Lesson series

The Pattern that Connects; Becoming Indigenous to a Place

Level 100 | Living
Tuesdays, November 5th to December 17th 10-11:30 AM PDT
six weeks with a revision on the seventh week. Free cancellation after first class

Meet Our Faculty

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Description

Are we on the brink of ecological disaster? Climate disruption is accelerating. Social cohesion is frayed. There is hope and opportunity to restore our planet, “a great turning,” but we may also have to go through “a great unravelling.” Buddhist Contemplative practice, western Philosophy, Science and Literature, and the wisdom of Indigenous people will inform our inquiry into how we and the whole web of life on Earth can live and prosper into the far future.
Our learning objective is to engage environmental crisis through Contemplative Ecology, including meditative and contemplative practices and exercises from Tarthang Tulku. We will explore Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, Epistemology, Systems and Complexity theory, the Wisdom of Plants, Indigenous ritual, Buddhist Philosophy and Western Phenomenology.

Testimonials

Thank you for such a wonderful class and I look forward to hearing how we go forward.”
Margaret M.
I really appreciate that the concept of Embodied Cognition is helping me to bring together some different areas of interest/knowledge into a more coherent whole, transparentizing and dissolving the partitions between them, helping me to see connections.”
Simon C.
I'm loving the way the course is provoking connections in me!”
Simon M.

Format

Classes meet online for seven weeks, 1.5 hours a week. Classes are recorded and accessible for six months. Each week features short presentations, experiential exercises, and discussion

Weekly Topics

Week 1: Introduction to Deep Ecology  
Week 2: Ecosystems are Places  
Week 3: Embodied Knowing is Evolution  
Week 4: Contemplative Ecology: Becoming Indigenous to a Place  
Week 5: The Work that Reconnects  
Week 6: The Council of All Beings  
Week 7: Re-Vision

Readings From

Instructor

Dr. Bob Dozor

Bob Dozor is the Medical Director of Lotus House - the Nyingma Senior Retreat Center at Ratna Ling. He holds a BA from the University of Chicago in the History and Philosophy of Science and an MD from the University of California, San Francisco, after which he practiced Family Medicine for 40 years. He has been a student of Buddhism since the 1960’s, a student of Venerable Tarthang Tulku since 1972, and a student and then instructor at Dharma College since 2018.

Associate Instructor

Dr. Carl Pilcher

Carl Pilcher is retired from a career in space science.  He holds a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry, the latter from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an M.P.A. in International Relations from Princeton University.  He was on the astronomy faculty of the University of Hawaii for a dozen years before becoming a NASA administrator for almost 3 decades.  His professional arc took him from planetary science to serving as Director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute.  He began studying ancient teachings in 2015 with a Hindu teacher and joined the Dharma College community as a student in late 2021.  Central to his interests are integrating ancient wisdom, particularly of non-dualism, with a modern scientific world view.

Assisted by

Rosalyn White

Rosalyn White has studied meditation and Tibetan art under the guidance of the Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Tarthang Tulku, since 1972. She holds a BFA in Fine Arts from the California College of Art and a teaching credential from UC Berkeley. She has been teaching classes in meditation and sacred art for over 40 years. She has worked in the Nyingma Community since 1975, illustrating Dharma Publishing and Yeshe De books and contributing designs for the Odiyan retreat center. She also managed Dharma Publishing for two years, the Tibetan Aid Project for ten years and Ratna Ling Retreat Center for seven years.
Level 100 | Living
Tuesdays, November 5th to December 17th
10-11:30 AM PDT
FREE CANCELLATION AFTER FIRST CLASS