Walden And The Art Of Zen Essay free essay sample

, Research Paper If I were asked who my favorite Western Zen philosopher was, without any vacillation, I would declare it to be Henry David Thoreau. Although he knew in interlingual rendition the spiritual Hagiographas of the Hindus, it may be improbable that Henry David Thoreau of all time studied the instructions of the Zen Masters. Even so, the penetration within his ain personal Hagiographas would irrefutably do him maestro of his ain temple. The wisdom found within Thoreau # 8217 ; s Walden can be clarified through Zen Buddhist beliefs and thoughts as the two seem to typically congratulate each other. Where, you might inquire, does faith suit into the going escapades of Henry David Thoreau? Religion has been a portion of the literary tradition from the really start. Some of the first books of all time produced were handwritten transcripts of the Bible. Booklets, verse forms, odes, and heroic poems throughout the centuries have continued to reflect spiritual content. I have besides read insightful essays about the concealed Christian Symbolism in A. A. Milne # 8217 ; s Winnie-the-Pooh. Well, why non the presence of Zen Buddhism within the instructions of Thoreau # 8217 ; s Walden? In conformity with the history of literature, one might state # 8220 ; Why non? # 8221 ; ; in conformity with Walden # 8217 ; s content, I would state, # 8220 ; I couldn # 8217 ; t see it being any other way. # 8221 ; What is Zen Buddhism anyhow? In the book Zen Buddhism, D.T. Suzuki says that # 8220 ; Zen in its kernel is the art of seeing into the nature of one # 8217 ; s ain being, and it points the manner from bondage into freedom # 8221 ; ( 3 ) . In the theory of Zen, our organic structures contain a religious signifier of energy. When this energy is consciously tapped, we will be cognizant of all the implicit in urges and desires of our bosom. This # 8220 ; freedom # 8221 ; will do us to see Kensho, ( seeing into one # 8217 ; s ain nature ) , therefore going happier and more loving to those around us. To make the Buddhist end of going one with everything, a individual has to embracing # 8220 ; nil # 8221 ; . What is meant in the embrace of # 8220 ; nil # 8221 ; is that one must abandon his or her ain self-importance and research beyond the bounds of societal conformance. The job that lies in the manner of making this # 8220 ; energy # 8221 ; is that most people have suppressed it due to personal and society driven ignorance. When this barrier is overcome, we are in melody with the significance and cognition of life. In his ideas and in his words, Thoreau has seemed to use that energy in Walden, opening his # 8220 ; 3rd oculus # 8221 ; to the universe around him Zen teacher Choa-chou said that, # 8220 ; Zen is your mundane thought # 8221 ; and Walden is a aggregation of the mundane ideas of Henry David Thoreau. Walden is a factual record of Thoreau # 8217 ; s life experiences populating entirely in a house that he built with his ain custodies, on the shore of Walden Pond in Concord Massachusetts. Zen suggests that to work out life # 8217 ; s jobs, one must straight beg the elements of personal experience as opposed to book-knowledge. This attack is known as Jiriki. Jiriki refers to a individual # 8217 ; s own effort to # 8220 ; attain enlightenment through his or her ain attempts # 8221 ; . In Walden, Thoreau offers the results of his experience to the reader in hopes that they excessively will derive freedom from them. While populating on the shores of Walden, Thoreau # 8217 ; s simple life style can about be summed up with the Zen stating # 8220 ; Chop wood, carry H2O # 8221 ; . Thoreau earned his life by the labor of his ain custodies and considered his life style, # 8220 ; really natural and pertinent # 8221 ; ( 728 ) . Thoreau achieved tranquility by agencies similar to those found in Zen Bible. He writes, # 8220 ; So many fall, ay, and winter yearss, spent outside the town, seeking to hear what was in the air current # 8221 ; ( 736 ) . This is, to me, reminiscent of the Zen koan # 8220 ; What is the coloring material of air current? # 8221 ; Throughout the pages of Walden, Thoreau seems to praise the simpleness of the carnal universe that is missing in world. Commenting on endurance, Thoreau states that, # 8220 ; None of the beast creative activity requires more than Food and Shelter. . . for non til we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true jobs of life with freedom and a chance of success # 8221 ; ( 733-734 ) . This simpleness of endurance has been a changeless portion of Zen life. Master Rinzai, laminitis of the Rinzai Sect of Zen, remarked, # 8220 ; When hungry, I eat ; when tired, I sleep. Fools laugh at me. The wise understand # 8221 ; . Both Thoreau and Zen faith appear to topographic point animate beings on a