RELI 212 - Western Esotericism

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1/2 unit(s)

Topic for 2014/15a: Emerson and the Tradition of Conscience. This half semester course looks at the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson within the context of New England Transcendentalism and the post-Reformation emergence of one’s “inner voice” as a person’s most authentic and authoritative spiritual guide. The primary focus of the course is on Emerson’s essays (Self-Reliance, Nature, The Oversoul, etc.). Critical literature on Emerson’s position in contemporary spirituality will be considered as well. Emerson’s writings engage a wide variety of Asian philosophies. Mr. Jarow.

Topic for 2014/15b: Spiritual Gifts of Modern India. (Same as ASIA 212 ) Since Swami Vivekananda brought the message of “raja yoga” to the Parliament of World Religions on the shores of Lake Michigan in 1893, a number of spiritual teachers from India have achieved notoriety on the world stage and have had a major impact in the formulation of a world and secular “spirituality” in our time. Through phenomenologicval and historical studies, as well as through close readings and studhy of primary texts, this course considers the works of these major figures, including Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Ananda Mayi Ma, and Bhagavan Sri Osho Rajneesh. Mr. Jarow.

Prerequisite: one 100-level course in Religion.

First 6-week course. One 2-hour period.