They Live It Out: More Investigation

Many Instagram users vary in the way they use this social media platform to convey their thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. This tread is also the same for Instagram users who are inspired by and practice the teaching of the leader of the Buddhist faith, the Dalai Lama. When sampling posts hash tagged with the words “Dalai Lama” I found that each user portraits different ways to live out religion by using the teaching of the Dalai Lama.

Example #1

Time: 9/22/2013

User Name: gabyduque9

Picture: This picture consists of a close in focused setting of a table. On the table, closer to the left side background of the picture, is a hookah and hookah pipe, which are both on top of a circular printed map. A purple and gold mug resting on a coaster containing the Eiffel Tower is in the middle ground right side of the picture. The mugs looks as to contain loose leaf tea and water. In the left side fore ground of the picture lies two stacked books by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The top book being “The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace: the Essential Life and Teachings”.

Caption: In the long run, causing others to suffer and trampling on their rights to a peaceful and happy existence only leads to one’s own anxiety, fear and doubt. #Buddha #Buddhism #dalailama #innerpeace #compassion #spiritualguidance

Comments: NONE

Likes:13

Link: http://instagram.com/p/elrX3wTURi/

The user gabyduque9 her religious belief in her picture by displaying religious focused texts. The two books featured in her photo are both by the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama. This photo suggests that the user lives out her religious beliefs by reading and learning through secondary religious texts. Other users on this social media platform also post pictures of books or themselves reading books that have been written by or about the life and teachings of the 14^th Dalai Lama. The visual elements chosen to be present in this picture give the viewer the feeling that the user is about to partake in an individual relaxing, religious study session. The hookah, tea, and dim lighting help to create this calming mood in the photo.

Example #2

Time: 9/24/13

User Name: pathoutfitters

Picture: This consists of a table with reddish colored tee shirts. One of the shirts contains a black and white picture of the Dalai Lama. There are three other styled shirts on the table next to this shirt.

Caption: Pomegranate color #dalailama shop tees back in stock – these tees are 100 percent #organiccotton Designed and printed with love in #fayettevillearkansas !! #pathoutfitters #createyourown #cyo

Comments: huxinater_7_25_x__ : Ya

Raneyelizabeth @pathoutfitters how much?

goobycerra: Where are the tye dye shirts man. Slackin’

pathoutfitters: Patience @goobycerra – price is 25 @raneyelizabeth

pathrider23: I need one!

Gabes_notahipsta_either: I agree with @goobycerra

Likes: 39

Link: http://instagram.com/p/ep8jx9P-YW/

The user pathoutfitters is using this post on their social media page to not only display religion thoughts but to also advertise a product that will allow others to display their religious thoughts. This user seems to be unique in its usage of this social media platform and the hash tag Dalai Lama, from what I have seen. The message gives idolization to the religious leader and shows his followers that they can display their faith not only through actions but also through the purchase of a tee shirt.

Example #3

Time: 9/24/2013

User Name: laymoune02     

Picture: This picture consists of a woman standing on a beach. The background is blurry and contains rows beach chairs and umbrellas. The woman has on a Hijab, sunglasses, a maroon cardigan, and an owl shirt. She is smirking and is holding up the peace sign. 

Caption: Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before – Dalai Lama #DalaiLama #quote #newplace #Thailand #tbt #island #summer #missit #takemeback #beach #amazing #khaiisland #phuket #hijabi #nofilter

Comments: lamafakhoury: Waww

Laymourne02 : younek el waw <3 @lamafakhoury

Likes: 58

Links: http://instagram.com/p/eqUmOxj21i/

This user has used this post to tie a personal experience to a teaching of the Dalai Lama. She does so by displaying a picture of her at a beach, which the view can perceive, was taken at some time on a past trip. Her caption includes the teaching from the religious leader and her action of traveling exemplifies this teaching. The message from this post is that one should not only learn religious beliefs but should also follow and practice them.

The central aims of these examples studied are for the users to display to others how they are personally, and how other can, live out their religious beliefs through practices. The first users chose reading and learning more form the religious teachings of the Dalai Lama while drinking tea and smoking hookah as a way to display her belief. The second used a graphics tee shirt to display their belief and to encourage others to openly display theirs also. And the last user captured a moment living out her religion by following a teaching of a religious leader. Each user promotes a different way to live out religion by using the teaching of the Dalai Lama. 

Mapping #DalaiLama

I will be looking at posts on the social media site Instagram that have been hash-tagged Dalai Lama or Tenzin Gyatso to examine how Buddhist and non-Buddhist followers of this religious leader, react to, respond to, and exemplify his teachings and portrayal of the Buddhist Religion. I have chosen to use Instagram instead of Pinterest because Instagram users showed a tendency to give textual more feedback than the users of Pinterest.

This social media platform, which is being used as my case study, focuses on allowing its users to share experiences, ideas, and beliefs through photos and short videos. Users can post either pictures, videos, or photos of texts, add a captions, tag other users, add the location of the post, and share posts on other social media sites on Instagram. Another feature this site possesses is the capability of linking information by the use of hash-tags, “a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a keyword topic or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it”, as defined by Dictionary.com.

This context allows religion to be expressed not only through quotes and written interpretations of religious texts and teachings, but also through visual expressions of religious beliefs and practices by use of personal images. Instagram gives its users a virtual medium on which to profess their beliefs and display how their religion ties into their everyday lives.

