Please read over Syllabus & Spiritual Activity Project - links are on the main page.

Come to class with any questions you have about the course.

Please research your choice of religion and come with a 2 paragraph typed summary of the religion to share with the class.

Please read Huston Smith's introduction in The World Religions textbook (the big one). Please read pgs. 6-15 and summarize on a sheet of paper his 7 main points, what the book is about and what it is not about?

We will go over these in class on Monday.

For our 2nd meeting, please read through pg. 28. of The Human Condition...please read the introduction as well, then,

Answer these questions to help guide our discussion tomorrow:

1) What is deification?

2) What is the false self?

3) What happens to the false self when we allow the Divine to come through us?

4)"Contemplative prayer begins to make us aware of the divine presence within us, the source of true happiness." Explain what Keating means by this.

5) Read pgs. 27-28 carefully....One of our Jesuit themes is "Finding God in All Things" - how does Keating explain God's presence? Does this resonate with you or not?

6) Respond to anything else you read in your own words....

Since the Bruce is tonight...you will have no homework due Wed, the rest of Keating is due at our 4th meeting this week.

Go SI!

See you at the game!

For our 4th meeting, please finish reading The Human Condition and answer the following questions to prepare for discussion:

1) What does Keating have to say about anxiety and annoyance?

2) What are the emotional programs for happiness?

3) "Spiritual Awareness is designed by God to become our normal awareness." How does Keating make the case for this? What do you think?

4) How does overidentification with family, nation, thoughts, emotions, attachments & aversions keep us from seeing that we are in God's presence all of the time?

5) Respond to anything else you read in your own words....

For Tuesday (we have Monday off), please read the following 2 pages on Meditation and bring to Orradre Chapel. Please bring your Zinn text -Wherever You Go There You Are - to the chapel as well. We will sit together and discuss meditation together.

How to Meditate

We begin our 1st major religious tradition - Primal or Indigenous Religions.

1) Please read Ch IX on Primal Religions in Huston Smith's World's Religions.  You need to answer the questions on the website listed under Smith Questions.  The Primal Religion section is the 1st section.  These are due Monday - 1/26.   We will be in Orradre Chapel that day for Mr. Lynch's presentation on Lakota Spirituality. I will collect the assignment then. See me with any questions.

Due your 4th meeting this week - 1st - Thurs, 6th - Fri

1) Please read the Primal Religions chapter in Novak (The World's Wisdom - read a sampling under each heading), and answer 1st 3 questions, then choose 1 from each subheading, and any additional 2 for a total of 10 questions answered.  See the Novak Questions link, as this will make more sense to you looking at that. You do NOT have to type your questions, just make them neat and easy to read.  This is your chance to read primary sources from various indigenous cultures. Enjoy!

In case you were absent, here is the worksheet for the film - Whale Rider - Whale Rider Film Notes

Please watch the following 4 clips - see links to the right.

This will give you a chance to hear more primary testimony. Please write (handwritten or typed) a 2 paragraph summary and reflection on what you listened to. We will share these in class.

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/cliffcurtisclip1

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/tetaruwhiteclip2

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/righttobeme

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/rosepericlip2