Personal Exploration   

Have you ever wondered how you might feel stable and more at ease in unstable and uncertain times? This six-week course, for the novice as well as for the seasoned meditator, is designed to be user-friendly and devoid of any ideological framework. It aims to integrate the practice of meditation seamlessly into ordinary life. It’s an invitation to quiet an overactive mind, regulate and calm your nervous system and follow your curiosity down the yellow brick road of your inner world, as well as to better understand how we all create our subjective experience. Each class will include discussion, guidance and lengthening periods of meditative practice. 

NOTE: Participants from previous classes are welcome to repeat this class. It is quite useful to deepen the meditation experience. 

From history and herstory to heresy, Karen Tate discusses aspects of sacred feminine liberation theology that might be most crucial for humanity’s healing and evolution. How one comes to discover Goddess might determine what one learns — and does not learn — about the Great She. Discover the divine feminine as deity, archetype and ideal in this course that uses lecture, discussion, activities, slides and some meditations.

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.

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.

This nine-week course explores the chakra system and its relationship to emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Students will learn the function of each major chakra, common signs of balance and imbalance, and practical techniques for supporting overall well-being through greater self-awareness. Topics include the energetic body, the seven primary chakras, the aura, grounding practices, meditation, and the connection between thoughts, emotions and energy. Instruction will include lectures, group discussion, guided exercises and experiential activities designed to help participants better understand and apply the concepts presented. The course is presented from an energy-healing perspective while encouraging personal exploration. 

NOTE: No prior knowledge or experience is required. Participants are encouraged to bring a notebook or journal for personal reflection. All participation is voluntary and may be adapted to individual comfort levels. There is no class on Nov. 11.

Most people want peace in their lives but many do not even know how to define it or create it. The book “The Peace Ability Mindset: Your Ultimate Guide to Practical Peace and Personal Wellbeing” by Reba J. Parker describes what peace is and how to create it in one’s life. Participants will become familiar with the peace ability mindset as Parker writes about teaching it in various settings — including in a police academy. She shares how students most benefited from learning nonviolent communication (NVC). Because of the importance of creating the peace ability mindset, the instructor will focus the second half of each session on activities to develop NVC skills.

NOTE: Suggested book purchase: “The Peace Ability Mindset: Your Ultimate Guide to Practical Peace and Personal Wellbeing” by Reba J. Parker. If participants have NVC cards they are encouraged to bring them.

Are you living your life in color? Color Your World is a short lecture/discussion series designed to give you tools for using color to enhance mood and well-being, inside and out. Session 1, Eat The Rainbow, helps you tantalize your taste buds, boost nutrition and increase mealtime enjoyment. Session 2, Closet Creations, is all about capsules, collections and creating your personal style. Session 3, Room Redos, is about small tweaks or total transformations for home decor that reflect you. Bring your current color dilemmas, projects and successes so we can learn from one another. Bonus: Session 3 includes a home decor exchange.

Step inside a circle of calm where the softest things in the universe can overcome the hardest, and discover Taoism as both a living philosophy and a practical toolkit for well-being. In this two-session introduction the instructor, a Taoist priest and founder of the School of Tao Chi, will demonstrate the living, working knowledge and application of Taoism in modern life. Applying ancient knowledge to our modern world through living practice and drawing on Taoism’s core ideas of yield-and-overcome and non-action with purpose, students will be shown the usefulness of this philosophy in modern life. Questions will be encouraged at the end of each class.

Every family carries secrets. This course explores family secrets from psychological and sociological perspectives. In our tell-all era, what secrets are kept and which are exposed? As we age, what do we do with secrets we have kept our whole lives? Ancestry explorations through DNA provide us with evidence of our origins and paternity/maternity. What do we do with those results? How do secrets interfere with relational closeness or distance? How are cultural secrets surrounding sexuality, immigration and war trauma steeped in shame and protected by shame? These are the areas of exploration for this class. Our core textbook walks us step by step through an exploration of whether to expose a secret and asks, “Whose secret is it?” 

NOTE: The textbook, Evan Imber-Black’s “The Secret Life of Families” (Bantam Books 1999), is still timely today and available through online sources for less than $20. Additional books in the bibliography are optional. 

