Wise Studies

This course introduces key concepts of Indian Buddhist thought. Over 5 lectures Bee explains the fundamental themes and problems of Buddhist Philosophy; from the early Buddhist teachings on ‘suffering’, ‘karma’ and ‘No-Self’, to the later...

Over three sessions Daniela explores Hindu asceticism, featuring the differences among the main ascetic groups and then focusing on their sādhanās or spiritual disciplines with close attention to the practice of austerities and the practice of...

Over three sessions Suzanne explores how yoga came to Britain, covering the individuals and movements that influenced the exchange between the yoga from India, and the cast of characters in Britain that eagerly received these exotic ideas and...

DescriptionIn this ten part lecture series Sarah Shaw explores several stories from the Jatakas, stories of the previous lives of the Gautama Buddha both in human and animal form. The stories are entertaining and allegorical. Sarah connects these...

Moses’ encounter with God on the summit of Mount Sinai, as told in the biblical book of Exodus, contains a number of peculiarities and paradoxes. Early Christian mystics seized on these as clues to the spiritual understanding of Moses’ experiences,...

In this 5 part lecture series Gwilym Beckerlegge discusses the life and legacy of Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the Hindu teacher who was arguably the first 'global guru'. Vivekananda has been influential in shaping, among other things, Hindu notions...

Over five lectures, Gavin Flood, professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion in the Theology and Religion Faculty at Campion Hall at Oxford University, gives an overview of the history, theory and practice of Tantra. He explores aspects from...

This lecture series looks at several texts in the Pali Canon from the Dīgha Nikāya, the “collection of long discourses”. Sarah explores the Buddha’s teachings on subjects including meditation, ethics, meditative states and conditionality. This series...

In this 5 lecture series Dr. James Mallinson takes a deeper look at the Hatha Yoga lineage. He covers many areas from the texts to the practitioners, the philosophies to the practices. James is one of the world’s foremost experts on Hatha Yoga. His...

In this course John Danvers presents a personal view about mysticism, what he calls ‘the mysticism of being-here’ – a particular interpretation of mysticism that differs from many of the more orthodox views. While many approaches to mysticism focus on...

These three lectures are an introduction to one of the most important schools of philosophy in the ancient world, the followers of Plato (c.348-428 BCE) who are now called the Neoplatonists. Writing from roughly 100 to 500 CE, these philosophers...

The Philosophy of the Yoga Sutra with Karen O’Brien-KopThis course takes an in-depth look at the philosophy underpinning the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. Over 5 lectures Karen explains the historical and cultural background in which the text was compiled....

In these four talks, Peter Tyler explores the factors that contributed to the rise of mystical writing in 16th Century Spain. He traces the particular history of the Peninsula that shaped the milieu within which mysticism flourished at this time.One...

In this 5 lecture series Graham Burns gives a broad overview of the Upanishads, explaining the history and culture in which they arose. He takes you through several themes that are explored in some of the more prominent Upanishads. He illuminates...

The course begins by looking at the origins of Christian monasticism during the third century CE, when thousands of men and women renounced the world and withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Syria and Palestine to seek God in a life of solitude and...

In these two lectures about Sandro Botticelli (1444-1510) and the meaning behind two of his best loved paintings, Angela introduces you to the esoteric worldview which flourished in the early centuries CE in cultural centres such as Alexandria in...

Over 4 sessions Ruth will explore the roles women have made in the history of ancient and modern yoga practice.Session 1Session 2Session 3Session 4 Duration - 2h 38m. Author - Ruth Westoby. Narrator - Ruth Westoby. Published Date - Sunday, 22 January...