higher plane of being for their intuitive behavior. In Walden # 8217 ; s Economy, ( or # 8220 ; doctrine of life # 8221 ; ) , Thoreau writes, One husbandman says to me, # 8220 ; You can non populate on vegetable nutrient entirely, for it furnishes nil to do castanetss with ; # 8221 ; and so he sacredly devotes a portion of his twenty-four hours to providing his system with the natural stuff of castanetss ; walking all the piece he talks behind his cattle, which, with vegetable-made castanetss, dork him and his lumbering Big Dipper along in malice of every obstruction. ( 732 ) Irmgard Schloegl # 8217 ; s book, The Wisdom of the Zen Masters, contains a Zen quotation mark conveying a similar message on the lift of carnal behavior in life. The citation is as follows, Master Nansen, asked by a monastic, # 8220 ; Where does he travel who knows what is what? # 8221 ; replied: # 8220 ; He becomes an ox of the monastery protagonist down the hill, to repay him for his help. # 8221 ; When the monastic thanked him for his instruction, the Master added: # 8220 ; At midnight yesterday, the Moon shone in at the window. # 8221 ; ( 69 ) Thoreau was known to hold said, # 8220 ; Our life is frittered off by item. . . Simplify, simplify # 8221 ; . However, this respect of simpleness seemed to conflict with the sentiments of society. If one were to follow the advice that Walden give # 8217 ; s us for life, as Thoreau puts it, # 8220 ; God will see that you do non desire societ y† ( 823 ) . In The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Hershel Parker, of the University of Delaware remarks that, # 8220 ; [ Thoreau s ] life became a refusal to populate by the mercenary values of his neighbors # 8221 ; ( 709 ) . Henry David Thoreau had no desire for material ownerships. He writes: # 8220 ; I had three pieces of limestone on my desk, but I was terrified to happen that they required to be dusted daily, when the furniture of my head was all undusted still, and I threw them out in disgust # 8221 ; ( 746-747 ) . After all, as Zen maestro Mumon said, # 8220 ; The hoarded wealths of the house do non come in by the forepart door # 8221 ; . Thoreau abandoned the objects that did non ask the life of his life. Often in life we get new things even though objects still possessed could make the coveted occupation. Thoreau was uncomfortable with that quality of adult male articulating that, # 8220 ; au naturel pess are older than places, and [ one ] can do them make # 8221 ; ( 739 ) . This statement is rather similar in idea to a Diogenes quotation mark found in The Little Zen Companion: # 8220 ; I threw my cup off when I saw a kid imbibing from his custodies at the trough # 8221 ; ( 133 ) . Thoreau believed that money unneeded for the life style of his choosing. He believed that, # 8220 ; None can be an impartial or wise perceiver of human life but from the vantage land of what we should name voluntary poorness # 8221 ; ( 735 ) . This belief is shared with the Zen Masterss. Zen text says: A monastic asked Chao-chou, # 8220 ; If a hapless adult male comes, what should one give him? # 8221 ; # 8220 ; He lacks nil, # 8221 ; answered the Master. By chew the fating unneeded things, you are left, in bend, with fewer things to worry approximately. Thoreau # 8217 ; s ain remark about the society around him was that, # 8220 ; We worship non the Graces, nor the Parcae, but Fashion # 8221 ; ( 740 ) . In Walden, Thoreau spins a narrative to exemplify the point, Madam Pfeiffer, in her adventuresome travels round the universe, from E to West, had got so close place as Asian Russia, she says that she felt the necessity of have oning other than a traveling frock, when she went to run into the governments, for she was now in civilised state, where # 8212 ; people are judged of by their apparels # 8217 ; . ( 739 ) This funny anecdote brings into head an ancient Zen Story, Affluent givers invited Master Ikkyu to a feast. The Maestro arrived at that place dressed in mendicant # 8217 ; s vest. His host, non acknowledging him in this attire, hustled him off. The Master went place, there changed into his ceremonial robe of violet brocade, and once more presented himself at his host # 8217 ; s doorsill. He was received with due regard, and ushered into the feast room. There he put his stiff robe on the shock absorber, stating, I expect you invited the robe since you showed me away a small piece ago, # 8217 ; and left. These were, harmonizing to Thoreau, the # 8220 ; infantile and barbarous gustatory sensation of work forces # 8221 ; ( 741 ) . Walden strongly displays how deep the modus operandi of tradition and conformance are entrenched into civilised life. Thoreau believes that the job with society is their dependance on conventional wont. Men are # 8220 ; machines # 8221 ; and # 8220 ; are so occupied with the factitious