The Kabbalah Course
Course Objectives and Expectations
Have you heard of the Kabbalah, but are unsure what it is or never had a chance to study it? Do you know a little about the Kabbalah and want to discover more? Have you been studying the Kabbalah but feel that there is much more to learn? This online elective offers an opportunity to study under an experienced teacher—in your own home or office, at times that suit your schedule, and at a level of commitment appropriate to your needs and aspirations.
Specifically, the course is designed to give interested students an in-depth understanding of the Judaic, Hermetic/Christian, and modern Kabbalah. More generally, the course—like all programs offered by the School for Esoteric Studies—is intended to help students evolve spiritually. Accordingly, we hope that taking this course will be a transformative experience. We hope that students will grow in self-awareness, identify more closely with our collective humanity, and commit to the spiritual development of the planet.
The course is pitched at a higher level than typical introductory courses, weekend workshops, and popular books. It is divided into seven segments, and textual material and assignments are supplied for each segment. No outside reading is required, but a bibliography for each segment provides opportunities for further study. At the end of each segment, students will submit a paper on what has been learned and what new insights have been gained. Papers will be individually critiqued, and the instructor will offer suggestions for continued study and encouragement for subsequent work in the course. Student-instructor dialog is encouraged throughout the course.
Students can spend as much or as little time on their papers as they feel is warranted. However, we believe that a significant investment of effort will be rewarded by more-than-proportionate rewards. Students may also proceed at their own pace. Normally the course can be completed within six months to a year, but a shorter or longer period may be appropriate in some cases. The material for each segment (after the first) will be supplied as soon as the student submits his or her paper relating to the previous segment. Feedback on student papers can be expected within 2-3 weeks. All student-instructor communications will be by e-mail.
Upon submission of the paper for Segment 7 and critique of the paper by the instructor, the student will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Credit: The artwork above left is by Brandi November Lyons, reproduced by permission.