The Sacred Journey:
Religions of the World

Core Discovery Course 116 

Scheduled of Class Topics, Assignments,
Readings, and Evening and Extra Sessions

Tentative, Subject to Change

Honors Program  Events

August 24 thru September 2 - Class Topic: Equipping Ourselves for the Journey

• Topics: Starting point for your journey: re-telling your own journey.  

  • The Questions: 

    • A. Who are you? Where did you come from?  Why are you here?  Where are you going? 

    • B. What do we seek to understand?   How should we approach that which we seek to know?   What should we do with that which we come to know? 

  • "Eye Juggling" skills, for critically interpreting religious symbols, values and scared texts; issues of ethnocentrism and bias; an appreciation of another's point of view, and the example of the Burnt Face Story Text; and the difference between a theological and academic approach to the Journey.   Literal, Metaphoric, and Anagogic Ways of Knowing: Issues of theological/spiritual and academic/scientific epistemologies.  Nature of Religious Stories - as "Texts": art and design, architecture, ritual behavior, narrative, speech, song, etc.; sacred boundaries and transcendence.

  • Humanities and Social Sciences: "Sailing the Four Cs"

• Readings: 

  1. Pilgrimage Edicts  Begin immediately

  2. Eye Juggling - A Methodology for Interpreting Religious Texts (ol)   Begin immediately

  3. Humanities and Social Sciences, and their Integration - An Approach  Begin immediately

  4. Smith Preface and ch. 1, pp 6-15  Begin immediately

  5. "Burnt Face," as told by Tom Yellowtail in Frey's Stories That Make the World, pp 108-22  (ol)  By September 2

• Activity:

  1. First Reflective Write  Due during the second class session, August 26

• You will need an Adobe Reader to access PDF printable files,

• Along with the user ID and password provided in class, you will need a reliable high-speed Internet connection (suggested at 10 Mbps, as clips are streamed at 450 Kbps) and a RealPlayer to access class videos.  Remember, videos can be enlarged by dragging your mouse on the bottom right corner.  For a free version, .  

September 1 - Evening Session: "Stories of the Instructors"   6:00 - 9:00 pm  JEB 104  (Wednesday)

September 7 thru 30 - Class Topic: The Schitsu'umsh (the Coeur d'Alene, a Plateau American Indian People) and the Apsaalooke (the Crow, a Plains American Indian People): examples of Indigenous Primal Religion

• Topics: The Texts: Oral Traditions.  Creation and the Animal Peoples.  The Gifts and key religious teachings.  The Spiritual Goal and Means to reach it - rites of passage.  The Sun Dance and Vision Quest.  The "wagon wheel" and the many paths to the Creator.  Medicine, its efficacy and the power of story, and its applications - Burnt Face Revisited.  

• Readings:  

  1. Frey's Stories That Make the World, pp. 5-37 (Introduction, "Four Smokes" and "Couple Befriended by the Moon"), pp. 39-45, 52-61 and 63-75, (Text: Themes, Motifs, "Coyote and Swallowing Monster" and "Coyote and the Rock"), pp. 141-158 and 162-167 (Texture, Orality and Literacy, and "Coyote and the Green Spot"), pp. 169-177 and 179-182 (Context and "Elk and the Young Man"), pp. 214-216 (Conclusion).  Begin immediately

  2. Spiritual Values of the North American Indian Begin immediately

  3. Rites of Passage (ol) and Rites of Passage Diagram  By September 14

• Videos: 

  1. The Living Stone (32 min., this 1958 National Film Board of Canada classic illustrates key Indigenous religious values, told in narrative form)

  2. Sun Dance Way and Vision Quest (57 min. and 4 min., great overview of this key ceremony, as told by Tom Yellowtail; filmed during the June 1989, in honor of Tom Yellowtail) (Elements of the Dance 22 min, from many photos 1974 and others.) 

  3. Billy Yellow (18 min., intimate look into the Navajo Healing Ceremony; introduced by anthropologist David Mayberry-Lewis, as part of his Millennium Project, 1992)

  4. Oral Narratives of Lawrence Aripa (from the Lifelong Learning Online Project 2002)

• Supplemental Materials: 

  1. Salmon Always Goes Up River (narrative text)

  2. Sedna and Soul Food (narrative text)

  3. Nimíipuu Landscape

  4. Crow Sundance (still images)

  5. Shoshone Sundance Song

  6. Tom Yellowtail (Crow elder; background on)

  7. Background on the Schitsu'umsh and on "Heart Knowledge" (discussion with Cliff SiJohn, Coeur d'Alene elder, in12 video clips)

  8. Smith ch. 9 

  9. Outline of Lectures and Key Terms

September 6 - Labor Day - No Classes

September 6 - Last Day to Drop a Class, avoiding a W (withdrawal) placed on your transcript

September 16 - Evening Session: "Nez Perce Oral Traditions" shared by Josiah Blackeagle Pinkham, Tribal Ethnographer and Storyteller   6:00 - 9:00 pm  JEB 104 (Thursday)

September 30 - First Exam  - See Study Guide  

October 1 - 2 - Pah-Loots-Pu Powwow.  Beasley Coliseum, Pullman. 

