First Course

This block brings together the fundamental concepts from the year into a synthesis. The goal is to have each student create a mandala of the stages of earth, water, fire and air which describes, in symbols, the challenges and breakthroughs of their year. Instructually many alchemical mandalic forms have been presented throughout the year and the students now take the contents of their journals and synthesize them into a cohesive image. The students will present these mandalas to the class and then lead them through a fire in the center of a labyrinth as the final project and rite of passage.

This block is designed to give the students a glimpse into the mysteries of cosmology as they play themselves out in personal biography. Starting with the alchemical concept that there are twelve points of view for every concept, the students learn the 12 fundamental human archetypes as they are manifest in the points of view of individuals. They then are shown that these archetypes are traditional aspects of the constellations of the Zodiac. The seven planets are manifestations of archetypal situations in life. The natal or birth point then gives a soul a placement in the whole of the cosmos and not just an individual lifetime lived for personal gain. These insights are often helpful when persons are faced with difficult decisions about their lives.

This block is an ongoing weekly meeting which extends through most of the year for the purpose of exploring biography in a group setting. In the initial meetings biographical exercises are given for small group conversation. This helps introduce class members to each other in a controlled and safe environment. When there is a foundation of trust and common interest the whole group meets to hear individual biographies. This allows for deeper trust and sharing to develop. At the end of the year the consensus model for structuring meetings is presented.