The Hindu Tapestry
An Inspired Introduction to Indian Religious Traditions
with Dr. Raj Balkaran
The Sacrifice Strand
This Module first introduces the contours of the Hindu Tapestry and aims of the course before surveying the Sacrifice Strand established within ancient Aryan worldly religion. This Strand focuses on ritual action and social standing. Broadly speaking, we can think of this as “karma yoga”, the path of action. Key themes include the Sanskrit language, the Vedic revelation, Vedic gods and the Vedic fire sacrifice.
Monday, January 18, 2021
7am EST (12pm GMT)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
The Insight Strand
This Module surveys the acetic Insight Strand of the Hindu tapestry, i.e., the path of other-worldly insight established in the classical Hindu philosophical schools of thought. Broadly speaking, we can think of this strand as “jnana yoga”, the path of spiritual knowledge. Key themes include maya, karma, moksha, samsara and the state of spiritual enlightenment.
Monday, January 25, 2021
7am EST (12pm GMT)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
The Epic Strand
This Module surveys the Epic Stands whereby worldly Sacrifice and otherworld Insight Strands are spun together to weave the ideological bedrock of Hinduism to this day, the “dharmic double-helix”. Broadly speaking, we can think of this strand as “nishkama karma yoga”, the path of wisdom in action. We look to the great Sanskrit epics Ramayana and Mahabharata - and especially the Bhagavad Gita - for core Hindu teachings and and exemplars for human life.
Monday, February 1, 2021
7am EST (12pm GMT)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
The Devotion Strand
This Module surveys the Devotion Strand of the Hindu tapestry, i.e., well-known Puranic tales crystallizing the idiom of devotion to a personal God. Broadly speaking, we can think of this as “bhakti yoga”, the path of devotion. We examine popular forms of worship and common Hindu deities, e.g., Ganesh, Shiva, Durga, Krishna, Hanuman.
Monday, February 8, 2021
7am EST OR 2pm EST (2 Sections Available)
(Attend whichever section works best for you)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
The Transformation Strand
This Module surveys the Transformation Strand of the Hindu Tapestry, i.e., Tantric techniques used to awaken energy, and transform the world around us and our very bodies. Broadly speaking, we can think of this as “shakti yoga”, the path of spiritual power. Key components include kundalini, mantra, yantra, tantric rituals.
Monday, February 15, 2021
7am EST OR 2pm EST (2 Sections Available)
(Attend whichever section works best for you)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
The Hindu Tapestry
In this final Module, we examine how the five Strands come together to form the Tapestry of modern Hinduism where practitioners engage a synergy of Sacrifice, Insight, Devotion, Transformation and Epic emulation. We examine the interplay of these five paths (action, spiritual knowledge, desire less action, devotion and spiritual power) within personal worship and communal worship.
Monday, February 22, 2021
7am EST OR 2pm EST (2 Sections Available)
(Attend whichever section works best for you)
90-minute interactive live Zoom lecture
+ Readings
+ Handout
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone who wishes to learn about the complex religious traditions we call “Hinduism” in a spirited academic manner, whether you are a lifelong learner, a scholar, a seeker, from a Hindu home, a yoga practitioner, etc. No background knowledge is required, only a desire to learn about Hinduism and an appreciation for the human experience.
What approach will this course take?
You will receive scholarly content on Hindu Strands dovetailed with insight into practicing life. While we ultimately adopt a scholarly stance, this is not a reductionistic paradigm: we leave room for the human spirit, touching on life wisdom and embodied experience. Scholarship is the proper arbiter of what we can empirically know about the outer world; yet wisdom teaches us about the inner life, and how humans can meaningfully navigate the outer world. This “rigour without reduction” stratagem is born of the notion that scholarship is hollow without experience, and experience blind without scholarship.
Who is teaching this course?
This course is taught by Dr. Raj Balkaran. He has advanced degrees in Hindu Studies, advanced spiritual training in Indian wisdom traditions and extensive experience teaching academics, continuing studies learners, and Hindu practitioners. He is also a seasoned online educator who serves on the Course Development Board at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.
What is the format of the course?
You will get to attend a live interactive 90-minute Zoom lecture each week, accompanied by readings and a handout. There will be ample time for Q&A. These live sessions will be recording in case you can’t make them. Either way, you will have the opportunity to ask questions via email throughout the course, and be pointed to further sources as desired. You will have the option of submitting a written assignment, as desired.
What are the learning outcomes for this course?
This course yields familiarity with Hindu
historical developments
philosophical teachings
social structures and values
sacred texts
figures
deities and their narratives
practices
Most importantly, this course offers insight into how these moving parts fit together in the life of Hinduism, indeed how the Hindu Tapestry is woven. You will be afforded
a comprehensive, meaningful context into which you can place your knowledge of Hinduism, past and future
the ability to relate to Hindu practitioners of various stripes
the opportunity to deepen your own practice, if you are a practitioner or aspiring practitioner
the ability to navigate the jungle that is Hinduism, however dense its flora and fauna may appear at first glance