October 5 thru 27 - Class Topic: Hinduism 

• Topics:  The Texts: the Bhagavad Gita (children's story) and the Upanishads. The Goals: The Paths of Desire - kama and artha, and the Paths of Renunciation - dharma and moksha.  The Landscape: divinity, the cosmos, and the self.  The Process - Karma and Samsara.  The Means: Yogas - raja (way of meditation), jnana (way of knowledge), karma (way of action), and bhakti (way of devotion).   The Gods and Goddesses.  The Pilgrimage.   

• Readings:  

  1. Shri Swami's Bhagavad Gita - Introductions (pp. ix-xxii), and Chapters 1 and 2 and Exercise  Begin immediately - and Chapters 3 - 13 Begin by October 7

  2. Smith ch. 2 Begin immediately

  3. The Upanishads (selected writings) Begin by October 7

  4. Pilgrimage Notes and the Pilgrim's Journey Diagram  By October 19

• Activity:

  1. Four Orientations  Yoga Groups

• Videos: 

  1. Soul of a People (29 min., a 1971 film by Huston Smith and Elda Hartly on the central themes of Hinduism, and the paradoxes found in Indian and in the notion of the "Infinite Mind")

  2. Hinduism: Faith, Festivals and Rituals (50 min., nice overview of Hinduism and its ritual life; 1995 Films Media Group)

  3. Ganges: River to Heaven (52 min., an insightful look into Hinduism and the role the Ganges River plays within it, full of powerful images and authentic situations.  This award-winning 2003 film follows the journey of four families as they prepare for the death and cremation of loved ones at Kashi, also known as Varanasi or Benares, on the Ganges River.  It presents the rituals, realities, and challenges associated with this key rite of passage.)

  4. Benares: Steps to Heaven (30 min., a 1984 film introducing this sacred city of Benares, also known as Varanasi or Kashi, and the pilgrimages associated with it.)

  5. Three Worlds of Bali (58 min., this 1979 film introduces to the arts and religions of Bali, with particular reference to Wayang Shadow Puppets [8 min.] and the world renewal ceremony of Eka Dasa Rudra)

• Supplemental Materials:  

  1. Shri Swami's Bhagavad Gita - Chapters 14 - 18

  2. Raja Yoga - the way of meditation (Nadi Pathways)

  3. Aum image and sound - Om Asato Ma Sad Gamaya chant (from yogaclass.com) - examples

  4. Dhrupad Music

  5. Jnana Yoga - the way of knowledge

  6. Karma Yoga - the way of action

  7. Bhakti Yoga - the way of devotion, pilgrimage, and the Gods and Goddesses

  8. The Cow

  9. Balinese Time

  10. The Egg  - essay by Andy Weir, another angle on some of the more elusive aspects of Hindu thought.   Thanks to Wieteke Hulthuijzen (student Fall 2010 class) for suggesting this insightful reading. 

October -  Schedule Visit the Librarian, Rochelle Smith, and explore your research options

October 8 - Elizabeth Cook-Lynn speaks on "What About Post Coloniality?" 10:30 am Administration Auditorium  American Indian Distinguish Speaker's Series

October 11 - Tipi Raising: on the lawn just east of the Commons..  Set-up at 9:00 am.   Take-down at 5:00 pm     Providing we are not rained or snowed out!    

October 14 - Evening Session: Hindu Film   6:00 - 9:00 pm  JEB 104 (Thursday)

November 2 -Exercise

October 28 thru November 18 - Class Topic: Buddhism

• Topics:  The Texts: the Dhammapada and Buddhist Doctrines.  Siddhartha, the Great Awakening, and the Buddha.  The Challenge and the Goal: the Four Noble Truths and nirvana/sunyata.  The Means: the Eight-fold Path.  The Landscape: at first glance, karma and samsara; and a second view, the yana - from anicca, skandhas, paticcasamuppada and bardos, through one of the Three Schools (Theravada, Mahayana and Vijrayana Buddhism) and the bodhisattvas, then arriving, nirvana/sunyata. But the questions continue: what is the nature of reality and of compassion, and what is the "great paradox"?

