FINAL MOVIE
Posted on June 9, 2008
Finally, I have finished shooting all of my scenes for my movie project!/Spring08/150BNow I am in process of editing the movie together. The main theme will be about
-PEACEFUL meditation= meditation focusing on my breath
_PAINFUL meditation= meditation with an ice block in my hands
Also, I will include close ups of some of my body parts to show 'expressions'.
These are some of the still images from my movie:
Posted on June 3, 2008
*New lighting:
The light source will still be projected from my left, it will have more contrast and it will create bigger shadow on the back wall.
*Bigger shadow:
As mentioned, I will introduce bigger shadow of me in the movie. From the presence of shadow, it communicates as a universal language. Viewers will notice slightest movements through the movement of a shadow.
*Removal of props:
I decided not to use props that I used in previous version of the movie experiment. Instead, I will place the props in front of me, behind the camera to hep me meditate. I will still be wearing a red cloth to show different effects of my body.
*Candle light:
I will be placing a candle light with the light source, to show slightest change in shadow movement.
*Sound effects:
I will be recording a sound of water drops from a block of melting ice, inhale, and exhale,etc... and will add some soft background music to help me meditate deeper.
"PEACEFUL" MEDIATION
"PAINFUL" MEDIATAION
Posted on May 29, 2008
After studying a book called, "Buddha Mind in Contemporary
Art" by Jacquelynn Bass(which is the book recommended by our Prof.Mendez),
I started to think in a more advanced way. I truly think 'Mediation' is about having an endurance and patience, and it can be only achieved when I truly meditate.
Therefore, I am in process of creating a movie while I meditate. Rather than just focusing on each of my body parts, I decided to go with the whole body, and introduce different body parts within the movie. During the editing of the final movie, I will be introducing different experiments and sound effects as well. My actual meditation lasted ranging 10 minutes to an hour and 7 minutes long, and movie clips are just a part of them. Below are some of the picture examples from my mediation:
Posted on May 26, 2008
Posted on May 20, 2008
A series of short clips of myself (focusing on effects of different body parts created by experiments done with 5 senses) creating patterns with slight differences.
Each experiments will focus on the body parts in the following order:
1)OVERALL
2)RIGHT EYE
3)LEFT EYE
4)NOSE
5)MOUTH
6)NECK
7)RIGHT SHOULDER
8)LEFT SHOULDER
9)RIGHT HAND
10)LEFT HAND
(Each white squares represent an 'EXPERIMENT')
RIGHT EYE
LEFT EYE
NOSE
MOUTH
RIGHT EAR
LEFT EAR
NECK
RIGHT SHOULDER
LEFT SHOULDER
RIGHT HAND
LEFT HAND
RIGHT FOOT
LEFT FOOT
Posted on May 14, 2008
My final project will have two main parts.
through different chakras in your body.
In the movie/animation, I will introduce my own interpretation of meditation
based on my personal experience. Such as explaining how an atmosphere/an
environment can affect the effect of mediation.
taste, smell, hear, and see.
I will make five eye catching icons for each one of the senses, and explaining my
experiences:
In addition to these explanations of my own interpretation, I will support my point by introducing various photographs of my own.
Avoid using thought of CLICHE in this project. I will really focus on how connecting human body, mind, and soul can be achieved. or whether it can be achieved or not.
Posted on May 13, 2008
After thinking about what really makes us HUMAN in first place, I thought it is extremely important to fully realize ourselves and learn who we are. As a human being, we do have unique ability to use 5 senses;taste, touch, see, hear, and smell. All five senses play important roles in connecting ourselves to oneself.
Realizing ways to really connect all aspects of body, mind, and soul(spirit) together at once within yourself, is to MEDITATE. I personally practice yoga to find myself within myself. I am going to focus on its beneficial effects of meditation, its sensation, how our senses are being effected while in a meditative state, and the importance of breathing patterns.
from:
http://www.project-meditation.org/a_wim1/effects_of_meditation.html
"Effects of meditation come in many different forms from the psychological effects of meditation to the physiological effects of meditation. Although there have been many different studies into the effects of meditation it has only been recently that the professionals in the field of science medicine have started to take notice of the positive effects of meditation and to, in some cases, prescribe the use of meditation to patients.
