The boy who looked inside

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

He lead me beside the still waters

Psalm23

Text by Ana Cris, Search by Fabi and Ana Cris and Illustration by Sebastian

Morelea Farm, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

John¹ was a boy who paid attention to everything. Sometimes he looks the things that everyone sees. The daisies in the window, the leaves swaying in the wind, the sheep grazing. But sometimes, even in daylight, even awake, even with his eyes open, he was so distracted that he neither answered when one talking with him. At these times, John’s grandfather used to say. — He is looking inside. And he really was². Then he saw things that most people could not see, because John knew how to communicate with his inner world and the treasures that there were³.

So when he sat in the grandfather’s rocking chair and looked inside, he was soon facing a restless sea in a ship of pirates². Or when he take care the sheep and looked inside, was a forest full of talking animals. Anywhere, John could go out and look inside. And it started turning habit. It was thus that he met a sheep named Oak-hearted, and they became great friends.

John Standring by Sebastian

At the time John was thinking that in the inner world everything was so much more fun than in the outside, so he had a plan².

— You know, Oak, I am willing to turn me a sheep and stay here forever.

— Forever? — Oak asked.

— Forever, John replied. Here is where I do everything I want.

Oak took a deep breath and said.

— I think forever is too long!

But John did not listen and continued with his plan. Resigned, Oak said:

— Right, to be a sheep you must keep strong bonds  with your childhood, with  the child-like qualities, such as gentleness, innocence and vulnerability⁴. Being a sheep means that you will learn to get in touch with a part of yourself more vulnerable. However, in a positive way, i.e., open, available to feeling in a gentle, innocent manner. You have to learn to compassionate acceptance of one’s limitations or pain. And you will have to be more tolerant with yourself to look at emotional suffering you may experience in your life with compassion and acceptance, caring for yourself and others instead blaming yourself or others for how bad you feel⁴.

Sheeps, New Zeland (Photo: Ana Cris)

And so time went by and John grew up and became a man gentle and helpful. And so much he looked inner world, he began to notice the subtleties that others do not perceive. Introverted, his way of working was slow and deliberately. He liked to focus on one task at a time with great power of concentration. His thought had an unusual complexity. And he tended to have an awareness of the world around him surprisingly strong, realizing the inner world of other like oneself, which gave him a strong sense of empathy. He listened more than he talked, and he often felt he expressed himself better writing. He did not like conflict or of small talk, but enjoyed deep discussions with his grandfather³.

But outside of John there are Carol Bolton¹. Carol was the most beautiful girl that John had ever seen. In true was the only girl he had seen, because in the inner world there were not many girls. She was extroverts and impulsive, and loved the vibe of the outside world, the running after fame and fortune. But John was immune to it. He preferred to devote his energies to his closest friends and family. Already, Carol had passion and was always mixed up in confusion, trying to subvert the order of things. While John was a keen observer who looked at before taking a leap.

However, so much he looked inside that the outside world was gone. And he felt inadequate, anxious and scared when looked out. Especially near Carol.

—It’s … spend the rest of life looking inside cannot be good. He said to Oak. I’m not like Carol, I’m not heroic and sociable – John said.

Oak nodded. And he said:

—In times of war or fear, it may seem that what we need are more aggressive and heroic types. But if the entire population were warriors, there would be no one to notice – let alone fight – more silence threats.

John Standring by Sebastian

—I feel that if I want to win Carol I have to learn to be more sociable and communicative and stop being so shy. Also, everyone should be outgoing if they want to be successful, said John.

—Introverts are not necessarily shy. Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful, introversion is not³. Do not be so hard on yourself, John. There are many qualities in you. The extrovert temperament is attractive, but the advantage of creative introverts is that the solitude can be a catalyst for innovation. Introspective people can come succeed as artists, writers, scientists and thinkers, because their aversion to novelty causes to spend more time on the intellectually fertile environment of their minds³, said Oak

—You know, Oak — said John. I looked into Carol. And when she was just a girl, she expected the world, but it flew away her reach. So, when she ran away in her sleep, she dreams of paradise⁵. Now I walk with a desire to stay there forever, because there is all I want.

— Excellent! — Oak said. All that Carol needs is someone that brings back innocence, softness and vulnerability of childhood. And there went out the door John put his new plan into practice!