• Readings:  

  1. Maguire and Muller's Dhammapada - Introductions (pp. ix-xxii) and Chapters 1-3, 7, 9, 12-16, 19-20, 24-26  Begin immediately

  2. Smith ch. 3  Begin immediately

  3. Buddhist Doctrines (selected writings)  Begin immediately

• Videos:  

  1. Requiem for a Faith (27 min., a 1971 film by Huston Smith and Elda Hartly on Tibetan Buddhism)

  2. Buddhism: the Great Wheel of Being (52 min., presenting the tenets and history of Buddhism, including discussion of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path; 1995 Films Media Group)

  3. The Great Liberation: Tibetan Book of the Dead (45 min., death as a "rite of passage"; this 1994 film examines the history, rites and liturgies associated with death and the afterlife, follows a young novice monk and his teacher who guide a villager into the afterlife and rebirth.)  Study Guide

  4. Life of Buddha, in two parts Part 1 and Part 2 (45 and 45 min., a 2003 Martin Meissonnier film about the historic life and awakening, as well as key teachings of the Buddha.)

  5. 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (85 min., this awarding winning 2006 Rick Ray film provides a rich background on the history of Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama, capped with a wonderful interview with the Dalai Lama himself.  A great segment on the Mandala.)

  6. Alan Watts discusses Nothingness (4 min., YouTube video)

• Supplemental Material: 

  1. the Chenrezig Bodhisatta

  2. Tibetan Bhavacakra

  3. Tibetan Hymns, Wheels and Mantras of the Vajrayana Tradition

  4. Lotus and Hand Gestures 

  5. Mandala

  6. Zen Buddhism

  7. Maguire and Muller's Dhammapada - chapters not assigned above

  8. The young Buddha - Siddhartha - and mathematically calculating the size of an atom (Thanks to Wieteke for the link)

November 4 - Proposal due for your Personal Quest - Participatory Paper

November 11 - Evening Session: The Drummer   5:00 - 7:00 pm  New Time  JEB 104 (Thursday)

November 18 - Outline draft due for your Personal Quest - Participatory Paper

November 22 - 26 - Fall Recess - No Classes

November 30 thru  December 9 - Class Topic: Taoism

• Topics: The Texts: Tao Te Ching, and writings of  Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.  The Goal, Means and Landscape: The Tao - Character,  The Landscape: Chapter 1 and Yin Yang, the Hexagram and I Ching.  The Three "Schools" or Ways of Life (Gods and Goddesses of the Religious Way).   The Aligning: the Wu Wei and Te (the Three Jewels), with the Ch'i.   The Examples of Expressions: music, landscape paintings, poetry, calligraphy, medicine, mediation, symbolism, and Wuxia

• Readings: 

  1. Lin's Tao Te Ching - Introductions (pp vii-xxxi) and Chapters 1-81  Begin immediately

  2. Smith ch. 5 Begin immediately

  3. Chuang Tzu (selected writings) Begin by December 2 

• Videos:   

  1. "Calligraphy" (25 min., set in Ancient China, it is a time in which rival kingdoms seek to kill the King of Qin, the most powerful of the kingdoms.  In this scene, the King of Qin wants to know how his agent, Nameless, killed two powerful assassins, Broken Sword and Flying Snow.  How are words more powerful than arrows, and how is the essence of calligraphy and swordsmanship the same?  Speculate on the meaning of how color is used in various scenes and in the clothing worn. Illustrative of wuxia genre and application of ch'i.  From Hero, a Zhang Yimou 2002 film.  See URL link) 

  2. "Echo Game" (8 min., set in 859 AD, the once great Tang Dynasty is in decline.  In this scene, a police officer "tests" a "blind" dancer, suspecting her to be a rebel.  Illustrative of wuxia genre and application of ch'i.   From House of Flying Daggers, a Zhang Yimou 2004 film.  See URL link)

  3. John Chang Nei Kung (8 min., YouTube.  Demonstration of Chi.)

• Supplemental Materials:

  1. Introduction to key concepts

  2. I Ching

  3. Gods and Goddesses

  4. Wu Xing - Five Elements

December 2 - Evening Session: Taoist Film   6:00 - 9:00 pm  JEB 104 (Thursday)

December 9 - Personal Quest - Participatory Paper is due

December 12 - Course Evaluation is due (can do right now!)

December 15 - Final Exam (PDF) - See Study Guide  Due by: Wednesday   Time: 10:00 am   Place: TLC 248,  or you can e-mail  or drop off your project at my office, Phinney 116 anytime earlier.