attentions and superfluously harsh labor of life that its finer fruits can non be plucked by them # 8221 ; ( 730 ) . Further into Walden, Thoreau comes to the realisation that, # 8220 ; the life of the civilised people [ is made ] an establishment, in which the life of the person is to a great extent absorbed, in order to continue and hone that of the race # 8221 ; ( 744 ) . It can be seen that Thoreau thinks that individuality has been lost in civilised adult male. He concludes that civilisation would be # 8220 ; Better if they had been born in the unfastened grazing land and suckled by a wolf, that they might hold seen with clearer eyes the field that they were called to labor in # 8221 ; ( 729 ) . This may be related to the ideas of Tao Te Ching, who said # 8220 ; Act without making ; work without attempt # 8221 ; . Tradition may be broken every bit good. In Walden, Thoreau # 8217 ; s penetration is that # 8220 ; It is neer excessively late to give up our biass # 8221 ; ( 731 ) . Social prejudices are shunned in Zen Religion. There are no separations ; you are one with everything. Thoreau repeats his point by stating that, # 8220 ; The finest qualities of our nature. . . can be preserved merely by the most delicate handling. Yet we do non handle ourselves nor one another therefore tenderly # 8221 ; ( 730 ) . Henry David Thoreau is the Maestro and I am the pupil. He genuinely believed in populating his life instead than blowing it. I believe that he attained Buddhahood by happening the nature of his ain true being. Using Walden as a vas for his awakened wisdom, Thoreau would wish everyone to see Kensho and place with their ain true nature, # 8220 ; Let every mind his ain concern, and endeavor to be what he was made # 8221 ; ( 821 ) . In Thoreau # 8217 ; s head, life was non constricted by regulations. He boldly states in Walden, # 8220 ; Here is life, an experiment # 8221 ; ( 732 ) . It about seems as if Thoreau had based his ain life on the instructions of Chinese philosopher Tao-te-Ching: In brooding, live near to the land. In thought, maintain to the simple. In struggle, be just and generous. In regulating, Don # 8217 ; t seek to command. In work, make what you enjoy. In household life, be wholly present. Yamada Roshi, great Zen maestro declared that # 8220 ; The intent of Zen is the flawlessness of character # 8221 ; . Keeping that in head, I believe that Walden has secured Henry David Thoreau # 8217 ; s topographic point as one of the greatest Zen philosophers. Schiller, David, trans. and erectile dysfunction. , The Little Zen Companion. New York: Workman, 1994. Schloegl, Irmgard, trans. and erectile dysfunction. , The Wisdom of the Zen Masters. New York: New Directions Books, 1976. Wood, Ernest, Zen Dictionary. Japan: Charles E. Tuttle Co. , 1973. ENDNOTES

Defining the Big D - Emphasis

Defining the Big D Defining the Big D Kill the fatted calf: it seems we do now have a definition of the word Depression. (See Whats in a word?, below.) According to the Economist, its: a slide in peak-to-trough of real GDP of 10% or a decline lasting more than three years. Im glad we sorted that out. So were not in one yet, even if the latest estimate is for 4 per cent negative growth in GDP. Now, if we could just start talking ourselves out of whatever it is we are in

Minority kids with alcohol addicition Research Paper

Minority kids with alcohol addicition - Research Paper Example The problem has grown worse as the adolescent population too has been fascinated by the trend. Alcohol as a part of party or as a part of ‘growing up’, ends up being an addiction and the person becomes a nuisance to his loved ones as well as the society. What starts as an experiment of trying something new, at times ends up in severe addiction of alcohol. Addiction is the condition when the person feels adverse effects if not provided with the substance he is addicted to. Alcohol addiction is serious because alcohol is one of the most easily available drugs. Unlike other drugs like cocaine, alcohol is much more reachable. The youngsters, who fall below the legal age for alcohol consumption, find it easily accessible and not to forget that it is also available in the homes where adults drink it. In fact the first experiment of adolescents with alcohol begins at home only. It will also be discussed in the report how the advertisement of alcohol target the youth and how the se advertisements are more common in the localities where the minority groups are found in excess. My study aims to understand the causes of alcohol addiction among adolescents particularly among the minority group. These underage users of alcohol mostly become the main target of alcohol advertisements considering they are more prone to addiction to drugs. I am going to study the cultural influences on the kids that affect their behavior towards alcohol and the factors that lead to a sustained alcohol addiction. This study compares the findings from other studies and tries to come to a conclusion about the effect of kids belonging to a minority group and their habitual alcohol drinking. According to a report by the Office of Applied Studies (2007), 8000 adolescents on an average, aged from 12 to 17, drank alcohol for the first time. This increase in consumption is a concern as alcohol addiction has usually been directly linked to the occasional consumption in the above mentioned age

