Fourfold discipline of the different parts of the being leading to an integral self-perfection

SAT MT: Mentored Research and Development of Master’s Thesis (6 Credits)

Description of Courses
HUC 5001: Principles of Hinduism (3 Credits) This course explores the various guiding principles that have molded ‘Hinduism.’ In the current usage of the word, ‘Hinduism’ covers all spiritual, religious, social, philosophical, yoga, tantra, and mystic traditions having for their origin and inspiration from the ‘Vedas,’ coming from the landscape of ‘India Bharat-Varsha,’ and having a living tradition. The studies related to Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism are covered in the scope of this course.

HUC 5003: Basic Sanskrit (3 Credits) Basic Sanskrit is provides an introduction to the spiritual scriptural and religious language of Hindus. It covers the skills needed for a linguistically and culturally appropriate reading and writing of documents in Devanagari Sanskrit script; the formation and use of simple sentences for conversation in Sanskrit; and provides an introduction to the spiritual and sacred dimension of the Sanskrit language.

SAT 101: The Philosophy of Conscious Evolution (3 Credits) This course, while taking a cursory interest in the evolution of spiritual thought in Indian Philosophy, focuses upon Sri Aurobindo’s integral world-view and his integral Advaitism. It particularly examines his vision of cosmic evolution and the higher destiny of man culminating in the birth of a supramental race. It shows how his views are essentially modern and give solutions to the present predicament of man.

SAT 201: The Psychology of Yoga (3 Credits) The course will cover basic principles and important elements from each of four main branches of the Integral Yoga: the Yoga of Divine Works, the Yoga of Integral Knowledge, the Yoga of Divine Love, and the Yoga of Self-Perfection. In addition, the course will examine a selection of letters and conversations about yogic attitudes towards life, oneself, other people, work, difficulties, and spiritual practice.

SAT 301: The Human Cycle (3 Credits) This course is designed to provide students with an introductory knowledge of Sri Aurobindo’s theory of social development in the context of other theories, with a view towards understanding their application in today’s world. Learners will examine the theory in terms of self-understanding and how his concepts may be applied in the contemporary world.

SAT 401: Towards the Unification of Humanity (3 Credits) This course examines Sri Aurobindo’s theory of the evolution of political groupings of mankind that are leading towards the unification of the human peoples. It examines the relation of the individual and group in the historical development of societies, the problems of liberty and uniformity, the possibilities and problems of a world-government, and the necessity and possibilities of a free grouping of mankind.

SAT 501: India’s Spirit and Form (3 Credits) Spirituality is the master-key of Indian culture because the Indian spirit saw since the beginning of its cultural development that the material, vital, and mental aspects of life do not get their full meaning until they are rightly related to the spiritual reality. This course will examine Indian culture in light of its spiritual basis in such areas as polity, literature, philosophy, art, architecture, and religion.

SAT 601: The Process, Form and Substance of Poetry (3 Credits) This course introduces the learner to the basic principles of prosody, Sri Aurobindo’s theory of the future poetry, and his correspondence relating to his own poetry and that of others. It focuses on the nature of spiritual poetry that is inspired by higher levels of consciousness, and the various characteristics and signs of inspired poetry. It will also examine a selection of his and others’ poetry in light of these basic principles and theory.

SAT 701: A Psychological Approach to Indian Scriptures (3 Credits) In the spiritual history of India, the complex organisation of spiritual consciousness went through four phases wherein the gains of the past efforts were summarised in a synthesis. These are the famous Vedic, Upanishadic and the synthesis around the time of Gita. The fourth synthesis has been the synthesis of Tantra. This course examines Sri Aurobindo’s translations and interpretations of a selection of these scriptures.

SAT 801: Education as Inner Growth (3 Credits) TheIntegral education harmonises and unifies the goal of life and the goal of education. The two goals complement and fulfill each other. All the fields of life-activity are the matrix and means of Integral Education and so also its medium of expression. This course examines the goals and methods of Integral Education as outlined by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and other authors, and includes guidance in the education of the whole being—body, vital, mind, soul, and spirit.

SAT 901: Evolution Beyond the Human Species (3 Credits) This course will be an attempt to see and understand the future as revealed by the seer-vision of Sri Aurobindo. The ideas specifically covered will be: destiny of humankind, the evolution of consciousness, the steps in the emergence of a new supramental race, its type, and most important, our participation in its development and the inner tools that can equip us to handle our own uncertain future in a much better way.

SOL 01: Science of Living (3 Credits) This course provides in great detail an analysis of the main parts and planes of the human being as a preliminary step towards knowing oneself, which, in fact, forms the first part of the science of living. The second part – to control oneself – is given as a fourfold discipline of the different parts of the being leading to an integral self-perfection.

SOL 02: Governed by the Soul (3 Credits) This course is designed to help one to become more aware of the nature, action and influence of one’s psychic being, the psychological center of one’s being. The learner could get some basic idea of the different ways to contact the psychic being and also learn, if he/she practices sincerely, the way to bring it to the forefront in one’s life, so that it could gradually govern, direct and organise one’s consciousness.

