The Vibrant Center: An Urgent Consciousness for Our Divided Times

The Vibrant Center: An Urgent Consciousness for Our Divided Times

This course is offered in a hybrid format. On campus location TBD.

Takes place October 8th from 6pm-7:30pm ET

Presenter:

Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D. is a is a leading spokesperson for existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology, an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and formerly at Teachers College, Columbia University; he is also cofounder and current president of the award-winning Existential-Humanistic Institute. Dr. Schneider is the author/editor of 16 books. These include TheSpirituality of Awe, The Polarized Mind, The Depolarizing of America, Life-Enhancing Anxiety, and his new book The Vibrant Center: A New Consciousness for Our Broken Age. For more information on Dr. Schneider’s work visit https://kirkjschneider.com as well as his YouTube channel “Corps of Depth Healers,” which serves as a resource for depthpsychological approaches to social crises: https://www.youtube.com/@CorpsofDepthHealers-ws9nq .

Description:

This talk proposes a call for what Dr. Schneider terms the “vibrant center" of consciousness. The vibrant center is an existentially informed consciousness that is based on three pillars of depth psychological wisdom: the cultivation of presence to self and others; the openness to experience that emerges from such presence; and the discernment that characteristically follows a personally and socially attuned engagement with the world. Dr. Schneider also defines the vibrant center as a pivot point of choice and discernment. In the balance of the talk, Dr. Schneider will elaborate first, the urgent need for a vibrantly centered, awe-based alternative to the growing extremism (or polarization) of our times, as well as to the deadening moderation (or superficiality) of our times. He will also provide examples of resilient luminaries who illustrate and can inspire this vision. Second, he will suggest that, if we are to survive let alone thrive as a species, a vibrantly centered, awe-based consciousness needs to be lived out across at least five major sectors of society -- from childrearing to education to the work setting to the religious and spiritual settings to governance. Finally, he will propose a fresh vision of a vibrantly centered political movement, as this domain has the potential to impact vast aspects of our lives, and hold in the balance the very sustenance of our lives.

Learning Objectives:

1) The audience will be able to describe the vibrant center of consciousness.

2) The audience will be able to discuss the relationship between vibrant centered consciousness and psychosocial well being.

3) The audience will be able to identify two social applications of the vibrant center of consciousness.

Timeline and Requirements:

This course will take place on October 8th from 6:00pm to 7:30pm ET in a hybrid format.

CE Sponsorship:

Pending approval

Fees and Policies: 

Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 5pm on October 8th. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact wcas.cece@bc.edu .

Additional offerings from the Woods College Office of Continuing Education and Community Engagement can be found on our website .