The Alchemist Essay -- essays research papers

"That's the principle that governs all things. In alchemy, it's called the Soul of the World. When you want something with all your heart, that's when you are closest to the Soul of the World. It's always a positive force" (80). Anything I've ever wanted to happen bad enough, there has always been a way for me to achieve that goal. Or an alternative that could be more beneficial appears. Except, I wouldn't quite call it the Soul of the World. I'd call it the will of God. Both Santiago in "The Alchemist" and the priest's son in "The Water's of Babylon" worked with the Soul of the World or the will of God. Whatever one calls it, the Soul of the World or the will of God, it is an unstoppable force. If there is a will there is a way. 	Santiago's goal was to reach the treasure at the pyramids in Egypt. From the moment he had the dream about the treasure, the world worked with him so he could realize that goal. Here, Santiago discovers some good omens for his journey: " 'In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you.' Before the boy could reply, a butterfly appeared between him and the old man. He remembered something his grandfather had once told him: that butterflies were a good omen. Like crickets, and like expectations; like lizards and four-leaf clovers." 	Even when Santiago had almost given up his j...

Human Communication Process in the Small Group Context Essay

Question #5 How would you rewrite some of Lam’s comments to show how he could have paraphrased what Kelli, Ryan, and Tamika said? â€Å"Tyler has been late to meetings, because he has been caring for his sick parents. Because he his late and missing meetings, we are missing his part of our assignment. Let’s just go ahead and get started and try to finish tonight. If we need another meeting, we can meet at my place to give us more room, instead of meeting in this old stuffy room.† It’s good to paraphrase because, it lets to previous speaker know if you understood what was said. If incorrect, the message can then be delivered in another way, so that the listener understands the message the speaker it trying to make (Galanes & Adams, 2010). This allows for effective communication. Question #6 Which of the eight major categories of nonverbal behaviors are most relevant to this study group? Several of the eight major categories of nonverbal behaviors are expressed in this study group. First of all space and seating play a part because, the group was sitting in a circle, and when Tamika pulled away from the table, it showed that she was upset about Tyler not being present; demonstrating â€Å"kinesics.† In addition, Tamika was using â€Å"time cues† by complaining that Tyler was late and that 20 minutes had gone by. When Kelli began to pack up her things, her movements expressed that she too was unhappy about the situation. â€Å"Paralanguage† was used when the pitch of Tamika’s voice changed as she asked the question â€Å"Man, what time is it.† It is evident that there was no â€Å"transactional process† within the group as a whole. Tamika and Kelli were expressing how they felt about Tyler on being present at the meetings. They were clearly sending a â€Å"message† throughout the group. As Ryan was demonstrating â€Å"paraphrase† by reminding the group the everyone knew that Tyler’s parents was sick and Lam â€Å"action-oriented listening† turned everyone’s attention back to the task of completing the project. It is clear that there was plenty of â€Å"nonverbal behavior† with this group. Nonverbal behaviors can be interpreted by other in ways not intended. Our text states â€Å"nonverbal behaviors can contradict verbal behaviors (Galanes & Adams, 2010).† As we speak to another person or a group, our tone of voice and body language are also speaking for us. It’s important to be aware, so that our actions aren’t taking away from what we are trying to speak. By observing nonverbal ques, we are able to recognize if what we are saying is being taken serious, upsetting someone, confusing or if people are in agreement. Question #7 How might computer-mediated communication been used by our student group? What precautions might they take should they choose to use it to compensate for absences from meetings? Computer mediated communication could have been used in the form of video conference where every member can see and hear their team member, or a chat room where all team members can post their work and respond to other members work. They could attach their assigned work to an email and forward the work to all the members of the group; this would have eliminated Tyler missing meets and Tamika being in that stuffy room. The first precaution is making sure each member has a computer or access to one. If the group is going to use the video conference, then the group need to make sure everyone has the proper equipment and software to participate in the group project. Once the group establishes everyone has a computer or access, they need to understand how to upload their work if they decide to use the chat room as a communication channel. Question #8 Given your understanding of communication principals, including nonverbal messages, what advice would you give to this student group? The group in chapter two should have, communicated differently. Communication is the key to an effective group. You must communicate with your fellow team members, be open about what you are feeling so that way tension does not build and explode making thing much worse than they have to be. Lam could have paraphrased the group feeling when he took control, and decided to start. If lam would have paraphrased, it would have let the other member’s know that he was listening to their concerns. The group should be more mindful of their nonverbal behavior. Lam did do a great job displaying â€Å"action-oriented† listening and getting the team back on track. As a group they should have focused on a solution to get Tyler’s part of the assignment, since they know his pattern with the group. Email and video conferencing are a couple of solutions. References Galanes, G. J., & Adams, K. (2010). Human Communication Process in the Small Group Context. In Effective Group Discussion (pp. 22-47, Chapter 2, pgs. 39 – 46, Chapter 3). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

