Learning Dedicated to Life   Educating Mind, Body, Heart, and Soul enlightens the individual Spirit and uplifts all of Humanity.   GAIA Learning Center Educational Branch of Temple of the Goddess (Coming soon)

 

"Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what
makes you come alive, and go do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

                                    –  Rev. Howard Thurman

In the under pinnings of all great religious teachings there is a consistent imperative to seek enlightenment, knowledge or gnosis. This imperative of becoming enlightened or a knower is expressed in many languages by many religions and the individuals who achieve this state of being are “knowers.”  Pagans and Christians call these individuals Gnostikoi; to the Muslim they are revered Arifs, the Hindu acknowledge the wise Gnanis, and Buddhist emulate the beloved Buddhas. (Timothy Freke, Jesus and the Lost Goddess)

Too often this imperative of seeking knowledge has been tainted and polluted with the idea of “seeking the truth” which inherently implies one way, one thought, one belief with each religion believing they have a unique claim on the truth.  This path has led to the slaughter of millions of people in the name of god and religion.

Paganism inherently demands that each individual seek their own path of knowledge, discover their own truth, become their own spiritual authority.   These autonomous seekers are generally free spirits who question everything and accept nothing until they have discovered it within their own hearts and consciousness.  They have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and enlightenment.  Pagans are not generally dictated by culture or tradition but seek out the commonalities which lie at the foundation of all.  They believe at the core of these commonalities lies the heart of oneness. 

This idea of oneness is the philosophy of Immanence which is the belief that the world and everything in it is alive; that the Creative Life Force that courses through us also exists in everyone and everything.  The Earth is a living being, an organism made of an intricate WebWork comprising oceans, air, animals, rocks, and plants-all dependent on one another.  This is also true of the Moon, whose lunar pull controls the ebb and flow of tides on Earth.  It applies as well to the Sun, Stars and Planets informing us of the interconnectedness of the entire Universe. 

Rooted in the philosophy of Immanence is the respect for the uniqueness of each strand that comprises the “WebWork of the Universe.”  This respect translates to each individual and their unique expression of the Divine, as well as the unique path of each person.  The unique expression of each individual grounded in a philosophy of respectful connectedness is the framework of learning at the GAIA Learning Center.

It is our goal to provide for each student an opportunity to explore and develop their greatest creative and spiritual potential.  The integrative perspective provides an all-inclusive education for the body, mind, heart and soul.  Our goal is to address the totality of each person and the context of their lives: relationship to self, others and the Divine; work; personal expression; service; and community.

The emphasis on self-awareness, personal responsibility and spiritual autonomy requires that each person discover, experience and seek out the truth for themselves.  This challenge of self-realization empowers the individual to go beyond any limits previously known.  The educational experience at GAIA Learning Center will provide new teachings that are a catalyst for change, especially in the realm of religious and spiritual thought.

We believe each person has a special destiny to find and we offer the tools to help them find their unique expression of the Divine and to recognize and define their personal call as a Priestess and Priest.  Our students are eligible for ordination after successfully completing all ministerial requirements.

If you would like to explore teaching opportunities at the GAIA Learning Center, please contact us at GAIA@TempleoftheGoddess.org.