In this course you will learn the practice of "mindfully allowing what is," the foundational
meditation practice of Buddhism. In addition to meditating, you will read, discuss and
write about several core concerns of Eastern philosophy, including the nature of
consciousness, reality, time, self, and the ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment—all via
contemporary, Western texts. We will broadly compare Eastern and Western approaches to
psychological and spiritual development, asking how Western traditions that aim to
strengthen the ego can be reconciled with Eastern traditions that aspire to transcend it.
This will not be an easy "activity" class (or in this case "non-activity class"). While we will
meditate regularly and intensively, the discussion component of this class will be
emphasized. You might even discover that meditation is more rigorous than you thought it
would be, and the philosophical ideas you will learn about may turn your world upside
down and inside out (which is also the fun of it). You will explore yourself at the deepest
levels of your being and be challenged intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, perhaps even
physically. But as a saying goes, "Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth. Tame the
dragon and the gift is yours." An understanding of the basic principles of psychology is
helpful, but not required. Grading will be based on participation, reading quizzes and 1-2
papers.