Sweet Dreams! Hope You Dream of My Spoilers

"Why should he go any further, where, and for what purpose? There was no more purpose; there was nothing more than a deep, painful longing to shake off this whole confused dream, to spit out this stale wine, to make an end of this bitter painful life." (pg.71)

****SPOILER****

I apologize for the dull beginning, but what is going on right now is that Siddhartha is thinking about committing suicide, because his life has become hollow. 
I kind of hoped to grab your attention with that quote. 
Now, there are at least forty pages of this book left, so don't worry! He is not going to kill himself. 
Siddhartha is depressed and doesn't want to go back to his life of wealth, he approaches the same river where he met the ferryman years before. In utter despair he clings to a coconut tree along the bank of this river, where he dreams about dropping and submerging himself into the water. He sees the water as mirroring the emptiness within him.
Before killing himself, he revives the Om inside of him, and right after reencounters Govinda.

********

Siddy leaves his city behind and heads back into the countryside. He's feeling hollow and miserable, and yes, he is thinking about... suicide. While he walks aimlessly, he thinks about when he was a Samana and how he startved himself, how he tortured his body and took it to the extremes. His mind then wanders to when he live in the city, where practically all his wishes came true, where he got... physical, all the contrary of when he was with the Samanas. But! In both cases, did he reach this famous enlightenment? No. So much for suffering and cheating.

 He continues to walk, and he doesn't really have a course, and reaches a river he had crossed waaay before with this ferryman. As he is just about to "let himself go and be submerged into the water", he hears a sound, a sound deep from inside him. He then remembers, he remembers all that was divine, and he starts: "Ommmm...". In a flash, he falls in a very deep sleep.

Siddhartha wakes up to a meditating monk in a yellow robe. This monk just happens to be *roll the drums*... Govinda!! Too bad Govinda doesn't recognize Siddhartha he just by him to protect his sleeping self from snakes. Siddhartha introduces himself, and Govinda tells him that he is still a follower of Gotama and that his role as a spiritual pilgrim is the "correct" role, to which Siddy replies saying that he also is a spiritual pilgrim, but Govinda doubts that. I mean Govinda is sort of right, how can he belive Siddhartha to be a spiritual pilgrim if he is well fed and looks like a rich merchant? In Govinda's eyes that is not how a spiritual man should look. Siddhartha tells Govinda a shortversion of what has happened in his life since they parted ways, and tells him one more time that he is still a pilgrim in the search of enlightenment. Still unable to belive him, Govinda bows at Siddhartha and goes his way... one would think that after being friends for so longs he would've done more.

Siddhartha starts feeling he won't learn anything else by joining the Samanas or Gotama's followers. Eventually, Siddhartha realizes that overthinking ruined his other chances of ever finding enlightenment (doesn't it happen to us all? Darn you, overthinking!). He had been trying too hard to find what he was looking for! This chapter ends as Siddhartha stares down into the river and begins to feel this strong affection for it, deciding to "not leave it again so quickly".


Well, the only thing bothering me here is the fact that Govinda simply left his friend. I mean, was it just me or did he idolize him at the beginning of the book? And not only that, but a friend you haven't seen in  a long time would stay and chat a little more, maybe sjow more interest in your future plans.
I can tell you from personal experience, because I've been moving from country to country since I can remember, that when you meet with a close friend from the past, you two gossip and gossip excitedly non-stop. I mean, sure, some people are skeptical when the hear of all the countries I lived in, but they don't get mad and go on with their lives as monks. 
Yes, Siddhartha and Govinda had a nice little chit-char, but I feel that that is all it was: a little chit-chat. 
I guess that friends can end up separating paths, and changing interests, but c'mon! Curiosity always acts out. 

I just hope you people are better friends than him.
Ciao!

Pulling Us Away

Dear Editor,

I completely agree with your article "The Electronic Pull". Technology is good and helpful to a certain point, but when it is "disconnecting" us from the real world and others, or when it is delaying and distracting us from things we should be doing, there has to be a limit. True, there is technology everywhere we go, and cellphones don't make it hard for the temptation to be constantly there, but with self-discipline, I just know we can educate ourselves in this matter!

