Reflexive Perspective: Tewahido Fasika

Reflexive Perspective:  

 TEWAHIDO FASIKA  

a film by Vincent Moon
 FRENCH

JAPANESE

I was on Facebook this Sunday morning checking my feed. I noticed there was another one of Vincent Moon's films in the feed. I figure I would take a peek at what Vincent has created, and to my surprise this was another masterpiece from Monsieur Vincent! Qui, grand travail (with a French Accent)!

While watching this film, a light bulb lite in my mind; I came up with this keen idea to provide a little historical commentary of what the film represents in culture's environment. So, I am about quickly research the film's ritual history.

However, here is the film that I watched. It's entitled, "Tewahido Fasika." It's only 15 minutes long, but what a wonderful piece of cinematic work captured by Vincent during this Easter Sunday Ritual in Ethiopia.

NOW ETHIOPIA •†•†• TEWAHEDO FASIKA •†•†• (((ፋሲካ))) from Vincent Moon / Petites Planètes on Vimeo.

HISTORY

The Fasika is an festival-holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. In Ethiopia, this Fasika has been a longstanding holiday with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. This celebration of Easter marks the calculation of the Western Cultures celebration of Easter, also. Yet, Fasika is a much more significant holiday than Christmas in Ethiopia Orthodox for the resurrection of Christ plays a prudent in role in their theology.

Also, Fasika practice a 56-day fasting, which intensifies their ritual experience; this includes on eating of animal products or meat of any kind (this includes no butter, eggs, or drinking milk). The strict measures of this diet is includes the practitioner eats one meal of vegetables and lentils during the fasting period.

Thus, Good Friday starts off by people attending church, in order, to break the long fast. Attached to this, the faithful congregation will do ceaseless bowing that renders one exhausted in energy. On Saturday night, there is the  Paschal Vigil that has hours of dancing and music into the early morning hours.

At 3:00 am, everyone returns home to prepare breaking the fast.  At about midnight, a chicken is slaughtered in symbolism of the celebration. On Sunday morning, a sheep is slaughtered for the Sunday morning feast.

This slaughtering of the sheep derives from a foreshadowed testament of the Old Testament: Genesis 22. There is the story of Abraham's near sacrifice of his song, which was replaced with a sheep that was sent from the heaven as a substitute for sacrificing his son.

Furthermore, this celebration of Easter in Ethiopia is represent Christ 40 days and 40 nights. The celebration is attached with people having food and locally-brewed alcohol that includes honey.

Just too note, there is a second Fasika which is celebrated, unofficially, during the following week.

PROJECTION 

This cultural celebration from Ethiopia represents the very nature of religious practices all over the world. The hold a significant power over the town or city they reside. This practice is what keeps the tides in this country strong. Furthermore, this represents how the practices done in Ethiopia is no different than the practice of Orthodox Christianity here in the states, Europe or Latin America, etc.

Also, you can accompany the processes of acculturation, enculturation and coculturation (Check out my coculturation blog to explain more) as to what this film represents when the filmmaker, Vincent Moon, accomplishes with his camera, the illusive mechanized iris he carries on his shoulders.

So, if you meet an Ethiopian who tells you stories of how they practiced Easter Sunday, which include rituals of lit candles, dancing, and music in the wee hours of the night; that would follow a sacrificing of a chicken and lamb. You better believe this is the whole truth, and nothing more.

I am glad Vincent made this film. I remember in my interview with him: Reflexive Process: Interview; Vincent mentioned his trip to Ethiopia. This was one of the creations of that trip. This man is on a mission. I just want to share in the fruition of his works and travels. Once again, Vincent Moon represents Filmmaking culture in its majesty. 

Merci, encore une fois Vincent Moon; pour ce film.

La paix!

REFLEXIVITY PHRASE

Coculturation: is the process of acculturation and enculturation by influencing, an individual or a group with initiation into a culture based on their beliefs, attitudes, creeds, politics, and social rules while existing in that culture's environment."

REFERENCES

Fasika. (2013, March 01). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasika 

Abeba tours ethiopia-festivals & holidays. (2009-2013). Retrieved from http://www.abebatoursethiopia.com/es/node/64

Asceticism Part 2: Physiological

Asceticism Part 2: Physiological

 According to the Taoist teachings of China, the radiant energy of the cosmos is concentrated within the body of men in the form of a spiritual essence. - The Astral Body, Benjamin Walker p. 50
 

SPANISH

FRENCH

PORTUGUESE
JAPANESE
 

Where does physiological apply in asceticism?

