The Mystic Heart: Cultivating a Mature, Universal Spirituality with Diane Berke & Kurt Johnson

Dates: Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30pm : November 4 2010, December 9 2010, January 13 2011, February 10 2011, March 10 2011, April 7 2011

Prices: Public, Members & Alumni $95

OneSpirit Elective: Included in the Elective Flat Fee : 1 Credit

Distance Learning: Available via Live Webinar or Audiobook Download

“The real religion of humankind can be said to be spirituality itself, because mystical spirituality is the origin of all the world religions. If this is so, … we might also say that interspirituality – the sharing of ultimate experiences across traditions – is the religion of the third millennium. … Interspirituality as a world-changing force is made possible by the openness of people who have a viable spiritual life, coupled with their determination, capacity, and commitment to the inner search across traditions.”

- Wayne Teasdale, The Mystic Heart

In his seminal work, The Mystic Heart, interspiritual pioneer Wayne Teasdale articulated nine elements of a mature interspirituality: actualized moral capacity, solidarity with all living beings, deep nonviolence, humility, spiritual practice, mature self-knowledge, simplicity of life, selfless service and compassionate action, and the prophetic voice. These characteristics represent both the full flowering of a dedicated spiritual life and aspirational horizons that can inform and guide our journey of development.

This six-evening course will offer an opportunity to explore each of these elements, not only conceptually, but more importantly in a deeply self-reflective way, in the company of like-minded, like-hearted fellow journeyers. The course will be held one evening a month from November through April. The monthly classes, held at One Spirit, will also be video-streamed live on the internet and available as audiobook downloads for those taking the course. Class sessions will be facilitated by Dr. Kurt Johnson and Rev. Diane Berke, with teaching during specific sessions by Andrew Harvey, Loch Kelly, and Dena Merriam.

Each class will include teaching on one or two of the elements, as well as processes for self-reflection and experiential deepening of our understanding of them. Between the class sessions, there will be opportunities each month for further exploration and sharing through in-person, conference call, or live web chat gatherings. There will also be a dedicated, secure website for course participants to share experiences and develop and deepen a sense of community.

This course is designed for anyone who aspires to cultivating a mature universal spirituality in service to the evolution of consciousness seeking to unfold in the world today. Please join us on this journey.

Course Objectives:

• "We must understand, at the most elemental level, that the definitive revolution is the awakening of humankind." -- Wayne Teasdale
• Explore conceptually & experientially the 9 elements of a mature universal (inter) spirituality articulated by Wayne Teasdale in The Mystic Heart.
• Reflect deeply on the practical meaning of each of these elements as a lived spirituality in daily life in the world, & explore how we might grow individually & collectively in cultivating and expressing these qualities.
• Explore, within the container of supportive spiritual community, the challenges and joys of spiritual growth and aspiration with respect to these elements.
• Begin to envision the implications of these elements, shared in a community context, on the emerging InterSpiritual message and age.
• Explore the meaning of “Awakening” and “Oneness” in the context of the emerging InterSpiritual Age.

Required Text: The Mystic Heart by Wayne Teasdale

If you have questions about registering for this course, please contact One Spirit Learning Alliance by email to info@onespiritinterfaith.org or call 212-931-6840 x 0.