Explorations in Eastern Mysticism - Taoism

TAOISM COURSE OUTLINE

PART I

Lecture 1, CD 1 :

• Track 1 (15:14)
  - background and comments to the text, The Way of Life by Lao Tzu, and this particular translation by R. B. Blakney;
  - introduction to the Taoism approach, and the meaning of the "Tao" or the "Way."

• Track 2 (16:48)
  - explanation of "The Way" continued; Western equivalent mentioned;
  - the link with Zen;
  - about Lao Tzu;
  - reference to the "King" in the scriptures;
  - Confucianism and Taoism compared.

• Track 3 (16:27)
  - comments on the occurrence of a number of great souls all appearing around the same time as Lao Tzu;
  - poems to be covered in the text;
  - quotation from Chuang Tzu, a disciple of Lao Tzu;
  - explanation of the "Tao" or the "Way" as embodied in the soul, and the meaning of "Tao Te Ching";
  - mystics' experience of Being as indivisible.

• Track 4 (8:41)
  - continuation of previous theme of the experience of mystics, e.g. Jesus and Buddha;
  - true meaning of "individual";
  - theme of manifestation and non-manifestation of the Tao;
  - Socrates mentioned.

Lecture 1, CD 2:

• Track 1 (13:52)
  - beginning of discussion of poems in the text that describe "the wise man";
  - Poem #1, the secret of the way to the "Way";
  - Poem #2, discussion of opposites; Socrates mentioned; idea that in combating evil the tendency is to become evil ourselves; Gandhi cited as an exception.

• Track 2 (14:39) Continuation of description and discussion of "the wise man."

• Track 3 (14:48)
  - continuation of previous theme; "the wise man" teaches by example;
  - analogy of the boat, which cannot move by itself;
  - the "Way" working through the wise man.

• Track 4 (16:13)
  - continuation of "the wise man" theme;
  -Poem #7, "the wise man" is the mystic; quotation from St. Paul;
  - idea that we cannot destroy the world;
  - spiritual life as chief way to deny the self.

Lecture 2, CD 1:

• Track 1 (15:59)
  - comparison between the Sufi and Taoist approach;
  - the founding and founders of religions.

• Track 2 (15:17)
  Continuation of previous themes; Sufi approach of love; quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Track 3 (13:23)
  - continuation of the comparison between paths of love and knowledge;
  - idea of living for the Lord [Divine].

• Track 4 (13:20) Qualifications for the soul mate relationship.

Lecture 2, CD 2:

• Track 1 (13:32) Continuation of theme of the soul mate relationship.

• Track 2 (17:21)
  - Poem #9, theme of desire;
  - Poem #10, animal nature, anger and hatred discussed.

• Track 3 (13:11) Continuation of previous theme; importance of breath control.

• Track 4 (11:50)
  - continuation of previous theme;
  - Christ's unique saying: "love your enemies" and his example.

PART II

Lecture 3, CD 1:

• Track 1 (20:56)
  - Poem #11 discussed;
  - appeal of the idea of the "Way" vs. "God"; God taught as judgmental in Western religions; the real nature of the deity;
  - Poem #12, the power of the senses.

• Track 2 (16:11)
  - Poem #13;Christ's prayer "lead us not into temptation";
  - Poem #15, description of the mystic.

• Track 3 (14:30)
  - continuation of previous theme; Poem #16, description of ultimate emptiness.

• Track 4 (12:14)
  - continuation of discussion of Poem #16;
  - Poem #20, susceptibility to depression in spiritual life.

Lecture 3, CD 2:

• Track 1 (14:27)
  - continuation of previous theme in Poem #20;
  - discussion of the development of balance of the masculine and feminine natures;
  - woman's need of understanding on the spiritual path.

• Track 2 (13:58)
  - Poem #22;
  - definition of idolatry;
  - Poem #28 with return to the theme of the feminine and masculine;
  - Poems #29 and 30.

• Track 3 (15:51)
  - continuation of Poem #30 and previous themes;
  - Poems #33, 38 and 44 covered; self-restraint described;
  - Poem #45.

• Track 4 (14:20)
  - continuation of theme in Poem #45; the web of life;
  - Poem #46, theme of contentment; Poem #48 covered.

Lecture 4, CD 1:

• Track 1 (14:24)
  - relationship between the "Way" and the divine incarnation;
  - Poem #47; yogi is different from rest of us; for most of us the ego is to be overcome in the world, not in monasteries.

• Track 2 (13:07) Poems #49, 50, 52; control of the senses.

• Track 3 (15:39)
  - continuation of previous theme; importance of understanding;
  - idea that sometimes a sentence of death is necessary to make us serious about life;
  - Poems #55, 56, and 59.

• Track 4 (12:37)
  - Poem #66, comparison between temperaments of those in the East and West;
  - Poem #67, compassion as greatest virtue in Taoism and also Buddhism;
  - Poem #68, the soldier, police officer and violence.

• Track 5 ( 8:34) Poem #70, what the jewel in the breast is.

• Track 6 ( 8:26) Poem #71, Socrates mentioned as wisest man in Athens.

Lecture 4, CD 2:

• Track 1 (11:29) Continuation of previous theme; importance of individuality.

• Track 2 (15:25)
  - continuation of previous theme and importance of the study of your own mind;
  - Poem #78 covered.

• Track 3 (13:05) Start of discussion of Poems on the subject of the "Way";
  - Poems #4, 14, and Poem #21, the importance of virtue; Poems #23, 25 and 35.

• Track 4 (14:11)
  - Poem #36, example of Job in the Bible given;
  - Poem #41; Poem #79, how to deal with wicked people;
  - Saying from the Sufis discussed.

• Track 5 (6:46) Continuation of previous theme; example of artist as creator.

Taoism Course, 4 Lectures--8 CDs, and The Way of Life text ($6.95 retail)   $47.90, now $43.11!

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