It appears as if I’ve found a place to land for the next two years. The first week in August I’ll be starting a low-residency Master’s program in Consciousness Studies at Goddard College in Vermont.
In designing my proposed plan of study I have incorporated coursework in the following areas:
Science courses focused on sensation, perception, and cognition.
Religious Studies and Philosophy courses focusing on spiritual growth and contemplative practices.
The scientific study of the effects of contemplative practice by which I mean all practices that bring us into the present moment.
Personal contemplative practice, primarily silent retreat.
The following is a preliminary draft of coursework to be completed as part of the Master of Arts in Individualized Studies, Concentration in Consciousness Studies.
Summer/Fall 2008
Literature Review of the Physiological, Behavioral, Biochemical and Neurological effects of silent, seated mediation (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Vipassana Meditation, Yoga Nidra).
Functional Neuroanatomy*
Psychology of personality*
Physiology & Psychology Implicit and Explicit learning*
Personal silent retreat
Winter/Spring 2009
Literature Review of the scientific studies examining the effects of mediative movement including tai chi, hatha yoga, tandava (tantric dance), body sensing, and dance therapy.
Biochemistry*
Stages of Spiritual Development
Cognitive Psychology*
Personal silent retreat
Summer/Fall 2009
Literature Review of scientific studies examining auditory/vocal meditative practices including chanting (kirtan, qwaali, Gregorian), mantra repetition, rosary prayer, and musical improvisation.
Design study for practicum incorporating yoga nidra in transition population such as residents of a hospice, participants in a residential drug treatment program, or recently diagnosed cancer patients.
Understanding the role of extended abstention from speaking in contemplative practices. Survey the use of 10 day silent retreats and vows of silence in spiritual traditions.
Psycholinguistics* - Comparative study of neural substrates of thought verses spoken language and the relative affects on perception and awareness.
Personal silent retreat
Winter/Spring 2010
Psychophysics* - Study the mechanisms of reception, transduction and low-level perception of sensory stimuli.
Narrative - Examine the narrative process from both a neurological perspective (the regions of activitation in narrative verses experiential attentional focus) and a medical/spiritual perspective (the role of personal narrative and memoir in healing).
Implement practicum.
Personal silent retreat
* Courses for which availability of MIT coursework will be investigated.