Superman+Batman=Siddhartha

When I was told to write a blog comparing Siddhartha to a superhero, my mind immediately raced. Of course, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Iron Man, Aquaman, and all the other heroes that appeared in recent movies or are very known came to mind at first. 

I decided to compare Siddhartha to Superman and Batman, and when I told this to my friend Anita, she responded saying how little my originality was... Ouch. I'm waiting to see what her "oh-so-original-blog-entry" will compare Siddhartha to.

Anyways, I must admit that, sadly, I am running low on originality with all these endless blogs. Superman came to mind followed by a particular scene from Kill Bill Vol.2.

I ask you to please watch it before you proceed: Kill Bill Superman Dialogue

What Bill is basically saying it's that Superman doesn't need to become a hero, he already was was born one. Unlike other heroes who have to put on a costume to become heroes, Superman is already Superman. When he wakes up in the morning, he is Superman. He becomes Clark Kent to blend in.

Why, I believe this is very much like Siddhartha's case, because he doesn't have to pretend to be wise, he didn't have to fall into a pit of radioactive waste to be who he is, he was born Siddhartha. Since the beginning of the book, the author has always mentioned how people adored him: "That was how everybody loved Siddhartha. He delighted and made everyone happy." (pg. 2). To make those people happy, he was simply himself.

Another reason why I compare these two, is because I like the idea of Superman being from another planet. Again making a connection to what Bill says, Superman is unique because he is not from this planet, therefore he also feels isolated, different. I noticed throughout the book that Siddhartha is never satisfied, he feels off, and he is, in a way, isolated, as if he was from another planet. 

Now... Batman!

I don't have another inspirational speech from an action movie to draw ideas from, but here is a short video of the 1966's Batman series intro (you know, "nanananananana batman!) for good ol' time's sake.

Batman seemed a good superhero to compare Siddhartha to. Why you ask? Well if you stop being so pushy and read ahead you will find out. Gosh.

Not to be "mean", but when you think about it, Batman is one of the only superheroes without superpowers. He can't fly, shoot lasers out of his eyes, he doesn't have super-strength, can't become invisible, breathe underwater, etc... makes you wonder how he keeps all of Gotham City safe, eh?

While he may not have any of that kind of superpower, he designs and makes his own weapons, tools, gadgets, vehicles, and well all know how cool those are, or did you not want a Batmobile as a child?! Those are his own inventions. He sketched them and put them together, and let me say, that not anyone can do that. Batman winds up defeating the villains, not because he can see through walls or talk to animals, but because he is an ingenious man. You watch the movies and you realize that he always has a trick or two under his sleeve, a back-up plan, and he is always sure of what he is doing. Batman is no fool.

That, my friend, is why he reminds me of Siddhartha. Siddy can't run at the speed of light, he can't control minds with his own, and he cannot shape-shift, but that. Does. Not. Matter.

He used his own resources, his abilities and his wisdom to reach enlightenment himself. He accomplished many things throughout the book, like landing a job with Kamaswami, for being intelligent.

Something else that makes me make the Batman-Siddhartha connection is that both of them have a loyal friend by their side and a person who gives them advice. Batman has Robin, his loyal sidekick, who follows him around and helps him keep Gotham City safe and sound. Siddhartha has Govinda, who always looked up to him, always believed in him and cheered for him. To advise him, Batman has his butler, Alfred. Alfred always tells him what he should do, what he shouldn't do, when the cops look for him, what his parents would've though, and so on; he is constantly trying to guide him in the direction he believes is for best. Now, Kamala teaches Siddhartha and advises him on what to do, what to wear, and how to act. Like Alfred, she believes it's for best. Kamala makes Siddhartha get a job, buy her things, dress fancier, and in the end she makes him more materialistic.

In the end, a little bit of Superman, and a little bit of Batman became... Siddhartha!

Did you see that coming? I certainly did not.

I think that was original enough, eh? In your face, Ana!

Until next blog!

