ikbehn

[ikbehn]

Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar

[ikbehn]

Carved ivory pendant mask crafted in honor of Iyoba, mother of King Eisige, Kingdom of Benin, 16th century

from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[ikbehn]

Statue of "The Creator" from Xochicalco, Mexico dated between 650 - 900 on display at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, Mexico

Photographs taken by myself 2024

[ikbehn]

Hello Allah,

This is something I often do not talk about. And right now I do not have a lot of readers.

My family, mostly christians and one or two lovers of meditation will probably understand the following words.

Back in 2010 or so, I met a boy in my english class, he was wearing what is called a "buddhist mala". He, a bit afraid to say he is buddhist just told us it was a present.

My dad and mom never educated me in any particular religion. But I got interested, I discovered along with my mom that we were really good in meditation, so I started calling myself tibetan buddhist. But I needed something, a mala.

One day in a street market near Germany, I was in a hunt for antique things and I came across this woman who was selling malas. My sister bought it for me. The first thing I noticed, was the incredible smell of the wood.

In buddhism and hinduism the number 108 is very important. However my mala had 99 beads instead of 108, so I just counted more and never asked myself why 99.

I finished my undergraduate degree, started a graduate degree and every single day I meditated. Sometimes mantras, but mostly single words like "health" as I have a lot of problems with it.

My mala became part of my wall decoration as I used it so much that the string was too loose.

I went to internet and now I got a 108 beads mala.

My mom passed away almost 6 years ago and again my mala got broken. Grief was intense, as my family and me didn't know how sick she was. My health problems increased and with that my love for anthropology went down.

I looked on amazon for a new mala, it was pretty cheap and it looked amazing. It was sold to me as a meditation bracelet.

Guess what? 33 beads now.

I speak a bit arabic, or at least enough to undertand the word Allah and Muhammed (pbuh).

Did a logical anthropological/religious research and yes. I found it.

Allah has been by my side a long time. My meditations were prayers to him. My health is now good, not perfect because we are not perfect.

I went to Jordan to do some research related to archeology, a predominant muslim place.

Yesterday I asked on a tiktok video if a non muslim could visit the Kaaba, because as a history lover I know the story behind that beautiful place, I mean... the Kaaba! 🕋

I got a weird answer. "No darling, it is a holy place only for believers, not tourists"

It confused me a lot. I firmly believe that Allah found me, I speak to him and I see amazing answers. However, I do not have a shahada, I do not speak arabic fluently, but I recite dhikr, I use my tasbih (the proper name of the beads). So what am I?

I ask with so much respect to every muslim reading this.

Did Allah found me? Is that possible?

Thank you.

van Behn.

[ikbehn]

A conversation I could easily have every day.

Judaism even tell us about "big reptiles" aka Dinos.

-behn

Literally every conversation with a colleague/peer in the academic field I'm in (anthropology, with a focus on human prehistory and human evolution) upon them learning I'm an observant religious Jew goes like this:

Person: "Sorry if this is a personal question, but how do you.... y'know......deal with it?"

Me: "Deal with what?"

Person: "Y'know...... y'know......your religion......"

Me: "Meaning?"

Person: "Well, um, how old do you believe the earth is?"

Me: "I follow the geological consensus, which is approximately 4.5 Billion years"

Person: "But......but.....your Bible says that it's 6,000 years old....."

Me: "Technically 5,783 years, so you're wrong there, haha"

Person: "Okay but how do you....how do you reconcile that with science?"

Me: "I don't need to reconcile it. They're not in opposition."

Person: "??"

Me: "The plain text in the Tanakh states that it has been 5,783 years since the creation of Adam, and consequently the world. Judaism has never been about taking the text in the Tanakh plainly, there's always deeper meanings. Who's to say that the 5,783 years aren't just the years since a couple named Adam and Eve met and copulated, triggering the begining of the lineage of Abraham, Moses, and the entire Jewish lineage, and that the six days of creation aren't six phases which are actually pretty in-line with our understanding of evolution?"

