On Dr. Holmes' Struggles for Academic Freedom at York University
“We at York ... must give special emphasis to the humanizing of man
freeing him from those pressures which mechanize the mind,
which make for routine thinking, which divorce thinking and feeling,
which permit custom to dominate intelligence,
which freeze awareness of the human spirit and its possibilities.”
Murray Ross

1. The Toronto Star article read: “Mystics dished up the last public pitch to a provincial commission on universities yesterday before the group meets in private today to decide their fate. It was an ironic twist. Caught between a staggering mandate and a deadline that has been ridiculed as too short, the commission just may need a mystic to pull off the task Queens Park has handed it. ...
“Yesterday, Christopher Holmes, a cofounder of the Institute for Mystical and Spiritual Science, told the commission that every campus needs a department of mystic studies and asked the commission to recommend funding for them. “Self-knowledge is the key to true wisdom,” said a brief from the Institute.

http://www.zeropoint.ca/educationbrief.html

http://www.zeropoint.ca/YorkUniversity.htm

http://www.zeropoint.ca/AbouttheAuthor.html




Should Mysticism...Spirituality.. Paranormal.. ..Psychic development.. Meditation..be an elective at school????


Should it be legitimized...??


Taken seriously...????


I think so... do you???

Although I think this should be in the Spirituality, Religion, and Beleifs section....

I think that Mysticism/paranormal studies is something that will always be acknowledged yet not accepted completly in proper techings today; as in a course study. Some schools teach it, most do not. I'll have to dredge up some links here in another post if I can.

I'd like to touch on this subject more, but i'm heading off to bed. I'll be back to add more on this very soon. Good topic by the way....

I agree. It should a topic thats at least touched on. For millions and millons of people, the paranormal is believed a real and true thing. Itd be a shame to disreguard that as nothing more then roaming imaginations, when one can say the same of the study of different religions.

Hi Crystal sage :-)

I definitely think it should be not only an elective at school, but people should be allowed to have it as their Major in college and take preparatory classes in high school.

I would have loved this when I was in school. I would have majored in Metaphysics. Many times I have visualized myself standing up in front of a class teaching this exact thing. I live up here in Oregon and I heard the only college around is a special college up in Washington.

I think as time goes on, things are changing, and I also think the college curriculum will change, but it may take a whle longer at the secondary level.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

If taught properly, it would make a great addition to any college. Would love to sign up for a class.

NO, I will say no....school is for proper education, for growing and maturing in a way that will serve the child best for adult life and society.

I don't feel it's fare to put that on children. Meditiation classes maybe for relaxation and stress control, but serious spiritual developemnt should be a choice that comes later in life when one is mature enough to handle it and know it is right for them....

If abilty is there then it will awlays be there waiting to be unfolded...... Children need to be children.....

Religious education in most schools serve the purpose of educating children of all the practised religions in the world that they may come into contact with in a multi cultured world and that is fine.

I see nothing wrong with offering it in colleges and universities as electives or as part of philosophy or religious or theology programs. I do not think it should be offered at the lower levels though, for the same reason I don't think any religion should be taught in public schools, seperation of church and state. There are 'new age' churches that offer metaphysical classes, such as The United Metaphysical Churches, but there are not very many of them.

I agree. I taught my kids relaxation and I think it benefited them greatly.

good point coldethyl, it's awesome to meditate while relaxing but most of the time I used to fall asleep haha

Doesn't that mean you're doing it right? Hehehe


I don't know. I'm on the fence. It would depend on what aspects of mystic teachings or spiritual sciences we are dealing with here and at what level.

Teaching mysticalities (is that a word?) would to me, be the same as teaching religion in the schools. I don't think I would like someone putting their beliefs on me or my kids, even if it were an elective course. In my opinion, it is something that should be learned through life experience and the choice of studying with MANY teachers.

On the other hand, students in general have increasing stress daily and could probably use other aspects of mystics as a tool for dealing with it. Like meditation. My son's teacher does yoga with him, and as a high-functioning, challenging child, it really helps him. (I keep meaning to do yoga at home but its near impossible with four kids).

I realize we're talking about colleges and post-secondary educational levels here, but again, it would have to do with the particular aspects of the teachings, and at what level.