Environment, Culture, Ethnicity and Health Essay - 2

Environment, Culture, Ethnicity and Health - Essay Example At that time, the community was organized and incorporated and its first priest was Fr. Michael Sarris. In 1916, a home had been purchased and converted into the first Greek Orthodox Church of Jacksonville. The "godfather", so to speak, of the church was Rev. Parthenios Kolonis from Patmos, Greece, and had been granted the name of St. John the Divine of the parish.(Originally named The Church of the Revelation of St. John the Divine (Theodoratus, 1971). On April 17, 1919, the community purchased a larger church facility in the downtown area from the Christian Science Congregation. This building, for the next 39 years would see innumerable weddings, baptisms, funerals, and visits, by many high ranking clergymen. As far as can be determined, the consecration of this church was in the early to mid-1920s by the late Archbishop Alexander (Theodoratus, 1971). In many ways, the history of this parish reflects a process-- a process of the establishment and assimilation of Greek Orthodoxy within the American context. From the 1920s until today, through the struggles to build, to finance, and to educate, the parish finds itself at a new point of impact. Though the foundations are now firm, their greatest mission, that of preserving and furthering the Orthodox faith and their heritage as good Americans lies in the future (Theodoratus, 1971). They are now upgrading with emphasis on the importance of the Greek Orthodox religion by promoting educational, cultural, social and athletic activities. In large part, this decrease has resulted from the desire of parents to provide adequately for their children and to have them educated so they can achieve professional status. The method of limiting pregnancies has changed from control of gestation to control of conception (Papadopoulos, 1998). In Greece, abortions were not legal but were commonly performed by physicians. In the United States, a wide variety of birth

Reflective Essay on Smoking Cessation

Reflective Essay on Smoking Cessation This essay provides a reflective account of the delivery of an opportunistic smoking cessation intervention. In constructing this account, Gibbs (1988) model of reflection has been utilised, which incorporates the following components: description; feelings; evaluation; analysis; conclusion; and action plan. Description Whilst shadowing a practice nurse, I was provided with the opportunity to implement a brief smoking cessation intervention with a patient. The patients name will not be used, in respect of confidentiality (NMC Code, 2008; NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice, DH 2003), however, for the purpose of this reflection she will be referred to by the pseudonym Sarah. Sarah is a 65-year old female presenting with a number of health issues. She is an overweight smoker who has recently been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease characterised by the narrowing of the airways. COPD also refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema, the latter of which Sarah has been diagnosed with. It is emphysema that is Sarahs primary health problem at present. The health promotion strategy adopted was a brief intervention comprising motivational interviewing (Rollnick, Miller and Butler, 2007), which took place within the practice surgery as part of Sarahs consultation. Motivational Interviewing is a directive patient-centered style of counselling designed to help people resolve ambivalence about behavior change, such as smoking cessation. Alongside motivational interviewing, some specific props and teaching aids were utilised, including the provision of evidence-based information, the creation of a COPD self-management plan (British Lung Foundation, 2010), and details of helpful resources Sarah could utilise for further support. This included the Surrey NHS Stop Smoking Service (www.surreyquit.net), which offers free NHS support tailored to the individual (i.e. weekly clinic visits or telephone contact). Feelings I was initially quite anxious about this health promotion opportunity, as I was not confident in my ability to provide constructive support in the limited time we had. However, on initiating a conversation