In the school of life, the allegorical praxis is unavoidable. It is employed as an interpretive tool, and as an agent of meaning making. It doesn’t require much effort to value the beauty of allegory, but it does entail some degree of critical thinking to appreciate it’s footsteps in history, literature, art and people’s stories. Due to its flexibility, it can be easily employed in diverse academic areas conveying various, and sometimes even conflicting meanings. ‘Allegory and Spirituality Life’ is an introductory seminar wherein the essentials about allegory and its relations to spirituality are presented. It aims to present basic notions surrounding allegory, and how it is employed in depicting feelings, values, meanings and desires. At its core, this seminar tries to appreciate how allegory is employed as a constructive/deconstructive agent for personal authenticity and social integration.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This seminar aspires to equip participants with the ability to:
1. appreciate the role of metaphors, personifications and symbols in making sense of life;
2. use allegory as a tool for facilitating personal expression and inner healing;
3. acknowledge the interrelationship between spiritual and human maturity;
4. tap beyond the literal meaning of biblical/literal/artistic material;
5. empathise with people’s narratives;
6. interpret narratives and people’s stories with an open attitude for growth;
7. analyse closer how personal/social aspiration, values, desires and conflicts are expressed through allegory;
8. obtain a deeper appreciation of the uniqueness surrounding spirituality;
9. facilitate an integration of one’s intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual self.
SEMINAR INTENDED FOR
The seminar is intended for persons working in the social field (social workers, teachers, psychologists), or persons who have a particular interest in the artistic and literary material. It is also geared towards persons studying theology, philosophy and other humanistic subjects. Being an introductory seminar it is open to the public who are taking seriously their spiritual-psychosocial development.
Location: Carmelite Priory Mdina
Date: Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd March 2015
Price: Free Entrance (Registration is needed)
Interested participants for this seminar are invited to email on info@carmelitepriory.org or phone on 79791881. This is not a residential seminar, and participants can opt to come to parts of the seminar.
