There is a fundamental purpose for our lives.
To know it, we must know life’s origin
and where it is going,
look beyond our short-term goals
to what we ultimately want to accomplish,
and consider life’s highest potential
for development.
—Paramahansa Yogananda
Meru Seminary
provides a visionary educational experience that supports the
development of spiritual leaders in all walks of life. Rigorous
academic standards, in-depth spiritual training and practice in an
established enlightenment tradition, engaged community service
learning, and one-on-one mentoring all combine to provide a well
rounded program for spiritually oriented students. A four year
Master of Divinity degree is offered through the seminary as well as
several certification programs and continuing education for
professionals.
The seminary
program provides serious students with the tools and support to live
with spiritual vision, realize worthy goals, experience personal
transformation, and participate
in planetary awakening.
The
seminary environment is conducive to personal transformation.
Classes are arranged to provide working individuals the professional
support, training, guidance, and spiritual direction necessary to
further their spiritual growth and participate in the transformation
of our awakening world. Those who complete the Master of Divinity
degree are prepared for service in the community as interfaith
ministers or lay leaders trained in the Kriya Yoga tradition. Our
curriculum and seminary environment demonstrate our commitment to:
Interreligious harmony
Experiential learning
Authentic expression
Balanced living
HISTORY
Founded in 1996, the
Meru Seminary
has since trained dozens of
spiritual leaders and ministers in the tradition of Kriya Yoga who
now offer service at CSE Headquarters in San José
and in other locations in California
and the US. Meru
Seminary’s Founder and Principal Teacher, Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian,
was ordained by Roy Eugene
Davis, a direct disciple of
Paramahansa Yogananda, the great saint who brought Kriya Yoga to the
West in 1920.
This lineage and tradition of Kriya Yoga with its particular
emphasis on Self- and God-realization, including specific practices
to elicit superconscious meditation and practical guidelines to
conscious living,
provides the core philosophy of the seminary program.
In alignment with the historical perspective of this spiritual
tradition, students from all
religious
backgrounds are welcome. The program offers the opportunity to study
the world's religions and spiritual traditions explore the harmony
found at their mystical
level and seek a vision of interreligious cooperation supportive of
global
peace in our awakening world.
Meru Seminary is nestled in the
Grace
Building at CSE
Headquarters, which offers a spiritually uplifting environment that
is conducive to education and to practice.
Being located at CSE Headquarters allows seminarians the rare
opportunity to practice as they learn—through
engaged service in the CSE community which is supported by our
mentoring program.
DEGREE & CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
MASTER OF DIVINITY DEGREE (M. DIV.)
The Master of Divinity degree program is designed to be completed in
four years.
Students in the M.Div. program are immersed in focused spiritual
study and practice as well as academic and service learning which
provides depth of experience in the tradition of Kriya Yoga and
breadth of knowledge in areas of practical application. Students
choose one of the following schools as their area of emphasis to
prepare them for leadership and service:
School
of Yoga
Studies
Develop Programs, Classes & Retreats
School
of Ministry
Development
Offer Spiritual Direction & Officiate Ceremonies
School
of Interspiritual
Studies
Work with Educational Institutions
School
of Community
Service
Serve as a Spiritually Minded Leader in a Secular Environment
LAY LEADERSHIP AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
-
Meditation Teacher Training
-
Sacred CareGiving Training
-
Hatha Yoga Teacher Training
-
YSE Sacred Child Training
-
and Continuing Education Classes
Our Certification Programs, Lay Leadership Training Programs, and
Continuing Education Classes are generally offered in a modular
format that allows working adults and those with family commitments
the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional
development.
MERU FACULTY & ADMINISTRATION
As spiritual leaders and educators, the
Meru Core Faculty
serves CSE and its
ministry in the world. Six Core Faculty instructors teach at Meru
Seminary. They are
joined by guest faculty who come from a variety of spiritual,
academic and professional backgrounds from the
US
and internationally; as well as Ministry Interns and Meru
Seminary student teachers. This supports the seminary’s mission to
prepare individuals for service—as spiritual leaders, teachers &
ministers in our society.
CORE FACULTY INCLUDE:
Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian,
M. Div., M.A., Education
CSE
Founding Minister and President, Meru Seminary
Rev.
Sundari Jensen,
M. Div.
CSE Associate Minister and Meru Seminary Dean and Director,
Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher, JFK
University
Adjunct Faculty
Gail
Faris,
M.A., MFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and educator
With over two decades of leadership service & teaching at CSE
Rev.
Sylvia Karuna Lunt, M. Div.
CSE Associate Minister and Ministry Services Director
with
an emphasis in spiritual direction
Michael Scott, M.A., MFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Mediator and educator
with over a decade of training teachers with Quest International
Rev.
Marcella Shanti Macartney, M. Div.
CSE Associate Minister and Director of Sacred CareGiving Program
with over two decades of caring for the ill and dying
GUEST FACULTY
INCLUDE:
Roy Eugene Davis
Direct disciple of
Paramahansa Yogananda & Founder of CSA
A. Martin Wuttke
Founder and clinical
director of Southern Institute of Psycho-Physiology
Cynthia Copple
Founder & Director
of Lotus Holistic Health Institute in Santa Cruz, CA
Rev. Samuel Sasu
F ounder &
Director of CSA in Ghana, West Africa and of
Healthworks Stress
Management and Ayurvedic Research Centre
The Rev. Dr. Mary Tumpkin
President of
the Universal Foundation for Better Living
and Senior Minister
of the Universal Truth Center
Rabbi Rami Shapiro
Founder &
Director of One River Foundation
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
M. Div. Program Application Requirements:
Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree
(or equivalent life experience), demonstrate maturity
and stability in their life
Certification Program Requirements:
Requirements vary dependent upon the program
Contact Meru Seminary Office for details
TUITION AND FEES
FULL TIME STATUS: 12 Credits
Tuition: $2,100 + $100 Registration Fee = $2,200
ADDITIONAL FEES and INFORMATION:
-
Initial Application Fee: $50/ non-refundable
-
Fall Seminary Retreat Fee: $300 each year
-
Graduation Fee: $100
-
Books: 20% discount at Tree of Life
SEMESTER SCHEDULES
(generally 12 weeks):
Fall Semester: September—December
Spring Semester: February—June
MID-SEMESTER ELECTIVES
(fees by the unit)
Winter Intensives: January
& February
Summer Intensives: July & August
Press here for a
Meru Seminary brochure (pdf). If you would like
additional information about this program, contact Rev. Sundari
Jensen, Meru Seminary Dean or our Seminary
Administrative Office Staff by phoning +1-408-283-0221, x17, or
sending email to:
Meru Seminary Info.
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Curriculum