Start a New Religion
While some perceive it as a pathetically static monoculture of oppression, religion in its most exciting form is an environment—a happening—of ever-evolving ideas, practices, and visual and sensual pleasures. Spiritual paths based on everything from chaos, to love, to dada, to eroticism, and to eco-radicalism have found their way into the hearts and minds of seekers the world over. By looking at examples of some of these traditions, and by using them as a springboard for developing our own religions, students will come away with a better appreciation for what it means to “be religious,” and maybe even have a radical mystical epiphany or two.
In this class students will each write, design and craft a new spiritual path (as far out or traditional as desired), to be summed up and presented at the end of the course through presentations and pamphlets. Over the four weeks students will create hymns that can be used to exalt their beatitudes, define the tenets of their path so others will know what it’s all about, produce propaganda in order to call the willing to the Light, as well as explore the role of (read: draw/mold/create) deities in their new spiritual path. Using published examples from occult as well as mainstream traditions, we will look for inspiration from a variety of unusual sources. Students will be expected to play with what it means to “be religious,” and should be prepared and willing to engage in a variety of mediums, including text, song and iconography. Some experience with making ‘zines or other DIY publications a plus, but not required.
Please come to this class willing to crack open all you believe a religion should be.
Instructor
Bob Doto is editor and writer of Not New York, a web journal devoted to celebrating and exploring the spiritual margins of NYC. He is also the editor of These New Old Traditions: Community, Home, and the Ways of Mystic Revelry, and between 2005–2010 was managing editor of Parabola magazine. He is a founding member of the elusive punk band SPRCSS, and when not engaged in the above, practices ashtanga yoga and weird magickal activities in Prospect Park. Bob received his MFA in creative writing from Naropa University’s Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in 2002, and is the author of many articles, reviews and ‘zines on many different anarchist and esoteric subjects. His book Spelling: Reading & Writing the Enchanted World is due out late 2011.
Enroll online here, or call 718-715-4961
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Basic Member Price: $150 By enrolling you verify you have read |
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SECTION 2 FULL Date Time Registration Deadline |
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