Agarwood has been used for cultural, religious and medicinal practices for hundreds of years. 3.2.1 Cultural and religious use: In religious (Buddhist) worship, the highest quality offering a devotee can make is to burn agarwood in the form of wood chips or incense. In Buddhism, the offering of incense is a purification ritual in which the incense is burned in order to purify the space surrounding statues of the Buddha. In the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), it is written that incense was burnt when monks read the Buddhist sutras. Moreover, while conducting the koh-doh ceremony in Japan, agarwood is cut into very small pieces, which can then be broken down with precision agarwood preparation tools to the size of a ‘mosquito’s leg’, known as babibunsoku. It became a highly ritualized practice that was traditionally only accessible to imperial and noble families (Compton, 2004). There are also hadiths (Muslim’s faith) which describe that Prophet Mohammed liked to use perfumes and used oudh to incense his clothes, while from the narratives of the Islamic explorer Ibn Battutah there are descriptions of the extensive use of perfumes by the Arab people in the 13th Century (Antonopoulou, 2010). 2.3.2.2 Perfumes: …show more content…
It is sold in raw form (wood chips and pieces), as oil (both pure and blended with other fragrances), as perfume products, and in various forms using small shavings of wood mixed with other fragrant ingredients. Within a long tradition of Arabic perfumery agarwood can be traced in ancient literature as holding a special value among other scents (Antonopoulou,
In Inherit the Wind, a 1960s film adaptation directed by Stanley Kramer, the battle between religion and science was tested, portrayed through the Scopes Trial of 1925. In the trail, John Scopes, a high school science teacher, was accused and convicted of teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, curriculum that was forbidden by Tennessee state law. It is clear that a focal point of the film was the discussion of whether religion should be the driving force behind education, or if science and empirical study is a better alternative. This discussion is alive and well in 2017, crucial in a time where Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is a known believer in theories of ‘intelligent design,’ a theory that suggests divine guidance in the
There are many social institutions that have major impacts on society. One of the trickiest social institutions would have to be, religion. Religion seems to have a huge impact on a society even if it’s directly or indirectly. Why is that? Do we need it? Does it let us live a more fulfilled life? What effects does it have on society? Is it necessary for a functioning society? According to Dalton Conley (2013:611) sociology defines religion as being a unified system of beliefs traditions, and practices around sacred things; a set of shared “stories” that guide belief and action. Religion is a way for people to make sense of the world, it keeps society in line with expected behaviors. Without religion people would subside to create their own rules and would deem to follow a path that could harm a society and come to an end. Religion is necessary for a society to function, prosper, and for someone to learn how to be a well moral contributor to society.
1.) Intro: I decided to focus my Religious Ethnography on a friend whom I recently have become close with. Adhita Sahai is my friend’s name, which she later told me her first name meant “scholar.” I choose to observe and interview Adhita, after she invited me to her home after hearing about my assignment. I was very humbled that she was open to this, because not only was it a great opportunity for this paper, but it also helped me get to know Adhita better. I took a rather general approach to the religious questions that I proposed to the Sahai family because I didn’t want to push to deep, I could tell Hinduism is extremely important to this family. Because this family does not attend a religious site where they worship, I instead listened to how they do this at home as a family instead.
The smell of burning incense seeped inside the temple walls, the ocean breeze always drafted though the house frequently giving me chills whenever we chanted, however, sitting next to my grandmother and seeing her smile always made me feel cozy and comforted. The shades of orange saffrons varied between each monk and always contrasted against the white walls of the temple. Shrines filled every corner of the temple but the shrine upstairs astonished me every time I visited. The complex layout and detailing of the vivid hues of food, candles, flowers, and crystals in the shrines was impeccable and necessary to express reverence and gratitude for Buddha. The strong scent of lemongrass meat, fresh rice, and seasonal fruit flowed from the kitchen to the living room. Which always used to distract me. On the contrary, ever since my grandmother passed away I am now unable to attend temples. My grandpa would always tease me and bug me if I were to ever visit the temple again and thus, would be one of the conflicts I experienced. My mom would state that I didn’t believe in God nor Jesus because I didn't go to sermons. In like manner, my peers would always argue that I can only believe in one religion, not two. The fading conflict of attending temples was a relief but food was another opponent on the rise to introduce another conflict
Scent within the novel Perfume by Patrick Suskind has been regarded as a supernatural element that transcends the physical realm and into the spiritual. In 18th Century France, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with the supernatural ability to smell, while lacking his own individual odour. The power of scent is revealed to have manipulative qualities that shape the way an individual perceives someone based off odour. Suskind uses the characters of Grenouille and Madame Gaillard to convey the effect that scent has on the emotional spirituality of humans as both have a disability with their olfactory sense. Grenouille utilises the power of scent to create his own perfume which emphasizes scent possessing qualities beyond the natural world.
