Making Possible Worlds:

Sacred Purpose and Transforming the Professions

"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day I can hear her breathing."

— Arundhati Roy

A Six-Week Online Course

June 21st through August 2nd

Human beings thrive on meaning and purpose. Bringing meaning and purpose together into a coherent professional livelihood is a challenge. In part, this is so because the professions paradoxically and often tragically undermine their purposeful intentions to meet human needs in support of the flourishing of individuals, communities, and societies.

Worldwide, societies are crying out for assistance in the transformation of their citizenry, organizations, businesses, and institutions. To bring a new vision of the Possible Earth into reality, we need to begin with ourselves so that we are operating with the fullness of our being.

The global need is to achieve a new humanity and a new way to nurture the human species while we work to heal our home, the planet Earth. The need is to develop the possible human, in the possible society, in a more possible world. This is the art of world-making, spirit-catching, mind-growing, soul-quaking transformation!

The complexity of our time requires both greater and wiser use of our imaginal capability - a rich playing of the mental and emotional instrument we have been given. The world needs skilled facilitators, coaches, entrepreneurs, and teachers to guide and lead the shift to a set of new global values and local practices.

In this 6-week course, we will explore how the true education of the emerging professional - who has arrived by virtue of their own inner calling - can evoke, inspire, and empower us with the capabilities required to bring our vocation and profession together. Finding one's true calling, one's sacred purpose, enables us to lead lives in which our passions and capabilities are forged into our livelihood.

Course Faculty

Jean Houston

The Chancellor of Meridian University, Dr. Houston is a visionary researcher who has authored over 40 books and worked intensively in even more cultures, lectured in over 100 countries, and worked with major organizations such as UNICEF and NASA. She has been an advisor to numerous world leaders, and the past international consultant for the United Nations. Dr. Houston's book, A Passion for the Possible, was an expansive compliment to her inspiring PBS special of the same name. Dr. Houston has served on the faculties of Columbia University, Hunter College, Marymount College, The New School for Social Research, and the University of California. She holds doctoral degrees in both psychology and religion.

Course Modules

Introduction and Overview

Connecting Vocation with Professional Livelihood through Sacred Purpose

Week One

Our Lives Have a Sacred Purpose

Accessing the Imaginal Core of Our Purpose
Sacralizing the Finding of One's Purpose

Week Two

Imagination and Sacred Purpose

A Professional Future is Lying in Wait For Us
The Mythic Journey: Find the Jewel of One's Journey through Engaging the Ancient Archetypes

Week Three

From Vocation to Profession

Building a Bridge of Capability
From Visioning to Practical Implementation
Imagining a Future Path through Narrative Engagement

Week Four

Professions and Human Needs

Collective Trauma and Social Healing
The Path of the Peacemaker
Civil Society and Human Development

Week Five

Developing Imaginal Capability

Transformative Leadership and the Archetypes
Developmental Coaching and Imaginal Capability
Reimagining Our Learning Biography, Past and Future

Week Six

Social Artistry and Transformative Communities of Practice

The Renaissance as Touchstone for Transformative Communities of Practice
Designing One's Own Community of Practice via Key Principles of Social Artistry

Online Course Format

Course Structure

Six-week online course through August 2, 2022
Six live 75-minute Zoom sessions with faculty held Tuesdays at 10:00 am PT (Pacific Time) and recorded for participants who cannot join every session live
Resources, networking, and emergent community outcomes
Content and collaboration via Meridian's social learning platform

Course Schedule

June 21 at 10 am PT - First live course session
June 28 at 10 am PT - Second live course session
July 12 at 10 am PT - Third live course session
July 19 at 10 am PT - Fourth live course session
July 26 at 10 am PT - Fifth live course session
August 2 at 10 am PT - Sixth live course session

Course Fees

$250, including the synchronous course video calls (with recordings), online learning platform access, participation in the course learning community, plus course resources and written activities.

Accreditation

Meridian University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) - a higher education accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education. WASC is also the accreditor for Stanford University, UCLA, and the University of California at Berkeley.

Frequently Asked Questions

Meridian’s online courses are conducted via the University's own learning platform.

Our online courses promote community learning, through strong interactive engagement with fellow students and faculty as well as live video sessions with faculty.

You will need an email account, a high-speed internet connection, and access to a computer, iOS or Android device.

If you are planning to attend the course video calls live, you will need a webcam and microphone for your device. (Course video calls are conducted with participants video-enabled.)

Live 75-min video sessions with faculty and fellow students will be conducted throughout the course. Each week's live video call will be recorded and posted on the course platform.

Video presentations, readings, discussions and learning activities will be accessible asynchronously and may be completed on participants' own schedule. Course resources and recordings will remain available up to 30 days after the close of the course.

Full refunds are available until two (2) days before the course begins, by request via email.

You do not need to apply to a Meridian graduate degree program to take this online course. This course is one of Meridian’s open-enrollment courses

The course support team will be available to assist from start to finish. Please send your questions/requests/issues to openenrollment@meridianuniversity.edu

Convening faculty generally lead each live session. Contributing faculty typically contribute in one of the live course sessions. Course resources address the work of both convening and contributing faculty.

Meridian has institutional and federal financial aid options for our graduate degree programs. This open enrollment course does not have financial aid or payment plans available.