with Sarah, using open questions as recommended within motivational interviewing, the anxiety disappeared as I listened to Sarahs story. Active listening requires concentration, which in turn focused me on how I might be able to help Sarah. In establishing that Sarah was concerned for her grandchildren, who stayed with her quite frequently and were thus around second hand smoke, this provided an anchor to facilitate the development of Sarahs motivation to change. In turn, this anchor also provided me with a patient-centred method for relieving my fears, since I had found a way of engaging Sarah in the process. Interestingly, as Sarahs motivation grew, so did my own motivation to ensure that Sarah gained as much from this brief intervention as possible. With every question that I could answer, I gained in confidence and enjoyed my role as educator and learner within the collaborative partnership between myself and Sarah. In this sense, the collaborative approach that underlies motivational interviewing and much of healthcare practice today can benefit both the patient and healthcare provider. My overall feelings regarding the interaction with Sarah are one of fulfilment. I feel I positively contributed to this patients increased resolve to stop smoking for both herself and her family. Evaluation Motivational interviewing was selected as the most appropriate health promotion intervention for Sarah for a number of reasons. Firstly, evidence regarding behaviour change and, in particular, smoking cessation, shows that level of motivation is an important factor in devising the best health promotion method or teaching plan for a patient (Prochaska, DiClemente, and Norcross, 1993). This approach takes into consideration humanist learning theory and the principles of self-directed learning. According to Prochaska et al.s (1983) five stages of behaviour change, Sarah currently resides in stage 2 of the following stages: Stage 1 (pre-contemplation) is when the individual does not intend to change behaviour; Stage 2 (contemplation) is when an individual is considering change; Stage 3 (preparation) is serious resolve to embark on smoking cessation; Stage 4 (action stage) is the first few crucial weeks and months where an individual is actively taking positive actions towards smoking cessation; and Stage 5 (maintenance) is about 6-months to 5-years after the initiation of the smoking cessation decision, where behaviour change has been sustained. Being in the contemplation stage suggests that Sarah still has some unresolved ambivalence about change and thus needs help moving to stage 3, where she can start to prepare for smoking cessation. If I had started to help Sarah plan for smoking cessation before she was ready, this could have been detrimental in both the short- and long-term. For example, it has been shown that overcoming the hurdles associated with smoking cessation can increase an individuals self-efficacy (i.e. confidence) in their ability to succeed at their quit attempt, which in turn acts to reduce the likelihood of a relapse and increase the likelihood of long-term sustained smoking cessation (Schnoll et al., 2010). If Sarah was pushed towards a quit attempt before prepared, her risk of relapse would have been high; this would have ultimately reduced her self-confidence to try again. The transition from the contemplation stage to the preparation stage has been cited as being critically important to the outcome of quit attempts (Prochaska, DiClemente, and Norcross, 1993), as has the fact that healthcare professionals can be extremely influential at this stage Long et al., 1996). I considered motivational interviewing to be key to influencing Sarahs decisions regarding smoking cessation since it was designed specifically to help people resolve ambivalence about behavior change, which is the main characteristic of people in the contemplation stage of motivation. Motivational interviewing can achieve the resolve of ambivalence by avoiding confrontation and guiding people towards choosing to change their behavior themselves. I was aware that motivational interviewing would need to be accompanied by detailed education about smoke-related health issues and the likely course of COPD, together with possible complications and its association with increased morbidity and mortality. Sarah is an intelligent individual and keen to receive such information and reading material. Unfortunately, however, I was unable to answer all of her questions. In particular, I could not answer her questions regarding the pathophysiology of smoking. Unanswered questions can act as a barrier to progress, something which I do not wish to produce in a patient who requires such barriers removing. Fortunately, I was able to answer Sarahs questions whilst referring to an educational information leaflet. I