Written by audarye
Saturday, 05 September 2009
Vaisnava Acaryas: September 21 - October 2, 2009.
Builds on the Certificate Level introductory module to Vaishnava Vedanta through a study of the major doctrines of prominent Vaishnava acharyas and their writings, the conditions of the formulation of their works, and the historical developments.
Teacher: Gopal Hari Dasa
Vaisnava Vedanta: September 28 - October 9, 2009.
“Vaishnava Vedanta” introduces Vedanta, with an emphasis on how Vaishnava acharyas, especially Ramanuja and Madhva, challenged Sankara's advaita-vedanta. This requires looking carefully at Sankara and at what assumptions the acharyas made in their refutations. The course also considers features of Jiva Goswami's and Baladeva Vidhyabhusana's acintya-bheda-abheda systems. The course frames the issues in meaningful ways for contemporary Vaishnava practitioners.
Teacher: Sudevi Dasi
Vastu/Jyotish Weekend: October 10 - October 11, 2009.
Vastu Shastra is the sacred Vedic science of architecture, derived from the Sthapatya Veda, an Upaveda (auxiliary) of the Atharva Veda. It instructs us how to harmonize our place of meditation, our work place and our home with natural and divine forces. If we are having trouble at home or at work, if finances are weak, if our family or staff are unhappy, then Vastu can prove beneficial.
Jyotish is an important branch of the Vedas. Jyoti means 'light or energy rays' and Isha means 'God, or control'. Jyotish gives divine enlightenment on individual destiny.
Teacher: Arjuna Dasa, a disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has been working as a Vastu and Jyotish consultant for temples in Mauritius and India since 1981. He is visiting Europe to teach and do consultations.
Bhakti-yoga Retreat: October 24 - November 14, 2009.
Looking for an opportunity to enhance and enliven your spiritual life? Eager for a retreat in a remote and calmer environment? This three-week introductory course provides you with an opportunity to improve your meditation (japa), hear about the bhakti tradition, and learn about yoga postures.
In this retreat you will learn more about the bhakti-sastras, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, deepen your knowledge of bhakti-yoga, and discuss philosophical topics. There will be ample time to experience simple living and high thinking with an emphasis on a balanced life and spiritual well-being.
Allow yourself the time to retreat into more reflective rhythms and join other devotees in their learning, creativity, and other expressions of devotion to Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. After completing this bhakti-yoga retreat, you will be better prepared to further advance in your regular surroundings. Please join us!
Course Contents
- Discussions on philosophical topics in the bhakti tradition
- Reflections on bhagavad-gita in the light of western thought
- Japa meditation and reception
- Yoga sessions and field trips
- Bhakti-yoga in practice
Course Fee
€ 195, including accommodation and prasadam.
More information and registration
Mangala Candrika Dasi, Bhaktivedanta College Secretary
Tel.: +32 (0)86 32 32 77
Email: college@pamho.net
www.bhaktivedantacollege.com
Bhaktivedanta College
Petite Somme 5
6940 Septon (Durbuy)
Belgium
Prabhupada Retreat: October 26 - October 30, 2009.
Four days of listening, discussions, and reflection on Srila Prabhupada's example and teachings, based on the recollections of a direct, intimate witness: Dhananjaya Dasa and his wife Bala Gopala Dasi. This course promotes appreciation for Srila Prabhupada and his relevance to the lives of ISKCON members.
Teacher: Dhananjaya Dasa and Bala Gopala Dasi
History of ISKCON: November 2 - November 6, 2009.
Explores the historical development of ISKCON and identifies landmarks in the development of ISKCON thinking; teaches recognition of how changing circumstances within ISKCON shaped the organisation’s view of its identity and mission.
Second week: 16-20.11.2009.
Teacher: Urmila Dasi
ISKCON and Society: November 2 - November 13, 2009.
Identifies the key concepts of both Western and Vedic sociological theory and examines them in the context of present-day ISKCON. By examining changing societies (particularly ISKCON), with the purpose of digesting the sociological constructs that run them, students become able to apply this knowledge in the improvement of relationships, communities, and societies.
Teacher: Urmila Dasi
Systemic Counseling: November 25 - November 29, 2009.
Learn skills necessary for more meaningful relationships; overcome blocks to effective communication; learn to use empathic listening; study problem-solving strategies; become empowered to take responsibility and to make and keep commitments; access your natural capacity for making clear, appropriate decisions; gain insights into your personality and the way you run your life.
Teacher: Krishna-lila Dasi
Introduction to Sanskrit: November 30 - December 4, 2009.
Aims to give students an appreciation for the beauty and utility of the Sanskrit language. Upon completing the course students will have acquired the skills necessary to embark on a deeper study of the Sanskrit language. The course will focus on those aspects of the language that are most useful for the study of Srila Prabhupada's books. These include a basic familiarity with:
• the purpose of Sanskrit study
• the structure and scope of the language
• proper pronunciation of the alphabet
• frequently used verse meters
• rules of euphonic combination
• etymology and word derivation
Teacher: Radhika Ramana Dasa
Sad Sandarbhas: December 7 - December 11, 2009.
Provides students with historical background on the life of Jiva Goswami and detailed knowledge of the structure and contents of his principal theological ideas, as presented in the Sat-sandarbhasTeacher: Radhika Ramana Dasa
Reflections on Shri Caitanya-caritamrta: January 4 - January 8, 2010.