Person: "But.....some people believe that it's literally been 5,783 years since the earth was literally created!"

Me: "Okay..... that's what they believe. I don't see how it should bother me, especially considering we're in the field of anthropology where we try to study other patterns of belief, not cast judgement upon them."

Person: "But other Jews believe that!!!"

Me: "Again.....why should that affect my religious and academic senses of self? Judaism has never been a monolith of belief, anyway."

Person: "But-"

[ikbehn]

Now we know how Minions were created.

No, really this is fascinating. The level of art behind every mayan or aztec work. This in a big part was planned through religious rituals, the deities gave instructions on how to fight.

This is amazing. The amount of time, patience to do this in detail. We all have to thank this people for showing us the past.

-behn

[ikbehn]

Beautiful details of the water

A Favorite Custom by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1909)

[ikbehn]

New statue of Aphrodite discovered in Turkey. People thought it was originally meant for a nymph. It was found this year around February. Greek art is so beautiful.

I find it really admirable how detailed Greek art is and how they can last this long in such beautiful condition. I hope one day, if it wasn't burnt like some theories say it was, the real Athena Parthenos is found. Just to see something that old in beautiful condition would be amazing.

[ikbehn]

Love until the end

[ikbehn]

The alefbet has millions of secrets.

Yesterday, I learnt about plasma discharge for the first time in connection with petroglyphs found around the world.

Normally, I would have walked away, but what caught my attention were the petroglyphs of a plasma discharge known as the Squatting Man.

Instantly, I was reminded of the Hebrew Letter Hey in it's early paleo hebrew form.

Upon further investigation, I found there were other Hebrew Letters which resembled petroglyphs of plasma discharge. Here's the Paleo-Hebrew Alphabet for reference.

While the image below looks like a praying mantis, it also reminded me of the Paleo Hebrew of the letter Samekh.

The prongs in this next image reminds me of the Paleo Hebrew forms of the letters Kaf and Shin.

In these petroglyphs, I can see the letters Chet, Vav and Samekh.

I have only been studying this topic for a day, so I'm not very knowledgeable on Plasma Discharge and petroglyphs. But, I can feel there is a connection between plasma discharge and the pictograms of the Hebrew Alphabet.

I find the idea of a whole alphabet being inspired by Plasma Discharge to be very fascinating.

[ikbehn]

EUROVISION DRAMA

Can we talk about Joost and Eden? And the trophy being broken by a Swiss singer...

Everyone wants to fight even in arts. Music unite... blah blah.

I am from the Netherlands so... I was supposed to vote for Joost, well Europapa is a ridiculous song. And I never thought the popularity of it being that high. Let's be honest we have better songs and artists.

Eden Golan did an amazing performance. The song has true feelings. EUROPAPA? Come on!

Anyway...

Have you seen the story of Eden arriving to Israel?

Do you know Keren Peles, it was part of the production. Amazing singer by the way.

Today I was listening to tears for fears' Everybody wants to rule the world.

Storytime!

Did you know that the band wanted to name the song "Everybody wants war"? Go and listen to it.

The video is very 80's, pink, cool hair, stratocasters.

What do you think about Eden's performance? No political answers.

This is not a deep writing like others, but I couldn't stop my words.

Bye!

H. van Behn.

[ikbehn]

Is the war between US citizens?

Islam is unfortunately a misunderstood religion. Years ago you could hear that the Hijab was a torture action, women beign abused just for using it...

Now the pro-Hamas (please, let me separate this from Palestine) woman, specially around the US. Cover their entire head with a shemagh.

Let understand that most of this people born around 2005. They didn't know about past wars. They only go for the masses.

The social media is filled with interviews about the reason of the protest. "I don't know, I am just here to help"

Are these real protests for Palestine, or for a self opression?

I have many muslim friends that are sad, unavailable to help. Islam has a lot of misunderstantings.

Did you know that Allah has 99 names? And all of them have a deep meaning.

Not every muslim woman will wear a Hijab.