Reference and Notes

1. Sparkhouse is a BBC drama, originally shown in 2002, written by Sally Wainwright which is a modern take on Wuthering Heights. Serie TV BBC UK

2. Machado, A. M. 2008. O menino que espiava pra dentro. Editora Global

3. Cain, S. 2012. O poder dos quietos. Original title Quiet: The Power of Introverts . Editora Agir.

4. Paradise – Coldplay

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5. Richard as John Standring. Images from http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/

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Bungee Jump: Check the cord, forget the fear

Located north of Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables mountain range of the background, the town of Queenstown, New Zealand, is known as the “world capital of adventure.” It offers numerous options for all types of adventurers, from hiking outdoors until rafting and skiing. But his fame is mainly due to overhead activities, highlighting the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Jump, with 43 meters high, considered the world’s first commercial Bungee. With the growing popularity of adventure sports two questions arise:why people do this and is it safe?

KAWARAU BRIDGE BUNGY

The sport of bungee jumping started with a 1950 documentary by David Attenborough about the Nagol ritual, known as dip in the earth, of Pentecost, Vanuatu. The documentary showed young people who dived from the wooden platform of 30 meters, only with vines tied to their feet. The Nagol is a complex ritual of fertility, where men throw the tower head touching the ground, thus ensuring a good harvest of yams to the tribe, and also a rite of passage for boys who spend childhood and enter adulthood.

The rituals must be performed with good intentions and pure hearts

(Proverb of the Hopi Indians)

The expression French ‘rites de passage’ has been adopted by European writers and anthropologists to define all the rituals and ceremonies that allow the passage of a person to a new form of life or a new social status. Also the Latin word Ritus meaning  river. When we have a  rite of passage, we dip into the flow of life force that permeates all beings, honoring the sacredness of life. The most important element of a rite of passage is the intention, it is what drives the energy during a ritual, either for ourselves or for a friend who is celebrating the transition. The most important contribution of the participants is the solidarity and support we offer through words or gestures, thus reviving the spirit of brotherhood and the feeling of belonging to a group.

You are strong, courageous, and important! We love you very much! You are completely crazy! I yelled at Carol, as she walked the line and  approached the platform bungee jump. The wind threwing my hair back and my eyes smiled at before a stunning landscape that screening before me. Carol was a mix of intense emotions: joy, enthusiasm, vibrancy and fear. Adrenaline running in her veins, it her mind, memories of her parents and boyfriend, her whole life in one second, a single step  throws her into an unpredictable future and grown-up that she is about to become.. Also on the platform, the adrenaline was already beginning to run in my veins and with it the conviction that we would never be the same anymore.               Jumping! (Photo by Ana Cris)

Only those who risk going too far are able to find out how far one can go.
T. S. Eliot

Facing unexpected situations and be able to perform a challenging activity is undoubtedly a major attraction in adventure sports. As Weber (2001) states learn and gain insight not only side effects of this type of activity, they are integral parts of them. Such experiences bring knowledge about yourself, that are not available in everyday life. Consequently, play with your fears seems to be an attraction in adventure sports. Bungee is a good example. “I think people have an inherent fear factor, and what they want, is to push yourself above it. And the interesting thing, especially with bungee is that people with high fear threshold, i.e., those that can withstand a lot of fear, basically draw very little bungee is something they can do without problem. Already, people with a low threshold and, of course, more afraid, they really have to overcome and conquer something within themselves to do it. And these are people who will tell you that the bungee was a change of life, they really feel that they won something. “(Mark Patterson, Marketing Manager, Challenge Rafting). Fear is part of who we are, and one of its features is the unpredictability.

Minutes felt like an eternity while she was standing on the platform, staring into the abyss under her feet. There was no hurry, no pressure. The operator calmly give the instructions on the jump, helping her to regain control and confidence. Downstairs, her friends gave her support, waving and shouting her name, Graci and her home country, Argentina. A heart vibrated more than the others, her husband. And then she released,  free and loose, her fears being left behind. A chorus of voices of friends and strangers cheered and applauded! There was a brave woman!

Go, Graci, go!

(Photo by Carol)

I’m sure of one thing: I did not stop in the border river, always I chose to go through and discover what’s on the other side of the border.

Ignez Baptistella

Everyone needs an adventure, a break from everyday life and stability of your known world. In the adventure we launched the world with fewer defenses and reserves than in any other relationship. In the adventure we not know clearly where we are going or why. Every adventure involves some risks, and overcome this can be portrayed as part of the attraction to adventure. The idea of the flow experience suggested by Csikszentimihalyi (1975) helps to solve this seeming contradiction, by showing that, when there is a balance between the skill required and the challenge inherent in an act, positive feedback occurs in terms of satisfaction.

