OntheWilderSide

Christopher Chapple, Loyola Marymount University
Recovering the Earth: The Goddess Tradition and Eco-Awareness

The Yogavasistha, a 12th century Sanskrit text, extols the creative powers of the goddess. In a series of chapters near the conclusion of this epic work, she generates the five great elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space, showing her student, the sage Vasistha, how to enter into awareness of his own intimacy with cosmic processes. Rather than negating the world, this tradition celebrates the emergence of the body and the world, and suggests that the power of the goddess holds the key to liberation. In this presentation, I will suggest that this segment of the Yogavasistha and other texts such as the Prthivi Sukta constitute the foundation for “nature literature” in India.

Take the LIE east or west to exit 62, get off going north on Nicolls Rd. Go about nine miles north till you see the signs for Stony Brook. Look for the one that says Main Entrance on the left (it’s the one right after the South Entrance). Make a left into the University and go to the traffic light. You’ll see the parking garage on your left right past the light. You’ll have to park in the garage – they charge $1.50 per hour. Once you park, go to the front of the garage (where you came in) and you will see directly across the plaza a grey building with a red metal “pagoda” on top. That’s the Wang Center.

Here’s a list of all the events there for the Spring 2007 India Spring lecuture series
http://www.sunysb.edu/sb/wang/indiastudies2.pdf

Filed under: Spiritual Study Tagged: | Movies