PLEASURE AS A WAY TO AWAKENING?
PLEASURE AS A WAY
TO AWAKENING?
John DUPUCHE, PhD et Fabrice BLÉE, PhD
January – April 2023 / In French
TO AWAKENING?
John DUPUCHE, PhD et Fabrice BLÉE, PhD
January – April 2023 / In French
DESCRIPTION
In religions, pleasure is often seen as an obstacle to enlightenment or a life in God. Ascetic activities or disciplines of deprivation do not mix well with fulfilling one's desires.
However, pleasure is constitutive of human nature; it is part of a balanced, individual and social life. Moreover, the consumer society teaches us that happiness lies in the pleasures that are often the marker of our wealth. The poorer admire the richer for the pleasures they can never afford. This is also true in many spiritual circles where awakening rhymes with well-being. It can go so far as to promote sexual pleasure as the place of all achievement.
However, even if we live in a society of pleasure, little receptive to the vision of religions, it is clear that confusion and depression are constantly increasing. Pleasure does not necessarily lead to happiness.
Without giving in to extreme positions, how then can we conceive of pleasure as a gateway to a plenitude that is not ephemeral, as part of our relationship with the divine?
To find out, let's examine the great Christian mystical tradition in dialogue with the tantric ways of India in order to understand the role of the body, sexuality and various pleasures in self-transformation and awakening to the transcendent.
In religions, pleasure is often seen as an obstacle to enlightenment or a life in God. Ascetic activities or disciplines of deprivation do not mix well with fulfilling one's desires.
However, pleasure is constitutive of human nature; it is part of a balanced, individual and social life. Moreover, the consumer society teaches us that happiness lies in the pleasures that are often the marker of our wealth. The poorer admire the richer for the pleasures they can never afford. This is also true in many spiritual circles where awakening rhymes with well-being. It can go so far as to promote sexual pleasure as the place of all achievement.
However, even if we live in a society of pleasure, little receptive to the vision of religions, it is clear that confusion and depression are constantly increasing. Pleasure does not necessarily lead to happiness.
Without giving in to extreme positions, how then can we conceive of pleasure as a gateway to a plenitude that is not ephemeral, as part of our relationship with the divine?
To find out, let's examine the great Christian mystical tradition in dialogue with the tantric ways of India in order to understand the role of the body, sexuality and various pleasures in self-transformation and awakening to the transcendent.
SPIRIT OF THE SEMINAR
The seminar is given in such a way that the content delivered can resonate in everyone's experience and allow them to deepen their own path of plenitude.
The seminar is given in such a way that the content delivered can resonate in everyone's experience and allow them to deepen their own path of plenitude.
WHY THIS SEMINAR ?
. Recognize through our religious and historical heritage the mental barriers to the pleasures that condition us on a daily basis.
. Understand the nature of pleasure and its role in our society.
. Understand its place in the awakening process.
. Reclaiming pleasure as a tool for personal transformation.
. Demystifying the tantric approach.
. etc.
. Recognize through our religious and historical heritage the mental barriers to the pleasures that condition us on a daily basis.
. Understand the nature of pleasure and its role in our society.
. Understand its place in the awakening process.
. Reclaiming pleasure as a tool for personal transformation.
. Demystifying the tantric approach.
. etc.
CONTENT
Session 1 (January)
● Religions and pleasure: refusal and research
● The modern world and pleasure: promises and lies
Session 2 (February)
● Anthropology of pleasure: origin and destiny of the human being
● Theology of pleasure: the Divinity is pleased.
Session 3 (March)
● Wonder and autonomy: the stages of awakening to pleasures
● Sexual pleasure and awakening to the Transcendent
Session 4 (April)
● Awakening and illusion: discernment and wisdom
● Ecstasy and love: going beyond the self, arriving at the Self
Session 1 (January)
● Religions and pleasure: refusal and research
● The modern world and pleasure: promises and lies
Session 2 (February)
● Anthropology of pleasure: origin and destiny of the human being
● Theology of pleasure: the Divinity is pleased.
Session 3 (March)
● Wonder and autonomy: the stages of awakening to pleasures
● Sexual pleasure and awakening to the Transcendent
Session 4 (April)
● Awakening and illusion: discernment and wisdom
● Ecstasy and love: going beyond the self, arriving at the Self
DATES AND SCHEDULE
The seminar takes place online, live and in French from January to April, with one three-hour session per month. The four sessions are given on Saturdays.
. Saturday January 21
. Saturday February 18
. Saturday March 18
. Saturday April 15
We address an audience present throughout the world, particularly in Australia, North America and Europe.
In terms of time difference, the best compromise is 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. (Costa Rica time), 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Ottawa time), 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (France) and 9 p.m. Melbourne).
The seminar takes place online, live and in French from January to April, with one three-hour session per month. The four sessions are given on Saturdays.
. Saturday January 21
. Saturday February 18
. Saturday March 18
. Saturday April 15
We address an audience present throughout the world, particularly in Australia, North America and Europe.
In terms of time difference, the best compromise is 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. (Costa Rica time), 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Ottawa time), 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (France) and 9 p.m. Melbourne).
TEACHING APPROACH
Each session is an opportunity to address two themes. Each theme is treated as follows:
. Presentation of the first speaker (20 min.).
. Reaction of participants (10 min.).
. Presentation of the second speaker (20 min.).
. Feedback from participants (10 min).
. Debate between the two speakers (10 min.).
. General discussion (10 min.).