I see all of this protests like an "opportunity" to spit what young people can't say in a daily basis.

This is going beyond Palestine. You do not understand the magnitude of this situation.

Go and do Dhikr instead. Stop shouting "death to Israel", I am impressed that they got accepted in a university.

The cultural meaning of a shemagh must not be abducted by this.

How can you help Palestine?

First, learn geography, how is Palestine? Their weather.

Learn about arabic culture pre islamic and modern. Who is the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) ?

Go to a near mosque, if you can enter, be silent, remove your shoes, do wudu. In that way, you are helping.

Bring a hand to your jewish classmate, teacher, friend. Religion must not be the problem, ethnicity must not be the problem.

If you want to help, first respect.

One of my favourite names of Allah is Al-Karim. I'm sure he will be happy if you learn the meaning.

-H. van Behn

[ikbehn]

On Social Media and Personal Anthropology

After some 20 years on social media, I’ve now had a near litany of teachers, friends, and family members pass away, leaving their often daily check-ins on places like Facebook in their wake. It’s strange.

I just spent the last hour or so pursuing the musings of a recently departed friend, who frequently shared a mixture of original scholarly tomes, poetry and artwork, food posts, family photos, and comments from here to there. It’s life giving to have such a record, just for memory’s sake, but also for the sake of preserving some true gems of insight.

It makes me wonder what will come of all of this in the years to come…as we move increasingly to digital media platforms that come and go, and as people become disillusioned with the intrusions of various forms of technology into life that in some ways was simpler, or at least more insular in times past.

Perhaps it’s always been this way…not every journal makes its way (nor need they) into the hands of archivists and biographers, but alas, in this land of everything changing in an instant, of unintended data losses, but also of nearly immortal and unerasable bytes of thought, one does wonder, and perhaps more than a little, cling.

~Sunyananda

[ikbehn]

Visiting the only royal castle in America was amazing. For me in particular, the curation between emperors was not clear. The first empire was a bit "abandoned" having clear that he signed the independence. I mean, he is important.

Now, with Maximilian, they lived very well, nothing new. He was the emperor. 😐

The castle itself has really awesome architecture. It really deserves a visit if you are in Mexico.

And please, if you go from Europe, drink plenty of water, wear comfy shoes and don't go on sunday. It is free and all the world is there.

It is a forest, so you can hear animals, you can ride a bike, run. In front there is a park, very quiet and very clean.

Next you find a Starbucks, a hotel. And just passing the park you enter to Polanco, plenty of delicious food and cool stores.

-H. van Behn

[ikbehn]

[ikbehn]

As a person who is constantly involved in places filled with history, like religious rituals, old cultures, etc. The current war happening in Middle East has destroyed me in many ways.

First, I did some work in Israel and Jordan after finishing my uni studies. Palestine was a place I could not enter for security reasons.

Many years ago, I was told by a history teacher that wars are destroying the past, meanwhile creating a future.

I love arab culture, modern and old. I love mosques, arabic language. I play microtonal music on violin.

I do not know what to do. Because no one can. If you use 🍉 to help or put a posture about Palestine. How does it help?

As an anthropologist, I've noticed a need for rebelion, like if going around flags and screaming whatever you hear with negative emotions was a solution.

It is impossible to enter to Gaza as a civilian and hold the hand of a palestinian in need. Because right now everyone could be an enemy.

Israel, in fact is a modern state that was created to keep saving lives of the WWII. Now, people are called israeli, because it's a real place.

King Hussein I from Jordan established peace between Israel and Palestine. What happened?

Really, what happened?

Terrorism is everywhere, did all of you know about this place called Gaza before last october?

Learn before attacking a community that has been harmed for ages. The movies you cry with, the man filled with hatred who sent millions to Eden. Also, learn about Gaza, their food, their culture. How did they lived Ramadan this year?

Also, let's not forget that Ukraine fought in the middle of a pandemic. It's been two years and until now, the world is starting to send "help".

-H. van Behn