The experience of flow is defined as one of complete involvement of the actor with his activity (Csikszentimihalyi, 1975) and is characterized by feelings of fusion and fluidity with that activity. Flow is an important concept because it gives theoretical model for understands enjoyment in the experience of adventure sports (Johnston, 1989). Only by studying these activities through the prism of the flow is that the feelings of harmony, satisfaction and loss of self-consciousness present in high-risk sports, become clear (Cater, 2006).

Priest & Bunting (1993) proposed a model of flow in adventure sports. The authors suggest, when the competence for an activity is high, but the risk is low, a condition of exploration and experimentation is prevalent. When the risk is increased, but competence decreased, adventure occurs, and when the two are matched there is the condition of peak adventure that corresponds to the balanced nature of flow suggested by Csikszentimihalyi (Cater, 2006

Ana Cris in the sky (Photo by Carol)

Time stood still and the landscape became static, like a movie where the director zooms in slow motion. There was only the silence and the feeling to be into the great stream of life. Diving into the ether, where there is neither an end nor a beginning. Forgetting for a minute of “Ana Cris”, and simply living in the here and now. A  turquoise portal signaled the transition from Te Po world (the realm of night, darkness) to the world of the Te Ao Marama (the realm of full light), inviting me to cross it. A joy overcame me completely. Then, the rope gave its first hit, bringing me back to the body, its world of sensations and urges. In the balance of the rope, I let me go. Spinning up and down, moving me to new stage in my life.

 

When you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you

(Fredrich Nietzsche)

With the growth of adventure tourism industry and therefore all its machinery of marketing, tourists can engage in adventure activities with the realization there is minimal risk of damage due to the context of tourism, that involves the delivery of a significant part of the responsibility for risk management to the provider of the adventure in question. However, accidents occur, and its consequences can be tragic. Ron Watters in his essay The Wrong Side of the Edge 1998, draws attention to the danger of glamorizing the high-risk sports.

Kawarau River (Photo by Ana Cris)

In our efforts to provide programs, create new markets and promote high risk sports, we have gradually come to a point where we have over-glamorized them and created an image for general consumption that is far different than what these activities really are.  We have diverted people’s attention from the not-so-glamorous possibility that one can get killed, concentrating attentions only on the fun.  It is a mendacious, one-side view that has pervaded nearly every corner of our society.  The effect has been to make the high risk experience into something akin to a visit to Disneyland.  There’s a big difference.  At Disneyland everything is safe.  Not so in the outdoors (Watters, 1998).

This false sense of security according to psychologist, Michael Apter in his book The Dangerous Edge (Apter 1992) comes from an unrealistic assessment of their ability.  Using the metaphor of a cliff’s edge, Apter theorizes that every activity in life has three zones:  a safe zone where one is far away from the cliff’s edge, the danger zone where one walks on the edge, and the trauma zone where one has fallen off the edge and has been hurt or killed.  Apter believes that when people seek excitement, they put themselves in he what he calls a protective frame which is built through skill, proper equipment and preparation.  The protective frame allows them to come close to the edge, but not to fall into the trauma zone (Watters, 1998).

What can happened according to Apter is that people can be tricked into thinking they are operating within a protective frame when in reality they are not.  Reinforced by what they hear and see on the media and combined with lack of knowledge and skill, the boundaries of the protective frame are completely obscured.  Apter says:  One seems simply to be playing an exciting game with no repercussions (Watters, 1998).

KAWARAU BRIDGE BUNGY

Undoubtedly, bungee jumping can be dangerous, and the recent case of Australian tourists, who had broken the rope during a jump in Zimbabwe is in the media to remind us. Most accidents occur due to the incompetence of the team responsible for the jumps, which do not meet safety standards for bungee jumping (see here and here, some standards). Also most inexperienced bungee jumpers do not have information about the risks of non-lethal practice of sports, which are reported mainly in scientific circles. Among them is the risk of ocular trauma associated with bungee jumping, (see examples here in English and in Portuguese here), which can lead to vision loss. So it is important that the public is aware of the risks of the practice of this sport, and decide to do so they hire operators are firmly committed to the security standards in force.

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References

Apter, Michael J. 1992. The dangerous edge: the psychology of excitement. New York: The Free Press.

