Announcement:
Dr. Alan Godlas ('Abd al-Haqq), will conduct three sessions involving contemplative practice in Islamic Sufism, will make a brief presentation on contemplative practice and social justice in
Islamic Sufism, and then will participate in a panel discussion on this topic at the International
Symposium for Contemplative Studies in San Diego organized by the Mind and Life Institute.
This will take place at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina on
Nov. 11 and Nov. 12, 2016.
Dr. Godlas is
an Associate Professor of Religion at the University of Georgia and is
authorized to teach in the Shadhili and Naqshbandi Sufi orders.
Nov. 11, Friday, 3:15-3:45 Engaged
Contemplative Practice in Islamic Sufism: Vocal Emphasis
This workshop will
involve beginning instruction in two methods of engaged contemplation in
Islamic Sufism, consisting of silent and vocal forms of "remembrance"
(dhikr). The ultimate purpose of these methods is to retrain the individual's
consciousness to respond — at each moment in one's daily life — toward one's
consciousness and whatever appears in it, responding with an engaged
contemplative stance consisting of a continual re-embrace of unconditional
gratitude. Structurally, this workshop will involve alternating periods of
contemplation and instruction with discussion. It will include both vocal and
silent dhikr, but this workshop will emphasize seated vocal dhikr.
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Nov. 12,
Saturday 8:00-8:25 Engaged Contemplative Practice in Islamic Sufism: Silent Emphasis
This workshop will
have the same format as the previous workshop session, including both vocal and
silent dhikr; but this workshop will emphasize seated silent dhikr.
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Nov. 12,
Saturday 4:00-4:30 Engaged Contemplative Practice in Islamic Sufism: Vocal,
Silent, Living
This workshop will involve three methods of engaged contemplation
in Islamic Sufism, consisting of silent and vocal forms of
"remembrance" (dhikr) and "remembrance in life." In
addition to the previous two workshops' vocal and silent forms of
contemplation, this workshop will
involve "remembrance in life" (consisting of short, non-strenuous
periods of walking dhikr). For this workshop, a smartphone with an alarm or a
watch is recommended. Also, for anyone with a physical disability, the walking
"remembrance in life" practice can be modified according to
individual needs.
Contemplative Practice and Social Justice: Panel Discussion
2:45-3:45 Saturday, Nov. 12
Presenters:
Beth Berila, Professor, St. Cloud State University
|
Alan 'Abd al-Haqq Godlas PhD, Associate Professor,
University of Georgia
|
Rev. Takafumi Kawakami, Deputy Head Priest, Shunkoin Temple
& Zen Center
|
John Makransky PhD, Associate Professor of Buddhism and
Comparative Theology, Boston College
|
Erin Jien McCarthy PhD, Chair and Professor of Philosophy ,
St. Lawrence University
|
Location:
Nautilus 5
Description:
Inspired by questions arising out of Rhonda Magee’s keynote
address earlier in the day, this roundtable brings together contemplative
faculty to discuss pressing issues in the area of contemplative practice and
social justice. This panel will discuss key questions in the field including:
How can contemplative practices — as individuals and communities — help us more
deeply unlearn privilege and internalized oppression, allowing us to engage in
more compassionate and just dialogues across difference? How are contemplative
practices sometimes used to "spiritually bypass" an accounting of
systematic oppression and our various roles in them? What kinds of things go
wrong when social justice activity lacks a contemplative discipline to inform
it? What kinds of things go wrong when contemplative practices are offered to
people as a solution to their problems without enough awareness of the social
and institutional systems in which those people are embedded?
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:1) Define how contemplative practices can help us--as individuals and communities-- more deeply unlearn privilege and internalized oppression;2) Explain how contemplative practices sometimes used to "spiritually bypass" an accounting of systematic oppression and our various roles in them;3) Evaluate what goes wrong when social justice activity lacks a contemplative discipline to inform it;4) Identify the kinds of things that go wrong when contemplative practices are offered to people as a solution to their problems without enough awareness of the social and institutional systems in which those people are embedded.
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:1) Define how contemplative practices can help us--as individuals and communities-- more deeply unlearn privilege and internalized oppression;2) Explain how contemplative practices sometimes used to "spiritually bypass" an accounting of systematic oppression and our various roles in them;3) Evaluate what goes wrong when social justice activity lacks a contemplative discipline to inform it;4) Identify the kinds of things that go wrong when contemplative practices are offered to people as a solution to their problems without enough awareness of the social and institutional systems in which those people are embedded.
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To register and for more information on the conference and Dr.
Godlas' sessions see https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/iscs-2016/
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