Online Courses   

This is the third in a six-course series on the music of Beethoven, held in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of his death in 1827. We’ll look at and listen to several of his chamber works, including several string quartets, to explore how Beethoven expanded and changed traditional chamber music forms. No previous knowledge is expected. The course will be mostly lectures, using PowerPoint and YouTube for musical examples.

This course features four presentations about interesting travel experiences in Asia and Latin America. Four different presenters will share their journeys to Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Argentina. Each presentation will be about 90 minutes via Zoom, with opportunities for questions and discussion.

Textbooks say philosophy began at Athens with the conversations of Socrates, dialogues of Plato and books of Aristotle, each using logic to solve philosophical questions. But philosophy began earlier — in the work of an intriguing assortment of thinkers from around the Greek world, who lived too early to get the memo from Socrates and his friends about how logic alone ought to be a philosopher’s best friend. These earlier thinkers ushered in a period of intellectual creativity, which didn’t calm down until after the later work of Socrates and his philosophical successors. This online course investigates philosophy’s early years by meeting these early thinkers on their own terms. No knowledge of the subject is needed to enjoy this class. Written lecture notes will be furnished in advance.

Do you want to meditate, but think it’s too hard? Do you think you have to be in a quiet room or have special tools or cushions? Then this class is for you! Meditation doesn’t mean trying to force your mind to be quiet. Instead, you can learn to be friends with your thoughts and emotions. This six-week online class consists of short talks, videos, guided meditations and group discussions with time for questions. You are welcome, whether you have been meditating for decades or are brand new to meditation. You’ll learn very short, easy meditation practices that you can do anywhere, anytime, in any situation. These practices will support you to be more present, kind and curious in your daily life.

Sydney Banks, a Scottish welder working in Vancouver, B.C., had a profound mystical experience that transformed his life. Banks traveled the world teaching at universities, writing books and sharing about the principles he discovered. We will explore two novels of his, inspired by a Three Principles global community course: “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Students are not required to read the books, because we will watch video excerpts of Three Principles teachers reading and discussing passages. These delightful, enchanting books follow Richard, a troubled man dealing with a terminal diagnosis, pain, grief and depression as he vacations on Maui. He meets a mentor, Jonathan, and their rich conversations evoke deep feelings of peace.

NOTE: This course is based upon two books by Sydney Banks, “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Both books are available from the Jackson County Library Hoopla website as audiobooks. The instructor also has copies he can loan to students in the class.

The world of Bob Dylan’s music is so vast as to seem almost impenetrable. How does one even begin? This class will focus on eight individual albums; each represents a separate chapter in Dylan’s recording career. At the beginning of the term, enrolled students will receive a list of the eight records we will cover, and each week we will discuss and listen to some of the songs on the respective albums. Students will be encouraged to listen to the albums before we meet.

Exercise your brain and have fun. In this practice-only course, we will solve word puzzles together on a shared screen — primarily regular crosswords of various theme types and levels of difficulty from different sources. We may also explore “variety” word puzzles such as acrostics and petal puzzles, and perhaps U.K.-style cryptics, depending on student interest. Solving tips, unusual clues and interesting themes and features will be highlighted and discussed. All levels of ability and students of earlier crossword courses are welcome.

This four-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care to a loved one. The importance of self-care during this process will be reinforced during the course. There will be ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) Importance of completing advance directives and having the discussion; 2) Importance of caregiver self-care and use of resources; 3) Stages of dying and the use of hospice, palliative and home care; and 4) Importance of recognizing grief and understanding the process of such. A tour of Celia’s House, a residential hospice facility in Medford, is included. The course is open to any student who wishes to gain an understanding in preparing for this phase of life.

Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion forum to explore and discuss each week’s breaking news, from Oregon to around the globe. All views and opinions are not only welcome but essential for lively discussion in the group. We cover a wide range of topics, including politics, climate change, technology and medicine. An agenda with articles to read will be sent to you prior to each class. Students are encouraged to send in topics and news articles to add to each week’s agenda. Please join us for a sizzling hot journey around the world with our fast, fun and sometimes controversial class, whose success is largely a product of the wisdom, knowledge and experience of our great group. Many people take our class again because it’s better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going! 

This course is an introduction to qigong and simple stretching patterns. Movements will be taught both as physical, energetic exercises and as methods for improving present moment awareness and mindfulness of subtle perceptions. No special clothing or experience is required. Participants should come as they are, ready to have fun with others! Although qigong can be studied for a lifetime, this brief series will give you a taste of the practices. Students will learn a set of simple movements that can be integrated into their daily routine. Students will also have access to videos on the instructor’s YouTube channel, and a DVD and digital material are available for purchase. The exercises will challenge and enhance flexibility, balance, and coordination. 