The human body is an enigmatic projection of its own sovereignty.This quality humans contain within themselves is a inquisition we should consider in dire objectivity. The means to ascertain this "soulful" treasure is something that can be compromised by monetary commerce or adorned on a t-shirt. This process is a cyclical advancement in Reflexivity.This advancement is an achievement of the "Self;" this self, I discuss, is representative of one's own 'soul.'

The ascetic techniques to gain this power is what i will discuss in this blog. I want to emphasis this as a "Diet." This "Diet" should be a perpetual, steady process of unveiling and procuring the 'Self" with knowledge, nourishment, and vitality in the body-mind-spirit aspects of ascetic practices.

Mind you all, I live in a Western culture, however, I will have the word "Diet" represent a nuance, refreshment, a progression in detachment. I wish for this blog to implement the enlightenment of one's "Self" through techniques of detaching one from habitual practices that have de-allowed health in mind-body-spirit.

Henceforth, I will discuss information from a couple of sources based: the seven Chakras,  the astral body (auras), and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. All these source will focus upon ascetic practices in reference to the body-mind-spirit; this cohesion in the vessel will propagate the very things that the physiological science invest in educating the masses in health of mind-body-spirit. The human body is a vessel of conscious and unconscious qualities that produces quantities of sovereign matter.Now,  let's see what qualities, in matter of the vessel, we will find resources for ourselves and the environments we reside.

Before I begin this inquisition, let's take a trip back for just a minute or two. For instance, have some of you read Reflexive Thought #11.  I wrote this about a couple months ago, last year to be exact. In this blog, I introduced a term "the Pleasure Ion." As I defined, the Pleasure Ion is the developing elation the body cultivates from the spiritual energy within; an energy that is procure from physicality within the human body from either an conscious or an unconscious euphoria.

Too add, I mentioned the three derivatives of obtaining the Pleasure Ion - these derivative are in pursuit of what would represent a "life force" or "euphoria;" they are:

• Mind (Synergetic) - the active state of imagination projecting the will of one's quality in existence within the vessel.
• Body (Kinetic) - the active motion in physical exercises and physical therapy of the vessel from the use of energy within.
  
• Spirit (Cardiotic) - the active respiration of the breath cycling throughout the vessel in a continual process of surplus-storage of energy within.
  

The application of these three derivatives will bring into fruition the qualities the vessel contains within. This discovery of the Self,  while resident on the earth, is the unique embodiment of the Pleasure Ion.

This minor piece of review should wet the senses just a bit. The Pleasure Ion represent a small icon of what you can discover in ascetic practices of the mind-body-spirit matter. There is another bridge you must cross, in order, to ascertain this wealth of knowledge. This fountain of vitality is awaiting your arrival. If, you want to know how to get there, then you start by reading the information below. This will start the journey on to the path of enlightenment. Shall we begin?

CHAKRA

Chakras are the body's energy stations. These stations are located in seven areas of the human body. Each locations have single function: http://www.chakraenergy.com/chart.html. These Chakras are great suppliers and stores of energy.

The flow of energy in your body is connected to emotional and physical events that result in bodily reactions. Thus, in Hindu and Buddhist tradition thought it is believed that body is contain in two different forms: a physical form and a energy form.

Leaning how to regulate this energy is a basic tenement in aligning the seven energy centers known as Chakras. Practicing simple meditation and yoga technique will allow this alignment to continue its even flow. This alignment will allow you body energy to continually maintain benefits in your physical survival, your sexuality, your ambition, your drive, your feelings of compassion and love, your ability to communicate, your imagination, and spirituality.

Therefore, you should practice different techniques in yoga, meditation, a diet rich in leafy green vegetables, drink plenty of water, drinking herbal teas such as peppermint and sage, chakra or sensual massage, aromatherapy, and writing a journal of your dreams.

THE ASTRAL BODY

 
Gerhard Dorn, an alchemist, expressed the belief that men have in them an invisible substrate unlike anything found in nature that represented their essential selves. "Within the human body," he said, "there is hidden a certain metaphysical substance known only to a very few." (Cavendish (1967), P. 173)

The idea of Chakras is to storage and supply energy in the vessel-we know as the human body. The Astral Body is like a 'fluidic spirit' separate from the physical state of the vessel. The Astral Body represents the non-physical state the body contains in life and in death.

In producing this Astral Body, there are certain exercises you could practice to procure the Astral Body such as: rhythmic breathing, looking inward mentally, and concentrating on the space between your eyes. These same technique are used as warm-up exercises during Hatha Yoga-I remembered these techniques when I practiced Hatha Yoga at SFSU under Instructor CAUGHLAN

These techniques, along with a slough of others, are central to the existence of the Astral Body; also know as "aura." This aura would be more like a vehicle of the soul. It protects the body from invasions of certain creating an imbalance of both forms-this being the physical and astral.

