LANGUAGE
This course is given in English.
DATES AND SCHEDULE
The six sessions take place on the following Saturdays from 8am to 10am (Montreal) / 1pm to 3pm (London) / 2pm to 4pm (Paris) / 11pm to 1am (Melbourne):
April 12 and 26; May 10 and 24; June 7 and 21.
The six sessions take place on the following Saturdays from 8am to 10am (Montreal) / 1pm to 3pm (London) / 2pm to 4pm (Paris) / 11pm to 1am (Melbourne):
April 12 and 26; May 10 and 24; June 7 and 21.
|
WEBINAR DESCRIPTION
Divine alchemy involves more than turning lead into gold. It means turning earth into heaven, matter into spirit, doubt into conviction, sin into grace, time into eternity, loneliness into communion, the self into the Self. Our thirst is intense. We wish to arrive at the truth, our personal truth, at a maturity that deeply satisfies. We seek wholeness in body and soul, depths of emotion and even of ecstasy, a sense of self-worth and dignity. We wish, freely and authentically, to fashion our future selves. The interplay of Kashmir Shaivism and of Christianity during these six sessions will provide views and practices that show how this can be done. |
|
THE LECTURER
Australian-born Jean R. DUPUCHE, a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, is Assistant Professor at the University of Divinity. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the Tantraloka, the main work of Kashmir's greatest Shiva philosopher, Abhinavagupta.
His many lectures and publications focus on the spirituality of pleasure, the autonomy of the self, interreligious dialogue and the relationship between Tantrism and Christianity.
He organized, for example, the symposium 'Tantric Aspects of the World's Spiritualities,' at Monash University, and played an important role in selecting the themes and speakers for a symposium entitled 'Enlightenment and Tantra', at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Rome.
He has lectured in Montreal, Oxford, Toulouse, Rennes, Riga, Lahore, etc. and has led numerous interfaith symposia in Melbourne on themes such as reconciliation, faith and reason, compassion.
He is a member of the Australian Catholic Council for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Australian Bishops' Conference. He is a member of an inter-religious community whose 6 members enjoy multiple affiliations: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity.
His publications include:
. Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2003),
. Chakras, foyers de conscience-énergie; Regards sur une autre expérience du corps dans l'hindouisme et le christianisme (Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2020)
. Vers un tantra chrétien ; la rencontre du christianisme et du shivaïsme du Cachemire (Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2021).
Australian-born Jean R. DUPUCHE, a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, is Assistant Professor at the University of Divinity. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the Tantraloka, the main work of Kashmir's greatest Shiva philosopher, Abhinavagupta.
His many lectures and publications focus on the spirituality of pleasure, the autonomy of the self, interreligious dialogue and the relationship between Tantrism and Christianity.
He organized, for example, the symposium 'Tantric Aspects of the World's Spiritualities,' at Monash University, and played an important role in selecting the themes and speakers for a symposium entitled 'Enlightenment and Tantra', at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Rome.
He has lectured in Montreal, Oxford, Toulouse, Rennes, Riga, Lahore, etc. and has led numerous interfaith symposia in Melbourne on themes such as reconciliation, faith and reason, compassion.
He is a member of the Australian Catholic Council for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Australian Bishops' Conference. He is a member of an inter-religious community whose 6 members enjoy multiple affiliations: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity.
His publications include:
. Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2003),
. Chakras, foyers de conscience-énergie; Regards sur une autre expérience du corps dans l'hindouisme et le christianisme (Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2020)
. Vers un tantra chrétien ; la rencontre du christianisme et du shivaïsme du Cachemire (Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2021).
To find out more about John Dupuche, here are a three interviews conducted by Norm Currie for Harmony in Diversity, Channel 31, Australia.
|
My life
|
Joint Journey to Jerusalem
|
My personal journey
|
FORMAT AND INTEGRATION
The seminar is available online, live via ZOOM and as a replay for those who were unable to attend either session, or who wish to review the content offline.
The program is designed to combine theory and experience, enabling everyone to deepen their self-knowledge and spiritual realities.
Integration exercises are offered throughout the course for those who wish to do so, depending on their availability. No grades will be awarded. We will regularly send you documents (written, video, audio) to help you reflect on your own experience.
