to see the whole picture?

Vladek even later admits as he passes through the wrecked city that "We came away (from Nuremberg) happy.  Let the Germans have a little what they did to the Jews." (130)  I think the real issue that mankind has to overcome is the idea of revenge.  Hammurabi's code may have called for an eye for an eye but that just leaves everyone blind, so to speak.  Do we really want to see the world in terms of equal suffering and pain?  How does that sound like a place we want to live?  I think getting over the hurdle of equality of suffering will push us a long way towards a better global understanding of compassion.

Black Elk Speaks Pt. 2

There's something so very straight forward and practical about how native americans approach life.  During the reading, I was constantly reminded of Ishmael.  The difference between "takers" and "leavers" shines through at the oddest moments.  For example, the idea of sharing being greater than hoarding.  Black Elk speaks of a warrior that "he had to give these gifts to those who had least of everything, and the braver he was, the more he gave away." (296)  Modern culture like to hold such tenants as "good" and "morally correct" but how many of us commit to acting as such?  I know I like to think of myself as a good person  but finding money to donate or even time is a struggle with myself.  There's too much me me me and not enough what can I do to help you?  But part of it may be that idea of ownership which we cling to so tightly.  While native americans do distinguish somewhat between mine and yours, it's rather undefined compared with our terms.  Just look at how the sales of their land went.  They roamed and used a good portion of the western United States but we only considered them to "own" a small portion of that.  But how do you decide who you purchase the land from?  Several tribes use the same area and within the tribes are families.  Do you pay individuals, clan leaders, whole tribes?  It's a very murky area lacking definition.

It's kind of like how no one can own the sky- we all share it.
(By the way, definitely still psyched from the kite festival!)
Picture taken by me.

But who's to say we can't begin to synthesize these two ways of thinking back together?  I'm sure it can be done.  Because although people come in all types, we all experience the same emotions at some point.  And we all fight for many of the same principles.  Take the ghost dances for example.  They were looked upon by the "Waischus" with derision and a bit of fear.  When they tried to halt the dances and a form of religious expression, they were immediately resisted.  "They [native americans] would not stop, and they said they would fight for their religion if they had to." (341)  Sound familiar?  It's the same principle our nation is based on.  The freedom to practice any religion is guaranteed in our bill of rights yet it seems they didn't think this applied to North America's original inhabitants.  It's sadly ironic in my opinion.

An image from the Ghost Dances where native americans hoped to mend the hoop of life.
http://blogs.valpo.edu/gjones/page/2/

We have only to gain from learning from other cultures but we seem afraid of interacting with those who don't fit in our little world.  I say college is the best chance to break out of this small-minded opinion and see a whole new world.  All of us students in world literature can attest that UT is very diverse so let's make the best of the opportunities afforded us here.  We only get a few years to explore before real work kicks in so enjoy it!  I know that's what I'm trying to do.

Playtime with Mollie

I hear furious barking as someone opens the front gate.  All of my fellow canines jump to their feet and stand anxiously at the front of their pens.  Half of them are excited to see a new face and playmate.  The other half are still shaken from their experience at the last shelter; they seek only to guard what little dominion they can claim and warn away these untrustworthy humans.  As for me, I slowly stand and lean back on my haunches to stretch the cramped muscles from my nap.  My companion named Happy continues to snooze, so I quietly trot up to the front of our enclosure to see what the fuss is about.

As I poke my black muzzle through the wiring of the cage, I spot two young humans walking among the pens.  Almost instantly, my tail starts to wag like a helicopter preparing for lift-off.  These look like just the type that enjoy hunting for interesting smells in the brush!  I begin to pace a little in front of the gate latch.  The grass is already well-worn from this activity committed so many times before.  My initial curiosity moves towards excitement as they near my cage.  One of the volunteers of the shelter carefully undoes the latch, and I calm myself enough for her to put me on the leash and lead me out of the pen.  I knew better than to bark or cause such a ruckus.  I may be young, but I’ve seen what happens to dogs that are too loud for their own good.

But it seems these people are as curious to meet me as I am to meet them.  The girl with long hair kneels down to meet me at eye level.  “Hello Mollie!  Mind if we take you for a walk?”  Although I’m incapable of human speech, my brown eyes soften, and I pant in gleeful anticipation.  The leash trades hands, and suddenly they give me free reign over the field stretching before me.   Natural instincts kick in, and I put my nose to the ground to track the scents of the many visitors before me.  I catch a whiff of squirrel, and once again my tail swipes side to side, gently tapping the girl holding my leash.  She seems to notice my actions because she reaches down and scratches me between my ears.  I gaze back at her imploringly.  May we follow the scent?

