讀書會|英文讀書會|快樂英語讀書會|中華民國快樂英語協會

網站 http://www.happyforum.org/ 歡迎超連結並轉寄網址
論壇 http://www.happyforum.org/happy/ 歡迎至論壇討論

歡迎加入Taichung Happy English Club粉絲團



Time：第 393會，2017年7月 1 日（週六）下午2:30~5:30
Place：
viewtopic.php?t=15

Agenda
14:30~15:30 Session One
15:30~15:50 Speech Session
15:50~16:00 Change Group and then Break Time
16:00~17:15 Session Two
17:15~17:30 Happy Time

Host: Eric Cheng
Assistant Host:

Topic:
Why Do People Believe in Superstitions?
Source:
https://exemplore.com/misc/What-are-Superstitions

Please Note:
Venue:台中市南屯區 大業路182號 Mos Burger二樓
Thanks a lot for your attention.

Questions:
1. Do you remember some superstitions you were told in childhood? What are they?

2. Do you believe in superstitions? Partially? Or, you don’t believe it at all?

3. Besides what are mentioned in this article, please share some other superstitions you know.

4. When you arrange your house or rooms, do you take Feng Shui into consideration?

5. Do you regard Feng Shui as superstition? Does it really affect us? A lot of Ethnic Chinese people believe in Feng Shui, especially business people. What do you think of it?

例會須知
時間地點須知：
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15
協會章程：
http://www.happyforum.org/Association_Principle.htm
各分會章程：
http://www.happyforum.org/Club_Principle.htm
協會會員會費及各分會會員會費及入場費：
http://www.happyforum.org/15.htm
參與例會，請自行列印當週的討論文章，並帶至現場
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewforum.php?f=33
參與例會，請勿討論政治/種族/宗教/性，經勸導無效者，不得參加本會任何活動
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1766
週六晚餐(Saturday Dinner)
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewforum.php?f=76
戶外活動(Club Outing)
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewforum.php?f=72
所有行程(All Schedule)
http://www.happyforum.org/happy/viewtopic.php?t=883

Dear Taichung Happiers,

Three men were at a bar. The first man said, "My wife was reading a 'Tale of Two Cities' and she gave birth to twins!" "That's funny," the second man remarked, "my wife was reading 'The Three Musketeers' and she gave birth to triplets!" The third man shouted, "Good God, I have to rush home!" When asked what the problem was, he exclaimed, "When I left the house, my wife was reading Ali Baba and the forty Thieves!!!"

English is one of my "superstitions". If you haven't had your morning workout yet, let's repeat this tongue twister 3 times together. "Science of to-day—the superstition of to-morrow. Science of to-morrow—the superstition of to-day" (from Charles Fort, an American writer and researcher who specialized in atypical phenomena) Superstitions do affect our behaviors--individually or collectively? Superstitions do affect our behaviors--in what way can we benefit from superstitions? Superstitions do affect our behaviors--what will be the evolution of superstition in this era of globalization and digitalization? Whatever we think of it, it is critical in any cross-cultural environment to understand how belief systems affect our behaviors, and affect how we concern ourselves with our culture and different cultures we have encountered and will encounter. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to join our host Eric Cheng in exploring the Mind Map about superstition.