Cater, C. I. 2006. Playing with risk? participant perceptions of risk and management implications in adventure tourism. Tourism Management 27: 317-325.

Faur, M. 2003. O legado da Deusa. Editora Rosa dos Tempos. Rio de Jnaeiro.

Watters, R. 1998. WaThe Wrong Side of the Edge in To the Extreme: Alternative Sports Inside and Out, edited by Synthia Sydnor and Bob Rinhart and published by State University of New York Press.

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Powhiri: A ritual of encounter

We’re in Day Five of the FanstRAvaganza 3 in THE HOBBIT tagteam chain! If you missed Day One, check out the posts at here

Mihi Ki Ngā Manuhiri

(Greetings to the visitors)

E te manuhiri tūārangi

Hāere mai, hāere mai.

Hāere mai ki te whakanui i te karanga o tēnei rā,

Nō reira, nau mai, hāere mai.

E ngā mātā waka,

E ngā tai, e whā,

Nau mai, hāere mai ki te whatutuki i te

kaupapa o te rā nei.

Hāere mai, hāere mai, hāere mai.

E ngā iwi, e ngā reo, e ngā mana,

Tēnā koutou kua tae mai nei ki te manaaki i

te kaupapa o te rā nei.

Nō reira, nau mai, hāere mai.

To our distinguished visitors, welcome, welcome.

Welcome to this special occasion in which we gather today.

Welcome, welcome.

To the various waka, those from the four tides, welcome, welcome.

By your presence you have fulfilled the purpose of this day.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

To the many peoples, all voices, all mountains, all rivers, thank you for coming to support this auspicious occasion. Welcome, welcome.

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The pöwhiri is a ritual of encounter (Royal, 2001), whose goal is to create some kind of accord between the groups, to determine those areas of differences and recognize them, but most importantly, to develop and prescribe areas of mutual agreement and unity (Royal, 2001). Thus, the role of pöwhiri is to bring people together. This is a rule for all rituals.
Rituals of encounter are important because the way we first find each other prepares the ground on which all subsequent dialogue will be built, influencing shape, direction and ultimately the outcome.
To understand the pöwhiri, we must understand an important theme of Maori cosmology, which is the movement from darkness (Te Pö) to lightness (Te Ao). When the separation of the earth (Papatuanuku) and sky (Ranginui) occurred, it takes place in the context of a movement from darkness to light. When the sky is finally separated from the earth, light pours forth into world. A new state, a new world, a new consciousness is created and called Te Marama, or the world of light (Royal, 2001).

Figure 2. Richard Armitage in a pöwhiri ceremony held on the set of The Hobbit, talking in his speech the issue of Maori cosmology, the movement from darkness (Te Pö) to light (Te Ao).

The same symbolism is present in wharenui (or Whare Tupuna) and marae, symbolizing the world and reality in general. The wharenui, the ancestral home is a temple to the Te Ao Marama. It stands as a reminder to all those who come to the marae of the reality of light that one must seek in one’s life activities. Usually it is intrinsically carved with stylized images of ancestors, and the building itself is seen as the body of the ancestor, with the crest and the vertebral column, ribs, beams and columns as the top-side like arms. The roof is Ranginui, the floor is Papatuanuku and the interior is the Te Ao Marama. Thus, the wharenui is a place of rest, of reconciliation and light. Upon entering, usually the host group is positioned to the left where they can guard the door, and visitors are positioned right.

Figure 3. Ascentral house, where normally takes place pöwhiri ceremonies, known as wharenui, located in an open area called marea areare (Photo: Ana Cris).

The marae, the open area of land in front of wharenui, on the other hand is oriented toward Te Pö, toward  darkness, toward the conflict. The marae is a symbol of tribal identity. The point of the encounter upon  the marae is to bring people out of their conflicted state and into a state that is analogous to Te Ao Marama (Royal, 2001). And for this reason that the ritual is called pö (darkness) and whiriwhiri (to bind and sew together).

There is a diversity in the way that pöwhiri is conducted and places where they are promulgated. Despite this diversity there is a general form for all pöwhiri. You can recognize a pöwhiri when you see one of these:

1. Warea – A protective incantation by the visitors to alert the hosts of an impending visit, to seek guidance and protection of Atua (gods).

