Making Sense of Religion for Believers, Unbelievers, and the Curious
We are currently offering a discount on our online courses, as we believe that this is a particularly important moment for wisdom to be available to all who seek it.
April 3-May 15
(Six video lectures, weekly supplemental materials, and online discussion)
About the Course:
To "never talk politics or religion," as the old saying goes, is to ensure that we remain ignorant of both. The adage perhaps best refers to our inability to have edifying conversations about these subjects, and it is our lack of depth in understanding religion that creates some of the most disheartening aspects of our civic and personal lives. It is all the more telling that religion is the meaning that supposedly matters the most in our lives. No wonder we are frustrated with religion, especially others'.
The good news is that there are very good ways to make sense of religion that do not require you to abandon your belief or unbelief and may well enhance your curiosity about this subject. We will explore those ways in the next six weeks, and you will emerge with a much clearer understanding of religion's meaning and function in life and culture.
About the instructor:
Greg Salyer, PhD is the President of PRS. For twenty-five years he has been an administrator and scholar in higher education institutions, but his highest calling has always been that of teacher. Dr. Salyer received his doctorate in interdisciplinary studies (literature, philosophy, religious studies) from Emory University.
The Basics of Esoteric Symbolism
We are currently offering a discount on our online courses, as we believe that this is a particularly important moment for wisdom to be available to all who seek it.
April 4-May 1
(Four video lectures, weekly supplemental materials, and online discussion)
About the course:
The surreal stories, diagrams, and images of the world’s various belief systems can often seem too wacky and intimidating to ever try to approach. Yet, they are incredibly easy to unpack once you know the basic language they all generally speak.
The Bible, Kabbalah, Tarot, Alchemy, Buddhism, Hinduism, and countless esoteric mystery schools (to name a few) all tell the same story with, phenomenally, the same symbols. What are they saying? What’s the deal with snakes, lions, and triangles being used the same way by dramatically different people separated by continents and millennia?
To find out, join us for this course exploring their simple narratives and symbols so you can become forever literate in this timeless language. The goal of this class is to give you the basic tools of symbolic interpretation so you can immerse yourself in esoteric art, movies, myths, and seemingly complex philosophical systems with ease and confidence.
About the instructor:
Stephen Reedy is a multifaceted multitasker. As a filmmaker, he learned the transformative value of verbal and nonverbal communication. As a fancy-pants marketing guy, he learned the ways of emotional manipulation on a global scale. As a comparative philosophy dork, he learned that, miraculously, people from all cultures through all time keep saying the same mysterious thing with the same surreal imagery. What are they trying to say? And how? Exploring this with energy, excitement and rational functionality is what he’s all about.
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The Art of Living Well: Ancient Wisdom for Our Times
1/24-3/6 (6 weeks)
Six lectures (voiceover with slides) with supplemental materials and discussion forums. New materials are released every Friday for the duration of the course, and students can go at their own pace throughout the week.
About the Course:
Life is simple, but living is hard. In literature, philosophy, religion, the arts, and in life itself—the art of living is not hidden. Plenty of people who have lived have found a way—or parts of a way, or moments of meaning here and there—that we can use. There is no great mystery in finding out what to do; the mystery—and the difficulty—is in doing it. This series is about helping you on that path. If you don’t know how to live, the series will remind you how people around the world and throughout history have found their own ways to the art of living. If you don’t have the will to follow that path, this series is here to encourage you, to be your helper, maybe even to inspire you to live well. Join us for six lecture/discussions on The Art of Living.
About the Instructor:
Greg Salyer, Ph.D. is the President of the Philosophical Research Society. For twenty-five years, he has been an administrator and scholar in higher education institutions, but his highest calling has always been that of teacher. Trained in interdisciplinary studies, Dr. Salyer moves through the disciplines of literature, philosophy, and religious studies looking for and helping his students find practical and profound wisdom in the stories, texts, and ideas created all over the world and throughout history.
The Cultivation of the Creative Spirit Through Film
3/20-5/1 (6 weeks)
Six video lectures with supplemental materials and discussion forums. New materials are released every Friday for the duration of the course, and students can go at their own pace throughout the week.
About the Course:
This is the "Anti-Film-School Film Course." Designed for filmmakers, film lovers, and creators in any artistic medium, this unique course will delve into the poetic nature of cinema. After all, some of the most important cinematic knowledge isn't taught in film school. Surprisingly, this isn’t because such wisdom is hidden away in dark, shadowy temples for only the filmmaking elite to unveil. It is, in fact, available in plain sight for all to behold! Yet most remain unaware of the existence of such profound artistic knowledge simply because they haven’t been taught how to shift their creative perspective. Consider this course the skeleton key to unlocking that glorious, cinematic wisdom. We will deconstruct the limited cinematic paradigm that has been constructed around us, allowing us to discover inspiration in a fresh, new perspective.
About the Instructor:
Courtney Sell is a prolific filmmaker and writer recognized for his critically acclaimed documentary and experimental films. His vast filmography has been screened around the world, featured in such publications as Newsweek and Filmmaker Magazine, archived at the New York Film-makers Coop and he is the first filmmaker ever to have his body of cinematic work archived at the historic Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles. He is the author of “Filming the Formless - stories of creative and spiritual growth from a once down-and-out filmmaker” regarding his “cinematic shift of consciousness” and a collection of his earliest documentaries was recently released on VOD. Sell’s work is deeply inspired by his interest in esoteric literature, high magick, astral projection, ancient philosophy and through his personal spiritual practices, Sell creates new material daily. Sell’s new book “Cultivating the Creative Spirit through Film” is due out this spring. He currently resides in Hollywood, California,
The Philosophical Research School