The leash, that supreme tool of control, remains slack, so I trot along the unseen trail left by furry prey.  I guess today is my lucky day.  The two humans follow behind me placidly, indulging my olfactory curiosity.   Sadly however, the trail eventually goes cold and I lose my tracking game.  Right as I’m about to search for a new worthy prey, I hear the rustle of plastic I know all too well.  Treat?!?

My attention is immediately riveted by the little piece of processed food held between the fingers of my companion.

“Sit.”

Immediately my haunches sink to the grass, eyes still focused on the morsel being held above me.

“Lie down.”

Despite what you humans seem to think about us dogs, we’re really not stupid.  Our means of conversing might be different than yours and our social tenants vary, but we can easily see that you want some action from us.  Just because a canine doesn’t respond immediately doesn’t mean we don’t want to please.  Sometimes we just need a little help in understanding what you want.  I am afraid this girl won’t see that though.  I sit, alert to the possibility of an angry remark or action.  However, it never comes.

Instead she repeats the command.  “Lie down.”  This time it is followed up with a gesture-placing her hand against the ground.  Of course I immediately oblige and am rewarded with the tasty morsel.  The chewy, flavorful kibble disappears in a flash. Ah, this I can do.

We repeat the process, and I earn nothing but treats and scratches behind my ears.  Filled with delight at all the attention and praise, I start to lean against the girl’s leg and nearly topple over.

But all too soon she’s leading me back towards my small pen, my miniature prison of boredom where there are no interesting creatures to hunt and only the calm vibe exuded from Happy keeps me from going stir crazy.  Still, I feel hopeful.  After spending so long hearing what a worthless animal I am in the old shelter, its refreshing to be treated like the friend I want to be.  Maybe that couple will come back.  Maybe I’ll even be leaving here for good tomorrow!  In any case, it seems life has more squirrel hunts and tasty treats in my future than I had ever imagined.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright, so I’m not really a 3 year old part German Shepard dog named Mollie, but after visiting her in the care of Austin Pets Alive, I feel that I can sympathize with her plight.  Whether human or animal, being displaced and in lack of a home is one of the most traumatic and difficult situations to deal with.  In Mollie’s case, her owners felt unable to properly care for her (for undisclosed reasons) and simply dropped her off at the animal shelter.  I’ve always thought that surely here in the United States there are enough homes to take in our domesticated furry friends.  However, we seem to only have neglect for an “estimated 8 to 10 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters yearly.

” This figure doesn’t even include smaller, less official shelters that pop up all over the nation.  Why is it that we can comment on how awful it is that a group of people are displaced, but when we hear of creatures suffering- just of a different species- we say “that’s just life”?  I feel it’s odd that we have so many options for preventing the unnecessary suffering of animals at home, yet such a cause tends to be harder for people to rally behind.

I believe part of my annoyance with such an attitude stems from my connection to my spirit animal.  At the beginning of last semester, I took a journey within my consciousness and found a wolf residing in my soul- a companion and teacher to help me grow.  As I continued to meditate and research my lupine protector, I came across many references to how “wolves are absolutely committed and loyal to the pack and find their place within the group.”

  And I know this is not just true of the wild wolves but of our domesticated friends as well.

Dogs need a pack to belong to, protect, and feel connected with.  Because of centuries of working with these canines, they have become completely dependent on humans for food, shelter, and emotional comfort.  Too often I’ve heard people express the sentiment that dogs can survive in the wild if need be.  I think they don’t comprehend the difference between survive and thrive.  Humans can survive independently in a forest or plain, but the emotional need to be connected to another creature keeps that life from being complete.  Whether extraverted or introverted, we all need some form of connection to those around us.  No man is an island and neither is a single dog or cat.  Generations of humankind have developed a close relationship to dogs that cannot be abandoned at a moment’s notice.  It’s no surprise that animals struggle so much when they first come to the shelter.  Oftentimes, they don’t understand the situation beyond the fact that they’ve been abandoned to utter strangers.

This can cause them to lash out when first put in their new kennel.  In fact, according to instructor of veterinary science Crista Coppola, "day three [in the shelter] is usually the most stressful.  The dogs have not yet begun to acclimate, and have reached their tolerance level of responding to unpredictable surroundings.”