2. Wero – means ‘cast a spear’, was the traditional way of testing the intentions of the visitors. Usually a warrior rushes to visitors, gesticulating, grimacing and holding his taiaha (spear) and leaves a taki, a ritual object (leaf or a stick carved) on the road in front of the visitor. The position of taki indicates the intentions of hosts, if peace or war.

Figure 4. Pöwhiri ceremony where Maori warrior tests the visitor’s intentions, performing a wero (Photo: Ana Cris).

3. Karanga – Call of welcome by the hosts. When visitors have accept the taki, a woman or a group of women commence a karanga in which  the visitors are called on to approach the hosts group. Often the greeting will contain welcome to the spirits of ancestors. The visitors then begin their approach through the waharoa (gate) and across the marae atea.

Figure 3. a. Pöwhiri ceremony held on the set of The Hobbit, where Maori women performs the Karanga, called a welcome to visitors. b. Richard Armitage gets taki, a branch of leaves, a ritual object that represents the good intentions of the hosts and visitors.

4. The Haka – Aggressive ceremonial danced by the men, brandishing weapons, twisting their faces and sticking out their tongue with the intention of inspiring fear in visitors, showing to visitors that the hosts are powerful and dangerous, and are  prepared for any subterfuge.

Figure 4. Maori warriors perfoming the Haka, a pöwhiri (Photo: Ana Cris).

5. Pöwhiri – chant of welcome by the hosts’ women in order toward off evil spirits and provide visitors with a secure access to Marae.
6. Tangi – wailing in remembrance of the dead on both sides, asking their spirits to leave or remain quiet during the procceedings.

Figure 5.  Pöwhiri and Tangi (Photo: Ana Cris)

7. Whaikorero – Speech making by both sides. Here the oldest host welcomes visitors, and makes reference to their ancestors, turangawaewae (home location, literally “a place to stand”), mountains and rivers, their family line (genealogy) and their relationship with each other. Then there are two different protocols, paeke (where all the thosts speakers speak first and then  visitors speaks) and tauautuutu (where hosts and visitors speak alternate). Whatever the protocol, the first visitors will first acnowledge the hosts and the group’s representative will identify formally stating your name, your home, their mountains and rivers, genealogy and the reasons for the visit. It is customary after the each speech (and a cohort of supporters) to sing a traditional waiata (song or chant).  Dances are also performed.

After Sir Ian gave his speech all the actors playing dwarves stood up and sang one of the songs from The Hobbit, a particularly haunting baritone ballad called Misty Mountains.

Figure 4. Typical Maori dance performance, exchange of bats in a pöwhiri (Photo: AnaCris)

8. Hongi. Completed with the formal introductions, visitors now move for the first physical contact with their hosts. A ritual of pressing noses, hongi, and shake-hands, hariru, are held. In Hongi, the breath of life (breath) is shared and the heads are pressed together, thus representing the sharing of feelings and thoughts.

Figure 5. Cast of The Hobbit in a pöwhiri, performing Hongi (above) and hariru (below) with their Maori hosts and production staff.

9. Kai. Sharing food, visitors are served first as a mark of respect and hospitality.Sharing food is the final step in the removal of tapu, which is the removal of all spiritual dangers and impediments to friendship and open communication.
10. Take. Time when discussions of the purposes are performed followed by Poroporaki, the final speeches and farewell.

Figure 6. Kai prepared on hot stones and offered to our group of visitors.

Pöwhiri is gradual and necessarily sequential . Since each level of understanding and intimacy is built on previous understandings. The experience that is actually created in the conscious or subconscious depends on the goodwill of those present. Diving in Maori culture is an invitation to a journey from the darkness, where we are afraid of new and unknown to Te Ao Marama, the world of light, where we recognize the other as a part of our being.

Figure 7. Carol learns a typical dance of the Maori in a pöwiri.

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See in Hobbit team today is Mrs. E.B. Darcy.  Tomorrow/Saturday Antonia Romera takes up the baton. Then Sunday, it’s back to me to wrap us up. You can find more fanstRA fun today here: FanstRAvaganza 2012, FanstRA on Twitter and FanstRAvaganza on Facebook

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Hobbiton: The magic of movies

In the beginning, Richard Armitage made scores of fans — and he keeps on making them! To kick off the fandom chain, Didion converts friends to Armitage love • Phylly3 reports on her fandom experiences • In the Hobbit chain, Ana Cris writes on her recent film location visit • Mrs. E. B. Darcy speculates about what our hero will do in An Unexpected Journey (spoilers!) • King Richard Armitage chain begins with Maria Grazia on a film adaptation of Richard III • Beginning the fanfic chain, fedoralady explains fanfic’s mainstream appeal • Annie Lucas woos us with a Guy of Gisborne one-shot, "One Chance" • In the freeform chain, Fabo files an eyewitness report on Richard Armitage’s visit to U.S. accent school • jazzbaby1 wonders "what were they thinking?" re: Lucas North’s women • and ChrisB opens the Armitage Alphabet, with "A is for Action" • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

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"Who takes reality and makes it a dream is an artist.

