Naropa University Totally Explained

Everything about Naropa University totally explained

Naropa University, founded in 1974 by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa, is a private liberal arts university in Boulder, Colorado. It is named for the eleventh-century Indian Buddhist sage Naropa, an abbot of Nalanda. The school describes itself as "nonsectarian" (probably from the Tibetan ris med), though students are required to engage in some spiritual practice (cf. contemplative education).
Naropa is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

History

Naropa University was founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939-1987), a Karma Kagyu teacher with some Nyingma ties. Trungpa left Tibet in 1959, and later studied at Oxford University, at which time he gave up his monastic vows. In 1970 he began giving Buddhist teachings in the United States, where he founded a network of dharma centers (cf. Shambhala Training). The "Naropa Institute" originally met only during the summers, as the equivalent of a Buddhist retreat.
Trungpa invited Beat Generation poets Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, John Cage and Diane di Prima to found what came to be called the "Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics." Many classes taught by Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs and others have been preserved and can be downloaded at the Naropa University Archive Project(External Link

).
   One notorious incident involved Trungpa and poet W. S. Merwin, just after Naropa's second summer session in 1975. An internal report by Ed Sanders described Merwin, along with his companion and fellow poet Dana Naone, as having been accosted and stripped naked by Trungpa's "Vajra Guard," against their objections and cries to call the police. After the incident they stayed to complete the program, but only after Trungpa promised no further trouble.
   The school's first formal degree program (also 1975) was an MA in psychology. It was originally designed as an extension of a sixteen-week tantric meditation retreat. Naropa's psychology programs continue to enjoy a cozy relationship with the Trungpa organization, and often prescribe its meditation courses.
   Trungpa's famous encouragement of free sexual relations and alcohol consumption has left its mark. During the 1980's students at Naropa, no less than at Trungpa's other centers, were forced to confront serious issues of addiction, AIDS (see Ösel Tendzin), and faculty-student sexual relations. Though the campus culture has become less sectarian over the years, Naropa remains widely known as a "party school," especially in comparison with other Buddhist institutions.

Contemplative education

Naropa promotes an educational philosophy called "contemplative education," in which students are expected to choose from among various spiritual practices recognized and offered by the school. Chief among these is meditation (the school particularly favors Mudra Space Awareness), but a wide variety of other, often unrelated traditions are also taught. The selected practices tend to be alternative rather than mainstream. For example, "Christian contemplative liturgy" and "Christian labyrinth" are recognized, but not ordinary attendance at church. By the same token, taijiquan, Japanese tea ceremony, and ikebana are recognized, but not purely secular sports or art forms.
In addition, for one day each semester--called "Community Practice Day"--Naropa holds no classes. Instead students, faculty, staff, and others are invited to participate in group meditation practice during the morning, and other contemplative disciplines later in the day. The event also features panel discussions, departmental lunches, and community service projects. Its stated object is to cultivate mindfulness, simplicity, and community togetherness.

Academic programs

Undergraduate

Naropa offers the following undergraduate majors:
ť Contemplative Psychology

   Early Childhood Education ť Environmental Studies

   Interdisciplinary Studies ť Music

   Peace Studies ť Performance (theater and dance)

   Religious Studies ť Traditional Eastern Arts (including taijiquan, yoga, and aikido)

   Visual Arts ť Writing and Literature

Most of these (or variations) are offered as minors, alongside a few additional subjects such as Sanskrit, Tibetan language, and Horticulture.
   Many if not all of these subjects involve a spiritual component. For example, Contemplative Psychology is described as being based not only upon mainstream Western psychology, but also on various "world wisdom traditions" including Buddhism, and within it, Shambhala Training.

Graduate

Naropa University offers the following graduate degrees:
ť *Master of Arts, in

ť :Contemplative Education

   :Psychology: Contemplative Psychotherapy ť :Somatic Counseling Psychology

   :Transpersonal Psychology ť :Transpersonal Counseling Psychology

   :Environmental Leadership ť :Indo-Tibetan Buddhism

   :Indo-Tibetan Buddhism with Language ť *Master of Divinity, in

ť :Religious Studies

   :Religious Studies with Language ť :Transpersonal Counseling Psychology

   :Somatic Counseling Psychology ť *Master of Fine Arts, in

ť :Theater: Lecoq Based Actor Created Theater

   :Theater: Contemporary Performance ť :Creative Writing

   :Writing and Poetics
   Some of Naropa's graduate programs (such as Creative Writing) are available through "low residency" (cf. distance education).

"Lineage holder"

The university names as its "lineage holder" Trungpa's son, Sakyong Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche (b. 1962). His role appears to be honorary, and largely consists of annual lectures.

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