Furthermore, the Astral Body is a shield, protector of the Self, the soul. This form is just as important as the physical form. Anything that penetrates the Astral field into the physical will cause havoc to the balance created by the ascetic practices maintaining health. The importance of Astral Body is just as dire as the alignment of the Chakras.

TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD 
(Below is Part 1 & 2 of the movie by narrated Leonard Cohen based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead)
PART 1

 

PART 2

The Tibetan Book of the Dead offers an ascetic guidance in mythological realms of the Self. The book mentions the Five Elements. These elements are: Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and Ether. These elements are the function essential to the path of Enlightenment and Emancipation , as stated in the Bardo Thodol.

However, the Buddhist view declares there are the Three Buddha Bodies, which are standard analysis of the mind-body-spiritual continuum in attainment of enlightenment-in terms of Reflexivity the projections of the inner state of the Self.

These Three Buddha Bodies are:

• Truth Body: Phase: Death; Sleep-State; Waking Trance.

• Beatific Body: Phase: Between; Dream-State; Waking magic Body.

• Emanation Body: Phase: Life; Waking-State: Waking Gross Body.

These Buddha bodies are attained through ascetic practices of yoga, meditation, and diets consisting of herbal teas, vegetables, and fruits, etc. Thus, you can learn through these concepts how to enter from one state to the next. You will learn how your body can be a guiding tool, an vessel of alchemy.

Also, there is the Body-Mind complex in Tibetan Book of the Dead, which are projected in three forms:

• Gross (the body of the flesh, blood, bone, and other substances that can decode the five main elements).
• Subtle (this roughly correlates to the central nervous system).
• Extremely Subtle (the indestructible crop; tiny energy pattern existing normally in the center of the heart wheel or complex).

This information represents what the vessel can accomplish in a physical-to-non-physical forms. It entails the quality that is contain and the quantity of sovereignty within the vessel.

PROJECTION

All three sources that I choose for this blog are just small in comparison for the number of other things one can practice to achieve this perfection, enlightenment in body-mind-spirit unification. There is so much more you can learn and I hope the information I have provided can help guide some of you in the direction you seek for wherever your journey will take you.

My main function is for any who read this to ascertain these practices, and philosophies as a "Diet" of the Self. Yes, even the soul needs a bit of a tune-up.

These ascetic physiological practices are central to any one's longevity. The answer has always come from within. The solutions have always existed within. The journey has always started from within. There is no substitute for such a phenomenon, the Self. It's unique in its conceptualized existence. If, you choose to live in an ascetic manner you will have to devote your total attention, give your utmost sacrifice, and have complete patience. This is essential in an "Diet;" you must be willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary to ascertain the desired result.

This isn't something that will happen in an instance. The practice from beginning to end will result in what you have given to it. Whether whole-heartedly or half-assed, the result is the projection of your complete attention to detail, to practice, to everything you have provided in this transformation of the Self. If, you have confidence in your ability to ascertain goals this will not be a problem. If, you lack confidence, and want to change your life, this is just the exercise you need to reflex upon in projections. This is the "Diet" you would need to eliminate the body-mind-spirit of its malignancies.

The present is at hand. The opportunity is revealed. The only thing left is to decide: you want to live or do you want to die? This is the first step in asceticism: learning to detach, letting go of the present self in its dysfunction. Yes, non-acceptance of your defeated state. This is a "Diet" of the Self.

This video is Sarah M. Moser. She represents Eclipsism, yet, exemplifies the Pleasure Ion. This exemplifies one of the projections ascertained by this "Diet" of the body-mind-spirit.

Now that we may have a bit clearer understanding of the effective state of asceticism  in the physiological realm, let's pose another inquisition: the psychological. They go hand-in-hand. Therefore, this is the question to consider for the next blog: How does asceticism influence the psychological? Here is something to reflect on until my next blog; the way the mind can develop a sharp outlook on the Self, the culture, and the environment its surround upon daily. What projections would one's psyche gain from this experience?

REFLEXIVITY TERMS

Pleasure Ion: the developing elation the body cultivates from the spiritual energy within; an energy that is procure from physicality within the human body from either an conscious or an unconscious euphoria. 

Projection: is an icon, quality that is ascertained from a reflection; the conclusive detail from an observation of phenomenon or isotoric epsidoes, etc. 