NOTE: This is an active class, and students need to be able to move comfortably in a home space. Students need to be able to lie down on and get up from the floor. Since this course is online, students must be prepared to take complete responsibility for their own physical well- being. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

This course will introduce participants to natural burial (aka green, eco, conservation or forest burial) and empower them to make value-aligned choices for after-death care. Attendees will learn what industry standards and environmental practices make “green” burial so green, as well as what natural burials look like and entail. The course also covers prearrangement considerations, including Oregon’s legal requirements for making final disposition designations. Finally, a field trip invites participants to explore some of the Rogue Valley’s natural burial options. 

NOTE: Signed liability waiver required to participate.

The existential crisis we face due to global climate change and the copious need for data center electricity has brought renewed interest in nuclear energy. Recent advances in fission reactor technology such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and in plasma and fusion reactor science (the “breakeven” experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) hold promise for achieving these needs. In this course students will learn: 1) the history and context for nuclear energy; 2) fundamental physics of radioactivity, fission and fusion; 3) how nuclear reactors work; 4) safety, risk and licensing; 5) recycling and radioactive waste disposal; 6) current developments for advanced fission and fusion systems; 7) sociopolitical and socioeconomic issues; and 8) resource and supply chain issues.

NOTE: A scientific or technical background is not required for this course. All are welcome! 

“Prophet Song” is the 2023 Booker Prize winner by Irish novelist Paul Lynch. This gem of a novel was described as a “prophetic masterpiece” in the Washington Post. Through lyrical prose, Paul Lynch slowly reveals a horrific scenario through the experience of his protagonist Eilish, a scientist and mother of four, whose husband, a union organizer, is “disappeared” at the start of a hostile government takeover of Ireland. Described in the New York Times as coming “at a moment when the fear it addresses is daily in the news,” this novel is not an easy read, and yet it is essential. Students will read portions of the novel each week and discuss their responses to the unraveling of Eilish’s life. Students may find a glimmer of hope when introduced to the hidden mythic elements in the narrative. 

NOTE: Students are encouraged to read the entire novel before the course begins. 

Published in 1975, E.L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime” explores themes of race, class and the rise of consumer culture in the early 20th century across a wide variety of fictional and historical characters living in a world on the cusp of change. The intertwined storylines follow three families — a white upper-class family, Jewish immigrants and an African American couple with a newborn baby — as they search for belonging in a rapidly changing America. Using lectures, discussions and even music, we will examine both the times depicted in the novel and the societal factors that were at work when it was written. Fifty years have passed since “Ragtime” was published, yet its themes are still relevant: the complex drive for progress, the search for meaning and the struggle for freedom and peace.

NOTE: Participants should read the novel before the course begins. This course is part of an online share with OLLI at the University of Nevada, Reno. Please note that the last session(s) of the course extend beyond the OLLI at SOU term.

Northern Spain is a geologic wonderland that is easily explored because of its accessible coastline and mountain exposures. This course will focus on three areas, how they formed and how to visit them: 1) Los Picos de Europa, a National Park in Cantabria Province, where limestone peaks were formed during the Paleozoic Era and uplifted during the collision between Africa and Europe that also created the Alps. This province also contains an abundance of Paleolithic rock art. 2) The Dinosaur Coast in Asturias Province, where many types of dinosaurs roamed during the Jurassic Period. 3) The Basque Geopark in the Basque Country, where 60 million years of geologic history, including the end-of-Cretaceous mass extinction, are exposed along 20 km of spectacular coastline. 

What would you do if an emergency happened right now? Preparing for that emergency is vital. The bug-out bag has long since evolved from a backpack with water and granola bars to a comprehensive plan for caring for yourself and your family. This course is evolving with it. The goal of this course is twofold: to help you prepare to be self-sufficient until help arrives, even if that is weeks away, and to provide the knowledge and foundation to use your supplies successfully both during and after the emergency. We will look beyond prepping to topics such as situational awareness and conflict avoidance. This course specifically focuses on children and seniors. This is not a quick fix — it is a long-term undertaking that will require your time and planning. 

This course is the beginning of a multiyear discussion of the 1850-1880 Civil War era. Although war was not inevitable, it became increasingly likely as 1850s “influencers” in both the North and South drew ever-deepening lines in the sand. Three topics will be addressed: 1) Pasts and Preludes: What were the social and political conditions that created this contested monument in our national historical consciousness? 2) Abolitionists and Fire-Eaters: Both proslavery and antislavery politicians and preachers enlisted the Bible in their efforts to disentangle a knotty institution tightly wound in the nation’s identity, and 3) Widening Chasms and Existential Crises: By the early 1850s, the rifts in American society had widened so considerably that compromise seemed impossible to achieve.

