For Monday 1/9

1) Read over syllabus once, there will be a short quiz on Monday to check that you read it.  This should take you 5-10 minutes max!  Please take the time to read it and write down any important dates in your planner, like April 3rd, the due date for your Spiritual Activity!

2) My Spirituality: Where Do I Stand? 

Worth 50 points

Please type 2-3 pgs, 1 1/2 spaced, 12 pt. font, an overview of Where You Are at this point in your life in regards to religion/spirituality. You may be very personal about this, and/or you may analyze religion in general from your point of view. Be sure and take time to describe how your path has evolved and what has brought you to where you are today: key influences, experiences, questions.... How would you describe to someone your own view of the world, your philosophy, your sense of yourself, your religiousness/spirituality? This is due Monday at the beginning of class, and please be prepared to share by reading a portion of your essay! I look forward to hearing from you!  We will hear from everyone throughout the week.  Let's start where we find ourselves.

1) Please click the link on the main page for BARAKA and review the questions and links to get a sense of what we will be watching!  One link is posted to the right, but be sure and look at the main page to see what questions I'm asking you to respond to! PRINT THESE QUESTIONS OUT FOR YOURSELF TO ANSWER.

Talk during the week with your family about the religions of the world and how they can coexist!

2) For 4th class meeting - Friday, please read pgs. 1-15 in Smith's World's Religions.  Be sure and notice the art, photos, and images, important part of these traditions!

Then summarize in paragraphs and/or bullet points Smith's approach to "religion", about 1 pg.

I will collect in class.

http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/baraka.aspx

BARAKA

For 2nd class meeting, please read flaps, intro. and through pg. 20 in Zinn's Wherever You Go There You Are and write a 1 pg. typed (1 1/2 spaced) or handwritten (as most of you did this in class) response to any theme or combination of themes he raises! We will discuss in class!

WE WILL DO THIS IN CLASS TOGETHER, NO HOMWORK FOR YOU!  GET  YOUR BOOKS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! NO EXCUSES, PLEASE!

For 3rd class meeting, please read article handed out in class by Ken Wilber, The Universe Within.  Pay close attention to what he means by the Perennial Philosophy, deep structures, and surface structures .  Write a 3/4 - 1 pg. handwritten or typed summary of the reading...highlighting the above and any other key terms.  Ken Wilber is one of the leading thinkers/philosophers of today!

Keep discussing and thinking about how different religious traditions and secular/atheist/agnostic traditions can coexist in our pluralistic world.  What do you think?

For Monday, begin reading Ch IX on Primal Religions in Smith.  You need to answer the questions on the website listed under Smith Questions.  The Primal Religion section is the 1st section.  .   Please answer questions 1-6 for Monday, and 7-13 for 2nd class meeting.  I will check to see if you have 1-6 on Monday and will collect all 13 questions at our 2nd class meeting.  Enjoy.

We will begin discussing primal religions and a general overview of what's involved in the study of religion.

Read links to the right for an introduction to Lakota Spirituality for Mr. Patrick Lynch's talk on Monday.   One of the ESSENTIALS for understanding the Lakota

(also called Sioux - means "snake" and used by other tribes as derogatory) is the concept of ANIMISM (from the Latin anima - spirit/soul).  This means all things, rocks, trees, animals, humans have indwelling spirits and these spirits can be good or bad !  Also, the primal world always sees itself in relation to others, tribe, nature, etc....

I WILL HOLD OFF THE 1 pg SUMMARY, AS YOU HAVE DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF WRITING AND WILL DO MORE!  PLEASE READ THESE LINKS TO THE RIGHT IN PREPRARATION FOR MR. LYNCH'S TALK AND WRITE A SUMMARY IF YOU FEEL SO INCLINED, BUT IT IS NOT REQUIRED!  IF YOU DO NOT READ, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND FAR LESS, SO PLEASE RESPECT THE TIME I PUT INTO FINDING THE LINKS AND THE TIME MR.  LYNCH IS PUTTING IN TO PRESENT TO YOU.   PEACE!

Please write a 1 pg. summary and reflection of the readings for Monday, please reference the reading directly.  What is Lakota Spirituatliy?  You will enjoy Mr. Lynch's talk!

http://www.elexion.com/lakota/lakota2.htm

http://www.elexion.com/lakota/wisdom/texto06b.htm

http://www.elexion.com/lakota/wisdom/texto19b.htm

(READ UP TO ON CIVLIZATION)

Please read links for 2nd class meeting in preparation for our viewing of the second half of Whale Rider.  This is about the Maori of New Zealand.  I will not require you to write a summary of the readings...please read for background, as you will be lost in the film otherwise!  This should not take you long.   You will enjoy this film!

http://www.whaleriderthemovie.com

(CLICK MOVIE, THEN CLICK SYNOPSIS, feel free to poke around further if you like!)

http://www.haro-online.com/movies/whale_rider.html

http://www.movienet.com/whalerider.html

Please read Novak selections from Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and Grace Notes.  I will collect these on Wed/Thurs, 2nd meeting of next week (an extra day to work on this) .  See Novak link for questions and you must answer #'s 11, 12, 27-29 (5 questions) & then choose any additional 7 questions under any sub-heading (Vedas, Upanishads, Gita). Total = 12 Questions! 

You should aim for at least 2  from each sub-heading.

