Seven Day ICPR Workshop on Studies in Consciousness in the Light of Sri Aurobindo’s Philosophy (With special Emphasis on the Upanishads)

Seven Day ICPR Workshop on

Studies in Consciousness in the Light of
Sri Aurobindo’s Philosophy

(With special Emphasis on the Upanishads)

19th – 25th July 2017

Sponsored By

Indian Council for Philosophical Research, New Delhi

Organised by

Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research, Puducherry

Theme Note

“Consciousness” is one of the most interesting terms ever discussed in the field of philosophy and psychology. As it is interesting so is it equally evasive. Centuries of studies in this direction still does not seem to give any definition to consciousness. In common parlance, consciousness is understood as being conscious or being aware of one’s surroundings or what is within oneself. From its Latin origin the term conscious means “to know”. There are a few pertinent questions that may be asked with regard to the study of consciousness both in philosophical and psychological studies. “To know” what? Who is the knower? Who or what is known? What is the process of knowing? These questions are relevant for they have been bothering humanity since time immemorial. The quest for knowing the reasons of one’s birth and the process of creation have occupied the minds of the greatest of our rishis since ages. These quests and the process of finding answers to them have taken the form of the Vedas, the Upanishads, shad-darshana, Bhagavad Gita and in contemporary times The Life Divine and other recent noteworthy studies in different fields of science and arts.

The ancient wisdom concludes that consciousness is not only awareness of the mind. It exists in all things animate and inanimate for it is the cause of all. The modern definitions of consciousness are slowly heading towards discovering the inherent nature of consciousness by defining this power as energy or vibration. Whether natural or human sciences all are compelled, as if, to conclude that consciousness exists in everything and is present everywhere. Therefore, studies in consciousness have been extended to medicine, education, management, sociology, anthropology and other disciplines. Consciousness has come out of the restriction of philosophy and

psychology and made its place in various fields of knowledge.

It is to view this need of the growing study of consciousness that this seven-day workshop is being organized. It will bring in the perspectives of consciousness from the disciplines of Philosophy, Psychology, Literature etc. Its aim is to bring clarity about the Vedantic concept of consciousness and its applicability to the world today as given to us in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo.

Note for participants:

1. No remuneration would be given to the participants.
2. All travel bills to be submitted to SACAR Coordinator for reimbursement which will be given on the last day of the workshop.
3. Participants are expected to reach the Venue by 18th July 2017, evening. Workshop commences 19th July, 10 am sharp. Finishes on 25th July 5.30 pm Participants may have breakfast and leave on 26th morning.
4. It is mandatory for all the participants to attend the entire workshop for all the seven days to claim any reimbursement or the Certificate of Participation.
5. Participants will be chosen on ‘First come First served’ basis. And the selected participants would be confirmed by our office and only then should the participants book his/her travel tickets.
6. Eligibility: Research Scholars, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, Professors and Academicians.
7. TA for participants to be given for the AC III for the shortest train route.
8. Lodging and Boarding facilities for the participants would be made at SACAR campus.

Proposed Sub-Themes:

 The Problem of Consciousness
 Consciousness and the Inconscient
 Consciousness Studies in Literature
 Dimensions of Consciousness in Advaita

Vedanta
 Levels of Consciousness in the Integral

Philosophy
 Phenomenology: The Indian Perspective
 Consciousness and Immortality – the focus of

the Upanishads
 Vedantic Psychology in Kena Upanishad
 A Conscious Transformation of Nature:
 Consciousness: the Materialist’s Perspective
 The Ascending scale of Consciousness: A

Vision of The Life Divine
 Management by Consciousness

Speakers:

 Prof. Sreekala Nair ( Member ICPR, Dean, faculty of Social sciences & Head, Dept. of Philosophy, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala)

 Prof. Sangeetha Menon (Professor & Head, Consciousness Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore)

 Prof. S. Murali (Retd. Prof. Department of English, Pondicherry Unviersity)

 Prof. Narendra Joshi (Principal, Agnel Technical College, Bandra(W), Mumbai)

 Dr. Ananda Reddy, (Director, SACAR, Puducherry)

About SACAR:

Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR) started in Pondicherry in 1998, is a non- governmental, educational research Institute. It has for its objective an in-depth study of and research into the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and relate it to the present and the future of India in particular and the world in general. The guiding principle of all our activities is the synthesizing movement to unite in a practical and progressive way the highest spiritual realisations with the development and perfection of the outer life — two fields that have been historically the special domain of Eastern and Western nations, respectively.

Activities at SACAR:

•   Online courses on Sri Aurobindo’s major works
•   “Living Within” Study camps
•   Intensive and Extensive Research for one/three
  months in
  Sri Aurobindo’s major works
•   M.A, PhD. Courses in Collaboration with Hindu
  University of America, Florida.
•   Workshops and Seminars in Integral
  Management
•   Publications: Books and Journal
•   Research in Management Studies
•   Teacher Training Programme
•   Research Project: Mankind on the March

Convenor:

Dr. Ananda Reddy: 9443019172

Coordinator:

Dr. Shruti Bidwaikar: 9994190403

Organizing Committee:

Dr. Sampananda Misra Prof. Kisholoy Gupta Mrs. Deepshikha Reddy Dr. Falguni Jani Ms. Oeendrila Guha

Venue:

Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research, (SACAR)
39, Vanniar Street, Vaithikuppam Puducherry, 605012 www.sacar.in

Email: sacaricpr@gmail.com