What is 2Weeking?


2Weeking is a project dedicated to challenging yourself and exploring new ways of thinking and living. This site will feature a new challenge every two weeks that will ask you to make a simple change in your life. Although only one challenge will be featured every two weeks, we invite you to complete any of the 2Weeks on your own schedule. If you complete a 2Week you will get a 2Week Badge from our site! Sweet!

The Premise:
Each challenge lasts for only two weeks and will explore different lifestyles from diet to behavior, use of technology to environmental conservation.

Why 2 Weeks:
Two weeks gives an adequate amount of time to internalize these challenges, better understand other ways of life and begin to break harmful habits. After 2 weeks the choice is yours to make the challenge a full on "lifestyle change." But hey, at least you tried it out and got a sweet badge from this site!

2Weeking Philosophy:
As with all self improvement endeavors, it is important to have a supporting community. It is best to 2Week with a close friend or loved one- someone who will support you during the challenge. 2Weeking also provides a forum where you can share your experiences with other 2Weekers.

Start 2Weeking out!


Sunday, March 07, 2010

2Week #6 March 8th - March 21st: Prayer / Meditation 5 times a day

This 2Week was inspired by a professor of Religious Studies from Occidental College. During his Islam 101 class he suggested that we, as students learning about Islam, experience the commitment of praying / meditating / taking a moment of silence five times a day following the times of Salat. (Salat is the practice of praying five times a day and is one of the five pillars of Islam. As such, it is an integral part of a Muslim's faith and religious practices.)

More information on the practice can be found here

The times of prayer are:

  • Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise
  • Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
  • Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon
  • Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset
  • Salat al-'isha: between sunset and midnight
(During this 2week these times are not set in stone but we are going to try to get it as close as possible without it adversely affecting our work and studies) Here's a cool website that can help with specific times if you want them

This is a significant commitment in one's life and we want to experience what it is like to organize your day around five set times as well as recognize the devotion required of this traditional Muslim practice.

This 2week is NOT Salat as practiced by Muslims and we don't intend it to be. It is meant to be completely secular and is not advocating for Islam or any other religion. The "prayer" can take the form of silent meditation, reflection or any other in way in which you feel comfortable using that time. All we recommend is being in "the right state of mind" for those five minutes. We will not be using prayer rugs, wudhu (washing the body before prayer), prayer movements or facing Mecca, etc. We will simply find a place for about five minutes during the above times to sit and pray in our own way.

Through this 2Week we hope to gain a partial understanding of what it is like to organize our thoughts and day around these five times and to reflect on ourselves and those around us.

We pray for a 2Week complete!
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