This two-day seminar is for those who consider themselves students of philosophy and life wisdom. We will be examining insights from the wisdom traditions. We will explore ideas and philosophies that you were drawn to but had difficulty expressing in the hyper-rational and materialistic environment we experience today.
Despite the challenges in the world and the environment, there is a higher reason why everything is the way it is. As we align ourselves towards something higher, we can maintain our equanimity, serve the people around us, and live a good life. The core themes for this seminar are:

  • The nature of reality
  • The development of the self
  • Our relationship with others
  • Living a good life

“This place is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Then death comes like dawn, and you wake up laughing at what you thought was your grief.”
~ Rumi

Agenda

Day 1 AM: The Nature of Reality

  • Nested living systems
  • Unity and duality
  • Cycles and balance
  • Matter and spirit (physical and metaphysical)
  • Lawfulness: The role of science, philosophy, and religion

Day 1 PM: The Development of the Self

  • The human condition: karma and samsara
  • The higher and lower self
  • Stages of human development
  • Body, mind, and awareness
  • Choice, free will, and determinism

Day 2 AM: Our Relationship with Others

  • The golden rule
  • Unconditional love
  • Taking ownership for others and the environment
  • Communicating for care and understanding
  • Boundaries and vulnerability

Day 2 PM: Living a Good Life

  • Living Life’s purpose
  • Creating meaning from Life
  • Handling challenges and uncertainty
  • Maintaining peace and equanimity
  • From ‘self’ to ‘Self’: Transcending the human condition
If you have any questions, please contact Tony Tsai tony.tsai@hsc.utah.edu.