It will also be an artist who makes the dream a reality. "

Malba Tahan

Do you live a life woven with magic? The Waikato region of the North Island is one of the richest farming areas in New Zealand. The landscape is dominated by hills and green meadows, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding. In there is located the town of Matamata, which in Maori means "headland", and was the name of the pa of Te Waharoa, situated on a peninsula jutting into a swamp that covered a large area near the town of Waharoa. Currently, Matamata is best known for hosting Hobbiton on their farms.

Waikato, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

Venture yourself on south of Matamata on Hinuera Road and it soon becomes apparent why Peter Jackson, director of the trilogy The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, created Hobbiton in this region, thousands of kilometers from Sarehole and Tolkien’s rural England; the hedgerow-lined lanes of bushes provide glimpses of paddocks and grassy downs that are a vision of the Shire, the most famous village of Hobbits (Brodie, 2002).

Matamata, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

But what are hobbits? The Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favorite haunt. All hobbits had originally lived in holes in the ground, or so they believed, and in such dwelling they still felt most at home, but in the course of time they had been obliged to adopt other forms of abode. Actually in the Shire in Bilbo’s days it was, as a rule, only the richest and the poorest Hobbits that maintained the old custom. The poorest went on living in burrows of the most primitive kind, mere holes indeed, with only one window or none; while the well-to-do still constructed more luxurious versions of the simple diggings of old. But suitable sites for these large and ramifying tunnels (or smials as they called them) were not everywhere to be found; and in the flats and the low-lying districts the Hobbits, as they multiplied, began to build above ground (Tolkien, 1954).

Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

The craft of building may have come of Elves or Men, but the Hobbits used it in their own fashion. They did not go in for towers. Their houses were usually long, low, and comfortable. A preference for round windows, and even round doors, was the chief remaining peculiarity of hobbit-architecture. The houses and the holes of Shire-hobbits were often large, and inhabited by large families (Tolkien, 1954.

Hobbit-architecture, Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

I agree with Andy Serkis: When you are in Hobbiton you believe that this place exists and it does it by itself. You can imagine yourself as a hobbit, having your third snack, without worrying about the circumference of your abdomen. It is as if time does not exist and the real world was a mere memory. It’s like being inside a painting by Monet. Everything is so calm and placid, that, in seconds your mind becomes calm and quiet. You can see Gandalf in his buggy down the hills to meet Frodo. And have the vision that Bilbo had when he left his home, to venture with Thorin and company in search of the treasure of Erebor.

Party Tree, Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

But beyond that, being in Hobbiton is being in direct contact with the fantasy. In his famous Lang Lecture on Fairy Tales, Tolkien describes the three functions of fantasy as Recovery, Escape and Consolation. The fantasy world can lead us away from the things we know so well, can make us re-think our true vocation. Can help us recover of sight to see the meaning of the simple and homely; "escape from" in order to find what we are “created for”. Fantasy helps us to escape the limitations of space and time, to remind us that we have been made for other worlds. And finally, the fantasy can lead to a feeling of joy that helps us face life’s adversities.

Pub, stable, bridge and market, Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand (Photo: Ana Cris)

So the feeling of being in Hobbiton was like I was weaving my life again with magic. What is magic? At its most basic, magic is the application of intention to create change in the world. For Tolkien, magic is spell that in its purest state can be defined as art. The art of making the imagined real. If it’s so simple, if I can believe there is Hobbiton, even for a few hours, so I can weave my life with magic. Weaving life with magic is to believe you have the power to transform your dreams into reality. It charmed the world again. And create reality with art, weaving your own destiny, sounds like a pretty nice way to experience life, doesn’t?

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References

Tolkien, J.R.R. 1954. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, USA.

Brodie, I. 2002. The Lord of the Rings. Location Guidebook. HarperCollins Publishers, Auckland, New Zealand.