The various effects of meditation are quite extensive in range. Meditation has long been thought to have beneficial spiritual consequences, but recently, science has also backed up claims of physical benefits that are worth the consideration of anyone hoping to begin meditative study. Showing that more and more positive effects of meditation are being found and substantiated as meditation becomes more mainstream. Deliberation and meditative practice have been proven to allow people to change the way their minds work and to obtain different levels of consciousness.
While the states that are achieved in contemplation have traditionally been understood from a religious or metaphysical perspective, this research tracks the actual changes in the brain. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin have been working in conjunction with Tibetan monks to show that these transcendent experiences, caused by reflection and rumination, cause intense activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
This means that longtime practitioners of meditation show increased energy in that area, which is not present in beginners. This means that it is possible to train the brain through routine practice of meditation, to truly reach different emotional and mental states. Scientists used to believe that the brain did not change in structure at all after birth, but these studies show that this is not the case.
The area of the brain that feels the greatest effects of meditation is one that's associated with happiness and positive feelings. This ties in well with other research and centuries of anecdotal evidence that say meditation helps relax us, release pent up stress, and makes us feel more at peace.
Other physical evidence suggests that meditation can help people with heart problems or blood pressure, increasing their exercise tolerance and improving general heart health. Exercising the mind deliberately this way is also thought to help elderly people who are beginning to lose their mental facility. Other definite effects of meditation are a reduction in heart rate, respiration and other signs of stress through routine meditative practice.
Some experts have noted that the chemical reduced by routine meditation, Cortisol, is related both to certain kinds of stress, and to over eating. A high level of this hormone will cause people to store extra fat on the abdomen, and causes them to crave fattening foods. Therefore, meditation may also be able to reduce your weight, if you suffer from stress-related over eating.
All of this is good news, given the pace of the modern world. We are constantly being assaulted by stresses and worries as we are asked to move faster and produce more. Meditative study on a regular basis can help us to learn to face the world more calmly. The stress reducing effects of meditation aren't just seen while the practitioner is meditating â they last even once the session is done."
By Phil Pemberton
Learn About Meditation
"Learn about meditation and get rid of stress. Learn about meditation and how you can find inner peace.To learn about meditation should be number one on the list of anybody who is constantly feeling down and stressed. If you have never stopped to 'smell the roses' so to speak, and you feel that stress and chaos has a place in your life, you should definitely learn about meditation and the various benefits that meditation can have on your life. While meditation isn't for everybody, there are a great many people out there who have been able to make good from the lessons and styles that you have to pick up if you decide to learn about meditation.
While you may not think that to learn about meditation is one of those things that you can benefit from, consider the way that your life is going now. If you find yourself always feeling pressed for time and you just can't seem to fit in all of the things that you want to do in a day, you might want to learn about meditation and what it has to offer for you. Of course, meditation is not for everybody. Not everybody is able to draw up the calmness of mind that it takes for the true sense of contemplation and rumination that meditation requires in order to make a difference in one's life.
It is important to keep in mind that just because you decide to learn about meditation it does not mean that you will immediately become skilled at meditation techniques. You canât simply turn up to a couple of meditation lessons and expect to learn about meditation all in one go. In order to become trained in meditation to the fullest extent, there is a lot that you have to do and a lot of techniques and skills that you have to pick up. Meditation is not an easy thing to accomplish and in order to achieve a true state of peace and relaxation, you have to be able to let go of a great deal of the physical aspect of life, and that is not always possible. We all know that some days are better than others, and truthfully speaking not all days are going to be days where you can put into effect all of the things that you have learnt since you started to learn about meditation.
Facts don't lie, and a great deal of research has been done about the various aspects of meditation and what it has to offer the average person who is willing to learn about meditation. It is the safest way to bring a sense of balance and control to all aspects of your life, including your physical and emotional self. Some people choose to seek medication to bring the sense of control that meditation can bring, but who wants to go about things like that if it can at all be avoided? Learn about meditation today, and reap the benefits of meditation for the rest of your life."
By Bill Edwards
"Meditation has been around for as long as we all can remember. Most people recognize meditation as a spiritual practice and they often neglect to see the health benefits of the art of meditation. How does meditation help? Many doctors today are implementing meditation into the treatment plans of life threatening diseases as well as reversing mental illnesses. It is also used as an aid to speeding up learning programs and for solving problems in nuclear and atomic physics. There just seems to be no end to the great benefits of meditation.