To Have or Not To Have?

As I sat listening to my dog snore, while the rain was pouring outside, I read the chapter Amongst Other People from the book Siddhartha.
I found this particular chapter to be very fascinating, because it had two great quotes:

"'I posses nothing,' said Siddhartha, 'if that is what you mean. I am certainly without possesions, but of my own free will, so I am not in need.'" (Pg. 52)

"'Ah, but if you are without possesions, how can you give?'

"Everyone gives what he has. The soldier gives strength, the merchant goods, the teacher instruction, the farmer rice, and the fisherman fish.'"  (Pg. 52) 

 After reading these two,  I though for a while.
...
Then I got distracted.
Concentrated again.
....
Thought a little bit more.
Finally I realized how truly wise Siddhartha was.
For a big part of the book, I though his knowledge consisted more of sounding very wise, that he was all talk.
In the first quote, what he is saying is that yes, he has nothing, but since he doesn't care and is happy that way then he isn't missing out on anything. One is on,y in need when you want and desire more, probably what you can't have. In my experience that can put a bug weight in your shoulders.
In the second quote,  Siddhartha makes it clear that one can give, not only material things, but their talents. If you are an artist, you may not be able to give much, but you can give your art. In the end, it's not what you can give, but what you can offer.
After all this... What is to give? What is to have?


I thought back to when I started the book. Then I went through everything that happened since then, and I made a connection with the song "White Shadows" by Coldplay .
To be entirely honest, I am not one hundred percent sure what the song is about, but thinking about it in a very literal state of mind, they reminded me of Siddhartha.

                                    When I was a young boy I tried to listen

And I wanna feel like that

Little white shadows, blink and miss them

Part of a system I am

Is it just me or does it sound like something Siddhatha could connect to? Growing up somewhere where his father chose what he was going to become since the beginning, and little Siddhartha tried to listen, but he decided to become a Samana instead. He chose to make his own way instead of following the road designed for him.

                                            Maybe you get what you wanted

Maybe you stumbled upon it

Everything you ever wanted

In a permanent state

Maybe you'll know when you see it

Maybe if you say it, you'll mean it

And when you find it, you keep it

In a permanent state

A permanent state

 This made me think about Siddhartha because in this chapter he has everything he could ask for. He has Kamala, his job, Kamaswami, food, a home... And it all seems—so far— as if it would last.

There is only one thing bothering me...
What does Siddhartha mean when he says: "I am like you. You cannot love me either, otherwise how could you practice love as an art? People like us canmot love. Ordinary people can—that is their secret." ?

Well,
I hope I left you all thinking and mind-fudged.
I also hope you enjoyed the song— it's one of my favorites.
Until next time!

Madness or Reason?

Write now: In a paragraph, agree or disagree with this aphorism:

There is always some madness is love. But there is also always some reason in madness.

-Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

I agree with this aphorism. People all over are constantly doing “insane” things in the name of love. A couple once “loved each other so much” that they had a kazillion of plastic surgeries  just to look alike. They referred to themselves as ‘we’, and even after his wife died, the man still operated himself to look like her. Although, there is always reason in madness. To a madman, what we see as insanity, to hi mis reality. A person can be convinced that what they are doing is right, while, since everyone has their own perspective, to others might be madness. 

Here is a link to see the most insane things ever done in the name of love, including the couple mentioned above.

Talk that Talk - Siddhartha Video Blog

Hello!
This is the video blog where me and Candelaria Boffi discuss Siddhartha's chapter Kamala.
Click here to watch this video blog on Youtube!

Peace out!

Visual Vocabulary for Siddhartha, II

1. Meditation: Thinking deeply or focusing for a time for

 spiritual purposes and to develop

mindfulness, concentration, supramundane powers,

 tranquility, andinsight.

2. Salvation: Reaching Nirvana; in other words, becoming a Buddha.

3. Pilgrimage: a journey for religious motives.

4. Brahmin: A member of the highest Hindu caste, that of the priesthood.

5. Unfathomable: Difficult or impossible to understan; incomprehensible.