Personal Exploration   

Everyone has the ability to access their inner guidance with appropriate training and practice. This course is open to anyone who has had an experience of inner guidance, as well as anyone who has taken (or is currently taking) the “Accessing Inner Guidance” course. If you would like to refine your ability to receive guidance, this class is for you! We will do lots of practicing using various focusing techniques, as well as sharing of our experiences of guidance. This class will be fun and experiential, with lots of discussion, coaching, and feedback.

The multiple hormonal changes that occur with menopause and aging affect a woman’s well-being and bedroom life. Some of these changes become obstacles that need guidance to overcome. The good news is that there is no better time in history than today to be a post-menopausal woman who wants to have great intimacy. This course, created at the request of some OLLI female members, will use lecture with PowerPoint slides as well as discussion to identify the obstacles that may be encountered and the available options and workarounds to deal with them. This will include relationship tips to stay connected and close.

NOTE: It is expected that only those who identify as female attend.

In this rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence that pushes us to do more, be more, and have more, discover the transformative power of slowing down and living with deep inner peace. This course, rooted in the profound insights from the book “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life,” written by Richard Carlson and Dr. Joseph Bailey, reveals the wisdom of luminaries Carlson, Bailey, and Sydney Banks and invites us to live a more meaningful, peaceful, and contented life. Revisit the timeless observation of Joseph Campbell about our human yearning not just for existence, but for the “rapture of being fully alive.” Engage in this transformative conversation, inspired by Syd Banks' mystical revelations which reveal our potential for profound joy and inner peace. Each class includes short videos, with discussions and questions that evoke our innate inner wisdom and guidance. Like the “Slowing Down” winter 2024 course, this exploration offers fresh content to further our discoveries about living a deeply meaningful life.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. Please register for and attend either the online or in-person section.

In this rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence that pushes us to do more, be more, and have more, discover the transformative power of slowing down and living with deep inner peace. This course, rooted in the profound insights from the book “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life,” written by Richard Carlson and Dr. Joseph Bailey, reveals the wisdom of luminaries Carlson, Bailey, and Sydney Banks and invites us to live a more meaningful, peaceful, and contented life. Revisit the timeless observation of Joseph Campbell about our human yearning not just for existence, but for the “rapture of being fully alive.” Engage in this transformative conversation, inspired by Syd Banks' mystical revelations which reveal our potential for profound joy and inner peace. Each class includes short videos, with discussions and questions that evoke our innate inner wisdom and guidance. Like the “Slowing Down” winter 2024 course, this exploration offers fresh content to further our discoveries about living a deeply meaningful life.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. Please register for and attend either the online or in-person section.

Healthy breathing begets a healthy brain and its capacities. Breathing impacts all dimensions of one’s life, and every activity of the body and mind are dependent on this vital function. And yet, the general population does not place attention on the importance of healthy breathing. Learn to enhance its function and expand the potential instead of addressing the dysfunction or illness related to unhealthy breathing. Enhance the potential for physical and psychological health and fitness. Many different breathing practices are available, and this course will help you to know how the body and brain respond to the dimensions of the breath. Then you can make good use of your investment of time and breath. The foundations of breathing when cultivated in practice, which is the main focus of this course, provide a basis for the function of breathing in exercise, contemplative practices, and sleep, for everyone’s potential in self-regulation, self-organization, and self-healing. 

NOTE: Movement in this class will be similar to movement in daily life and will challenge habits that impact the breath and mind. Changing habits can trigger some discomfort; therefore, a waiver will be signed.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. Please register for and attend either the online or in-person section.

Healthy breathing begets a healthy brain and its capacities. Breathing impacts all dimensions of one’s life, and every activity of the body and mind are dependent on this vital function. And yet, the general population does not place attention on the importance of healthy breathing. Learn to enhance its function and expand the potential instead of addressing the dysfunction or illness related to unhealthy breathing. Enhance the potential for physical and psychological health and fitness. Many different breathing practices are available, and this course will help you to know how the body and brain respond to the dimensions of the breath. Then you can make good use of your investment of time and breath. The foundations of breathing when cultivated in practice, which is the main focus of this course, provide a basis for the function of breathing in exercise, contemplative practices, and sleep, for everyone’s potential in self-regulation, self-organization, and self-healing. 

NOTE: Movement in this class will be similar to movement in daily life and will challenge habits that impact the breath and mind. Changing habits can trigger some discomfort; therefore, a waiver will be signed.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. Please register for and attend either the online or in-person section.

Explore the complexity and significance of women’s lives in contemporary Ukraine through stories of Ukrainian women writers, scientists, social activists, leaders, and artists whose work changed their culture and the world. The values of the matriarchal cultures that sourced Ukraine continue to be transmitted through her folk arts, music, and dance. Ukrainian women continue to bring forth from within themselves individually, and as a diverse community, new expressions of the values and beliefs of their culture. Discover the meaning of Ukrainian goddesses in Ukrainian women’s spirituality and the impact of Russian colonization on Ukrainian identity then and now. This course can be repeated because it will combine lecture, new guest speakers, discussion on current events that impact Ukrainians, and ritual circle-sharing as well as out-of-class readings and reflective writing.