Eclipsism: is the total embodiment of SELF, of culture, and of environment developed by rigor through practice, sacrifice, and study of a physicality, physical discipline, in order, to obtain knowledge and enlightenment via the human body.

REFERENCES

Rosen , B. (2007). A gaia busy person's guide chakras: Finding balance and serenity in everyday life. London, UK: Gaia Books Ltd.

Walker, B. (1977). Beyond the body: The human double & the astral planes. New York City, New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, Limited.

Thurman, R. (1994). The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Liberation through understanding in the between. New York: Bantam Books.

Reflexive Process: Interview with independent filmmaker VINCENT MOON

Here is a little background on Vincent Moon: 
He was born with the given name Mathieu Saura on August 29th, 1979 in Paris, France. Vincent Moon has been a traveling filmmaking for about 7 years, more or less a year. I am amazed at the number of musicians around the world, that I have never heard of, he has filmed. All these videos are done for free out of the love for what the filmmaker and the artist create together in some area, some space, for people to watch and to enjoy, live or online, around the world. 

Vincent Moon has recorded over 100 film with the likes of Yo La Tengo, Wyclef Jean, R.E.M., Jess Chambers (New Zealand), Miho Hatori, Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, ZZK Records (Argentina), Bomba Estereo (Colombia), One Man Nation (Singapore), Mogwai, Femi Kuti, White Shoes & the Couples Company (Indonesia), Carlinhos Brown (Brazil), Kazuki Tomokawa (Japan), Kong Nay (Cambodia), Jose Domingos (Brazil), Tinariwen (North Africa), The Luyas (Canada) Nikaido Kazumi (Japan), Gaspar Claus, and Amanda Negra Sim (Brazil), etc. just to name a few (videos of the artist named above are here = www.vincentmoon.com).  


If, the phrase, "Practice makes perfect" or "I live my work" doesn't create an imagine in your mind; well, Vincent Moon would be this icon of liberation and of workmanship; purity in craft.

How does Vincent Moon exemplify Reflexive Psychology? Its simple, the films he records are reflections of the cultures and the environments that breeds these artist, musicians. Every video and every song tells a story from each performance filmed. These experimental films are exact samples of how a psychologist conducts research while observing subjects in a natural setting. I am learning more and more from each film Vincent has create about Reflexive Psychology, and myself. 


Henceforth, these films are directed at the self. This "SELF," I refer to, is the context being explored and interpreted in each minute of recording, upon which the performer tells a story while Vincent Moon films. This creates a phenomenon of vision, voice, and sound. This complex some would call a "music video," I would call "portraits of the Reflexive-conscious SELF ( an ego reflexion of unveiling the unconscious surfacing to the conscious through an outlet perceivable to subject's state of being)." These performances within the filming define the reflexive-conscious SELF in a space and a place controlled by only the filmmaker and his subjects: the musician.


So how does the enigmatic Vincent Moon (VM) respond to the Reflexive Psychology (RF) imperatives of video, sound, and the SELF complex?

RF: How did you come up with this idea of Fiume Nights, or traveling filmmaker?

VM: It was not an idea, but happened by accident. I left Paris and never found a home again. I was attracted to many cultures unknown to me; I wanted to explore other music, and try my skills at recording it.

RF: From these traveling films-videos, what are some of the new and the old techniques in filmmaking you have adopted?

VM: I don’t know what’s old and what’s new. I guess my filmmaking style is very old, but I use the new technologies to record and spread my work.

RF: My take on your technique is that you have taken a blend of the new and the old, in order, to create a style of your own. This is typical for any person creating there own method(ology) like psychological theorist create out of free will.

RF: How long have you been a filmmaker before starting your traveling filmmaking project? Who or what inspired you to become a filmmaker?

VM: For a list of names, check here: http://petitesplanetes.cc/about I started making films while in Paris; maybe, 7 years ago...

RF: What school did you study filmmaking? Did you consider yourself to be a good student (what I mean is was it your primary goal)?

VM: I didn’t go to school, I don’t believe in school, in general.

RF: I wish I could say the same, but the knowledge does not hurt me. I want to have some sort of a ripple in the pond, sort to speak. I have the heart. I just don’t have the tools, yet.

RF: I have watched many of your films on your Fiume Nights webpage (http://www.vincentmoon.com/video-fiume-night); I would like to know which project(s) in this past year on this page really meant a lot to you?

VM: Oh, I haven’t done this project for two years now. Are you sure you know what I am doing now? Here is the other site you were speaking about - Petite Planetes_Video_Website

RF: I may have mixed up the URL’s; I have watched the clips from your ‘Petites Planetes’ page and breezed some of your other websites like the ‘Fiume Nights.’ Sorry, I have that wrong. Thank you for correcting. I want readers to get to the right website to experience your beautiful films.