Each session consists of a presentation, question periods, exchanges and the practice of certain meditative practices. Readings before each session will enable you to go further in your learning.
Our aim is to create a community of enquiry, a platform that brings together people with a common desire to grow and share their questions about deep, embodied spirituality.
The seminar is available online, live via ZOOM and as a replay for those who were unable to attend either session, or who wish to review the content offline.
The program is designed to combine theory and experience, enabling everyone to deepen their self-knowledge and spiritual realities.
Integration exercises are offered throughout the course for those who wish to do so, depending on their availability. No grades will be awarded. We will regularly send you documents (written, video, audio) to help you reflect on your own experience.
Each session consists of a presentation, question periods, exchanges and the practice of certain meditative practices. Readings before each session will enable you to go further in your learning.
Our aim is to create a community of enquiry, a platform that brings together people with a common desire to grow and share their questions about deep, embodied spirituality.
SESSIONS CONTENT
. Session 1: (April 12)Are we just individuals bound to time and space, working hard for a passing pleasure? Or ae we a greater Self full of grace and truth? Is there a divine alchemy at work?
. Session 2: (April 26)
Are we isolates, figures of our imagination, closed in our own prisons? Or are our arms opened wide to embrace all that is? Can lead become gold?
. Session 3: (May 10)
Is nothing real or true, just a world of make-believe and doubt? Or are there words that draw is us into a knowledge of the sublime. Is the ‘philosopher’s stone’ available to us?
. Session 4: (May 24)
Is there no value in the repulsive and horrible? How can beauty and wonder be found in every circumstance? How can grey lead be turned into glorious gold?
. Session 5: (June 7)
Are we slaves to duty or to imperious desire? Or are we supremely free, called to live a sacred spirituality of pleasure? Can the greyness of lead become the gold that delights eye and touch?
. Session 6: (June 21)
What alone can satisfy the heart and mind? What is love? How are we transformed from dull matter into spirit and energy, filling the whole universe? This is ultimate alchemy!
. Session 1: (April 12)Are we just individuals bound to time and space, working hard for a passing pleasure? Or ae we a greater Self full of grace and truth? Is there a divine alchemy at work?
. Session 2: (April 26)
Are we isolates, figures of our imagination, closed in our own prisons? Or are our arms opened wide to embrace all that is? Can lead become gold?
. Session 3: (May 10)
Is nothing real or true, just a world of make-believe and doubt? Or are there words that draw is us into a knowledge of the sublime. Is the ‘philosopher’s stone’ available to us?
. Session 4: (May 24)
Is there no value in the repulsive and horrible? How can beauty and wonder be found in every circumstance? How can grey lead be turned into glorious gold?
. Session 5: (June 7)
Are we slaves to duty or to imperious desire? Or are we supremely free, called to live a sacred spirituality of pleasure? Can the greyness of lead become the gold that delights eye and touch?
. Session 6: (June 21)
What alone can satisfy the heart and mind? What is love? How are we transformed from dull matter into spirit and energy, filling the whole universe? This is ultimate alchemy!
COSTS AND REGISTRATION
To facilitate participation, no fee is required. You can register for free or make a donation. However, we ask for your generosity to help us make our activities accessible to all. To give an idea, the minimum cost of this type of training is 250 CAN$ / 170 US$ / 172 €.
To register, you need to commit to taking the entire course, so as to get the most out of it for yourself, and to create a group dynamic conducive to the integration of the content.
This course includes :
. Teaching sessions (6 sessions/12 hours)
. Written and audiovisual documents
. Follow-up and ongoing evaluation (sending exercises, replying to e-mails, commenting on submitted work, etc.).
The deadline for registration is April 11, 2025.
To facilitate participation, no fee is required. You can register for free or make a donation. However, we ask for your generosity to help us make our activities accessible to all. To give an idea, the minimum cost of this type of training is 250 CAN$ / 170 US$ / 172 €.
To register, you need to commit to taking the entire course, so as to get the most out of it for yourself, and to create a group dynamic conducive to the integration of the content.
This course includes :
. Teaching sessions (6 sessions/12 hours)
. Written and audiovisual documents
. Follow-up and ongoing evaluation (sending exercises, replying to e-mails, commenting on submitted work, etc.).
The deadline for registration is April 11, 2025.
