Glory to Goddess, Glory to God
Integrating Insights from Ancient India and Israel
How does the Western vision of God differ from the Indian vision of the Goddess?
Why is this important for personal, cultural and global growth?
How can we integrate sacred masculine and sacred feminine to bring balance to self and world?
This 4-week online course is for students looking to spot the unconscious underpinnings of Western civilization, born of the masculine mythology of ancient Israel.
This (often unconscious) cultural conditioning impacts our relationship to everything from women, to empathy, to nurturance, to respect for the planet itself.
We compare the Ancient Israelite desert discourse of God to water goddesses of the Ancient Near East. We then look to the Great Goddess of Ancient India as an important counter narrative, so needed in these times.
Ultimately, we aim at balancing masculine and feminine in self, community, culture - and especially to foster an ecologically sound global consciousness.
***This course counts as 8 hours of Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Credit***
Learning Outcomes
- Decode the masculine mythology underpinning western civilization with an eye-opening close reading of Genesis and Exodus
- Learn about water goddesses of the Ancient Near East and how they relate to the God’s desert discourse
- Learn the mechanics of feminine power outlined in the ancient Indian Sanskrit text “Greatness of the Goddess”
- Compare structurally opposed storyworlds of God the Father vs God the Mother
- Cultivate an appreciation for the feminine principle, manifest in all people, especially women, creatives, intuitives, in ecology, creativity, nurturance, the inner life
- Learn to integrate masculine and feminine to bring balance to self, community, world
Classes Include
- Profound mythological insights into human nature and Western culture
- Live Storytelling
- Discussion
- Examples and Case Studies
- Personal Experiences
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1
Decoding the Desert Discourse:
The Sacred Masculine of Ancient Israel
Module 2
Faces of Fertility:
Water Goddesses of the Ancient Near East
Module 3
The Greatness of the Goddess:
The Sacred Feminine of Ancient India
Module 4
Bringing Balance:
Integrating Masculine and Feminine,
Embracing Mother Earth
LIVE ZOOM CLASSES
(Recordings Provided)
Mondays @ 2:00pm - 3:30pm ET
Module 1: Sept 11, 2023
Module 2: Sept 18, 2023
Module 3: Sept 25, 2023
Module 4: Oct 2, 2023
Decoding the Desert Discourse
Module 1
-
The Sacred Masculine of Ancient Israel
-
The Glory of God the Desert Father
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Usurping of of the Feminine Function
Faces of Fertility
Module 2
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Water Goddesses of the Ancient Near East
- Isis of Egypt
- Aphrodite of Greece
- Ishtar of Mesopotamia
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Fertility Consciousness and Nature Worship
The Greatness of the Goddess
Module 3
-
The Sacred Feminine of Ancient India
- The revolutionary Sanskrit text, "The Greatness of the Goddess"
- Visions of Feminine Power
Bringing Balance
Module 4
-
Integrating Masculine and Feminine
- Moving past patriarchy to embracing the Globe
- Revering Mother Earth
Course Instructor
Dr. Raj Balkaran is an expert in Indian traditions. Skilled at applying ancient Indian teachings to modern life, he dovetails academic training, live storytelling, and life wisdom to nourish his students’ hearts and minds alike.
He is also an avid spiritual practitioner and initiate into ancient Indian wisdom practices, which he has been engaged in for over two decades. He has extensive experience teaching academics, continuing studies learners, and practitioners alike, and is a seasoned online educator. See https://rajbalkaran.com for more information.
Questions about this course?
Contact him directly at [email protected].