How does meditation help with you medically? Meditation can lower your oxygen consumption and it can even assist in decreasing your respiratory rate, which can help with many different types of lung conditions as well as relaxation. It can also be very helpful for heart patients as it helps to increase the patientâs exercise tolerance, making their muscles and heart stronger. Using mediation daily can help you to build your immune system as it increases the activity of the natural-killer cells that kills the bacteria and cancer cells and it can also reduce your chances of catching viruses as it lowers your emotional distress.
Many women find it very beneficial as meditation can help out to reduce the symptoms of Premenstrual syndrome, reducing the tension and emotional stress that come with a womanâs period. Women who are with child can benefits greatly as well, as meditation can help the mother-to-be to get in tune with their unborn child. This can also aid the new mother after childbirth to refocus themselves and make sense of the thoughts that come with the events of childbirth and being new to motherhood.
How does meditation help with stress? People are under many different types of stress throughout their lives and stress can play a big toll on ones health. Stress can make a persons blood pressure rise and raise the heart rate, which can lead to many different medial issues. With daily mediation you can lower your blood pressure and keep your body running at its best. This will help your body deal with illnesses and injuries as youâre less stressed, more refreshed and able to fight off the things that can bring you and your immune system down.
You can see why making meditation part of your daily regimen can help you in many ways and keep you at your best, both physically and mentally. There are many different types of mediation that makes it easy for one to get into the habit of meditating daily. As with any knew type of treatment, you should consult your doctor and make sure you are doing what is right for you and your body. You will want to be doing the right type of meditation to get the most out of your treatment plan and to get the most out of your life."
By Ken Fitzsimons
Posted on May 6, 2008
Interpretations of the poem by the poet:
Let me ask you: Have you ever passed a stranger on the street or in a hallway and observed that the other person appeared suddenly to find whatever object (a bare wall, a speck of dust on said wall) on his or her side of the passage intensely interesting until you have bypassed each other?
Speaking more succinctly, I refer to the practice of literally turning one's head away from a stranger while passing him or her in a confined space. Have you undertaken this action yourself? Why?
I would like to think that the vast majority of human beings possess an internal, fundamental desire for interaction with other members of their own species. What do you think? Admittedly, on some days I subsist in a foul mood and make the conscious choice not to interact with my fellow humans.
Nevertheless, it is affirming (of much, actually) whenever I take a moment to acknowledge the presence, the identity, the humanity of a stranger. Something as small as a smile or a wave will do. Whether this gesture is reciprocated by the other individual matters not a bit.Interpretations of the poem by the poet:
When I recited this poem to my wife last night she, at least at first, took its possible meanings much more literally than I did.
To my eyes and ears, Whitman speaks not only literally (for, as you know, much of Whitman's prose consists of vivid imagery that is rooted in a 'flesh and blood' humanity), but also metaphorically.
What do I mean by this? Let's examine these lines:
I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you,
All is recall'd as we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured,
You grew up with me, were a boy with me, or a girl with me,
I ate with you, and slept with youâyour body has become not yours only, nor left my body mine only,
When I meet or observe a stranger of approximately the same age as myself, in a very real way this person and I share a history (especially if we both hail from the same country of origin). From the standpoint of culture, this like-aged stranger and I truly did grow up together, figuratively if not geographically. That is, we ate the same breakfast cereals, and perhaps dreamed the same dreams. This stranger isn't really a stranger to me at all.
You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass you take of my beard, breast, hands, in return,
When I interact with a stranger, either at close range or at a distance, there occurs a mutual identification at an elemental level. No, we donât know each others' names, but does that really matter? We recognize and internalize each others' humanity, from the obvious, physical stuff ("eyes, face flesh"), to the more substantial, interior stuff ("You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking").
The poem's contemplation finishes beautifully:
I am not to speak to you I am to think of you when I sit alone, or wake at night alone, I am to wait I do not doubt I am to meet you again,
I am to see to it that I do not lose you.
This is just lovely imagery. The respect and admiration that Whitman invests in his fellow humans is deeply stirring to me. The poem speaks to a sort of mission in which I must always and vigilently keep other people, strangers or relatives, near and dear to my heart ("I am to see to it that I do not lose you"). Awesome poetry, this.
Posted on April 28, 2008
human connectivity with trust/religion
human connectivity with technology
Human Robot interactions
Human-robot interaction (HRI) is the study of interactions between people (users) and robots. HRI is multidisciplinary with contributions from the fields of human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, robotics, natural language understanding, and social science (psychology, cognitive science, anthropology, and human factors).
