Mussar In Action: Advanced Practice in Conscious Living

Led by Alan Morinis.

An enduring challenge for Mussar students is how to sustain learning and put into practice what we learn. Rabbi Yisrael Salanter saw this problem and spoke of it in the 19th century, as did Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto in the 18th. Both goals are reached through practice. In this 26-unit course, the guided Mussar practice involves text learning (all drawn from the Mussar classic, Alei Shur, with original translations), personal practice, study with a chevruta and engagement with a small group (va’ad) but also a personal project (usually a voluntary activity) the student takes on in the real world.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Those who have completed Everyday Holiness OR both levels of A Season of Mussar AND Path of the Soul are eligible for the more intense personal inner work of Mussar in Action.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Mussar in Action program runs for 26 weeks, starting in the fall or whenever a local group (that has completed Path of the Soul) wishes to begin. This course will satisfy the need for daily and weekly spiritual practice while not being too time-consuming or onerous.

The middot [soul-traits] included in the curriculum are:

truth
equanimity
alacrity
honor
humility
gratitude
trust
love
lovingkindness
joy
faith
order

COURSE OUTCOMES

At this level, you receive the training you need to become a lifelong Mussar learner and practitioner, both independently and as part of the growing Mussar community.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

The materials and methods we work on will be there to support your on-going learning and practice in years to come. It involves several components of Mussar learning and practice:

You will receive a bi-weekly reading written by Alan Morinis and focusing on a specific middah. We will deal with 13 middot and will focus on each middah for 2 weeks, making a total of 26 weeks.
"Accounting of the Soul" is the core of daily practice, and to support keeping a daily diary, we have developed a looseleaf worksheet for a cheshbon ha'nefesh diary that we will provide for you to print out and use (if you wish).
Several times during the program, you will be asked to comment by email on your experiences working on a specific middah, along with any responses you might have to the bi-weekly reading.
You will be matched to a compatible chevruta partner with whom you will have a meeting or telephone discussion every second week.
Your small va'ad group of 6-8 people will meet in the alternate week (between chevruta meetings) to discuss a small pre-assigned section of the recent but classic book Alei Shur by Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe. This book is only in Hebrew and the translations provided have been created specially for the Mussar in Action program.
In order to bring your Mussar practice into your world (and to firmly avoid the self-absorption that is a potential pitfall of any spiritual practice) and to strengthen the bonds of community across the distances that separate us, you will engage in a project with other people that will be, in effect, your "Mussar in action".
Process Reports at the mid-way and end of the program will be reflections on how your middot work shows up and applies in the active, engaged context of the project discussed above.
You will be invited to have a telephone conversations with Alan Morinis during the course of the program, for personal interaction, questions and guidance. He will be available throughout the term to answer questions by email.

REGISTRATION & FEES

REGISTRATION: Now open.
START DATE: November 6, 2011
DURATION: 26 weeks
FEE: $300.00 (US or Cdn)

REFUND POLICY

For withdrawal before the program has begun: 100% refund
For withdrawal within the first two weeks after the program has begun: 50% refund
For withdrawal after the first two weeks after the program has begun: no refund

We are very happy and excited about this program and we hope it kindles enthusiasm in you. If it does but there are issues, please be in touch so they can be addressed. Email info@mussarinstitute.org with any questions. That way, our Mussar work together will begin even before the program formally commences!

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Learn about our other courses here.