Exploring Eastern Thought: Religions, Philosophies And Cultures Of The East

EXPLORING EASTERN THOUGHT: RELIGIONS, PHILOSOPHIES AND CULTURES OF THE EAST

Kimberly and Carl Weichel, lecturers

Monday 23–Friday 27 January

3.00 pm

COURSE FEES R550

Eastern philosophies and religions embody many virtues that are alluring: introspection, gentleness, sensitivity, fortitude and connection with mind and body. Sikhism, Jainism and ancient yoga in India, Buddhism, and Confucianism and Taoism in China, all have these virtues. But they are quite different in ideas, practices and histories. The Axial Age between 800 and 200 BCE was one of the most creative and influential periods, and is of pivotal importance to the evolution of human thought. Around the globe sages, moralists, philosophers and priests grappled with novel ideas about the nature of humanity. This course will explore the ethics, cosmology and theology that comprise many religious philosophies. Background will be given on the texts, symbols, images, practices and rituals, as well as the culture, politics and sociology. It will discuss how these enduring belief systems may help to address our contemporary problems, as well as Vedantic concepts such as death and rebirth, and liberation and knowledge. The course includes an exploration of the Vedantic traditions of Jainism, Sikhism and the philosophy and physiology of yoga in India.

Lecture titles

1. Philosophy and religion, the Axial Age

2. Indian Axial Age and Vedantic concepts

3. Jainism

4. Sikhism

5. Ancient yoga

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Kimberly Weichel is a social entrepreneur and nonprofit leader in the fields of women's leadership, cross-cultural dialogue, citizen diplomacy, and international education, and is a published author. She has co-led courses at American University on The United Nations, The 1960s Decade, Our Hidden Brain and Exploring Our Cultural Complexities. Kim is the author of several books: Inside Crossroads (1979), Beyond Borders (2016), Our Voices Matter (2019), Uncovering New Possibilities: Insights from Our Time (2021) Kim earned a B.A. Anthropology and M.A. Sociology from UCT. www.kimweichel.org

Carl Weichel has held various positions over his career in marketing, design, and advertising in Australia, South Africa, Canada, and San Francisco. Carl has led lifelong learning courses at American University in Washington DC on Political Polarization, The 1960s Decade, Our Hidden Brain, Reviewing The NY Times Book Review, Exploring Our Cultural Complexities and David Brooks’ Writings. Carl earned a B.S. Marketing from Jacksonville University.