This course will provide an understanding of the founders of modern psychology and a historical context of how modern psychology came about. Each founder had a valid and practical approach to appreciating human psychological health. The perspective that will be used is historical, seeing each founder as a practical observer of the human condition from their own perspective and the conditions that drove their search for meaning and health. The course format will be lecture with questions but not excessive debate. The aim is to have students appreciate how the three different approaches are complementary, not exclusive — rather like three brothers whose work complements one another’s.

NOTE: Students should have some basic information about Jung and Freud. Jung’s autobiography, “Memories, Dreams and Reflections” and “The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud” are helpful, but not necessary.

In this highly interactive wisdom-sharing course, you will be introduced to personal growth techniques that can help you to relieve the emotional pain you carry from feeling guilty, shameful or embarrassed about yourself. The backbone of the course will be discussions of the academic understandings of how guilt, shame and embarrassment originate and persist in our minds. We’ll examine specific issues (body shame, deceit, low self-esteem) that participants want to resolve. Powerful “ah-ha!” moments will help everyone to transform negative self-judgment into self-compassion and to remain on your path of authenticity guiding you to a shame-free future of expanded clarity and freedom. Sensitive subjects will be discussed, but participation in discussion is always voluntary.

We appear to be as polarized as ever. According to David Brooks, author of “How to Know a Person,” it doesn’t take much to connect with a stranger. The best attitude is to be open, confident and curious. Listen closely for a vulnerability that they share. Try sharing a similar vulnerability to develop a deeper connection with them. During classes, we will learn how to handle tough conversations. Get into the “zone” with anyone, whether a stranger or acquaintance. Make new friends! The course will use “How to Know a Person” by David Brooks along with books by Charles Duhigg (“Supercommunicators”) and Emily Kasriel (“Deep Listening”). The course will be taught over five lectures. Discussions will be guided by PowerPoint presentations. Optional conversational exercises will be provided

Me? Teach an OLLI course? Yes, you have unique life experiences to share, just as other instructors who teach courses throughout a term do. In this course, the instructor will share her life experiences in detail, including travel, hobbies, and social and political activities with the hope that students will share theirs. Together we will talk about our interests and histories of courses taken at OLLI at SOU. OLLI courses come from an individual’s experience, knowledge and passion for a topic. Hopefully, this time together will lead students to a desire to teach an OLLI course in the future.

Facing a major life change? Retirement? Empty nest? Divorce? New job? During big transitions, having a framework for self-reflection can help us increase satisfaction, provide a forum for exploring feelings, maintain equilibrium and reduce overall stress. Ruth Halpern will introduce processes for identifying values, goals and activities that will help make your transition, with all its challenges, into an opportunity to live more expansively. We’ll use an assortment of techniques, including journaling, doodling, improv games, group discussion, and brief stories and lectures. 

NOTE: Ruth Halpern’s Transitions Workbook will be available for optional purchase for $25.

This course provides a calm and supportive introduction for older adults who are curious about psilocybin. Participants will learn about safety, preparation and what to consider when exploring psilocybin. Through open discussion and reflection, participants are welcome to ask questions and to follow their curiosity in a respectful and comfortable environment. This course is educational in nature and is not intended as therapy or medical guidance. Participants are encouraged to seek licensed professional support for personal or clinical concerns.

This class will explore and discuss four famous spiritual teachers: Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi and Jane Goodall. Each class will include a short meditation, teachings, Q&A, class discussion, and time for tea and cookies. There will be several documentary films. Breakout groups will be held on weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9. We will be studying and discussing the life and core teachings of each figure, his or her place in history, and their lasting impact on the world. This is designed to be a course in comparative religion, spirituality and philosophy. Therefore, a diverse range of ideas, understandings and responses — positive, negative and neutral — will be examined and considered in a safe space. There will be optional reading assignments and suggested homework. All are welcome!

Come and enjoy stress melting away with the deep relaxation of Lisa’s guidance that will be integrated with recordings of great contemporary spiritual teachers such as Alan Watts, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle and Shinzen Young. The focus will be on cultivating equanimity with challenging circumstances, both personal and collective, and connecting to your own inner resources for letting go when holding on is too difficult. This focus also greatly helps with accessing and trusting your inner wisdom and intuition for healing and peace of body and mind. No previous experience with meditation is necessary. No specific belief system is necessary. 