do, however, feel that I would have been able to engage with Sarah more effectively if it had not been necessary for me to focus my attention on the leaflet before me. It became apparent throughout the consultation that although Sarah was most certainly considering quitting smoking, she possessed some traits that might hinder her efforts. In particular, Sarah appeared to have an external health locus of control. This means that she attributes control over her behaviour to external factors as opposed to internal factors. It is well documented within the literature that an internal locus of control is more productive to behaviour change and healthier lifestyle choices (Wallston and Wallston, 1978; Tones et al., 1992). Taking this into consideration, I was mindful to acknowledge Sarahs control over her choices. In one instance, I used her husband as an example since Sarah had informed me that her husband had quit smoking. I asked her how he managed to achieve this and in recognising her husbands role in his own smoking cessation, Sarah appeared to be adjusting her locus of control towards a more internal one. Nevertheless, Sarahs self-efficacy remained low throughout the consultation despite attempts to boost her confidence. It is believed that increased self-efficacy, which can be achieved via motivational interviewing, is an important factor involved in the success of smoking cessation (Brown et al., 2003; Karatay et al., 2010), thus I felt this was an important aspect to include in Sarahs self-management care plan to set herself an achievable goal each week that would gradually build her confidence. Analysis The Department of Health have been working with the NHS, patients, and healthcare professionals since 2005 to develop a strategy to improve the care and outcomes of people with COPD (DH, 2010). This strategy places a large focus on the prevention and treatment of smoking, as well as the importance of providing patients who have COPD with behavioural support and access to stop smoking services. The Department of Health (2009) have produced guidance on effective stop smoking services, offering three levels of behavioural intervention: brief interventions (level one); intensive one-to-one support and advice (level two); and group interventions (level three). In terms of level one, brief interventions, the National Institute of Clinical Excellent (NICE) have published guidelines and recommendations for smoking cessation (NICE, 2004). Furthermore, previous UK guidance has emphasised the importance of offering opportunistic, brief advice to encourage all smokers to quit and to signpost them to resources and treatments that might help them (West, 2005). They Department of Health guidance states that all smokers should be advised to quit and asked if they are interested in quitting; this is unless there are exceptional circumstances such as other medical conditions that might hinder smoking cessation. Those who are interested in quitting should then be offered a referral to an intensive, level two, support service such as NHS Stop Smoking Services. Sarah was referred to the Surrey service and informed of the success rates found for NHS Stop Smoking Services. There is evidence that such services are effective in the short-term (4-weeks) and the long-term (52-weeks); indeed, between 13-23% of successful short-term quitters remain abstinent at 52-weeks (NICE, 2007). Conclusion Approximately 900,000 people in England and Wales have been diagnosed with COPD (NICE, 2004) and it is the fifth most common cause of death in the UK, resulting in over 30,000 deaths annually (National Statistics, 2006). By 2020, it is estimated that COPD will be the third most common cause of mortality worldwide (Lopez et al., 2006). Smoking is the largest risk factor for developing COPD, with 20% of long-term smokers eventually developing clinically significant levels of the disease and 80% developing lung damage (Garcia-Aymerich et al., 2003). These statistics highlight the urgency of grasping opportunistic health promotion and utilising brief intervention skills to help deliver the DH strategy and improve the care and outcomes provided to people with COPD. Delivering brief opportunistic interventions for smoking cessation requires an approach that does not create defensiveness but develops a patient/provider partnership conductive of the patient making their own decisions, with support, as to their lifestyle. Motivational interviewing and consideration of individual patient characteristics and traits (i.e. locus of control, stage of readiness to change, etc.) provides a method of achieving this partnership within limited time and resources, as is often the case in busy healthcare environments. Learning the skills within motivational interviewing will add to a healthcare professionals repertoire of techniques for