Mask Dances of Bhutan - 4671 Words

Mask Dance (Cham) Classical dances in Bhutan are reflected in the religious mask pageants and ritual dances. With the introduction of Buddhism in the 8th century AD by Guru Padmasambhava from Tibet, ritual and mask dances gained roots in the Bhutanese system as part of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. With the birth of the great Terton (treasure revealer) Pema Lingpa in the 15th century, the mask dances in Bhutan took firm roots and gained an impetus as part of the Bhutanese cultural life. The Ter Cham (treasure dances) and Pe Ling Ging Sum were the most famous of the dances that still continues to this day. In the 17th century with the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal from Tibet, the mask dances further gained importance. Many new†¦show more content†¦There are many versions about the introduction of the Dramitse Ngachham. Most historians say that the dance was first introduced by Khedrup Kuenga Gyeltshen in Ogyen Thechog Choling monastery. This man was said to be a brother of Ani Choten Zangmo who settled at Dramitse after naming the place. Khedup Kuenga, while undergoing a retreat had a vision of three beautiful women who had the heavenly form, dressed in silken clothes with precious gems. These three heavenly bodies guided him to the abode of Guru Rinpoche where he witnessed celestial heroes and heroines performing a dance. After this incident, Khedrup Kuenga introduced the dance according to the prophecy made by Guru in his vision. The nineteenth century versions of the Dramitse Ngacham say that dance was also introduced in other parts of Bhutan by the end of nineteenth century. Today, the dance has evolved from a local event, centered on a particular community into an art form, representing the identity of the Bhutanese nation as a whole. Drametse Ngacham was also proclaimed as the masterpiece of the world intangible heritage in November 2005. Durdag Durdag is known as the dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds. On the external edges of a symbolic mandala where the assembly of the secret Tantric deities reside, there are eight large cremation grounds. Living in these cremation grounds are numerous lords (Chhokyong) who are bound by an oath to protect the religion. Among them is

Seminar Option Free Essays

(1) What are some factors both developmental and environmental associated with the safety of infants through the second birthday? â€Å"Sharing a bed with a newborn is dangerous if the adult is drugged or drunk-and this in danger of â€Å"overlying† the baby. It may be that co-sleeping is beneficial but bed-sharing is not, partly because adult beds. Unlike cribs, are often soft, with comforters, mattresses, and pillows that increase a baby’s risk of suffocation (Alm, 2007)†. We will write a custom essay sample on Seminar Option or any similar topic only for you Order Now (Berger 2012, p. 137). (2) What is cot death? Cot death is a diagnosis that’s made when an apparently healthy baby dies, without, warning, and for no clear reason. No one knows why babies die in this way. It must be a combination of factors that affect a baby at a vulnerable stage in their development. Some babies may have a problem with the part of the brain that controls breathing and walking. These babies don’t respond if their breathing is slightly restricted, such as if there are bed clothes covering their nose or mouth. Sadly, there’s no failsafe way to prevent cot death. However, you can do a number of things to keep your baby safe and reduce the risk. Put your baby to sleep on his/her back in a cot or Moses basket. For the first six months this should be in a room with you. Healthy babies placed on their back to sleep are not more likely to choke. This is the safest place and position for your baby to sleep in. At about five months of six months, babies start to roll. At this age the risk of cot death reduces and it’s safe to let your baby find his/her own comfortable sleeping position. But you should still put your baby down to sleep on his/her back. If you wake up and see that your baby is on his/her front, and he/she’s younger than six months old, gently roll him/her onto his/her back. Babies older than this can usually roll on to their back themselves. You don’t need to get up and check throughout the night, as likely to change position regularly when he/she sleeps. Don’t smoke during pregnancy or allow anyone to smoke around your baby. If you smoke during or after pregnancy, your baby’s risk of cot death increases. Cot death is more common in babies who are regularly exposed to smoke. The risk to your baby is increased if anyone in the house smokes, even if it’s in another room with a window open. Visitors should smoke outside so the air around your baby is always smoke-free. Never smoke in the same room as your baby. The safest place for your baby to sleep for the first six months is in a cot or Moses basket in the same room as you. Never share a bed with your baby if you or your partner are a smoker (even if you never smoke near your baby), have been drinking alcohol, are taking any medication or drugs or are very tired† (Baby Center, L. L. C. 2012). â€Å"Many factors can affect the development of a fetus. Environmental agents that can negatively affect prenatal development are called teratogens. Teratogen exposure tends to be most detrimental during the first trimester (the first three months) of pregnancy, when formation of the organs and brain occurs. However, some substances, such as alcohol, can have an effect at any point in pregnancy. Alcohol consumption can harm a developing embryo or fetus, although how much is too much remains much is too much remains unclear. â€Å"The only way to be absolutely certain that your baby is not harmed by alcohol is not to drink at all during pregnancy or while you are trying for a baby,† says the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG). Pregnant women who continue to drink are at increased risk of experiencing a miscarriage or still birth. Infants exposed to alcohol before birth may show signs of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FAST) including learning problems, behavioral problems, and physical disabilities, the RCOG reports. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which results in mental retardation and facial abnormalities, is uncommon. Unlike FAST), which can occur with only moderate exposure to alcohol. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome only occurs due to heavy drinking during pregnancy† (Demand Media, Inc. 2012). (3) How can you, as an early childhood care professional help parents plan for developmental and environmental factors associated with the safety and health of infants and young children? As an early childhood care professional I can help parents plan for developmental and environmental factors associated with the safety and health of infants and young children by providing parenting education services â€Å"that assist parents or primary caregivers to strengthen their knowledge and skills thereby enhancing positive parenting practices and promoting the health and optimal development of young children and by providing family support services that work with families to strengthen their resiliency and to address the stressors that impair their ability to nurture or support the healthy development of their children (ucla. du 2012). (4) Discuss some safety factors associated with toys. â€Å"There are many factors that should be considered in choosing a toy. Assuming that selected toys have been carefully made out of safe materials, the most important thing a consumer should do is consider the age and developmental stage of a child. Even when a child is very intellectua lly advanced, the age and developmental level of the child must be considered. When toys have labels indicating that they are not appropriated for children under three, they have not been safety tested for infants and toddlers. Genreally the concern is the size of the toy pieces and the risk or potential for choking† (CapitalKids. com 2012). References: Berger, K. (2012). The developing person through childhood. (6th ed. ). New York: Worth Publishers http://www. babycentre. co. uk/baby/health/cotdeath/? oo=0 http://www. livestrong. com/article/92641-factors-affecting-fetus-development/ http://www. healthychild. ucla. edu/Publications/Documents/ParentEd. pdf http://www. capitolkids. com/toy_safety. html How to cite Seminar Option, Essay examples

