Epics of India

Four Goals of Human Life  -Dharma (ethics) -Artha (wealth) -Kama (pleasure) -Moksha (liberation) *As declared by Hindu texts Sexual Classifications -References to sexual activity in Hindu texts can be divided in the categories of as dharma sex, artha sex, kama sex, and moksha sex Dharma Sex -The purpose is procreation -Performed when a woman is ovulating to maximize chances of conceiving -A man cannot refuse a woman who approaches during the ovulatory period -No love, desire, or attachment; seen as a duty Dharma Sex in Action -Diti the rishi is approached by his wife during evening prayers -He cannot refuse her, but warns that the children resulting from this union will be asuras -The asuras Hiranayaksha and Hiranakashipu are born Kama Sex -The purpose is pleasure -The senses are indulged and the mind excited in order to achieve orgasm -Homosexuality falls under this classification because it does not have a procreative purpose -Kama is the God of desi...

"Your SATs scores are not high enough to redefine intelligence" The Twice Exceptional Student -"Exemplary strengths and extraordinary challenges" -"Challenges can be strengths in the right context" Four C's -Capacity -Competence  -Commitment -Creativity Creativity and Autism -Autistic students thought of as incapable of meaningful interaction -In reality, they crave connection -Improv exercises allow bonding and exploratory social interaction  -Reframe social awkwardness as social creativity  Reframing Human Intelligence -You should not have to score above a certain threshold to make the world a better place -We should help children explore interests and passions no matter what standardized tests say about their ability to succeed -Personal goals and passions should be taken into account as well as ability level  -Motivation to achieve increases ability to achieve -Slowness does not equal stupidity! -W...

Dhritarashtra -The blind king -A strange man; extremely changeable in terms of temperament and alliances        -Watches the Pandavas lose everything as Yudhistira gambles with Sakuni, and then in one                    command grants it all back to them        -Refuses to intervene regarding the 13 year exile of the Pandava brothers, but becomes extremely         anxious regarding their fate and fervently hopes they are not suffering         -Dismisses Vidura from his position in the kingdom in a flurry of emotion; sends a messenger to           beg him to return the next day -Loves both his sons and nephews, but is unable to bring himself to reconcile the two -Recognizes his son Duryodhana as evil, but cannot bring himself to displease him  The Brave ...

Who's Who? The Mahabharata is filled to the brim with characters. As brothers and sons accumulated I struggled to keep track of who everyone was - it certainly didn't help that Dhritarashtra alone had more than a hundred sons!  The Pandavas Pandu --- Kunthi Sons: Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna  Pandu --- Madri Sons: Nakula, Sahadeva Kunthi Sons: Karna The Kauravas Dhritarashtra --- Gandhari  Sons: Duryodhana, Dussala, Dushasan, 98 others Pleasure and Pain -Pandu kills a deer engaging with its mate while out on a hunt -The deer is actually a celestial being  -He places a curse on Pandu saying that he will die if he attempts to unite with any of his wives -Pandu is forced to become celibate -Pandu's wives income mantras to unite with the Gods and bear sons, thus carrying on the legacy of the family -Pandu is walking in the woods with Madri one day, and unable to resist her, seizes her and dies in the act of lovemaking -Madr...