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Fall 2010
Art 98/198
2-3 Unit(s)

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About the Course:

Art Practice 98/198A - Meditation, Mysticism, and the Mind 
Fall 2010
Wednesdays 6 – 8 PM, 50 Birge

Course Description:

Meditation is arguably the most ancient, powerful, and yet simple spiritual practice in the world. It is known in various forms in nearly all times and cultures, and plays a part in every religious tradition. However, meditation need not be tied to any specific religion: meditation masters speak about it as a means, first and foremost, to know your innermost self. It is by plunging into the depths of your own being, they say, that you uncover your true inner potential and discover--to your immense delight--that profound peace, bliss, and divinity lie within you. But this concept is valueless if you do not experience it for yourself. Therefore the goals of our course are twofold: to study, and to practice. We will investigate the mystical traditions of many of the world's great major religions. 'Mysticism' here means a direct spiritual experience, and we will touch upon Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian, and Shamanic forms of mysticism. We will also compare and contrast some of the philosophical tenets of mysticism, as promulgated in these traditions, to the most recent insights into the effects of meditation on the brain and human consciousness.

We examine the concept of meditation as a mystical practice intended to achieve a form of self-actualization, spiritual liberation, and sublime bliss in this very life. We will come to understand the worldview that enables and empowers the practice of meditation in its various spiritual contexts.

Through this examination, we will attempt to discern to what extent spiritual experience through meditation is a universal phenomenon, transcending cultural boundaries and ultimately the categories of the mind itself. Finally, we will learn a variety of specific meditation techniques that will enable the students to initiate a vital and fulfilling meditation practice of their own.

Course Meeting Days/Times:

Lectures for “Meditation, Mysticism and the Mind” will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6 – 8 PM at 50 Birge. Lectures will begin promptly at 6:10, Berkeley time, so do not be late. You must enter class silently, find a seat and meditate individually for the first 15 minutes of lecture.

In addition to the 2-hour weekly lecture, attendance at a weekly meditation/discussion section is also required. Each section will be for 1.5 hours during which time you will meditate, revisit the topics taught in lecture and discuss other relevant material. There will be several sections to choose from spread throughout the week so that you can find a section that fits with your schedule. You will have the first two weeks of class, from September 8 – September 22, to try out the various sections and identify a facilitator and section time that you like. From September 22nd onward, you will strictly attend the section you have chosen. This will greatly help maintain order and organization for the facilitators. Section times and locations will be announced the first day of lecture on September 8. The names and contact information of all course facilitators are listed below.

Course Facilitators            Contact:

Fritzi Kreitzer                     frederica@berkeley.edu

Reza Shahcheraghi r_shahcheraghi@mba.berkeley.edu

Ky Jensen                           kyjensen@gmail.com

Scott Stoller                  scott@wholehealing.net

 Gregory Rogers              grogers@berkeley.edu

Julia Black                      julia.black@berkeley.edu 

Course Email Address:

MMM.fall.2010@gmail.com

Texts/Readings:
Articles and readings will be emailed out to the class distribution list every week on a topic related to that week’s speaker or subject matter.

Requirements and Grading: 

Grades are Pass/No Pass. If you are a Lower Division student (freshman or sophomore) you may take the course for 2 units; if Upper Division student (junior or senior), for either 2 or 3 units. You will receive a passing grade IF you receive at least a final percentage grade of 80%, which will be calculated differently as explained below depending on the number of units you choose to enroll for this course:

If you want to take the course for 2 units, you must receive a final mark of 80% or higher from participation in lectures/sections as described below:

 1.   Participation in lectures and sections is required and will be the only basis for evaluation. Each student will be assigned to a section at the beginning of the semester depending on his/her schedule and those of the course facilitators. You are allowed to miss three (3) lectures/sections without a negative impact on your grade. Each additional absences above three (3) will result in a 10% deduction from your final percentage grade. The chart below explains the grading scheme:

Absences          Final % Grade         Final Mark

    1                    100%                 Pass

    2                    100%                 Pass     3                    100%                 Pass

    4                     90%                 Pass

    5                     80%                 Pass

    6                     70%             No Pass

If you want to take the course for 3 units, you will must receive a final mark of 80% or higher from a combination of the activities below in order to receive a passing mark:

 1.  (60% toward final mark) Participation in lectures and sections is required and will be the most important portion of your final mark. Each student will be assigned to a section at the beginning of the semester depending on his/her schedule and those of the course facilitators. You are allowed to miss three (3) lectures/sections without a negative impact on your grade. Each additional absence above three (3) will result in a 10% deduction from your final participation percentage grade. The chart below explains the grading scheme:

Total Absences           Participation 

                                Percentage Grade

 1                                     60%

 2                                     60%

 3                                     60%

 4                                     50%

 5                                     40%

 6                                     30%

2.      (20% toward final mark) Completion of a weekly journal that reflect the students’ meditation experiences and thoughts on the material being covered in class. A minimum one (1) page entry is required per week, though you are highly encouraged to journal as much as possible about your experiences. Artwork can also be included in the journal entries, but you must provide an explanation behind the inspiration/motivation behind the artwork and how it ties back to your meditation practices/experiences.

  3.   (20% toward final mark) Completion of a final project, which will be announced later in the semester. You will have the opportunity to choose from a few options. In the past, these final projects have consisted of art work with presentation, poetry/spoken word performances or a final paper.

Tentative Schedule:

Week 1 (September 8): Introduction: What is Meditation? (Christopher Tompkins)

Week 2 (September 15): Philosphical Point of View (Christopher Tompkins) 

Week 3 (September 22): Tantra and Yoga (Dada Nabhaniilananda)

Week 4 (September 29): Meditation and the Mind

Week 5 (October 6): Sufism: The Power of Love (Prof. Rabia Ana Perez-Chisti) 

Week 6 (October 13): The Taoist Experience (Dr. Alex Feng)

Week 7 (October 20): The Buddhist Experience (Christopher Tompkins)

Week 8 (October 27): Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism and Meditation (Dr. Avram Davis) 

Week 9 (November 3): Christian Mysticism: the Inner Light (Bill Hardt)

Week 10 (November 10): Reiki: Energy for the Soul

Week 11 (November 17): Shamanism (Eeve B. Crowe) 

Week 12 (November 24): Meditation and Non-Violence (Prof. Michael Nagler)

Week 13 (December 1): Open Mic and Celebration. Last class is your 'final exam'! You must come!

***Schedule subject to change, as well as speakers.
 

How to Enroll:

There are 120 spots available in this course for Fall 2010. Students must attend the first class on Wednesday September 8 from 6-8 PM at 50 Birge, at which time we will determine the number of students present. As of now, spots will be given on a first come, first served basis. If the number of students who show up to the first class is greatly above the 120 limit, a lottery will be used to determine the final roster.