Personal Exploration   

Explore the complexity and significance of women’s lives in contemporary Ukraine through stories of Ukrainian women writers, scientists, social activists, leaders, and artists whose work changed their culture and the world. The values of the matriarchal cultures that sourced Ukraine continue to be transmitted through her folk arts, music, and dance. Ukrainian women continue to bring forth from within themselves individually, and as a diverse community, new expressions of the values and beliefs of their culture. Discover the meaning of Ukrainian goddesses in Ukrainian women’s spirituality and the impact of Russian colonization on Ukrainian identity then and now. The course can be repeated since it will combine lecture, new guest speakers, discussion on events that currently impact Ukrainians, and ritual circle-sharing as well as out-of-class readings and reflective writing.

NOTE: Required text: “Your Ad Could Go Here: Stories by Oksana Zabuzhko,” edited by Nina Murray.

This class offers sustenance and support for healing our species’ existential crisis of BELONGING. We live in a time when the fabric that weaves us together with each other, with nature, and with the planet itself, is badly torn. However, despite how badly we have lost our way, we are children of nature, and we are a social species, and we walk the Earth today because our long evolutionary history has bequeathed us the yearning and the instinctual guidance to belong to each other and the planet. The planet is calling on us to make a great transition away from living as though life were a desperate contest of opposing interests, and instead towards finding our proper place within the web of mutual accommodations and inter-dependencies upon which all of life depends—to become good citizens of creation. Through lectures, discussion, and personal exploration, this course hopes to support students in finding their own unique place within this transition.

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, be more, and have more, discover the transformative power of slowing down and living from the inside-out. Drawing inspiration from the enlightening book “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life” and the teachings of visionaries like Sydney Banks, Dr. Joseph Bailey, and Richard Carlson, this course offers a fresh perspective on living a deeply meaningful, peaceful, and contented life. Joseph Campbell said that what people are really seeking is an experience of being fully alive, to feel “the rapture of being alive.” Syd Banks, during a mystical experience, discovered the keys that allows each one of us to directly experience this innate joy and inner peace. Join in thought-provoking classes that illuminate this innate wisdom that we all possess, as we watch short videos of Syd Banks, Joe Bailey and others, with time for questions and discussions.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. 

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, be more, and have more, discover the transformative power of slowing down and living from the inside-out. Drawing inspiration from the enlightening book “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life” and the teachings of visionaries like Sydney Banks, Dr. Joseph Bailey, and Richard Carlson, this course offers a fresh perspective on living a deeply meaningful, peaceful, and contented life. Joseph Campbell said that what people are really seeking is an experience of being fully alive, to feel “the rapture of being alive.” Syd Banks, during a mystical experience, discovered the keys that allows each one of us to directly experience this innate joy and inner peace. Join in thought-provoking classes that illuminate this innate wisdom that we all possess, as we watch short videos of Syd Banks, Joe Bailey and others, with time for questions and discussions.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. 

In this course students are assisted in cultivating lives of self-renewal, emotional well-being, creative intelligence, and human flourishing. Students seek to integrate the human, natural, cosmic, and spiritual dimensions of the greater reality into transformative lives of meaning, significance, fulfillment, and hope. In addition, students are introduced to a “synoptic vision of transformative education” to address the critical challenges of human flourishing, cultural literacy, civil society, and ecological integrity in our global age. Finally, students will be assisted in clarifying their own personal statements of human flourishing and greater purpose.

Note: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15.

Ever struggle from time to time with internal negativity, self-criticism, or perfectionism? Most people do. This course is an opportunity to kick habits of self-directed negativity and criticism and develop new habits of self-compassion. Understanding the dynamics of your inner critic will help you replace it with an inner coach. Warning: these changes can result in becoming happier and more productive as well as becoming a better friend, romantic partner, and parent. The classes, all held on Zoom, will utilize lecture, discussion and experiential exercises, and will make use of breakout rooms. Students will also be asked to do journaling exercises and practice activities done in class. A workbook of the same title by the instructor is optional, recommended, and available for purchase.