Nicole Jacobs - Outside Reading #2

As I recently read Siddhartha for a religion course I was able to apply it to our landscapes as a sacred place class. Siddhartha left behind riches and a loving family in search of religious answers that his town monks were providing him. Along the way he met some very influential people who would teach him  great deal, but with every point he would surpass their knowledge and soon choose to set forth in search for more answers. Siddhartha learned to meditate, practice yoga and to pray and essentially had created a mind over body essence. However, while Siddhartha was wandering the forests, listening to nature he eventually came in tune with it. With the help of countless persons, Siddhartha was eventually enlightened at a ripe old age and was able to share forth his knowledge with his lifelong friend and go about in peace. This book is motivating because it encourages individuals to set out into nature to listen and wait during meditation for a message to be brought to you rather than for you searching desperately for its arrival. Siddhartha was sitting on the bank of the river when he finally felt his awakening, he allowed nature to approach him and grant him the understanding. Finally, Siddhartha both practiced and encouraged individuals to meditate and travel throughout the countryside without possessions, similar to what Alex attempted in Into the Wild, however, before Alex received his enlightenment he was poisoned.