January 21 - First day of class

As many would probably figure, the first day of class was simply going over the syllabus and the expectations the professor has for us.  It's going to be a lot of writing as we are to turn in weekly reflections about the class discussion, reading, and his own lectures.  Part of the reflection is to come up with a question about each aspect (discussion, reading, and lectures), and not simply a yes or no question, but something that engages the reader.  Plus there will be quizzes and tests and essays, PLUS, each student is expected to give a presentation to the class.  It's going to be challenging to say the least.  I know it won't be the same amount of work the rest of the students are doing because it's my only class.  They are doing between 3-4 other classes as well.

I spent time in the library again after class.  There are computers that people can use in some of the areas, but many bring their own laptops.  The program we are using is called Canvas.  It seems to be an organizational program that we log into but it is a little confusing.  I hope it's going to be ok.  It took me 3 hours to try and find the exact reading material in the program.  Ugh!  However, the first reading assigned to us was two excerpts from The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Douglas Abrams.  It's basically an interview with The Dahli Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  It hints at the similarities of the two men and how their faiths/religions view what is next after we die.  The first chapter we were given focused upon each of their encounters with death and how they have viewed it.  For instance, Christians talk about Heaven and Hell, Buddhists believe in re-incarnation.

What I have found interesting is the view of the Dahli Lama in his daily meditation in making his own mortality important.  It's an inevitability.  Embracing it in meditation gives him not merely a routine but a perceived advantage when his time comes.  He doesn't know the time or date, but when it comes as being inevitable, he potentially should be more prepared to accept it and not fight it.