NOTE: Required text: “Your Ad Could Go Here: Stories by Oksana Zabuzhko,” edited by Nina Murray.

Your brain is the most complex object in the known universe. Fortunately, caring for the brain is not that complicated! Each of us is getting older, but our individual brains seem to age at different rates. This course will explore what the latest science says about the range of function from subjective cognitive decline, through mild cognitive impairment, and on to dementia and Alzheimer’s. After reviewing basic brain function and definition of terms, we will look at myths, realities, and breakthroughs in brain health and aging. Then, we will consider the modifiable risk factors that may prevent or slow the rate of cognitive loss. These factors include exercise; diet and nutrition; mental, emotional, and social connection; stress; sleep and relaxation; stress resilience; meditation; and connection with nature. Finally, we’ll look at happiness and beyond—wisdom and self-transcendence. Color slides, lecture, discussion, and Q and A will be used, with a few short videos. 

NOTE: This course is based on Kalb’s book, “Keep Your Marbles, Your Game Plan for a Healthy Brain,” which is recommended reading for the course.

This course will investigate the practice of “religion” without the concept of “God.” That is, it will consider religions that are absent of faith in the existence of supernatural deities. The course will consider ancient and modern approaches, some traditional, some metaphorical, some tongue-in-cheek. These include Naturalism, the Way of the Tao, Buddhism, the cult of Dionysus, Syntheism, Secular Humanism, The Satanic Temple, Pastafarianism [sic], and Unorthodox Methodless Mysticism (UMM). Classes will include presentations by the instructor and short videos followed by small-group and large-group discussions. Short readings will be suggested for each class, mostly using internet-based resources. The sequence of classes will be: 1) Naturalism, 2) The Way of the Tao and Buddhism, 3) Paganism and the Cult of Dionysus, 4) Syntheism and Secular Humanism, 5) The Satanic Temple and Pastafarianism, 6) UMM: Unorthodox Methodless Mysticism.

Mary Reed was an agnostic, successful healthcare executive in Washington, DC. Quite unexpectedly, in the summer of 2000, she began to experience a deep resonant voice in her consciousness that told her that she would be doing something very important. The voice was persistent and unpredictable, but seemingly could not be eliminated. It was so “invasive” that it began to unnerve her, and she sought counseling from a variety of therapists, shamans, and other various practitioners. Most were not helpful and were often skeptical. She sank into deep confusion and despair, and in 2011 took a carefully calculated lethal dose of medications. Recovering from this inauspicious beginning, she experienced her odyssey into an awakened state that took her to a nunnery in the Himalayas for further refinement that eventually resulted in a complete realization of divine consciousness. For the last two decades, she has been a teacher to the world through a profound but very human mystical lens. NOTE: This is not about religion and no dogmatic assertions will be given concerning the ultimate meaning of Mary Reed’s teachings. They, ultimately, speak for themselves. The books that may be most helpful if more information is desired is “Unwitting Mystic” and “Humanity's Epic Awakening” by Mary Reed.

Perhaps you’re curious how mindfulness could make a difference in your life. Or you’ve tried meditating but thought it’s not for you because your mind is too busy. Maybe you already have a meditation practice but you’re looking for new inspiration. In this course you’ll learn more than a half-dozen mindfulness practices. Some practices enhance concentration while others utilize effortless meditation. You will find out that there are as many ways of practicing mindfulness as there are people who practice—you are the expert of your own life and mind! We’ll do each practice together, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions and share reports. Strategies will be presented for developing a regular formal practice as well as for applying mindfulness in daily life. No previous experience with mindfulness or meditation is expected. This is a secular presentation that is intended for people of any cultural, religious, or non-religious background.

We live in an age of personality and yet often are unaware of what it is, how it serves us, and how we can—and often don’t—work with it. What was once a personal attribute is becoming an asset (or liability) we use in the world actively. Our individual personalities both help us and also hurt us, while others’ personalities may enchant or confuse. Personality can quickly go from “what I really need now” to “too much of a good thing” in a heartbeat. This course uses concepts from the Enneagram, adult development and mindfulness, providing a framework for building personality awareness. We will explore how personality is formed, the key components of personality and their origins, and practices and tools for working with our and others’ personalities. The Enneagram will be described with key principles detailed and put into a context that provides a framework for self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-acceptance. 

NOTE: The course is designed to be accessible and informative both for people who have previously attended and for new participants who are familiar with enneagram types. The primary reading will be “The Wisdom of the Enneagram” by Don Riso and Russ Hudson.