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Winter sessions:

Please review the work of independent scholar Michael Sternfeld, MA on the Ramayana. 

BIO BRIEF
Michael Sternfeld, MA, is an independent scholar and also a producer/director with over 300 productions in theater, music, dance, audio and video to his credit.  He earned his MA in Vedic Science from Maharishi University of Management, during which he became fascinated with the Ramayana.  He has spent the last 21 years creating numerous productions of the great epic, including two major theatrical productions, a theme park, and the first complete audio production of the unabridged Ramayana of Valmiki.  At 75 hours long, this dramatic production is the world's longest audio book and was awarded the 2004 Outstanding Project of the Year by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and Humanities Iowa. 
 Mr. Sternfeld has also published numerous scholarly papers in academic journals, including "Universal Values of the Ramayana" and "The Ramayana in Modern Media and Performance" in the Journal of Vaishnava Studies (JVS).  

He has been exploring the application of the teaching of the Ramayana in executive leadership settings.  He recently published an audiobook version of Ram's Dharma: Leadership Secrets of the Ultimate Warrior~Sage~Prince and continues to teach these principles in executive leadership trainings across the country.  He is also working with the Sagar family of Ramayana fame on a film version of the Ramayana.  His mission has been to bring out the knowledge and wisdom of the Ramayana by making its essential themes more accessible to Western audiences.

Selected publications:  

The Ramayana of Valmiki.  2004. Published by Vedic Audio Knowledge (VAK).  75-hour audio production.

Ram's Dharma: Leadership Secrets of the Ultimate Warrior~Sage~Prince.  2014. Published by Vedic Audio Knowledge (VAK).  2-CD set with accompanying booklet.

All Love Flows to the Self: Eternal Stories from the Upanishads.  2016. Published by Vedic Audio Knowledge (VAK).  3-CD set.

 

“Raising Your Vibrations ”  
November 16, 2017
Nikola Tesla — 'If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.'

Open discussion to follow.

 

“The Rise and Fall of  The Federal Theater”  of the WPA program
November 2
 In light of the current ‘Smart Meters’ controversy, the play “Power” which was instrumental in closing down the Federal Theater of the WPA program launched under FDR’s administration will be revisited.

The essay, published in the Georgia Weekly Post, and presented at the Chicago Writer’s Club will be reviewed.

by Narveen Aryaputri.

 

Post-Modernism vs Modernism: Is there a difference?
October 26

Art history and Literary/Cultural categories are a perimeter set out by art critics and historians. Are they valid for all or is it a category only for critics themselves?

Open discussion

 

‘Cultural Marxism and the lust for power.’
Open discussion:
The video “ Postmodernism and Cultural Marxism” by Jordan B. Peterson will be shown.  
Discussion to follow.

 

“Swastika:
To Occidentals: stop demonizing the Swastika”

Presentation of the meaning of the Swastika .
Its usage will be covered.
This essay is a follow up of a previous essay presented on the Swastika about a decade ago. This will include updates in light of modern times.

By
Narveen Aryaputri.

Narveen has her M.A in English literature with a minor in Twentieth Century American Literature and her B.Ed from Meerut University, India. She is a published essayist and a professional artist. She has restored The Moline Commercial Club in Moline and the Spencer House in Rock Island.

 

"The Color Blue"
General discussion
We will be examining the use of  Blue as a color:
Why are cobalt blue bottles used for medicine in traditional herbal products?
How is color absorbed and blocked to select only one color from the prismatic range of the light?
What are the social and cultural implications of the color blue.

Call in: Free Conference Calls:  515-739-1260 Access code: 315474

7.00 p.m.
on the second floor of
The Moline Commercial Club
1530 Fifth Avenue
Moline, IL 61265

Free and open to all

 

“Hurricanes, 2012, and the Book of  Revelation”
September 14, 21

Earth changes continue as both the Mayan and the Bible had predicted.
We remain in the fifty year Mayan window of Enlightenment & Earth Changes.
The age of Aquarius as some say.
We will review the Mayan understanding of our times now, and connect
with current events.

By Michael Rosenthal.
About the presenter:
Michael Rosenthal has completed extensive graduate work in theology, philosophy and psychology at the St. Paul Seminary and the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University.

 

America the Resilient
Thursday, August 31, 2017
by Narveen Aryaputri

This essay was published in http://gaweeklypost.com/cultures/1130

April 6, 2017
What is Zen meditation?