  This stress manifests itself in physical and psychological changes that can make a dog unappealing for potential adopters.  I can certainly understand how a child visiting with his or her parents might become terrified at the barking din of the shelter and change their mind about getting a new pet.  And because the lack of adoptions, in these crowded conditions most dogs only have a short window of opportunity before they must be euthanized to make room for the influx of others.

It’s during this critical stage that Austin Pets Alive steps in, takes animals off death row, and puts them into their own shelter system.  Their primary goal is to make Austin a “no-kill zone” and rehabilitate the animals so that they can belong to a loving family.  Whether they exist as packs, flocks, schools, pods, herds, gaggles, or communities, all beings need a support network.  Austin Pets Alive works hard to make sure their dogs and cats find that relationship with a new family.  My personal experience with them couldn’t have been better.  It was obvious that all the volunteers had favorite stories to share about their charges and could talk for hours about the entertaining way some certain animal would behave.  I truly believe each dog was an individual personality to the volunteers and part of a temporary family they created.

And though it might just seem like typical Austin hippie fashion to spread the love and protect our animal brethren, why shouldn’t it be applied to the world at large?  We’re all connected inhabitants of this planet earth and rely on each other through more connections than can ever be iterated.  Don’t let the vast network down, help protect man’s best friend and support APA! in their endeavors.  I know I will.

FINAL WORD COUNT: 1, 623

WITHOUT QUOTES: 1, 566

[1] "Safe Haven: Why Pets are Put Up for Adoption," Discount Horse Track, February 15, 2011, http://discounthorsetack.org/safe-haven-why-pets-are-put-up-for-adoption/

[2] Takatoka. Wolf. Spirit Guides. Manataka American Indian Council. Web. 18 Sept. 2010.

[3]University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Constant Din Of Barking Causes Stress, Behavior Changes In Dogs In Shelters."ScienceDaily 26 July 2006. 3 March 2011 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060726084338.htm>.

Photos:

Thanks to John Peel for the excellent photography

Black Elk Speaks

"For what is one man that he should make much of his winters, even when they bend him like a heavy snow?" (261)

I find this quote speaks to me, not so much in a spiritual vein but as something I often feel from personal experience.  Black Elk was charged to tell the story all his life- no easy task.  There are so many cultural nuances that must be covered simply to tell his single story and to get an idea of the lives of his people, he'd have to tell many, many more.  I can't imagine how strenuous a task that seemed when he first began.  In my own personal history, I've volunteered for a similar undertaking.  Namely, that I've kept a journal consistently for the past 8 years or so and imperfectly for the past 10.  I don't know how or why I started but it became a habit that must be fulfilled before I could go to bed each night.  I've slowly come to the opinion that I'd like them to be published some day in the hopes that other teens who struggle through daily life know everyone has the same thoughts at some point.  But even I know that sounds rather egotistical and that I am no better than anyone else who has ever put their thoughts to paper.  It's a hard thing to explain.

No matter how hard we strive, we can never fully record all of the emotions or even events of any given time.

http://www.personalizedleather.net/hardcover_journals_leather.html

"But he said that Crazy Horse dreamed and went into the world where there is nothing but the spirits of all things.  That is the real world that is behind this one, and everything we see here is something like a shadow from that world." (292)

But back on track with our more usual discussion, while going through our reading I realized that there's more cultural synthesis between native americans and those cultures we considered "enlightened."  For example, one of the famed Greek philosophers (Plato I believe) wrote that we merely see the shadow of the world and that its true essence lies beyond our comprehension.  I have a tendency to agree with him, based on a scientific standpoint.  For example, we know that dogs are color blind but I'm pretty sure they're unaware of this fact.  If we tried to communicate to them that they see the world only partially or "wrong," would they believe us?  I doubt it.  It's like being in a 2D world and trying to understand the concept of a third dimension.

But I digress.  Black Elk is speaking of seeing a truer world through dreams and visions.  While to our modern society we might see this as him just enjoying a little bit too much peyote, who can deny the effects of a powerful dream?  Have you never woken up and still felt the intense emotional pull of whatever was happening in your mind mere seconds before?  I'm very based in the world of alpha and beta brain waves and the scientific analysis of sleep but I also hold with the fact that dreams can be a way of our subconscious/something beyond us (God?) trying to share a message.

Even in modern times, we're obsessed with the hidden meaning behind dreams.

http://inception.wikia.com/wiki/Inception_Wiki