Articles by Maria T. Otero - Inquiries Journal http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/209/maria-t-otero Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:18:15 -0400 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:18:15 -0400 The Universal Prayer: How Money Became the World's First Shared Religion http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/241/the-universal-prayer-how-money-became-the-worlds-first-shared-religion By Maria T. Otero - As something so natural to us, money is part of our lives from the moment we are born. Our interpretation of it continues to evolve until the day we die. In our childhoods, we encounter our first economic decisions, like what to spend our allowances on. We also start to understand that things have certain value, and since we do not have the means to attain them, we behave properly in order to be rewarded by our parents with what we want. Then, when we grow a little more, we may get a job and start becoming more independent, even though our parents are still accountable for us. The more independent... Mon, 03 May 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/241/the-universal-prayer-how-money-became-the-worlds-first-shared-religion The Dalai Lama, Buddhism, and Tibet: Reflecting on a Half-Century of Change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/237/the-dalai-lama-buddhism-and-tibet-reflecting-on-a-half-century-of-change By Maria T. Otero - Throughout history, there have been several ways in which people perceive Tibet. Since it has traditionally been isolated from the world, culturally and geographically, the mystery it provokes has shaped most people’s beliefs into viewing it as a Shangri-La, or sacred land. This popular view is supported by the fact that Tibet is a place where its people see Buddhism as so important that it is not only their religion, but also the essence of their identity. The Dalai Lama is their most important figure as a religious and spiritual leader. Due to the circumstances in which he came to his... Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:59 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/237/the-dalai-lama-buddhism-and-tibet-reflecting-on-a-half-century-of-change