Read pgs. 58-70 in Smith on Buddhism and answer questions that apply (#1-5). For 2nd class meeting!  Please keep up with your reading so you can contribute to the class discussion and know what I am talking about during lecture. 

Have a nice Magazine Holiday break!  For Monday, you are to finish reading Buddhism section, and given our discussion (4th period),  instead of answering 19-30, please respond to these prompts:

1) What is Zen?

2) Describe Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism

4-5 sentences each...

Conclude with 2-3 questions you have about Buddhism at this point!

I will collect 1-18 questions and the above on Monday!

Tashi Delek (means "Cheers"  in Tibetan)

For Tuesday, please bring home Kabat-Zinn and read any 2-3 selections in his text.  Start with the Table of Contents and choose what sounds most interesting to you.  Please come to class on Tuesday with a 1-2 pg. write-up, typed, 1 1/2 spaced, of  the 2-3 selections...you need to do the following:

1) Identifiy which 2-3 you read

2) Respond to each in a few sentences...what is Kabat-Zinn addressing in this selection?

3) What relevance does this have in the way you approach your life, this last semester of your SI experience?

Obviously, you need to bring this book to class next week.

Have a nice quarter break.  I intentionally gave you a more reflective assignment that will be easy for you to do and rather interesting as well.  I look forward to hearing your responses.

We are watching Kundun this week about the 14th Dalai Lama and China's invasion of Tibet.

See main page for these links!  Under Buddhism!

1)Please read Kundun Overview for background.

2) Kundun & Tibet questions need to be answered while we watch the film.  Type or write neatly.  Many answers are in the background, some are in the film and others are in the link to International Campagin for Tibet.

3) Please click on Internationl Campaign for Tibet and notice that Jack Kamm's '05 father is mentioned on the main page at the bottom.  This link will also help you answer the questions above.

4) For your own research and interest.  Visit the additional links below at your lesiure this week.

www.studentsforafreetibet.org

www.tibet.org

GET YOUR PERMISSION SLIP SIGNED AND RETURNED TO ME!

1) Questions listed above are due 2nd meeting this week.

2) Kabat-Zinn reflection from last week is also due tomorrow.  You have already done this.  Please bring to class both the Kundun/Tibet Questions and Kabat-Zinn response.

1) You are to begin reading the link on the main page Four Noble Truths by Ajahn Sumedho.  This will be the backbone of your upcoming final synthesis, thus you need to read carefully and begin reflecting on the deeper layers of this teaching. 

There are many links on the left hand side of the link.  You need to do the following:

1) Read the Introduction - print and highlight or take notes for use later.

2) Read the link for each Noble Truth: First, Second, Third, & Fourth - also print and highlight or take notes.

3) Notice how the 8-Fold Path is divided up into 3 sections, please note these, very important distinctions.

4) Finally, you are to click on 3 other links of your choosing.  They are all quite good, but see what draws your attention. Please note which one's you choose and take notes/highlight accordingly. 

You will turn in this preparation work with your final synthesis which will be due next week.  More details to follow on your final synthesis.  For now, just begin reading and thinking and putting things together in your head.  Ask for clarification questions this week and next.

Please visit the website of where we are visiting on Monday. 

www.sfzc.org

Remember, please go directly to the bus after 4th period...we need to leave right away at 12:35.  Do not be late, we will leave you :(

1) Spiritual Activity Write-up is due 2nd meeting

2) We begin Islam this week.  Given the nature of this tradition and the very poor coverage of this wisdom tradition in the media, it is very important that you read and read carefully.  Thus, you are to read Chapter VI in Smith on Islam and answer Smith Questions on Islam...Answer #1-10 and #29, then choose 9 others of your choice, for a total of 20 questions!  DUE Monday April 10th!

3) We will have some short student led presentations on the chapters in Smith next week and the week before break.  I will also lead us in a Powerpoint overview of Islam.  Peace!

1) Read Novak Chapter Seven: Islam...Remember read selections of each...Qu'ran, Hadith, Sufis, Malcolm X.

2) Then answer Novak Questions, #1-10, #32, and choose any additional 3 for a total of 15 questions. 

3) Conclude with a 1 pg, typed, 1 1/2 spaced (no more than 1 page) reflection on this prompt: Islam means...

We will share these in class at our 3rd meeting.  I have decided to divide the class into 2 sections for our 3rd meeting.  Half of you will meet for the 1st 25 minutes, 2nd half will meet the last 25 minutes.  This will be your Final Synthesis Grade for Islam.  If you miss that day, you must schedule a one on one meeting with me to discuss Islam.  Everyone is asked to contribute on that day.

Novak Questions and 1 pg. reflection due 3rd meeting this week.

1) Please read Smith's chapter on Taoism. It is the shortest chaper in the book, so you should be able to finish and answer questions for Smith.  There are only 6 questions...please answer them with thoughtful analysis and reflection.

Due Monday May 1st

Please read Smith's chapter on Taoism. It is the shortest chaper in the book, so you should be able to finish and answer questions for Smith.  There are only 6 questions...please answer them with thoughtful analysis and reflection.

Due Monday May 1st

For Tuesday, May 23, please read Smith's Final Examination pgs. 244-249.  Please bring your book to class as we will reference what he says.  Please answer these 3 questions in your notes for our discussion the final week of classes. 

1) How does Smith deal with the relation between religions?

2) What wisdom do these Wisdom Traditions offer the world?

3) Given our pluralistic, modern world, what is our response going forward in the complex times we are living in?