SOL 03: Purification and Transformation of the Vital (3 Credits) This course examines the character and change of the vital nature. The vital includes the emotions, energies of endeavor and accomplishment, desire, and instinctual craving. It is the source of much inner conflict and difficulty in life and in yoga. Through discussion of the readings, journal writing, and experiential exercises, this course will help illumine this part of the nature, show ways to calm and quiet its trouble, and help to find the true vital being, with its strength, calm, and surrender to the Divine.

SOL 04: Development of our Hidden Powers (3 Credits) This course examines the hidden powers of our nature which may be developed to master ourselves as well to lead others towards collective aims. It will examine: (a) attitudes that may be cultivated to promote optimal functioning; (b) hidden forces of life that are active in and around us with a view toward gaining a better control over them; (c) various latent powers such as concentration, imagination, will-power, faith, and equanimity, and practical exercises for developing them; (d) a consciousness approach towards the effective management of people and resources to achieve collective aims.

SAS 010: Research Methods in Philosophy and Transpersonal Inquiry (3 Credits) This course examines research methods in two related areas pertinent to Sri Aurobindo Studies: philosophy and transpersonal psychology. The first half of the course focuses on research in philosophy, and the second half on research in transpersonal psychology. In addition to research, the first half will also cover basic issues in the writing of papers in philosophy. Other aspects of research in philosophy covered include types of research topics in philosophy, principles of selecting a topic for research, stages in the execution of a research project, collection and organization of data, and presentation of results. Types of research methods in transpersonal psychology covered include Integral Inquiry, Intuitive Inquiry, Phenomenological Inquiry, Organic Research, and approaches to the study of Exceptional Human Experience. The validity of research findings and ethical considerations are also examined.

SAS 100: The Philosophy of Life Divine (3 Credits) Building on the course on Sri Aurobindo’s “Philosophy of Conscious Evolution,” this core course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of selections from Sri Aurobindo’s major philosophical work, The Life Divine, while drawing on complementary literatures, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 200: Integral Yoga Psychology (3 Credits) Building on the course “The Psychology of Yoga,” this course goes into greater depth and examines the subject in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of Sri Aurobindo’s major work on Yoga, The Synthesis of Yoga, while drawing on complementary readings such as Letters on Yoga, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 300: Mankind on the March (3 Credits) Building on the course “The Human Cycle,” this core course goes into greater depth, examining it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of themes in Sri Aurobindo’s major work, The Human Cycle, drawing on complementary literatures, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 400: The Ideal Solution for Human Unity (3 Credits) Building on the course “Towards the Unification of Humanity,” this core course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of Sri Aurobindo’s major work, The Ideal of Human Unity, while drawing on complementary literatures, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 500: Resurgent India (3 Credits) Building on the course “India’s Spirit and Form,” this core course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of Sri Aurobindo’s The Foundations of Indian Culture, while drawing on complementary literatures, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 600: The Five Suns of the Future Poetry (3 Credits) Building on the course on “The Process, Form and Substance of Poetry,” this core course examines Sri Aurobindo’s analysis of the evolution of English poetry, a selection of poems from major poets, and focuses on a detailed analysis of selections from Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem, Savitri. The course also allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on poems or other topics of particular interest.

SAS 700: Indian Scriptures: Their Vision of Truth (3 Credits) Building on the introductory course on a Psychological Approach to Indian Scriptures, this core course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of selections from Sri Aurobindo’s major works on the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, while drawing on complementary literatures, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 800: Integral Education (3 Credits) Building on the introductory course on Education as Inner Growth, this course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo and Mother’s on related topics as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of later developments of Aurobindo’s and Mother’s views about education from other authors such as Nolini Kanta Gupta, Kireet Joshi, Raghunath Pani, Neeltje Huppes, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS 900: Towards the Supramental Being (3 Credits) Building on the introductory course on the Evolution Beyond the Human Species, this core course goes into greater depth and examines it in relation to Sri Aurobindo’s other writings as well as those of other authors. It focuses on a detailed analysis of Sri Aurobindo concerning the advent of the supramental being in such works as The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Letters on Yoga, Mother’s conversations in Notes on the Way, and allows for the reader to select a portion of the course readings on a topic of particular interest.

SAS MT: Mentored Research and Development of Master’s Thesis (6 Credits) This course focuses on the development of a master’s level thesis of at least 15,000 words (approximately 40 double-spaced pages) in consultation with the facilitator. The thesis should represent a significant contribution to the literature, and not merely restate the writings and ideas of other authors. The facilitator chosen for mentoring the learner depends on the subject chosen for study. The thesis must be approved by three faculty members, including at least one in both the Hindu University of America and The University of Tomorrow. Sri Aurobindo Darshan: The University of Tomorrow