Information about Hobbiton:

Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm tours

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A reminder to continue your F3 reading with F3 tagteams, Day One: To kick off the fandom chain, Didion converts friends to Armitage love • Phylly3 reports on her fandom experiences • In the Hobbit chain, Ana Cris writes on her recent film location visit • Mrs. E. B. Darcy speculates about what our hero will do in An Unexpected Journey (spoilers!) • King Richard Armitage chain begins with Maria Grazia on a film adaptation of Richard III • Beginning the fanfic chain, fedoralady explains fanfic’s mainstream appeal • Annie Lucas woos us with a Guy of Gisborne one-shot, "One Chance" • In the freeform chain, Fabo files an eyewitness report on Richard Armitage’s visit to U.S. accent school • jazzbaby1 wonders "what were they thinking?" re: Lucas North’s women • and ChrisB opens the Armitage Alphabet, with "A is for Action" • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

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Aotearoa: There and back again

Travel seen as initiation, i.e., travels made with the mind and heart open to really allow yourself to experience what is to happen, can be highly transformative. The outside, the new, the unusual, the foreign may impact us and awaken within us this same new and unusual, that is ours, but until that time we perceive like foreign. And if we get put in the position of a pilgrim in life, transforming  travel may be as to the other side of the world as around the square from our house!

Cristina Balieiro

O Feminino e o Sagrado

There is a song by Iggy Pop and Ricky Gardiner, The Passenger, recorded by Siouxsie and Banshees, which along with the text of Cristina Balieiro, translates what I feel about my trip to New Zealand. And I echo the words of actor Richard Armitage about your experience in this country: The places we have been to and the things we have seen have surpassed all my expectations. (Armitage, R. 2011).

Luis Pellegrini argues that the trip in the outside world should be encouraged for the simple fact that, at least in the early stages of the processes of initiation, it is easier to see, to experiment and to understand in the objective world out  what actually happens in the subjective inner world. This is real for me. Were the trips I made to Mexico, Peru and Chile where, at different times, I initially saw my shadows or I had insight into a new path for my life, initiating processes of inner transformations that continues nowadays. Interestingly, none of them had such a goal. All aimed exclusively for tourism. All the countries I had chosen as a destination have landscapes of great scenic beauty with a biological and cultural diversity that makes them unique in the world. New Zealand was no exception.

Many religions teach us God is everywhere, but I believe there are places that call us to do deeper reflection and provide a greater connection with the Divine. There are some places that sensitize the soul, opening paths of communication and disarming our defenses, thus facilitating communion with the Great Spirit. For me these places always have been forests, oceans, rivers, and deserts. The important thing is to feel. And I feel God’s presence when I encounter a wild animal, when I walk in the woods or when I behold a mountain. No fear, no loneliness, no distress, because God is really at all, even within me.

However, something else happened during the trip to New Zealand. Something entirely new to me during an initiatory journey. It may be a result of the unparalleled beauty of the landscapes of New Zealand, the contrast of their colors, ranging from turquoise rivers and seas, the green fields, brushed with shades of reds, oranges and yellows of the flowers to the gray and white Mountains, which arouse enchantment in the soul of any visitor. It may be a reflection of my inner world, the point I am in my journey. But the fact is that a few times I felt so deep and sincere grateful for life, as I felt during my journey in Aotearoa, that in Maori means Land of the Long White Cloud. A gratitude to God for my life, for all those who crossed my path, for all the things that brought me here and that will take me further. A deep awareness that all that beauty, all this grandeur was created for me, for you, for us. So let’s sing The Passenger, the voice of Siouxsie and enjoy what is ours:

Note of Thanks:

To all those who  prayed or sent positive thoughts so that our trip to Aotearoa was a success my sincere thanks. My sister Cacau a special thank you for trusting me and presented me with the company during the trip, her daughter Carol. My mother always for everything. Carol, the best travel companion anyone could wish for! The Camille for all adventure  in Hobbiton and Auckland. Rosangela, Nascimento Turismo agent, for all their help and careful attention during the definition phase of the script and planning the trip. The guides to New Zealand, Mani and Margot, Pacific Destinationz, which have always been extremely attentive and zealous in taking care of two stray sheep of the group behind another picture or simply lost in contemplation. In particular, Margot for her efforts to enable all the extra rides we wanted it, and not a few, with great zeal and efficiency. To the many friends we’ve made the trip, thank you for your friendship, especially the Argentine couple Graci and Dario. And last but not least, my thanks to Richard Armitage (The Hobbit) and Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit), who brought me the inspiration to visit to Middle-earth.