Superstition or religion? French-Swiss author Madame de Stael (22 April 1766 – 14 July 1817) analyzed the ambiguity. “Superstition is related to this life, religion to the next; superstition is allied to fatality, religion to virtue; it is by the vivacity of earthly desires that we become superstitious; it is, on the contrary, by the sacrifice of these desires that we become religious.” Oh, earthly desires? Hummm……….the sun is shining, and we love nothing more than good luck superstitions. My Grandma always convinced us to finish meals neatly, "otherwise, you will marry to an ugly husband". Thanks, Grandma! There are good luck superstitions at different corners in the world; probably, life is too short to see all the superstitions at every corner in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lpZNFqwx0s Wooo….perhaps, I need to understand more Japanese and British superstitions before starting my tours. Moreover, the key word of the Mind Map about superstition is “unaware”. While the belief system starts suggesting our behaviors and shaping our habits, we are unaware of the connections and consequences. The connections and consequences that are constructed by the search for earthly desires, the psychological compensation or conflicts coming after the desires, and the strains we unconsciously set on others’ shoulders. The connections and consequences choreograph the tango of light and shadow. With one twist, a beam of light is reflecting the forgotten culture truth. http://whatculture.com/science/the-truth-behind-10-common-superstitions With another, something turns the sound of the shadow up and up, while we listening to the darkness and the despair, the Dense Orchestra. Superstitions are actually more "thriving" than we’ve imagined and expected. Above all, some of them are impacting enormously on more than human beings. http://modernnotion.com/animals-endangered-by-human-superstitions/ So, is a sudden silence allowed?

Bonjour, Superstition! Superstition is a world, invented by fear and stress, where we unconsciously imprison ourselves in. Stress is when you wake up screaming and realize you haven't fallen asleep yet? What causes your stress? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfGhFgPmVPI&app=desktop Fear comes from uncertainty; yet, isn't uncertainty always part of our everyday life? Bertrand Russell (May 18, 1872 – February 02, 1970), a Welsh philosopher and historian, encouraged people's ingenuity and insights:”Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.” A fearless heart is honestly the blossom of empathy; meanwhile, self compassion would compromise with one of your eyes staring at positive superstitions, and, the other, pure faith. Now, to conquer fears and stress, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most realistic Magic Academy--the Universe of Books! Reading rewards us with the most remarkable things in the world; books furnish us with the freedom to follow happiness. Thus, happy summer reading!!! https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/find-your-next-read/games-and-activities/2017/may/which-vintage-mini-do-you-need/ In addition, it will be great if you have a little Cha-Cha break after every 50-minute reading. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNe-pybfJbk

Believing in the dream of returning to Magic is my “religion”. Faith + Happiness = The light from darkness. Superstitious or not, we need this classy humor: "A visitor once asked the Nobel Prize–winning physicist Niels Bohr whether he really believed that the horseshoe he’d hung at his country home was lucky. ‘Of course not,’ Bohr said. ‘But I understand it’s lucky whether you believe in it or not.’” Yes! Transform every uncertainty into our positive reality by flying into the big heart. Now, think of the hardest thing you've ever done. What’s inside the big heart? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzJb3GIRfLg When dealing with a difficult situation, all that matters is how you regard and react to the situation. Even if the situation would justify you carrying on with excuses, evaluations, and irrational superstitions, turn away from this temptation. Purify and polish your thoughts and feelings so that your every step and sound are growing in the sunshine. This is the path and purpose of the journey. Believing in the dream of returning to Magic is my religion—adding the word Syndrome after Peter Pan is a superstition, a superstition of rejecting inner power. Everyone has hard times, and everyone has alternatives. Check out this breathtakingly beautiful true story.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md3Fs9UUJV8 Most importantly, believing in the dream of returning to Magic takes courage. Dr. Brené Brown defines courage in a curious way. "Courage is to tell a story about who you are with your whole heart." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o Therefore, how do you define courage?

From "Only Superstition" (by Coldplay)

What if cars don't go my way
And its sure to spoil my day?
But in voices loud and clear you say to me;
"Its only superstition
Its only your imagination
Its only all the things that you fear
And the things from which you can't escape"

Keep clean for the thousandth time
Stand still and wait in line
Some numbers are better than others
Oh no

Reading is my religion; Club is my religion. Award-winning author Bernard Beckett confirms the confidence in every one of us. "Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence." Confidence is the twin brother of courage--together, they lead us to appreciate more differences and deficiencies--sunshine wouldn't look so lovely if we had never listened to the storm, or to the Nocturnal Orchestra. Reading and Club can infinitely inspire our confidence and courage to dream big. Reading is my religion; Club is my religion; Believing in the dream of returning to Magic is my religion. How about you? Join us. Thanks!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEb2CecR11I





With Gratitude,
Jasmine