NCS 05 — Sacred Mountains of the World: The Heights of Inspiration
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Edwin Bernbaum
Date(s): Jan 27—Mar 3
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $365
Refund Deadline: Jan 29
Unit(s): 1
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 27—Mar 3
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $365
Refund Deadline: Jan 29
Instructor(s): Edwin Bernbaum
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Mountains are associated with the highest values and aspirations of people throughout the world. Mount Kailas in Tibet represents the attainment of spiritual liberation for millions of Hindus and Buddhists. Mount Sinai is the awe-inspiring site in the Bible where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The Hopi and Navajo revere the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona as a sacred source of water and healing. Mount Everest symbolizes the highest goals of many people today. Views of mountains as places of inspiration and renewal helped give rise to the environmental movement and continue to play a role in galvanizing support for parks and protected areas such as Yosemite and Mount Rainier. Illustrated with spectacular photography, the course explores the key role of mountains in mythology, religion, literature, history, and art in cultures around the world. Students will also delve into the spiritual dimensions of mountaineering, explore implications of climate change and environmental conservation, and consider the relevance of sacred mountains for everyday life.
EDWIN BERNBAUM
Co-Chair, International Union for Conservation of Nature Specialist Group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas
Edwin Bernbaum is a mountaineer and scholar of comparative religion and mythology. He directed the Sacred Mountains Program at The Mountain Institute and led efforts to nominate Mount Kailas in Tibet as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. His book Sacred Mountains of the World won the Commonwealth Club of California’s gold medal for nonfiction, and his photographs have been exhibited at the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. He received a PhD in Asian studies from UC Berkeley. Textbooks for this course:
(Required) Edwin Bernbaum, Sacred Mountains of the World, 2nd Edition (ISBN 978-1108819817)