Each person in the chosen examples used commentary of a religious leader to help better their personal lives.  The primary message is that one cannot benefit from religion by only reading or hearing a religious knowledge; a person must also apply the learned religious knowledge to their life. Their posts also serve as a teaching medium and inspiration source for others that happen to view their pages.

Example #1

Time: 1:30pm 9/18/2013

User Name: tomorrowsmoment

Picture: The picture consists of a screen shot of a post on the social media site

Facebook. It reads as follows.

Quote of the day:

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion, and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.” –Dalai Lama

No matter who or what you believe in we share one thing in common: love, compassion, and forgiveness.

We are all equal on this level and if we practice those traits we can live in harmony regardless of beliefs or race or preferences.

Caption: #eatcleantraindirty #quoteoftheday

            This comes from the #dalailama and I feel it’s the #truth

            Most #religions share three things in common: #love, #compassion, and #forgiveness

            If this is so then we as #humans all share those three traits as well.

            No matter what you believe in believe in those three things. Go out an spread them to the world and see how much #harmony and #joy will follow your heart.

Comments:

tomorrowsmoment : #dalai #lama #quote #quotes #quotesofig  #instaquote #inspiration #motivational

tomorrowsmoment: #namaste

tomorrowsmoment: #buddhism

Likes: veganstina13, ally_sambazon, syndromida, want_a_shoutout_23k

Link: http://instagram.com/p/eaTDbxS-eT/

Example #2

Time: 11:45am 9/18/2014

User Name: weallshineon_         

Picture: The picture consists of text on a wrinkles sheet of paper as the background. It reads as follows.

            The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him the most about humanity, answered:

“Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

Caption: I’ve posted this several times in the past but it’s too #true, so a great reminder #slowdown #dalailama #money #health #onebody #treatitwell #healthiswealth

Comments:

 nuttywheat : Its true & sad. How do we teach our children to live differently when it seems the whole is set on the path of consumerism & self enrichment? There was a news story today about a Spanish man who found a $6 million lottery ticket (the winning one) & he handed it in. When interviewed he said he put himself in the shoes of the person who had lost it & thought how they would feel having lost their ticket. He said he couldnt sleep if he kept it. This was on a lot of news broadcasts on the BBC this morning. How can an act of compassion & selflessness be world news? Is it so unusual?

stargazer314 : First time I have seen it and I love it so much I screenshot it

stargazer314 : thank you!!!!<33333

weallshineon_ : @nuttywheat no. That should be the normal and unfortunately we have seen less and less of it. He's a role model for the rest of us! Those acts should be recognized I suppose to set the precedent for the rest. I say spread the good news, enough of the scare tactics etc but no it should not be so rare ❤ to you

weallshineon_ : @stargazer314 great!!!! <333 it's a great point !

Likes: 40 likes

Link: http://instagram.com/p/eaEpFbLliL/

Example #3

Time: 9/17/2013

User Name: breathinginyoga

Picture: The picture consists of a woman in a yoga position, in a handstand with one leg at a ninety-degrre angle on a wooden table and the other leg straight up in the air. The woman, who is wearing gray colored workout clothes, and the table are both on a wooden, railed in deck. A beautiful landscape consisting of a body of water, trees, and the horizon are in the background.

Caption: there is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. my brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness. – Dalai Lama XIV #dailypractice #dalailama #kindness #heart #yogaeverydamnday #yoga #yogadaily #practicedaily #handstand #quote #mindfulness #whidbey #amrita #yogajoy

Comments: kristenmwebb: @breathinginyoga love this!

Likes: 13

Link: http://instagram.com/p/eYlHrGC7Cb/

Sources: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hashtag?s=t

Case Study Proposal

           My proposed case study will focus on the use of the social media platform that works as a virtual photo album, Instagram. On this site, I will investigate how the followers of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14^th and current Dalai Lama, react to the teaching of this Buddhist Monk. I will also examine how the followers of this religious figure express beliefs that align with those of Buddhism.

           The internet is an amazing resource for not only gaining usable information, but for also connecting with other people throughout our world. Sharing my experiences with others has always been more favorable to me than doing things alone, so the social media sites, Instagram quick caught my attention and became one of my favorite website that I use.  This site not only allows you take and post pictures and videos of your experiences for your personal viewing purposes, but it also allows others to search for specific subjects using hash-tags, view, and comment on the things you have shared,  while forming virtual connections and relationships and expressing one’s likes, dislikes, and beliefs.

            Anything that can be posted and found on this site more than likely has been, including fashion styles, tattoo ideas, do-it-yourself crafts, and funny memes. Religion is also a very prominent topic that is hash-tagged on this interactive user generated site. Many individuals that I follow post biblical scripture quotes and images of Christian religious symbols daily in a display of their beliefs.
   
          For this case study I want to learn more about a religion whose practices are unfamiliar to me, but that I know some-what about. The Dalai Lama and his followers will work well as the focus of this case study, because it will allow me to learn more about another religion, Buddhism through the interactions of a religious leader and his followers.

           I would like to look at how Buddhist and non-Buddhist followers of this religious leader, who is known of by many, react to, respond to, and exemplify his teachings and portrayal of the Buddhist Religion. I will do this by examining posts with hash-tags relating to Tenzin Gyatso and his teachings, tracking like and reading feedback comments by members of Instagram.

 Social media platform that will be used in case study: http://instagram.com