Subjects like criminology, sciences, politics have a tangible "meat" to them. They have an approved curriculum that is taught by an overall standard. I am not sure you would be able to apply such standards to such a course as Mysticism 101.

I also think it would be a great elective for college - in fact I'm pretty sure there are colleges that teach it - but not for any grades below that. Reason being, there are a lot of bible thumpers out there (no offense meant toward anyone) who would absolutely FREAK out if this was even mentioned as part of their child's curriculum. Afterlife and any type of paranormal beliefs (or lack thereof) are rooted in an individual person's spiritual beliefs, and it should be up to the parents of a child to teach them about it. Think about the uproar over the teaching of evolution is schools. I know my parents would have flipped, not because they didn't believe in it, but because every person's view is different, and even when you have a teacher reading from a textbook, they're going to slant it at least somewhat in the direction of their own personal beliefs. So no, until a person is old enough to be able to form their own thoughts on the subject, I don't it shouldn't be an option in a school setting.

I agree it should be in college, but no grade less than that.

Hi AriKiya:

Interesting post! I agree that at the younger ages, it should be up to the parents of a child to teach them about it. I don't ever see these kinds of classes being offered at the Elementary school level....unless it happens sometime far into the future.

I don't feel that this would warp any child's mind, as parents have been known to force their children to go to church then when they get older it's just not "their thing." Kids are like a sponge, however, and I feel that parents should introduce them to several topics of the world. I knew a 5-year-old girl who was a daughter of a friend of mine, and she was beginning to learn ACCOUNTING that i taught her. She actually got quite good at it. She was able to identify Assets and Liabilities and Capital. So this would be a wonderful way for them to learn about the world is to introduce them to different subjects such as these.

Have any of you heard of "Psychic Kindergarten"? Some of the psychic churches are beginning to hold these classes for very young children. Although my niece was not a student of our local psychic kindergarten, every time she came over to visit me, I'd ask her what book she'd like me to read to her. I had an extensive collection of children's stories, including spooky Goosebumps books that children love so much.

Every time she's choose with excitement a book called "Mountains, Meadows and Moonbeams" which is a child's Spiritual primer. I wish I had had this book when I was a little girl. It discusses Meditation, Clairvoyance, the Universal Consciousness of God, Parapsychology, Precognition and Retrocognition, Telepathy, Positive and Negative frequencies, Psychokinesis, and much much more; but it is told in simple terms that a child can understand, and includes nice explanatory illustrations.

I think children like to learn and at a subconscious level desire to know who they are and where they came from. This book contains the information that is taught at these Psychic Kindergartens.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

haha,I didnt know colleges taught these things, when you graduate, do these classes give you credits?

Yes, I believe they do.

http://ashiana.conforums.com/index.cgi

~ Isis

I believe it would be interesting to give classes on the subject as electives, but I don't see a college having a whole department on the subject. I'm not sure there are a lot of job openings for people with paranormal degrees. Or a big calling for it in that matter.

But like I said, as just elective courses, I don't see any harm in it. You could easily form a club from these classes, letting the students take if further in their own time.

Also, who would be teaching these classes?

Check out the Rhine Research Center in NC.

Another great point, how EXACTLY are they to determine who is "qualified" to teach a class of that nature and who isn't....... .........by number of articles published?

If the Universities or Colleges in question have the resources and there is a genuine interest by the students as a whole, then the onus lies with the institutions themselves......but it should not be taught below the college level IMO.

Yeah, good link....I think that is a research group off campus for students and the public that are interested in the study of Parapsychology. I dont think Duke or NC are affiliated with the group, but it is classes no doubt.

The one big reason I think it would be hard to get these classes into actual college studies are due to the Psychology Dept. I think there would be some heads banging around between those dept's. And since Psychology is mostly proven and has a workability while Parapsychology is mostly made up of opinion and non confirmed hypothesis, this would cause problems.

It's owned by Duke University.

That would lend greatly towards it's credibility....good find.

My bad....I miss read it!

Here's an interesting article...

(The benefits of a broader education????)

"How Did Albert Einstein Intuit (Grok) E=mc2?