Robots are, or soon will be, used in such critical domains as search and rescue, military battle, mine and bomb detection, scientific exploration, law enforcement, entertainment, and hospital care. Such robots must coordinate their behaviors with the requirements and expectations of human team members; they are more than mere tools but rather quasi-team members whose tasks have to be integrated with those of humans.
The basic goal of HRI is to develop principles and algorithms to allow more natural and effective communication and interaction between humans and robots. Research ranges from how humans will work with remote, tele-operated unmanned vehicles to peer-to-peer collaboration with anthropomorphic robots. Many in the field of HRI study how humans collaborate and interact and use those studies to motivate how robots should interact with humans.
Different types of human connections; fullness of connectivity:
Posted on April 24, 2008
Posted on April 22, 2008
According to the "Medem:Medical library" in American academy of pediatrics...
Children in their middle years treasure their families and feel they are special and irreplaceable. Families provide children with a sense of belonging and a unique identity. Families are, or should be, a source of emotional support and comfort, warmth and nurturing, protection and security. Family relationships provide children with a critical sense of being valued and with a vital network of historical linkages and social support. Within every healthy family there is a sense of reciprocity - a giving and taking of love and empathy by every family member.
Families are much more than groups of individuals. They have their own goals and aspirations. They also are places where every child and adult should feel that he or she is special and be encouraged to pursue his or her own dreams; a place where everyone's individuality is permitted to flourish. Although every family has conflicts, all the family members should feel as though they can express themselves openly, share their feelings, and have their opinions listened to with understanding. In fact, conflicts and disagreements are a normal part of family life and are important insofar as they permit people to communicate their differences and ventilate their feelings.
The family instructs children and gives guidance about personal values and social behavior. It instills discipline and helps them learn and internalize codes of conduct that will serve them for the rest of their lives. It helps them develop positive interpersonal relationships, and it provides an environment that encourages learning both in the home and at school. It gives children a sense of history and a secure base from which to grow and develop. Yet, as important as these functions are, they do not happen automatically. Every parent knows it takes hard work to keep the family going as an effective, adaptive and functional unit.
Your child's notion - as well as your own ideas - of the family and how it should work have largely been shaped by personal experiences. If you grew up as an only child, for example, and you have four youngsters of your own who compete for attention, privacy, or possessions, you might feel that there's something wrong with the way your family is functioning and might tend to become overcontrolling. Or if you were one of two girls who grew up in a household where everyone was relatively cooperative, and you have three sons who are rambunctious, you may be concerned about relationships within the family because things are not in sync with your early experiences.
Other factors can help shape your vision of the family and how it actually works. Religious and moral beliefs, for example, help form your ideas of the way things "should" be. Your economic situation and living conditions will influence the functioning of your family, perhaps in ways that run counter to your preconceptions. Today's geographic mobility can put distance between extended families, with hundreds or thousands of miles separating grandparents and their grandchildren; if you grew up with your grandparents nearby, the new realities may be uncomfortable for you.
The prevailing cultural values as depicted and transmitted by the media may not coincide with your notion of family. Television, motion pictures and other media bombard us each day with fantasy images of the family. And if your family doesn't measure up to these depictions - if your family isn't always as happy as those families on the TV commercials, or doesn't settle arguments within a thirty-minute time slot - you might feel you aren't doing as good a job as you should. Some of the media more accurately portray the evolving roles that males and females can play today, with both fathers and mothers having more options in sharing the breadwinning and child-raising responsibilities.
To repeat, there are many variations of "normal," some of which may not conform to your expectations. You might feel something is awry with your own family when nothing is wrong at all. You may just have to rethink your expectations of what a family should be.
Excerpted from "Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5-12" Bantam 1999
Posted on April 16, 2008
What should an outsider consider about local culture before intervening? Scholar-practitioner Wallace Warfield explains the debate between the basic human needs approach versus the cultural anthropological view that the uniqueness of different cultures makes the search for basic human needs moot. Wallace also defends the "western model of intervention" even in some non-western cultures.
Human needs in different cultures
In summary, he talks about an importance of understanding the common sense logic of a culture. An individual cannot understand all cultures, but it is important enough to recognize differences and presences of common sense logic in all cultures.