supporting patients through behaviour change, as I found in the case reflected upon within this essay. Action Plan The UKCC Code of Professional Conduct (1992) proposes that nurses should maintain and improve her professional knowledge and competence. In relation to my own knowledge and competence in opportunistic health promotion, I have recognised that I need to increase my skills for nurturing patient self-efficacy. Patient confidence is fundamental to successful behaviour change and although I feel satisfied with my approach to Sarah, it would have been useful to have possessed a larger repertoire of techniques for enhancing self-efficacy. I could also benefit from a greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms by which smoking causes COPD. Sarah was particularly interested in the physiological effects of smoking and whilst I could offer her basic information verbally, I needed to refer to information leaflets for more detailed insight, which disrupted the flow of conversation. I have started to explore these issues via a search of the literature on behaviour change and health promotion. As part of this search, I have come across the concept of implementation intention (Gollwitzer, 1999). The theory behind this concept is that in order for someone to implement a desired behaviour, it is necessary for them to devise a specific plan that will increase their intention to pursue that behaviour (Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006). This is an interesting technique that could be integrated into motivational interviewing and health promotion via the self-management care plans currently provided. I intend to explore this further and to discuss it with a superior. Using Gibbs reflective model to structure this account has helped me to recognise my strongest skills and those that require further development. I will endeavour to take a proactive approach to utilising this greater insight into my professional abilities.

Iroquois Clan – Essay

Iroquois Clan ANT 101 December 5, 2011 There are many different cultures, each having their own values, and rules. The Iroquois are an association of several tribes, of indigenous people of North America. The Iroquois have many different ways about their way of living such as rules involving marriage. What contributes to the way an Iroquois react and think? Is it kinship, religion, and beliefs, or is it something else? The Iroquois have a very well-known culture. Iroquois are indigenous tribes across North America. The Iroquois lived in longhouse, which are structures made to house the whole family in different sections (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Matrilocal, or post marital residency, was when the husband moved to live with the wife’s community (Nowak & Laird, 2010). In the Iroquois the eldest woman in her matrilineage had the most influence in decision making, and distributing the resources and property (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Iroquois selection of marital partners are chosen by kinship because, Iroquois marriage must be exogamous, meaning marring outside their lineage and clan (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Iroquois kinship program only recognizes two groups: The first is parents and siblings, which are too closely related to marry. The second group is potential spouses and in-laws (Nowak & Laird, 2010). In the Iroquois it is considered wrong to marry parallel cousins because they are too closely related. On the other hand cross cousin marriage is accepted and encouraged (Nowak & Laird, 2010). The Handsome lake religion combined traditional Haudenosaunee religious beliefs with a revised code meant to bring consciousness to the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, after a long period of cultural disintegration ollowing colonization. The Iroquois people believed that spirits changed the seasons. Key festivals coincided with the major events of the agricultural calendar, including a harvest festival of thanksgiving. After the arrival of the Europeans, many Iroquois became Christians. The Code of handsome lake outlawed drunkenness, witchcraft, sexual promiscuity, wife beating, quarreling, abortion, gay marriage, single parents and gambling. The Iroquois men were propositional on a balanced reciprocity. Iroquois could only trade with other tribes in the Iroquois confederacy. Items traded included surplus corn and tobacco, fur pelts, and wampum. Later, Iroquois received implements including guns and metal axes from the British, which made their work easier (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Their culture is matriarchal- they trace lines through Clan Mothers. This is in direct contrast to European society, especially at time of contact. Europeans were paternalistic- the fathers line. This would cause