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. What is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded Dwarves.

So begins the book The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, who charmed generations presenting a kind of little people, with a tendency to be fat in the abdomen, with no magical power, discrete, preferring the quiet routine of life to a great adventure. Cheerful mood light and simple souls, the hobbits never caught my attention with my hungry eyes for  dark, for intense and complex antiheroes on its way to redemption. One day talking with Fabi about her favorite characters in The Lord of the Rings emphasized that lack of emotional identification with the hobbits. Fabi with her lynx eyes  came to the defense of the little ones emphasizing them courage against the greatest danger. Since then, my eyes searched for a new perspective on these characters and a more empathy. Where is my inner Hobbit?
Definitely a Capricorn person will never be a mood light and happy soul. There is a mountain to climb to the top, obstacles to overcome and your mood will always be in more acidic tones. All Capricorns are persistent, loyal to your friends, stubborn, smart and tough. Oops, as a hobbit? No,  not a commun hobbit, but a son of Took, because there is something not entirely like-hobbit about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappear, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses. So it was with Bilbo Baggins, son of Belladonna Took, one morning away, left the Shire for a long time, after a mysterious visit from Gandalf, and left with the company of Thorin Oakenshield and a group of twelve dwarves in search for a treasure stolen by Smaug. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I’ve heard about him, and I heard only a little of everything there is to hear, would be prepared for any kind of surprising story.

Ah, here is my inner hobbit, or better said, my  inner Bilbo Baggins. As Bilbo I live in a hole firmly attached to the ground. Although my Shire is neither so silent nor so full of green, there is an unusual quiet in the big cities, when you walk into its limits. There are birds, there is a beautiful garden and numerous Ipês which bloom in winter giving a romantic color to outdoor. Days pass by and the sun and moon reverse in the endless sky. And as a Baggins, I feel happy and satisfied on most of the days, waiting for the opportunity of a great adventure. For me the opportunity arose in a distant morning when my professor asked me if I wanted to take a research project in Pantanal, Brazil, for four years, with a scholarship. Of course! I threw it up, job, boyfriend and I went to live “in the woods with only the living animals.” As Bilbo, I’ve never been the same.

And I have never recovered my reputation of respectable people, and I reputed to have an adventurous soul. I smile when I hear the voice of my mother on the phone with her friends: “Oh, Ana Cris never gave me work when he was little kid, but now she does not rest, she just wants to know about animals, you do not know the last …”. There goes endless hours with a detailed report of my latest adventure, completed with  something brief about what I have not done: marriage and grandchildren! Thank God, my brothers were generous with my parents, and gave them four beautiful grandchildren. The smile on my face goes away  when I think my mother’s stories are getting old like me. Some day I may not remember the days of adventure, of sun on my face, the smell of an animal, the lack of time. I came back to my city at about two years ago and most of the time I am happy with what life offers me. But a while ago I dreamed of Gandalf! Then something of Took awakened in my heart, and I wanted to go see the great mountains, hear the pine trees and waterfalls, exploring the caves and use a sword instead of a cane. Oops, not so much, I do not use sword or cane. Only tennis, good jeans, shirt, cash or credit card.
By the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how to saw away from home, without a hat, a cane or any money, and nothing of what usually took when he left without finishing his breakfast, let alone washing dishes, delivering the keys home in the hands of Gandalf and running as much as his furry feet could.
But, I, Rosie-Posie Proudfootof of Standelf, a hobbit, known as Ana Cris, in the company of my niece, the beautiful and sweet Honeysuckle Tighfield of Tookbank, will never forget the day we go to Middle-earth, with only one goal: remaking the way Bilbo Baggins. Leave my house keys with my mother, I’ll give you a big kiss apologizing for leaving my room in a huge mess, I’ll recommend to my dogs to good behave and I’ll go for a new adventure. I’ll go to all the places that get my feet and my eyes reach. Oh, I forgot, there would not be bad to find some dwarf and his company. After all a girl can dream!
Even the back!

Dear friends,
I am going to my dream vacation in New Zealand, 4-22 February. As far as possible I will have news for you. I can not pass the happiness to be making real this dream that I wished since watching the movie The Lord of the Rings. Additional bless is can do it in the company of my niece Carol, who is for me as a daughter. Please keep us in your prayers and good wishes that everything goes well so we can return in safety and full happiness.

Take care!

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