The Society Religion as a Social Glue The view in the title is a functionalist’s view. Durkheim claims that religion is to do with the sacred and certain things, people and places are perceived to be sacred for example Jesus Christ, totem and the Tajmahal. He claims that what people perceive to be sacred are actually symbols of a collective consciousness. By worshipping these sacred things etc. they are actually reinforcing the beliefs, values, norms and tradition which make social life possible.
I was always fascinated in the Buddhist religion and this class assignment was a great opportunity for me to take advantage of my curiosity. I decided I would visit a Buddhist center. With the company of my mother, I went to the Diamond Way Buddhist Center in Miami. According to my interview with the Buddhist that instructed the meditation service, every Monday and Friday they have a meditation service for the 16th Karmapa meditation from 8:00pm to 8:30pm. This center is part of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism (Anonymous). Upon arriving, I realized that it was in someone’s home. Many Buddhist offer their homes for Buddhist centers and are unpaid for their services. However, they do accept donations. Before entering the house, we had to remove our shoes. When we entered I could smell the scent of incense burning. As presented in World-Faiths, removing your shoes before entering a Buddhist center or temple is a form of worship. Also, incense and candles are used to represent Buddha’s enlightenment (World-Faiths).
The novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, by Patrick Süskind takes place in the densely populated and repugnant slums of 18th century Paris where protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille resides as a lowly peasant with an incomparable sense of smell that sets him apart from the rest of the world. However, Grenouille is unaffected, and endures the hardships of brutal peasant life with an iron will, in the hopes of discovering every scent the world had to offer as his only motivation for living. He craves to be alone to further enhance his knowledge in capturing scent; Grenouille becomes so estranged and enthralled in the art of capturing fragrances that he sets out on a quest to concoct the “ultimate perfume” which leads him to commit a series of murders to capture human scent. Süskind, by way of Jean Baptiste’s obscure life and fine nose allows readers to explore the concept of alienation and the effects it has on the character development of Jean Baptiste Grenouille.
“Religion is a ritualized system of beliefs and practices related to things defined as sacred by an organized community of believers.” (Basirico et.al. 379). Religion is an important element in the society because it influences the way individuals act and think. It has shaped the relationship and bonding among families as well as influenced the decision made in economics and politics. Religion in general has contributed to shape a society and a government structure which will influence the way the individuals under certain governmental structure behave. Sociologists are interested in religion mainly because religious belief is heavily rooted in individuals’ lives and it helps sociologists to interpret human’s actions, expression, and experiences. Due to its significance in society, sociologists try to study religion in depth to explain and understanding religions beyond science. Supernatural belief, which is the core of religion, cannot be explained using science which relies only on facts and data. According to Emile Durkheim, religion consists of three elements, a system of beliefs and practices, a community or church, and sacred things which are common throughout all religions. Although a lot of people may have thought that sociological studies in religion will undermine one’s faith towards their beliefs, in my opinion, sociological perspective in religion will have no effect on one’s faith toward their beliefs.
Oud has begun to appear, usually in the form of exclusive limited editions, opulently and carefully, in the avant-garde collections of perfumery houses that have already acquainted us with the exotics of the South, the East, and faraway islands
Essential oils were used by the ancient Egyptians’ to produce perfumes. They spent hundreds’ of years’ trying to perfect beautiful smel...
Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and worships which includes a code of ethics and a philosophy of life. Well over 90% of the world 's population adheres to some form of religion. The problem is that there are so many different religions. What is the right religion? What is true religion? The two most common ingredients in religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are essentially nothing more than a list of rules, dos and don 'ts, which a person must observe in order to be considered a faithful adherent of that religion, and thereby, right with the God of that religion. Two examples of rules-based religions are Islam and Judaism. Islam has its five pillars that must be observed.
Transferable skills are the skills that a person acquires and transfers to future employment settings.
Aromas we smell are processed in the limbic system of the brain which is where emotions and memories are stored. So we are literally tapping into a very deep part of the brain when sniffing a fragrance. There is no filter on the sense of smell either, so we drop into those emotions or memories instantly. This can happen out of the blue, when we least expect it. A stranger on the street might wear the same cologne as a first lover, causing us to feel breathless and sentimental. Perhaps the scent of a musty cabinet might smell exactly like grandmother’s attic where we used to play as a child triggering joyful memories. Scent is powerful. In products it might achieve a myriad of results like give us confidence, keep us calm, or make us feel sexy. A well-fragranced product should be a gift and tool for the
I do not identify with a religion that requires practice or traditions or the belief in a higher power or being. I identify myself as being Agnostic, which means I believe nothing can be known or is known about the existence of a God, and that I do not believe or disbelieve in a God. I am the type of person who needs proof that I can physically see in order to believe something exists, so I do not think I will be able to know if a certain God is real or not. However, I am very familiar with multiple religions and have attended different churches of various religions as a child. These include Christian, Mormon, and Catholic churches.