NOTE: The course will meet on three nonconsecutive Wednesdays: Nov. 4, Nov. 18 and Dec. 2. This course is shared with OLLI at the University of Nevada, Reno. Please note that the last session of the course extends beyond the OLLI at SOU term.

We are experiencing challenges to our democracy that we have not had since the Civil War. Unfortunately, many of us can no longer identify the constitutional issues that are being threatened. The purpose of this class is to identify the current developments that present a direct challenge to our democracy and why they do. We will be looking at current events but the prism through which we will study these events is the U.S. Constitution. 

We are experiencing challenges to our democracy that we have not had since the Civil War. Unfortunately, many of us can no longer identify the constitutional issues that are being threatened. The purpose of this class is to identify the current developments that present a direct challenge to our democracy and why they do. We will be looking at current events but the prism through which we will study these events is the U.S. Constitution. 

Why is the English language so absurd, yet it is the language most often spoken around the world? Why are so many words pronounced differently, but spelled the same? Based on the antics of Bill Bryson, Richard Lederer, Gabe Henry and others, we will journey through history to find out why in the world K-N-I-G-H-T has so many silent letters. There is a logic to the language. There are reasons why English is so crazy, and you can discover some of the mysteries here. We will delve into the theories about how human language developed, based on extensive archeological and other scientific research. This course will explore how Homo sapiens differs from other species of the Homo genus and how we compare to other primates. Language was the pivotal development that changed the world.

In this writing course, we will first examine the structure, concision and imagery that Japanese poetry affords. Specifically, we will consider four classic forms: haiku, tanka, haibun and renga. We will discuss a variety of mentor poems to better understand structure, appropriate themes and, most importantly, the paradox between apparent simplicity and the profound meaning that is conveyed. Each session will include a brief lecture on a particular form, reading and discussion of selected mentor poems, brief in-class exercises when time allows, and the sharing of students’ poetry in a supportive and inclusive setting. Students will have outside writing assignments each week. All levels of writing experience are welcome.

This course presents three mini-histories of science, each centering on a question that has intrigued humanity for millennia: 1) How old is the Earth? 2) Are there beings on the heavenly bodies? 3) How do we find our way? (Mapmaking and direction-finding.) In each session we trace the history of answers to one of these questions from the Classical period to our present-day understandings. The trail leads to some fascinating nooks and crannies of both science and history. (Thomas Jefferson’s obsession with mammoths, for one.) We also explore how scientific thought was shaped by nonscientific beliefs that answered these questions with radically different assumptions and logic. Class sessions will consist of lectures with PowerPoint presentations and time for discussion and Q&A. 

NOTE: The online section of this course will not meet on Nov. 11.

The ballet barre is how professional dancers start their day. Often referred to as a “warm-up,” it brings blood flow to the small and large muscles of the body. A simple ballet barre, including stretches, will bring students to a new level of wellness, body awareness and confidence. During the four sessions, participants will learn about the eight progressive elements of barre work, including ballet stretches focusing on posture, strength, flexibility and artistry using household items as a ballet barre. While we are practicing the ballet stretches, the instructor will share notions specific to ballet, including those of French ballet from the Opéra de Paris, discuss ballet history of the Romantic ballet era (1830-1850) and share techniques in the art of ballet from around the world. 

NOTE: Participants should be able to stand on their feet for one hour. Bring a mat or blanket for floor stretches. All students are encouraged to practice at their own pace. No prior experience is necessary. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

Explore the greatest mystery in science and philosophy: consciousness. Everything we know, love and experience — including our sense of self — depends on it. How does the physical brain, the most complex object in the known universe, create our inner world of subjective awareness? We’ll unravel the leading theories of consciousness (including quantum theories) and examine why it even exists. Additional topics include out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, psychedelics and free will. This science-based course, with excursions into metaphysics and Buddhist philosophy, uses full-color slides, lecture, discussion and Q&A. No prerequisites — just bring your curious, conscious mind! 

Storytelling is a form of justice. Using the WOW Woman and the “Inside Ukraine” series, this class will shine the spotlight on a broad spectrum of Ukrainian women’s lives, including the brave and defiant Ukrainian women defending their right to live and prosper on their own land and those doing what they must for liberation. This exploration will be framed within the larger context of Ukrainian history and women’s spirituality as a path of spiritual transformation. Classes will include readings from WOW Woman and “Inside Ukraine,” lecture, discussion and ritual circles. 

NOTE: Suggested homework: read “Women and War: Letters From Ukraine to the Free World” by Aurelie Bros and WOW Woman (wowwoman.com/ukraine). Reflective writing and/or journaling are also suggested.