different reactions from other kinships. The Iroquois people have a lot of the same values, beliefs, and rules, as many Americans living in the current century. In my culture, it is not acceptable to marry close relatives including first cousins. The handsome lake religion is very much similar to the Christian religion. Kinship impacts almost each and every one of these behaviors. Iroquois have a very understandable and compatible way of living. But what makes them think and act the way that they do? I would have to say that the religion is a main point in the actions and reactions of the Iroquois. The other major point would be the matriarchal tracing of the clans. Nowak, B. & Laird, P. (2010) Cultural Anthropology. San Diego, CA Bridgepoint Education Inc. Retrieved from: https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUANT101. 10. 2/sections/copyright Your paper is well developed and follows the APA guidelines correctly. Your paper is well written with an effective analysis. You have addressed the topic and assignment. Your grammar is correct with well-constructed sentences. Your conclusion could be improved. Good job! You received 9/10 points for this assignment.

St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

A man with a vision, with an awareness of the good that lives in people, with an ability of dreaming dreams of beauty for those he met along his way, this is John Bosco. St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was born to poor parents in Recchi, Italy, the Piedmont area of northern Italy. When John was two, his father died prematurely. As a boy, John lived on a farm with his family doing the only thing they knew how, farming. Poverty and a lack of formal education in the home did not stop the growth of John Bosco as a person. His mother was for real, realizing the importance of God in life. This friendship with God became powerful and slowly John prepared for the priesthood. In 1841 at the age of 26, John was ordained priest at Turin, and immediately gave himself to that work, finding shelter for neglected youth and instructing them in religion. He was now ready to make his contribution toward the poor and homeless. He rented an old barn in a field which he called â€Å"The Oratory.† This was the first of many oratories John Bosco founded for helping poor boys who needed a home. He believed that prayer and Holy Mass and Communion and confession are the best ways for children to attain a sense of personal responsibility. In a short time, other priests joined him in his work and by 1852 they were caring for over 600 boys. John dealt with them by using a minimum of restraint and discipline, lots of love, keeping careful watch over their development and encouraging them personally and through religion. John†s preaching and writing, as well as the charitable support of wealthy and powerful patrons allowed for expansion of his work. The need for dependable assistants led to the founding of the society of St. Francis de Sales in 1859, and it continues to work today. To provide similar care for the poor and neglected girls, John Bosco founded, in 1872, the Daughters of Our Lady, Help of Christians. The life of St. John Bosco was full and his zeal contagious. He never got tired of talking and writing about his work for the young and their care. On this feast day the Church has chosen for the Office of Readings an excerpt from one of his letters. It expresses his concern and is applicable for our time when children suffer from neglect in broken homes and in less than ideal welfare situations. John wrote: â€Å"If we wish to appear concerned about the true happiness of our foster children and if we would move them to fulfill their duties, you must never forget that you are taking the place of the parents of these beloved young people. I have always labored lovingly for them, and carried out my priestly duties with zeal. And the whole Salesian Society has done this with me. Juggler, magician, acrobat, tailor, teacher and writer, John Bosco became all of these in his efforts to lead boys and girls to God. A prayer was the price of admission to his shows; a friendly contest to match skill or strength was his answer to the hoodlums who laughed at him. As a priest he was known as Don Bosco and built churches and schools. John Bosco would be pleased with the concern that the Church has today for education. This concern is expressed in the II Vatican Council†s Decree on Christian Education. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888 and was canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI. His work was continued by a group of dedicated people called the Salesians. His feast day is celebrated on January 31. St. John Bosco is honored by us as an outstanding teacher and father to the young, and we ask that we be filled with love like his.