The Comfort Zone free essay sample

A comfort zone, particularly for high schoolers, serves as a no-risk, no-failure, no-rejection zone reflecting that most teenagers are not willing to extend themselves or jeopardize their reputations or risk potential embarrassment in front of their friends and acquaintances. Many students fear venturing out to try new activities or meet others who may hold similar interests. As for me, I was constructively forced out of my old group of friends who served as my comfort zone for the first two years of high school. Based on this experience, I firmly believe that people should be more receptive and open to new people who are culturally and ethnically diverse. Such experiences and people exist outside of our comfort zones a comfort zone is self-limiting and stagnant, causing us to miss out on enriching opportunities which are only available to those who extend themselves. Ultimately, I had to put myself out â€Å"there† to meet new people. We will write a custom essay sample on The Comfort Zone or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As a consequence, I also tried new things and activities that my new friends embraced as their interests. My first experience of being thrown out of my comfort zone simmered and then escalated through my sophomore year of high school. Many of my friends in freshman year had started to experiment, with little thought or consequences with boys, lifestyle choices, or unhealthy substances. For them, it was the â€Å"cool† thing to care more about revealing outfits, alcohol, parties, or dating rather than their families, academics, or the well-being of their friends. That was simply not me. None of my friends had the willpower to admit their risky behaviors, embracing peer pressure in their new group and new comfort zone of running with the in-crowd. However, they simply replaced one comfort zone for another riskier one with potentially severe consequences. This had little appeal for me. I considered myself to be more rational and grounded than my friends and was committed to seeking out new and diverse interests. I threw myself into my studies and became actively involved with community service and student organizations. While I gained newfound confidence and reaped the rewards of my academic work, my old friends coasted in school, with little thought or concern for their futures and not caring whether they would receive a summer school notification. As a direct result of our conflicting opinions and judgments regarding what was socially and morally right or acceptable, I accepted our differences but found we no longer shared the same interests, the only basis of our friendship. I could not go along with their group just to be accepted. Consequently, I experienced a high school student’s worst nightmare: set adrift with no peer group. To keep myself occupied during the summer before junior year, I attended a ten-day out-of-state college tour with other students from my school and gained the self-confidence necessary to make and cultivate new friends that would, at the very least, respect—if not share—my interests. The first month of junior year was nerve-racking, between adjusting to the rigorous demand of coursework and making new friends. I would switch lunch tables daily. Eventually, I came across a group of girls whom I had been looking for all along. They accepted me with no prejudgments and shared mutual interests. In addition, these girls were well-centered and regarded themselves with the same self-respect and standards which I held for myself. To this day, these girls are still my friends, but I am also open to others who come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and walks of life, sans judgment calls. I have a newfound empathy for what these girls may have experienced. Being locked in only one comfort zone did not benefit me, contrary to what many high school students believe. My first comfort zone required no effort and less imagination with no personal growth. Comfort equaled stagnation. A quote from the television series Boy Meets World sums up my personal experiences with peer groups: â€Å"Lose one friend, lose all friends, but don’t lose yourself.† All people should be more receptive and open-minded towards others who exist outside of their comfort zones and willing to invest the energy to get to know them. You will be richly rewarded for your efforts.