More than any other book, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta reveals our identities as Vaishnavas, for it roots us in the tradition we represent. Also, it yields deep insights into the life and philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The text thus provides us with the authority to spread His teachings. But, above all, this sacred biography gradually and methodically introduces us to the inconceivable love of God experienced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The course is meant to offer essential perspectives on our personal spiritual lives and aims to establish the dignity and authenticity of our sampradaya.
Teacher: Kadamba Kanana Swami
Classical and Medieval Philosophy: January 11 - January 22, 2010.
Classical and Medieval Philosophy introduces the most important thinkers and ideas of the West in a chronological overview, from the Greeks to the 1500s. The overview makes it possible to understand the nature and the deeper meaning of Western philosophy. While giving due attention to the individual features of the work of the various thinkers, two distinct phases are discerned: the formation of the discipline in classical Greece and the synthesis with Christianity that philosophy entered into in the Middle Ages.
Teacher: Mahendra Dasa
Vedas and Upanishads: January 18 - January 29, 2010.
Provides students with a broad understanding of the principal religious and philosophical ideas contained in the four Vedas and the principal Upanishads, supported by an in-depth study of selected texts.
Teacher: Gopinath Acharya Dasa
Interfaith: January 30 - January 31, 2010.
This is an interactive course showing what interfaith activity is and why it is important for ISKCON members. We analyze various types of interfaith programs, and students learn to present concepts of Krishna consciousness in a personal manner. We study the essential principles of a Vaishnava approach to dealing with members of other faiths and practical guidelines for meeting them. The course includes a field trip to religious communities.
Teacher: Saunaka Rsi Dasa
Care for Devotees: February 8 - February 12, 2010.
The course will include material on varieties of pastoral care that are being practiced in spiritual organizations, current issues in the delivering of pastoral care, the nature of pastoral care, and the need for pastoral care within communities. We will also discuss a variety of current ideas and developments regarding pastoral care within ISKCON communities.
Below are a few questions to consider for our upcoming seminar:
(1) Have you ever received spiritual care when you needed it? What was that like?
(2) Have you ever provided spiritual care to someone in need? How was that experience for you? For the recipient?
(3) Have you ever seen someone who needed spiritual care but did not receive it? How might this situation have turned out differently?
(4) Have you ever deeply needed spiritual care but none was available in the way you truly needed it?
World Religions: February 15 - February 19, 2010.
World religions is a survey of the world’s major religious traditions. It will include reading and discussing short works by practitioners and outsiders, to show a range of possibilities for further study. The point of departure is that if there is to be meaningful communication of Krishna consciousness, then attempting to understand others’ viewpoints is crucial.
Teacher: Anupama Dasi
Sad Darshanas - The Six Indian Philosophies: February 22 - February 26, 2010.
Introduces the six philosophies of Hindu thought that have contributed most to defining historically Hindu ideas of world, self, God, and the process of liberation. Each philosophy is analyzed in terms of its basic perspective and categories, with the help of selected original texts in translation. The course provides tools for informed comparative studies and a broader grasp of the basis of traditional Vaishnava philosophy.
Teacher: Pranava Dasa
Modern Hindu Trends: March 1 - March 12, 2010.
Provides students with background on the emergence of modern Hinduism and a detailed understanding of the lives and teachings of the Hindu reformers who shaped it.
Teacher: Pranava Dasa
Congregational Preaching: March 3 - March 5, 2010.
Identifies the successes and mistakes of more than twenty years of preaching in the United Kingdom. This course takes into account all the existing ISKCON programs of congregational development and some from other organizations, and helps students think about what will be right in various fields of preaching.
Teacher: Kripamoya Dasa
The Nectar of Instruction: Ten Minutes with a Genius: March 3 - March 5, 2010.
Srila Rupa Goswami and his community dominated the Medieval world of Indian metaphysics. He was a highly placed minister of Nawab Hussain Shaw, of Bengal, but still not happy. He renounced everything to follow the saint and mystic Sri Krsna Chaitanya. He obtained happiness by surfacing and drowning in the waves of the gopis' love for Lord Krsna. Rupa Goswami wrote more than 11,000 verses in 18 works and then summarized everything in just eleven verses.
Teacher: Hanumatpreshaka Swami
Introduction to Hinduism: March 8 - March 19, 2010.
Provides students with a comprehensive overview of Hindu history, theology, and social and political life.
Teacher: Gopinath Acharya Dasa
Japa/Kirtan Retreat with Sacinandana Swami: May 1 - May 7, 2010.
The idea of having a 'japa/kirtana retreat' devolved from the well-attended, inspirational japa retreats. The dharma for the Age of Kali is sankirtana, the loud singing of the holy name of the Lord. This retreat simultaneously examines the deep instructions available on japa and kirtana and engages participants in the practice of both. Vaishnava scriptures contain a wealth of information on kirtana. I immediately applied them, and since them my practice of kirtana has become much more than before.
I am unlimitedly grateful to Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas of our glorious parampara, who revealed detailed knowledge on how to perform kirtana. Out of gratitude, I and the other facilitators will share this knowledge in lectures, workshops and lila-katha, all centered on improving japa and becoming deeply absorbed in kirtanas. These retreats are open to anyone sincerely interested in practicing Krsna consciousness. -- Sacinandana Swami
P.S. I found a motivational quotation from the Visnu Purana (6. 2.16): "The result of all spiritual processes (meditation, sacrifices, Deity worship) can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the holy names of Lord Keshava (sankirtya kesavam). O great sages, a small effort in Kali-yuga is the cause of the greatest good fortune for mankind. No doubt, I am most satisfied by this particular yuga."