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Summary

Mussar is a thousand-year-old Jewish system for personal growth, specifically in the realm of character improvement. Mussar provides a distinctively Jewish answer to the sorts of questions any thinking person asks about life:

Why do I keep making the same mistakes over and over?
Why do I cause pain to myself and others?
What steps can I take to bring my life closer to its spiritual potential?

This 20-part course gives an overview of the basic concepts and practices of Mussar. The course examines a variety of character traits -- truth, anger, kindness, gratitude and others -- that are the stepping stones on the journey toward spiritual greatness. Students will be guided in a practical system for how to track and measure their spiritual progress.

Lessons feature:

stories, insights and guided imagery
exercises for integrating the teachings into everyday life
thought questions of how to handle situations from a Mussar perspective
skills and insights into reading a Mussar text
a system for tracking and measuring spiritual progress

This course also features 8 dynamic video segments.

Are there areas of your character you want to improve? Mussar is a great way to get there.

Author

Dr. Alan Morinis

Dr. Alan Morinis is a popular lecturer on the Jewish Mussar tradition, and the author of "Everyday Holiness" and "Climbing Jacob's Ladder."

Born and raised in a culturally Jewish but non-observant home, Dr. Morinis studied anthropology at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. He has produced feature films, television dramas and documentaries and has taught at several universities. After taking a deep journey into Hindu and Buddhist thought and practice, he then discovered the Jewish spiritual discipline of Mussar, which has become his passion and commitment.

Alan lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife of 30 years and their two daughters.

Materials

Each class features a dynamic essay that includes stories, insights, thought questions, and spiritual exercises. These essays can be read online, or printed in a beautiful PDF format. The course also includes 8 video presentations.

Syllabus

Part One: Foundations

What is Mussar?
The Goals of Mussar
Fixing One's Character
The Character Traits
Accounting of the Soul: Cheshbon Ha'Nefesh

Part Two: Character Traits

Humility
Gratitude - see sample class
Patience
Honor
Generosity
Kindness
Strength
Tranquility
Trust
Enthusiasm
Order
Awareness
Truth

Part Three: Conclusion

Accounting of the Soul: Extended
Where to From Here?

Key features:

20 class modules
8 video presentations
Stories, insights and guided imagery
Practical exercises and workshops
Beautiful PDF printout of each class

Comprehensive online curriculum explores:

The foundations of self-improvement
Practical exercises for integrating the teachings into everyday life
Thought questions of how to handle situations from a Mussar perspective
Skills and insights into reading a Mussar text
A system for tracking and measuring spiritual progress

Self-paced, easy-to-use modules:

Gives you complete control over your learning schedule
Makes it easy to absorb new concepts and information
By popular author and lecturer, Dr. Alan Morinis