Answer:

That's easy... He looked it up in The Secret Doctrine. (1)

Here's the Background:

On the 20th Anniversary of Einstein's death (1975), physicist Richard Feynman was quoted in Time magazine as saying, "I cannot understand how he arrived at the intuition (2) leading to E-mc^2, considering the level of scientific knowledge at the time."(1905)

A niece of Einstein reported that a copy of the Secret Doctrine was always on his desk.(3) Another witness, Jack Brown, reports similarly in an article, "I visited Professor Einstein." (4)"



http://users.aol.com/unIwldarts/uniworld.a...d/einstein.html

Then there is the PEAR program.....!!!

http://moebius.psy.ed.ac.uk/~info/ResearchCentres.php3


Results 1 - 10
R. D. Nelson's homepage
Roger remains connected with PEAR, but gives most of his time to the Global ... Koestler Chair of Parapsychology Edinburgh University's parapsychology ...
www.princeton.edu/~rdnelson/ - 7k - Cached - Similar pages
Claims of parapsychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The on-going PEAR program, started at Princeton University in 1979, ... There are many theories or models being offered within parapsychology to account for ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claims_of_parapsychology - 29k - Cached - Similar pages
Parapsychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
According to the Parapsychological Association, parapsychology is limited in ... Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology - 105k - Cached - Similar pages
Research Centres
The PEAR program was established at Princeton University to pursue rigorous scientific study ... Successor to the Duke University Parapsychology Laboratory, ...
moebius.psy.ed.ac.uk/~info/ResearchCentres.php3 - 30k - Cached - Similar pages
Skeptical Investigations - Organisations Promoting Open-Minded ...
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Program ... The Center is the successor to the Duke University Parapsychology Laboratory and carries forward ...
www.skepticalinvestigations.org/openorgs/index.htm - 20k - Cached - Similar pages
Claims of parapsychology: Information from Answers.com
Claims of parapsychology Though some parapsychologists still pursue the study of ... The on-going PEAR program, started at Princeton University in 1979, ...
www.answers.com/topic/claims-of-parapsychology - 46k - Cached - Similar pages
parapsychology: Definition and Much More from Answers.com
Many see the term parapsychology as synonymous with paranormal. ... Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University. ...
www.answers.com/topic/parapsychology-1 - 100k - Cached - Similar pages
CRL Parapsychology FAQ3
bullet, Koestler Parapsychology Unit, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. bullet, PEAR Laboratory, Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab, ...
www.deanradin.com/para3.html - 50k - Cached - Similar pages
The Dark Twin: Glossary
Duke University Parapsychology Laboratory: Also called the Institute for ... the PEAR lab is one of the greatest contributors to psychokinesis research. ...
library.thinkquest.org/C0120993/glossaryfull.html - 64k - Cached - Similar pages
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR)
Critique of the PEAR Remote-Viewing Experiments (1992) by George P. Hansen, Jessica Utts, Betty Markwick, Journal of Parapsychology, Vol. 56, No. ...
skepdic.com/pear.html - 19k - Cached - Similar pages

As in Blavatsky's, The Secret Doctrine? So it wasn't that Einstein was looking at a tram one day and thought, what would it be like to be traveling at the speed of light...?

Some Unpublished Letters of H. P. Blavatsky, comp. E. R. Corson



http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/corson/cors-4.htm

http://www.blavatsky.net/confirm/peb/pebbles.htm

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guests/1018.html

http://imaginativeworlds.com/forum/showthread.php?p=128420

http://www.bbsradio.com/bbc/zero_point.php

All right Canada fesss up!......Hezzi...?(miss her sig) .......B

Huh? wha-? Ohhhh sorry, I was sleeping while you were talking...

see what I mean! .....B


the Canucks seem to be able to keep up just fine gang...



Dont worry Hezzi, I will try not to make things TOO complex , I know some of you have fucus issues.....

http://www.bbsradio.com/bbc/zero_point.shtml


Do you think we each, as individuals, are examples of ' Zero Point'???


we have a whole reality... or realities equally when we explore 'within' or 'without' !!!! ...

We have multi universes...dimensions to explore when we focus.. within ourselves... our minds.. and also when we contemplate the heavens... our without!!!

if we try to focus on either dimensions.. as in where we can access more... we can give equal weight to each... each has the same possibilities...

Do you all think so too???