Understanding the needs of different cultures, populations, and countries is necessary in order to design for a global marketplace and for local communities that are increasingly connected by global networks and circulation of ideas, styles, habits and forms of knowledge. In order to learn from culturally-informed insights, it is necessary to conduct cross-cultural research prior to the design phase to uncover unarticulated needs and tacit knowledge that underlie and motivate varying patterns of behavior and values.
Cultural Human Factors
The word "culture" describes the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes action, assumptions, values, reasoning, and communication of a racial, ethnic, religious, or social group. The word "competence" is the "state of being capable" (Webster's 1977) of functioning in a particular way. Therefore, culturally competent services are systems, agencies, and practitioners that have the capacity, skills, and knowledge to respond to the unique needs of populations whose cultures are different than that which might be called dominant or mainstream American.
Cultural competence can and should occur in both individuals and organizations.
Cultural competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, structures, and policies that come together to work effectively in intercultural situations. That set of behaviors can be adopted and practiced by a solitary professional or an entire organization.
The culturally competent organization:
values diversity,
conducts cultural self assessments,
is conscious of and manages the dynamics of difference,
institutionalized cultural knowledge, and
adapts services to fit the cultural diversity of the community served.
Culture is the combination of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, material traits, and behaviors of a group of people. Each of these characteristics is manifested and shared by the group through symbols, communication, and social patterns.
Webster's (1975) defines culture as "...the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action;...the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group."
"Each culture's conventions satisfy basic human needs, from the perspective shared by that group of people. Some believe that people are "all the same underneath," yet a paradox exists: we are the same in our basic human needs, yet different in the ways in which we meet those needs. Culture is a complex system of learned and conditioned responses to our needs, and thus culture is one of the greatest resources for helping human service providers understand family needs and strengths."
Human Needs and the Self Determination Behavior
Posted on April 14, 2008
"What is the basic elements of human needs?"
"If the definition of a sustainable society involves meeting human needs, it is worth asking what human needs are, and whether or not the system we are designing meets real human needs in a synergistic and positively reinforcing way."
(Human Scale Development, Apex Press, 1991, by Manfred Max Neef, winner of the Right Livelihood Award.)
Some of the helpful links on the topic:
Hierarchy of needs's_hierarchy_of_needs
Posted on April 10, 2008
150B: Brand Lab: Branding the Speciesâ¨â¨
Things to consider before starting the research process
Designing an identity for the human race to be beamed into space as a record of what it means to be alive in the 21st Century.
Inspired by Carl Sagan's Golden Disk commissioned by NASA for the Voyager mission.
An experimental project open to the Brand class students as well as all members of SpaceCollective's Community of Ideas.
For my research, I decided to focus on the concept of "NECESSITIES" and "NEEDS" of human being. While I was doing my research, I was intrigued by an interview of a UCLA gradate student named, Xarene. Epiphanies
According to Xarene's interview, she found a true meaning of a "home" for people. Even for homeless, she has discovered what makes a home, a real home. In this case, she mentions a 'wi-fi' connection on the corner of a street, which is an important element that helped her to think of the place as their 'home'. Therefore, even a little thing can influence and affect our human species.
After watching the interview, I had a chance to think deeply about "necessities for human beings" and what we "need" to live in the 21st Century. This topic relates to the concept of human species, because there are different expectations and demands for different individuals.
Other links that helped on my research
Xarene's Personal Cargo
The Hidden Nature of LA
The concept of "NEEDS" and "NECESSITIES" is also closely related to the idea of
'Capitalism' and 'Marxism'. In a Marxist society, there are correlations between time, labor, and value. In a Marxist society, it focuses on the idea of Class(prestige, caste). In a Capitalist society, it is all about making profits, and having a private property(ownership). Capitalist takes risks and always wanting more. STATUS vs CLASS
Relationship with LANGUAGE
Language is a representation of the world.
According to Descombes, "No one has made language"
Langage is created every moment.
Language can be transformed, it can transform people's thought, and change perspectives of different things.
According to Nietzsche, "We do not know why we have tell the truth", "Truth telling to irritating".
Scientific language looks for Referential perspective.
Cultural language looks for Transformative perspective.
Language is STABLE and UNSTABLE at the same time.
Language are coded, and codes can be only noticed when the codes are broken.
To understand an object, or another person's perspective, need to learn to de-code. Encoding, de-coding, and re-coding.
"CODES" are used everywhere. We often look for 'common codes', so we can communicate and learn about our needs. We often question ourselves, who made all these different codes?
Posted on April 7, 2008
