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About Course

A veritable treasure trove, in a single course, we meet and journey with the some of the most profound themes of human existence. What is self-knowledge? Why has it been one of the most championed and celebrated endeavors of the wise throughout history? What does it look like now, through the advent of psychology, sociology, modern philosophy, and motivational studies? What is an examined and conscious life? Why does it matter? How do we contend with the mystery of death, and what might that have to say about the preciousness of life? For that matter, what is the nature of reality? What does the cultivation of character and virtue mean? How might we understand the nature of a human being, what makes people the way they are? How can we understand others? Is there anything common to humans across cultures and times? How might we make our self-exploration real and lived? How might we access the extolled virtues of self-knowledge? What means, methods, or practices might we engage with to help us with this endeavor? What about suffering, particularly psychological suffering? How is that understood by the great wisdom traditions of the world as well as modern psychology? How does healing happen? Do we grow? What is the meaning or nature of growth? What is flourishing? What is resilience? What is wisdom? What does it mean to live in a social world? How do we understand our place in the scheme humanity? And, what is the nature of reality?

These are some of the questions that the participant of this course will be engaged with. Participants will engage in reflective practices and exercises to support making these themes “living inquiries” that foster greater self-discovery, personal insight, wisdom, clarity, and inner personal growth and self-knowledge. By the end of the course, we hope students will have been exposed to some tools to better understand themselves and navigate life’s challenges.

 

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What Will You Learn?

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Course Content

Self-Knowledge: The Obstacles to and Possibilities of
In this module, and for the course in general, we look at a theme of inescapable and perennial importance, that of self-knowledge. Indeed, self-knowledge has figured prominently as a core aspect of all the great world’s wisdom traditions since time immemorial. In this module, we look at some of the ways that self-knowledge has been described throughout history, and start where many of the traditions themselves start, by identifying some of the key barriers or obstacles to self-discovery and personal insight, though with the added benefit of the contemporary knowledge from psychology, sociology, existential philosophy, and motivational studies. We further identify some ways that these obstacles can be addressed via circumventing them, penetrate through them, or turning them into allies.

Living an Examined, Conscious Life
In this module, we embark on our journey of self-discovery and personal insight through applied philosophical self-examination, surveying one’s life, as if from an ariel view, looking at it from various angles and perspectives, touching on key areas of importance of a human life: e.g., looking at everything ranging from one’s own cognitive biases and personal narratives to the nature of reality, from an examination of personal values to one’s life purpose, from looking at questions of death and the preciousness of life to one’s everyday interactions and relationships, from the cultivation of character to contemplating the meaning and journey of life itself. Participants will be given various tools and methods to help them engage with these topics as they pertain to them personally, as well as exploring possibilities of how one might incorporate structures into their life in support of a sustained attention, deepening with, and transformative influence through engagement with such topics.

Understanding Ourselves & Others with Psychology
In this module we explore the very organization of human psychological experience itself. As human beings we are extremely complex, multidimensional and multifaceted beings. In this module we ambitiously attempt to survey the complex tapestry of human experience through the lens of psychology, both contemporary and ancient. We examine how childhood and culture and other experiences exert a formative and shaping influence and what we can do to free ourselves from any limitations we unwittingly took on through that process. We further draw upon various psychological theories and their respective tools designed to understand ourselves and others (to “read a person, like a book,” so to speak). We additionally examine the various implications of our personality habits for our relationships with others and our journey of growth and maturation, and what can be done to support health and well-being in these vital aspects of our existence.

Unveiling Hidden Treasure & Mysteries with Revelatory-Transformative Inquiry
It is not enough to learn about human psychology, or even to apply specialized methods for specialized purposes. The journey of self-discovery is not something that can entirely be predicted beforehand. It is rather, as the name suggests, a journey of “discovery.” And, discovery implies a process, and a process implies motion and movement, a shapeshifting and unfolding from one condition to another. But, how can this unfolding happen in a way that furthers insight, discovery, growth, healing, revelation and transformation, rather than stalling out or merely moving about in repetitive cycles? It is to this question that this module addresses itself. By drawing on the powerful practice of self- and life-inquiry, we open the wrappings of life experience as it presents itself to us in both its internal and external manifestations, in the unique moment-to-moment configurations of our inner experience and the larger existence of which we are an inextricable part. We ask, “What is this great mystery of existence, and our personal existence, and how might we unveil its deeper meanings and secrets?”

Wisdom
In this module, we explore the all-important theme of wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to discern what is optimal, true, right, or lasting. It involves deep insight, sound judgment, and the capacity to see the bigger picture in life, often integrating knowledge, experience, and a profound understanding of human nature. Unlike mere intelligence or knowledge, wisdom encompasses the ability to apply what one knows in practical, ethical, and compassionate ways. It is characterized by the capacity to make decisions that are not only effective but also morally sound and beneficial in the long term. Wisdom is often considered the highest form of human knowledge because it transcends mere facts or information and incorporates an understanding of how to live well. It is invaluable in navigating life’s complexities, fostering personal growth, and contributing to the common good. In personal life, wisdom helps individuals make decisions that lead to fulfillment and long-term satisfaction. In societal contexts, wisdom promotes justice, peace, and harmony, making it essential for leadership and governance. Wisdom is also regarded as both a means and outcome of some of the great spiritual traditions of the world, said to lead to profound insight into both the nature of self and reality. In this module we explore some of these different aspects of wisdom and various methods that have been advocated for their fostering. Wisdom is often considered the highest form of human knowledge because it transcends mere facts or information and incorporates an understanding of how to live well. It is invaluable in navigating life’s complexities, fostering personal growth, and contributing to the common good. In personal life, wisdom helps individuals make decisions that lead to fulfillment and long-term satisfaction. In societal contexts, wisdom promotes justice, peace, and harmony, making it essential for leadership and governance. Wisdom is also regarded as both a means and outcome of some of the great spiritual traditions of the world, said to lead to profound insight into both the nature of self and reality. In this module we explore some of these different aspects of wisdom and various methods that have been advocated for their fostering.

Considering the World
In this last module, we widen our gaze to encompass the whole of humanity. Where we might have thought that our own interest and journeys of self-discovery and personal insight pertained solely to our own individual lives we may discover that it speaks directly to most urgent and vital needs of humanity as a whole. For just as human body is only as healthy and functional as the cells that comprise it and their harmonious functioning, so too is the body of humanity as a whole dependent upon the individual humans of which is comprised. If a person goes deep into examining their own minds and hearts they invariably come up a universal anatomy of the psyche, as it were, a shared and common humanity. We look at our how our seemingly individual lives our part of larger wholes, themselves embedded and nested within even more encompassing wholes. This last module thus explores the social implications of inner work, how the discoveries and implicit values of inner work interface with the challenges we face as both societies but not as an entire human species as well. It finally looks at possible applications of these insights (e.g., transformative education) in consideration of the world.

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