Course Description

a psychiatrist’s synthesis of principles of learning, mental health, and Timeless Wisdom into a meaningful psycho-spiritual approach to personal change and progress.   

This course explores the roots of individual Human Capacity/Quality. In these busy and pressured times – despite the wonders and conveniences of modern life – people still hunger for something ancient, transcendent and timeless – for a sense of meaning, sacredness and fulfillment – which the miracles of the modern world can’t satisfy. Despite a century of revolutions in science, technology, industry, art, culture, religion, economics, politics and social issues – all of which have redefined our world and our lifestyle – we often find our sense of peace, joy, satisfaction and connectedness slipping away and being carried off by a rising tide of information and materialism, stress and confusion, conflict and isolation. Sometimes we may feel like the only way to reclaim our soul is to abandon the modern world. Is it one extreme or the other? Success in the 21st century will depend on balancing the yearning of the soul with the realities of the modern world. Can we identify the practical guideposts on our path towards freedom, discovery, fulfillment, friendship and connectedness? It involves change – bringing out what is deep within us – our inner metaphoric talisman, our inner gold of the figurative personal alchemy.

There is no simple “answer” for anybody – no single, ready-made formula that easily suits everyone. There are no gimmicks or shortcuts along the path of change. But there are fundamental posits, principles and practices that underlie and assure all realization of human quality, and apply to all expression of human capacity – found in both scientific discovery and spiritual wisdom. There are core principles and practices at the heart of the various human sciences, of personal creativity, of every spiritual philosophy, and at the authentic nucleus of every faith tradition. These truths and principles vary in form and language from one setting to another, but the underlying generic essence is the same – promoting change and progress – transformation – through personal discipline, inner discovery, and realization – which make up the bedrock of enriching relationships and shaping social progress. Taking ideas from psychology, medicine, basic sciences, education, the arts, philosophy, spirituality, religion, and other sources; and blending them in a framework that is both rational and expansive – we can genericize these universal creative practices and common core spiritual verities, and mesh them with principles, supportive findings and even metaphors from modern science – to survey our humanity; the basic meanings, motivations, abilities and virtues of human existence; the various energies and powers at our disposal; and the skills and tools necessary to awaken, refine and engage them. Most importantly, we can operationalize them and make it all meaningful as a broad-spectrum benefit for anyone – as a resource for everyone’s sake. With this kind of non-denominational non-affiliated psycho-spiritual learning, we can psychologize and humanize the transcendent quest and systematically inspire our evolving life picture. By using a total and sensible approach to it we can equip and empower ourselves to take control of our existential development in a way that satisfies 21st century reason, the timeless human spirit, and the realities of the contemporary world. These ingredients of change and fulfillment, this kind of psychological and spiritual self-literacy, are the fuel and engine of individual human quality/capacity.

Read the Course Objectives