This course explores a practical model of the human spirit through three knowing centers: the Ego Center (sense of self and identity), the Heart Center (compassion and connection) and the Control Center (awareness, decision-making and action). Students will examine how life experiences shape these centers and influence behavior. The course also introduces the God-Soul as a source of wisdom and explores how its interaction with the human spirit can foster transformation. Participants will identify patterns of alignment and imbalance through discussion, reflection and small breakout groups. Class members may well leave with a clearer internal map of how they function and insight into how to live with greater empathy and intention.

Share ideas, make new friends and celebrate women in an updated answer to the salons of the French Enlightenment. Find common ground and camaraderie with other women via conversation and intellectual stimulation using modern pop culture as the catalyst for discussion— like a book club, but with films. At the first meeting, students will jointly select themes, which can range from angels to zeitgeist, diving deep into topics that touch women across ages, cultures, communities and circumstances. Weekly emails will include film titles and links to quotes, articles, visual artistic works and music that will become touchstones to recall personal stories and insights to share in discussions at the following sessions. Classes may include a short meditation. 

NOTE: Students will watch one to two films weekly at home before class, chosen from current selections on Netflix, Amazon Prime and/or other popular streaming services available via free trials. 

How often do you automatically say yes when you really want to say no? This course is an invitation to people-pleasers who are ready to slow down and explore what’s true for them. Through somatic and grounding practices, nervous system education, journaling, playful exploration and circle discussion, everyone will have the opportunity to develop self-awareness tools, deepen understanding of their own patterns, and begin to reconnect with what they actually feel and need. Weather permitting, some sessions will meet outdoors in nature. No prior experience or knowledge required — only a willingness to show up. Topics include understanding people-pleasing patterns, nervous system basics, body-based regulation tools, self- compassion and play. Bring a notebook for time to journal.

NOTE: Between sessions, participants will be offered an optional reflection prompt to carry into their week. These prompts are invitations to notice and observe — not assignments. Students will share thoughts and experiences as they are comfortable.

Each of us goes through important major changes in our lives, requiring us to adapt and accept the new realities that life presents. Because of the nature of our individual lives, no blueprint is available. Instead, we need to see what we are facing and make the necessary adaptations to what life presents to us. Each class will start with watching a short video to set the theme, after which there will be questions and discussion. The purpose is to encourage attendees to ask their own questions of themselves and direct their own ongoing resolutions. 

NOTE: This course will be based on the book “Transitions” by William Bridges, which is required reading. Read the first two chapters before class and continue reading throughout the course to maximize the use of time in class. 

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! 

Step away from tech and text. This is old school Instagram — with Intention. Learn to harness the power of visualization to create positive change in your life as we peruse concepts found in “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne and “Notes From the Universe” by Mike Dooley, with more on his website tut.com. Discover the many ways to make a vision board that is your perfectly personal Pinterest on paper. Create a unique, tangible visual reference for your future life using resources such as old magazines, junk mail, package wrappings and greeting cards. (Hint: Start collecting now). Add bling or keep it simple. Gather, share and cut paper materials in Session 1. Glue at home and come back to share your creations in Session 2. It’s up to you to design your future!

NOTE: Supplies will be explained in the precourse email. There is no class on Nov. 13.

Wild writing is about coming home to ourselves, a loose and freeing technique to write about what is authentic in our lives. It’s a safe harbor where members will write to prompts from three easily understood poems. The instructor will read a poem, offer a few jump-off lines, read the poem again, and ask students to write as freely as possible with the pen never leaving the page — just say yes to whatever arises. Participants will write for up to 15 minutes per poem, and then they will read what they have written. Students will listen to one another without any comment, critique or cross talk. What’s written in the room will stay in the room. It’s a come-as-you-are party, whether one has lots of creative writing experience or none, a place where perfectionism is left at the door. 

NOTE: New poems and prompts will be offered this term, so previous students are welcome to take the course again. 

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.