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Spring 2012
Architecture 98/198
3 Unit(s)

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About the Course:

Please read the syllabus carefully for our attendace policy and requirements. 

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 discover how the anxieties and confusing questions that arise in our mind can be grounded-- and even dissolved-- into the equanimous space of our Body-Heart, lending greater clarity. To directly experience this realization, we will meditate and meet each week with fourteen leaders from many different spiritual traditions. 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 will examine the concept of meditation as a mystical practice intended to achieve a form of self-actualization, spiritual liberation, and sublime bliss in 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 hope to pose the question of weather meditation in a universal phenomenon, transcending cultural boundaries and ultimately the categories of the mind. 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.

How to Enroll:

Enrollment will be based on a short application which will be distributed on the first day of class. You must be at the first day of class in order to be in this class.