08. Knowledge and Freedom
THE WAY OF KNOWLEDGE - This course, using the insights of the wise and experimenting with various practices, will examine what is means to 'know'. Knowledge is the birthright of every human being but is not what we generally claim it is. Come explore and discover.
Description
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Week |
Description |
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1 |
The interplay between knowledge, devotion and action. The importance of reason in the way of knowledge The nature of hindsight, insight and foresight and how these may be developed. The importance of understanding the underlying causes of things. |
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2 |
Consider how the forces of action, devotion and knowledge can work together in our lives. Observe the underlying cause of past or present events as clearly as possible. |
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3 |
The four aspects of valid worldly reasoning. Distinguishing between the eternal and the transient. The importance of this in the experience of love. |
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4 |
The description by Socrates of the three parts of the soul. Absolute and relative existence. |
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5 |
Plato’s description of being and becoming. That knowledge of the absolute existence, the world of being, puts the relative existence, the world of becoming, into proper perspective. Knowledge arises to meet a need and from the need. |
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6 |
Higher knowledge concerned with the realm of being and lower knowledge concerned with the world of becoming. Education and the relationship of teacher and student. The importance of the oral tradition in spiritual knowledge. |
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7 |
The desire for truth that has to be helped. The essential nature. The natural desire for truth and dislike of untruth. The levels of consciousness. Being open to knowledge and insruction and free from prejudice and preference. |
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8 |
The unfolding of the essential nature. The artificial or secondary nature made up of limitations, identifications, habits, assumptions, attitudes, prejudices, preferences, likes, dislikes, etc. The inner calling from the essential nature. |
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9 |
The effect of a good impulse to connect with the essential nature. The importance of acting on good impulses. The need for decision to clear away negative impulses and to establish the way forward. |
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10 |
Using reason to clear away the artificial nature and allow the essential nature to unfold. The unfolding of the essential nature through good impulse and good reasoning. The use of reason to discern the real nature of pleasure and the importance of heeding the voice of reason. |
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11 |
Review |