The Five Pillars Of Islam Essay - 764 Words

Upon reading Sahih al-Bukhari, fortunately, the five pillars of Islam are actually seen outlined within the very first Hadith. The Five pillars, according to Traditions and Encounters, are a framework of obligations present to help form a unified Islamic community (p.263-264); Muhammad himself, in the 38th hadith, describes the five pillars as the baseline obligations of a Muslim to please Allah and enter paradise. The first Hadith states thusly, â€Å"Allah’s Apostle said: Islam is based on five [principles]: 1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle. 2. To offer the [compulsory congregational] prayers dutifully and perfectly. 3. To pay Zakat. 4. To perform Hajj. 5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.† The first of the pillars or principles is, of course, to essentially proclaim Allah to be the one and only true God and that Muhammad is his disciple. Indeed, Muhammad pictured himself as being closest to Allah saying in the 13th Hadith, â€Å"I am the most Allah fearing, and know Allah better than all of you do.† The second of these pillars is performing proper prayer. Going off of both the 38th and 33rd hadith, it would seem that this constitutes both praying 5 times a day and praying towards Mecca, or more specifically, the Ka’ba, or black stone. The third pillar is to pay Zakat. Though, in Sahih al-Bukhari, none of the Hadith make direct reference as to what Zakat exactly, according to Traditions and Encounters, itShow MoreRelatedThe Five Pillars Of Islam2378 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿ The Five Pillars Of Islam Subject: Religious Education Name: Nathaniel Hall Date of Submission: April 9, 2014 Table Of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦1 Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦2 The Shahadah†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.3 The Salat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 The Zakat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 The Sawm†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦6 The Hajj†¦..................................................................Read MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam989 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant Muslim practices are the Five Pillars of Islam. These duties are rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an and in the example of the prophet, Muhammad. Therefore, Muslims are expected to observe them with the utmost respect and devotion. These pillars form the foundation for all good deeds and acts of worship to God. And, carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates that faith comes first. The profession of faith, shahadah, is the first of the Five Pillars. The shahada is the most fundamentalRead MoreFive Pillars Of Islam And Islam1119 Words   |  5 PagesFive Pillars of Islam All great things are built on a solid and strong foundation. The religion of Islam is no different. The foundation on which Islam was built is known as The Five Pillars of Islam. These are the essential duties that are required of all Muslims. The pillars are the shahadah (declaration of faith), salah (establishment of the five ritual prayers), zakah (almsgiving), sawm (fasting the month of Ramadan), and hajj (pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca). These five pillars are inRead MoreIslam : The Five Pillars Of Islam1412 Words   |  6 Pagesto reflect and cultivate their faith through practicing the Arkan al-Islam - the Five Pillars of Islam. Islam embraces the paradigm of submission to the will of Allah for adherents to understand their place in the universe. The pillars are a foundation for the Muslim faith as evident by Muhammad s statement of ‘Islam is built upon five [pillars]’ recorded in the Hadith 3. This entails the declaration of faith (Shahadah), the five dai ly prayers (Salat), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting during the monthRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam1439 Words   |  6 Pagestheir faith through practicing the Arkan al-Islam - the Five Pillars of Islam. It is the foundation for Muslim faith as evident by Muhammads statement of ‘Islam is built upon five [pillars]’ recorded in the Hadith 3. This entails the declaration of faith (Shahadah), the five daily prayers (Salat), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm) and the Hajj pilgrimage. The Shahada translated as ‘testimony’ is the first pillar of Islam that involves reciting the testimony of faithRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam1201 Words   |  5 PagesThe five pillars of Islam are five official acts considered mandatory for all Muslims. The  Quran  presents them as a structure of devotion and a sign of obligation to faith. One most accomplish them all to live a good and responsible life according to Islam. These pillars comprise of:  Shahada which means the declaration of faith, preforming the five daily prayers, giving money to the needy and the poor, cleansing the soul through fasting during the month of Ramadan, the pilgrimage once in a lifetimeRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam1591 Words   |  7 PagesIslam Notes The most important Muslim practices are the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to Islam. The Five Pillars consist of: Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy Sawm: fasting during the month of RamadanRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam1289 Words   |  6 Pagestrusted with something fulfill your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze (out of modesty), and restrain your hands from injustice. One of the Five Pillars of Islam: the Pillar of faith, including belief in One God, belief in God’s scriptures, belief in God’s angels, belief in God’s messengers, and belief in the Day of Judgement. One of the five necessary purposes of Islamic law: God commands justice, doing good, and generosity towards relatives and He forbids what is shameful, blameworthyRead MoreIslam Five Pillars1344 Words   |  6 PagesExplain and analyse the significance of the Five Pillars of Islam on the individual and the community making reference to the principal beliefs where relevant. Central to the Muslim belief is the importance of devotion and total submission to Allah. This is put into practice through the Five Pillars of Islam –the five obligatory duties that must be performed by all practising Muslims. These are the acts of faith, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. Carrying out these duties creates structureRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of Islam1322 Words   |  6 Pagesof guidelines for moral instruction that is central to all. These rules are called the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars serves as a moral compass for all Muslims and are universally accepted. They are mentioned specifically in the Qur’an as they were recited to Muhammad. The first of the Five Pillars is the creed. It states that, â€Å"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,†. This pillar is at the core for the Muslim faith. A person truly becomes a Muslim when he/she recites