. A break (20 min.) allows you to relax between the two themes
Each session is an opportunity to address two themes. Each theme is treated as follows:
. Presentation of the first speaker (20 min.).
. Reaction of participants (10 min.).
. Presentation of the second speaker (20 min.).
. Feedback from participants (10 min).
. Debate between the two speakers (10 min.).
. General discussion (10 min.).
. A break (20 min.) allows you to relax between the two themes
CONDITIONS TO PARTICIPATE
This seminar is open to everyone. The conditions to participate are:
. Demonstrate a thirst for fullness and the desire to articulate and deepen it in the light of the proposed content.
. Allocate time to study the documents proposed to progress personally and nourish the exchanges and discussions during the sessions.
. Agree to turn on your camera during online sessions to create group dynamics.
This seminar is open to everyone. The conditions to participate are:
. Demonstrate a thirst for fullness and the desire to articulate and deepen it in the light of the proposed content.
. Allocate time to study the documents proposed to progress personally and nourish the exchanges and discussions during the sessions.
. Agree to turn on your camera during online sessions to create group dynamics.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
● John Dupuche, PhD
john is a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia. He is an assistant professor at the University of Divinity. His many conferences and publications focus on the spirituality of pleasure, the autonomy of the self, interreligious dialogue, the relationship between Tantrism and Christianity.
He published in particular:
. Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass, 2003.
. Chakras, foyers de conscience-énergie. Regards sur une autre expérience du corps dans l’hindouisme et le christianisme , Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2020.
. Vers un tantra chrétien ; la rencontre du christianisme et du shivaïsme du Cachemire, Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2021.
Il fait partie du Australian Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue of the Australian Bishops’ Conference. Il est aussi membre d’une communauté interreligieuse.
● Fabrice Blée, PhD
Fabrice is an associate professor of theology. He offers this training following his work on Kashmir Shivaism, a Hindu tantric path for which pleasure is a gateway to great awakening. There is an obvious contrast here with a Christian perspective that emphasizes suffering and deprivation. What is it really ? Fabrice recently published the following articles related to this tantric path.
. « Apports et critiques des studios de yoga (pratique des asanas), à la lumière du Shivaïsme du Cachemire, pour une spiritualité chrétienne incarnée », Religions (en anglais, publication prévue en 2022)
. « La voie du désir. La mystique chrétienne en écho au système tantrique non duel du Trika (Śivaïsme du Cachemire) ». In : Laurent Basanese et Paolo Trianni, Religioni in Asia. Uno Sguardo contestuale, Interreligious and Intercultural Investigations 13 (Pontificia Università Gregoriana Pontificio Istituto Biblico), 2021, pp. 29-58.
● John Dupuche, PhD
john is a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia. He is an assistant professor at the University of Divinity. His many conferences and publications focus on the spirituality of pleasure, the autonomy of the self, interreligious dialogue, the relationship between Tantrism and Christianity.
He published in particular:
. Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass, 2003.
. Chakras, foyers de conscience-énergie. Regards sur une autre expérience du corps dans l’hindouisme et le christianisme , Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2020.
. Vers un tantra chrétien ; la rencontre du christianisme et du shivaïsme du Cachemire, Paris: Les Deux Océans, 2021.
Il fait partie du Australian Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue of the Australian Bishops’ Conference. Il est aussi membre d’une communauté interreligieuse.
● Fabrice Blée, PhD
Fabrice is an associate professor of theology. He offers this training following his work on Kashmir Shivaism, a Hindu tantric path for which pleasure is a gateway to great awakening. There is an obvious contrast here with a Christian perspective that emphasizes suffering and deprivation. What is it really ? Fabrice recently published the following articles related to this tantric path.
. « Apports et critiques des studios de yoga (pratique des asanas), à la lumière du Shivaïsme du Cachemire, pour une spiritualité chrétienne incarnée », Religions (en anglais, publication prévue en 2022)
. « La voie du désir. La mystique chrétienne en écho au système tantrique non duel du Trika (Śivaïsme du Cachemire) ». In : Laurent Basanese et Paolo Trianni, Religioni in Asia. Uno Sguardo contestuale, Interreligious and Intercultural Investigations 13 (Pontificia Università Gregoriana Pontificio Istituto Biblico), 2021, pp. 29-58.
COST AND REGISTRATION
The price for the entire seminar is 330 can$ or 250 €/US$.
The price for the entire seminar is 330 can$ or 250 €/US$.
Get 10% off by registering before November 30.
This includes:
. Module teaching (12 hours)
. Written and audiovisual documents
. The evaluation continues
. Personalized support (30 minutes included in the package).
It is possible to take extra hours of private support throughout the training. Voluntary contribution according to the means of each; the suggested rate is 60 can$ / hour or 45 €/US$ / hour.
A minimum of six registrations is required to start the program. Limited seats.
We will send to anyone interested the conditions of registration and the terms of payment. Funding opportunities are available.
. Module teaching (12 hours)
. Written and audiovisual documents
. The evaluation continues
. Personalized support (30 minutes included in the package).
It is possible to take extra hours of private support throughout the training. Voluntary contribution according to the means of each; the suggested rate is 60 can$ / hour or 45 €/US$ / hour.
A minimum of six registrations is required to start the program. Limited seats.
We will send to anyone interested the conditions of registration and the terms of payment. Funding opportunities are available.
Register now
to take advantage of the preferential rate.
to take advantage of the preferential rate.