Manchester Academy for Transpersonal Studies
Director: Elliot Cohen PGCE(HE) PhD CPsychol
Psychology, Philosophy and Psychotherapy
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Our courses
Manchester Academy for Transpersonal Studies is currently offering three courses:
- Chinese Cultivation: Chan and Tao
- Buddhist Philosophy and Cultivation
- Laughter as a Spiritual Path
- Daoist (Taoist) Philosophy and Cultivation
How to book your place
Classes will be running fortnightly at different times (some morning, some evening) in small groups (no more than 5). Places are limited to 30. Please make cheques payable to Dr Elliot Cohen.
Venue address will be provided upon successful registration.
Please contact MATS to reserve your place.
Chinese Cultivation: Chan and Tao
MAY 15th – 17th (FRIDAY to SUNDAY)
9am-4pm (possibly later if the temple is able to put on evening
entertainment)
Fees: Earlybird rate: £140 (before 15/04/09) Standard fee: £180 (after 15/04/09)
Textbook: Livia Kohn, Meditation Works
The Manchester Academy for Transpersonal Studies is excited
and delighted to announce a three day workshop with international
scholar, author and practitioner Professor Livia Kohn.
Livia is the Professor of Religion and East Asian Studies at Boston
University, USA and has many years experience in both the theoretical
and the practical applications of Chinese Cultivation. The workshop
will include introductions to Chan (Zen Buddhist) and Daoist philosophy
and cultivation.
Ideal for students of, or anyone interested in, Eastern
philosophy (Buddhist and Daoist), Tai Qi and Qigong.
The three day event takes place in the beautiful Manchester Fo Guang Shan Chinese Buddhist Temple (full directions will be provided after registration).
Whether a beginner or an experienced practitioner, you are invited to take part in the all the classes, meditation workshops, chanting sessions and tea ceremonies. We also hope to have musical entertainment, watch relevant Chinese films and enjoy an evening meal together in Manchester’s China Town.
Day 1: Meditation Basics
Understand the fundamental nature of meditation and how it works with body-mind-spirit. Appreciate the cultural setting and comparative relevance of the different methods. Learn to breathe deeply and consciously and calm the mind in quiet sitting, work with basic visualization techniques and activate the internal organs in spiritual awareness.
Day 2: Insight and Immediacy
Learn about the classical Buddhist practice of insight or mindfulness meditation and its adaptation into the Chinese cultural context. Learn about the method of just sitting or sitting in oblivion (zuowang). Understand its roots in the ancient philosopher Zhuangzi and its adaptation into Buddhism as Chan (Zen). Appreciate the intricacy of stillness and its activation of internal powers. Come to see yourself in the larger context of the Chinese universe, practice preparations and proper posture, and gain the ability to tune into the flow of Dao.
Day 3: Chanting and the Body
Experience the power of chant and auditory ways of calming and
transforming the mind. Practice sutra chanting and appreciate its
subtler points. Then move on to understand how controlled, calm body
movements can be a form of meditation, as in yoga, daoyin, and taiji
quan. Also find out how the Chinese understand internal body energetics
in the system of internal alchemy and its modern application in qigong.
Enhance your vitality and connect to deeper levels of being by
activating organs, energy channels, and your energetic being.
To reserve your place please contact Dr Elliot Cohen at e.cohen@leedsmet.ac.uk or phone MATS on 0161 448 1336
Alternately you can write to
Dr Elliot Cohen
School of Social Sciences,
Civic Quarter, Room D801B
Leeds Metropolitan University
Calverley Street
Leeds
LS1 3HE
Manchester University’s Courses for the Public
Three different day courses at Manchester University’s Courses for the
Public.
For more information and to reserve your place visit
Ellen Wilkinson Building
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
Email:cce.reception@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161 275 3274
http://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/coursespublic/
These courses will be led by Dr Elliot Cohen, director of MATS
24/04/09 Buddhist Philosophy and Cultivation
These classes will serve as a
comprehensive introduction to the Buddhist teachings (Dhamma/Dharma) and meditation.
Subjects will include:
- The Life of the Buddha
- Dana- Giving
- Sila- Ethics
- Four Noble Truths
- Eightfold Path
- Three Signs of Being
- Dependent Origination
- Theravada Buddhism
- Mahayana and Vajrayana
- Buddhism
- Karma
- Rebirth
- Study of popular Buddhist Scriptures
Meditation:
- Samatha (Tranquillity) and Vipassana
- (Insight)Meditation
- Mindfulness practices
- Ch’an (Zen) practices
- Tibetan practices
08/05/09 Laughter as a Spiritual Path
Is a God a comedian playing to an
audience that’s too afraid to laugh? Why is the Buddha smiling?
A day to explore the spiritual and psychotherapeutic benefits of
laughter:
- Comedy in the Bible
- The role of holy clowns in Shamanism
- Why the Buddha Shakyamuni Smiles and why the Buddha
- Maitreya (the future Buddha) laughs
- The Jewish Chasidic tradition of serving God through joy
- The healing power of laughter
22/05/09 Daoist (Taoist) Philosophy and Cultivation
These classes will serve as a comprehensive introduction
to Taoism.
Subjects will include:
- Lao Zi ( Legendary author of Tao De Jing)
- Chung Zi
- Lieh Zi
- The Three Treasures
- Schools of Daoism: Celestial Masters and Complete Reality
- Daoist Ritual and Meditation
- Daoist Alchemy and Immortality:
- External (Waidan) and Inner (Neidan)
- The Secret of the Golden Flower
- Kan Yu, Feng Shui:Daoism and the Environment
- Daoism and the Martial Arts
- Daoism in China
- Daoism comes West
Lecturers
MATS has an exciting and gifted array of lecturers.
Click here to read about the Lecturers at MATS