A Brief History and Background of Myself
My life is teaching, my love is traveling. Ever since childhood have I ventured as far as I could to experience other places, other people, other customs. All along people were worried about me. But my history is good: I have come back safe and sound from everywhere. From hitch-hiking across Eastern Europe deep into the old Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s; from India, China, or Peru. From Pakistan, too - even though this was the time Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007 and the country was in turmoil.
My background is art history. As people in my field know - one has to see the real thing to put all the book learning into perspective. Ever since I started teaching, my travels have been the back-bone of my classes and the starting point for many public lectures. I love sharing my experiences and I love connecting the art and history of the past with people's lives of today. I love to bring the world to my students as so many of us can not travel the way I have been privileged to do.
To blog was my son’s idea in order to help my friends and family to connect with me while I am on the road. I started this blog about 10 years ago (2009). Every year I have added to it. I am counting my blessings and hope to be able travel until my last breath.
Silver Lake
Just in case I will get homesick, I posted a picture here of Silver Lake, right outside our home in Pinckney.
Many, many thanks to David, my partner in life. I know these times of prolonged absences are not easy. Thanks for your generosity, for taking care of the house, and for not worrying about me.
I will miss your hugs! ET
ACADEMIC Credentials
Elisabeth Thoburn is a Summa cum Loude graduate of the University of Michigan (U-M) with a bachelors in Art History and a double masters in Asian art and Contemporary Western art with a minor in Music History and World Religions. Since 1995, Elisabeth has taught a wide range of Humanities courses at Washtenaw Community College where she is fondly referred to as ET by her students. As a world traveler since her youth, Elisabeth brings a unique perspective and incorporates her personal experiences into her lectures. Throughout the years, Elisabeth has worked to broaden the scope of Art History, and Humanities education to include cultures outside of traditionally taught Western arts and humanities.
PANTHEON
This is a reflection on my travel pantheon. Skip this if you are an atheist or if you think that your religion is the one and only.
Life is a miracle in so many ways. And for millennia people have created gods and religions to help them bridge the gap between what can be grasped and what remains unexplainable. And quite regularly gods and religions have been tossed, condemned, buried, forgotten and replaced.
I am not religious. But I appreciate the miracle and the mysteries of life. And I can relate to the desire to be comforted by god(s) or religion. I appreciate the various attempts of religion as an expression of particular times and places more than anything. I find many of them fascinating, a few of them appalling, and the occasional one despicable – particularly the ones that are used to rally people into acts of violence.
But despite my distance to religion, I have always asked a few gods to join me on my trips. I talk to them, pray to them, and acknowledge them as the higher power I cannot define any better. They are my pantheon; preferably a nice multi-religious mix. Some have come with me for a good long time and after all, you don’t have to believe in them to enjoy their company, right?
St. Christopher :
A picture of St. Christopher – the man who was asked to carry a child across the river – hung over my parents’ couch for many years. The child turned out to be Christ and so heavy with the worries and the burdens of this world, that the muscular strong-man almost drowned under the weight of the child. He was referred to as the Christ-Carrier or Christopher from then on out. He supposedly died in the 3rd Century as a martyr but there are no historical records of him. Most likely he was a composite of a pagan predecessor and folklore. Forever, has he been evoked in protection by travelers, particularly in cases of storms and difficult weather. My brother’s name is Christoph and so St. Christopher seemed always a good choice honoring the Christian upbringing I had and connecting to my family. I hope that he will join me again.
Bhaiṣajyaguru:
Ever since I studied Buddhism and Buddhist art in graduate school, I have had two favorites: Manjusri and Bhaisajyaguru. Manjusri is the Bodhisattva (a being who has reached enlightenment but forgoes Nirvana in order to help mankind) of wisdom and knowledge who holds the book of knowledge in one hand and a sword with which he will cut through ignorance in the other; an obvious choice for any educator. During most of my time at work he is my companion. A wonderful wooden sculpture of him sits in my WCC office. But when I am on the road, I turn to Bhaisajyaguru instead. If you read the vows he made when he attained enlightenment, you will see why. Of course, there is no historical evidence of any of the Bodhisattvas or Buddhas, with the one exception of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. Who needs it? Buddhism is not about gods or faith – it is about a reflection of your needs on the road to enlightenment. And much of Bhaisajyaguru’s vows reflect what I need and even more what many of the people need who I will encounter. I don’t need to be reborn as a man though… (see 8). I told him that before. I hope that he will be with me again on this trip.
To illuminate the world with radiance, enabling anyone to become a Buddha.
To awaken the minds of sentient beings through his light of lapis lazuli.
To provide the sentient beings with whatever material needs they require.
To correct heretical views and inspire beings toward the path of the Bodhisattva.
To help beings follow moral precepts, even if they failed before.
To heal beings born with deformities, illness or other physical sufferings.
To help relieve the destitute and the sick.
To help women who wish to be reborn as men achieve their desired rebirth.
To help heal mental afflictions and delusions.
To help the oppressed be free from suffering.
To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst.
To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold and mosquitoes.
Ganesh:
Who would not know the darling elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh, son of Siva and Parvati. Legends are numerous to explain his appearance. Here is one: Siva in a rage cut off the head of his own son, after he returned from a long absence. The son did not recognize him as his father and Siva did not even know he had a son… Parvati complained until Siva restored his son’s life with the head of the first animal that passed by, an elephant. You have to hand it to the Hindus – their stories are fun.
Ganesh is regarded as the Lord of Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles, better the remover of obstacles and not least the Lord of Intellect and Wisdom. What a powerhouse! I hope he won’t be too busy to remove a few obstacles for me on this trip and will come along to accompany me as he has before.
Liebe Brüder, liebe deutsche Freunde und liebe Leser,
Es tut mir leid, daβ ich diesen Blog ganz auf Englisch schreiben muβ und Euch damit etwas hängenlasse. Ich höre, daβ einige von Euch einen elektronischen Übersetzer aufgetrieben haben, um diesen Blog zu lesen. Was die Technik alles bietet! Das ist echt toll.
Ich habe das auch gleich einmal ausprobiert und da lese ich doch in meinem Blog “Body be Gone” – was in diesem Zusammenhang so viel heiβt wie: “Weg mit dem Körper”:
“Wenn Sie mich kennen, erklären Sie sich: Ich bin ein konservativer Kommode”
Was? Eine konservative Kommode?! Ich glaube, der Übersetzer wollte sagen: Wer mich kennt, der weiss, daβ ich mich gern konservative anziehe…
“Pair sie mit Strumpfhosen darunter Leggins oben und Baggy-Hosen und die Bettwäsche Abwrackprämien Schuhe, und Sie haben das sehr verwirrend Schichtung der Farben und Textilien in diesem Gebiet, das Bein wird sicherlich Prüfung übergeben.”
Bettwäsche Abwrackprämien-Schuhe? Ich bin aus dem Lachen kaum noch herausgekommen. Es sieht so aus, als ob die Technik doch Ihre Grenzen hat, vorallem mit kreativem oder literarischem Englisch. Da kann ich nur noch viel Spaβ und viele Lachtränen wünschen. Mit so einem urigen Übersetzer wird dieser Blog sicher nicht langweilig.
Ich danke Euch, für Euer Verständnis und dafür, daβ ihr trotz der Sprachbarriere vorbeischaut. Und eine Nachricht in der “Comment” box koennt Ihr mir ruhig auch in Deutsch schicken!
Tschüβ, ET