Indian Psychology Institute
Puducherry
Syllabus of two introductory Indian psychology courses 2010
The context of Indian psychology
- Views of the world & views of psychology
- Yoga and the ongoing evolution of consciousness
- Yoga and society
Cognition and methodology
- How do we know? Inner and outer knowledge
- Research in the subjective domain;
- Research methods to be used for the participants' own course-project
- Knowledge and the mind
- Sense mind; emotional mind; thought mind; and beyond
- Ways of knowing; self-observation; silencing the mind
- Factors that negatively effect our ability to know & what to do about them
- Consciousness and power
Understanding self & personality
- Self and Nature – I: Planes and parts: each plane has its own laws and characteristics
- Self and Nature – II: The person & the personality
- The vital being: the evolution of the life-force
- Planes and parts of the being; the three gunas
- Ways of the mind and ways of the heart
- The double soul in man: self, psychic being and ego
- Explorations in the psychic realm: The evolving soul
Motivation and emotions
- Finding your own path: svabhava and svadharma
- Levels of determination
- The yoga of works
- The role of pain and suffering; dealing with difficulties
- The vital, mind, & motivation
- Motivation in learning
- Karma, dharma& desire
- Growing in consciousness
- Motivation and change
Understanding relationships
- Relationships
- The self and others
- Making a mind-map of one’s relations
- Relationships: with self, work, others, the Divine
- Oneness and duality
Processes of change: Yoga/ self-perfection
- Processes of change: Aspiration, rejection, surrender; remember and offer
- Self-Perfection: Calming the vital; silencing the mind
- Inner gestures
Applications
- The yoga of works
- Dealing with difficulties
- Application of yoga in life
- Applications in society
- Application in education
- Application in therapy
Ancient texts
- Vedic image of man: The symbol of the sacrifice
- Some major Upanishads
- Dualism in Samkhya and Tantra
- Some mahavakya in the Gita
- Patanjali