Oct 20-22, 2006
Our lives are enriched by deeply connecting to the fabric of the universe. We can integrate an intellectual understanding of astronomy into our entire being by celebrating our connections to earth, sky, self, each other, and the universe. The scientific teachings will include the astronomical origin of the seasons, of calendars, and of stone circles. We’ll look at the metaphorical significance of the light of summer, the dark of winter, and the balancing equinox. We’ll explore the ways stone circles can enhance our experience of the days, seasons, and years of our lives. We’ll experience time and space through a pilgrimage to the Sunwheel, a stone circle calendar created by Dr. Young on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus.
Maintaining our gaze skyward, we’ll explore the astronomical teachings on the cycle of the phases of the moon and examine what the moon can teach us about creativity and change. We’ll connect with the stars through stories of the constellations, as well as the origins of and teachings on the zodiac. Before electricity and television, human beings spent a lot of time projecting their collective wisdom onto the stars. Turning our attention to the earth, we’ll connect with the physical world through an astronomical understanding of the four directions, connecting our life journeys with a metaphorical exploration from a Native American perspective. Weather permitting, we’ll watch the sun and the moon rise and set and gaze at the night sky together.
Spiritual teachings will be woven throughout our days as we move, eat, speak, and listen mindfully. We’ll connect with our selves as we experience our inner landscapes; we’ll connect through sharing of the joys in our lives and our love of the universe. At the end of this workshop, we hope to design a Sunwheel for Rowe and learn how to create an astronomical calendar when we return home. We’ll find simple tools that can bring an increased sense of peace on a moment-to-moment basis, tools to help us connect deeply to the earth, the sky, and All That Is.
Judy Young is a tenured full professor of astronomy at the University of Massachusetts, where she has taught since 1983. She has authored over 120 scientific publications and is known around the world for her studies of star formation in galaxies, but her great love is the Sunwheel project. Inspired by a Sunwheel on former Blackfeet Indian Territory in Montana, Judy built the world’s first original stone circle calendar on a university campus. She has given over 250 talks to over 6,000 visitors and hosts solstice and equinox sunrise and sunset gatherings on the site. She has been nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Distinguished Outreach Award, has taught “Exploring the Spiritual Universe” meditation workshops, and is completing a book about building the Sunwheel. Dr. Young loves teaching people about the sky and helping them feel at home in the Universe. She seeks to blend her professional work with her spiritual journey and dreams of inspiring the building of stone circle calendars around the world. For further information about the Sunwheel and related programs, see www.umass.edu/sunwheel and http://www.astronomyandspirituality.com