RF: I noticed you did a couple of them in South America, Brazil in particular. I want to know how the hell you get a camera into that favela (Portuguese term for “Ghetto/Slum”) abandon apartment building with Brazilian female poet/rapper Amanda Negra Sim ? I know it was a tough spot to be around with a camera.

VM: How do you know it was a tough spot? It was not. It was wonderful to go there; the people were just a bit warmer, friendlier

.

RF: I watched the clip and saw that it was in a dingy apartment building like the favelas in Sao Paulo. I am glad I was wrong. Like I say, you the man Vincent! You were carrying a camera around a Brazilian favela like ‘papa with a brand new bag.’ I am very jealous.

RF: When I contacted you, you said you were in Ethiopia? How is the project going and is this the only spot you are visiting in Africa?

VM: I spent 3 months in Ethiopia; where I made 11 films. Now, I am on my way to Ukraine and Russia. Its all go; that’s my life as a traveling filmmaker.

RF: One of the first videos I saw from your collection was the Miho Hatori (the singer of Cibo Matto) and I wanted to know how you made that happen? What was the basic idea in mind when you and Miho met for this project? 

VM: Sorry I don’t recall this film at all. It's not one of my best...

RF: The Valparaiso, Chile video was another one of my favorites. The artists, musicians seem to welcome your presence and expressed it gleefully. However, there were film clips, from an old Chile movie, in French subtitles all throughout this video you made. When did you first see this film and was it the initial influence to making this video project in Chile? Was it a recreation, in spirit, of that old Chilean film you spliced through parts of the video? 





VM: It's an old cult film called “A Valparaiso.” It’s quite unknown nowadays. I thought it would be a beautiful experience to mix it with a new film from the same place, 50 years later.

RF: Do you still keep in contact with the musicians you have done films, videos with? Do you plan to do sequels with these performers later?

VM: Of course, I keep in touch; but I never plan to film them again.

RF: I am sure you would have expected this question; can you tell me what was going through your mind while you did this video with Wildbirds & Peacedrums? Was it your primary vision? 

VM: The idea in this film was a fight, a battle. That’s all. In general, there was no initial idea, beforehand; you know.

RF: How many takes do you usually require for each video you record? Are you a perfectionist in your manner much like Stanley Kubrick was in how many takes he did for each scene?

VM: I, usually, film one take.

RF: Out of all your filmmaking travels, which country did you enjoy visiting the most?

VM: Brazil.

RF: Do you have plans to return to North America, if so when will you do this?

VM: I have no plans at all; I am not very interested in the culture over there these days. Maybe, I will have plans to visit in the future.

RF: Do you have any advice you can give to up-and-coming filmmakers in the future?

VM: I can’t give advice for I don't even know what I am doing myself. Ha ha ha.

There is only one thing I can say, “If someone tells you what the rule is, then you should do it your own way.”

This interview is preemptive of a future interview sometime next year. Hopefully, I plan to walk the wild side with Vincent Moon on one of his filmmaking excursions. If any of you are interested in giving donations for as little as $10 US Dollars (for the rest of you break out the currency calculator to figure it out) please go to his Petite Planetes website under the "donation" link, or just go to the website and enjoy the collection of videos Vincent has recorded over the years, plus more interesting news on upcoming projects he will be recording. 

Trust me. This will not be the last you hear of Vincent Moon. He is quite the filmmaker and he is fully focused, aware of the cultures and environments he film around this world. This awareness has projected Vincent Moon in a much greater magnitude: "To be one of the greatest and the coolest Filmmakers to ever exist." Much love and peace to Vincent Moon and the future artist out there in the world that he will film. 

Reflexive end note: "The work you create is a reflexion of you as a individual, as a SELF, and as a human." - This is reflexive phenomenology to the epistemological approach to creative process within the SELF.


Sounds like evolution? Well, an artist creation should always be that. Something evolutionary and something revolutionary that reflects their "SELF." Now, you know why I did this interview, people! Vincent Moon has the balls to be "the MAN!" He is the reflexion of the lens and the camera he uses to create film. Vincent Moon reflects filmmaking culture.

Here are some URL attached to VINCENT MOON:

www.vincentmoon.com/list.php

www.takeawayshows.com

www.temporaryareas.com

www.vimeo.com/vincentmoon

www.blogotheque.net/serie/concert-a-emporter/

www.twitter.com/vincentmoon/

www.youtube.com/user/vincentmoon

www.facebook.com/pages/Vincent-Moon/190144594338943