Posidonius of Apamea (135–c. 51 BCE) was head of the Stoic school after Panaetius in the historical period known as the Middle Stoa. He was also a scientist, geographer, religious mystic, and one of the foremost intellectuals of his day. We at the College of Posidonius are inspired by his legacy and have created this school to continue exploring the visible and invisible worlds of physics and metaphysics upon a foundation of Stoic philosophy. To borrow a Sufi metaphor, to the candlestick of the Stoa we are the flame.
Curriculum OUTLINE
The College of Posidonius is currently organized into three schools of thought and practice. Each school has a special contribution to the education of those who would explore metaphysics and spiritual traditions. Applicants must be graduates and Fellows of the College of Stoic Philosophers (FCSP) before they begin their studies at Posidonius. Entering students will begin on June 1st with classes running continuously for two demanding and enlightening years. Coursework will include monthly video seminars, open-book tests, and essays. At the successful completion of these studies the title of Master of the College of Posidonius (MCP) will be given to recognize this effort.
FIRST YEAR
School of Divinations: year one. The first year of studies begins on June 1st with Pneuma Insight Meditation (PIM). This is essential work for mental discipline and development of the intuitive faculty. In studies of a spiritual nature the intuitive right brain is as important as the analytical left. Meditation is a skill that improves with practice, and the student will sit in meditation for up to one year. They may achieve mystical insight in this practice, but it is not required to graduate. Even those students who are unable to achieve mystical insight will likely experience the feeling of God, Ananda bliss.
School of Religions: nine months. From September to the following June, the student will spend nine months studying the origins, doctrines, and evolution the great religions of the world.
Fall begins with the Axial Age (800-200 BCE) when Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Judaism, and the philosophies of Greece, including Stoicism, were born. There will be required reading, monthly video seminars, 3 open-book quizzes, and a short paper on Posidonius.
Winter begins with the story of Jesus and the Christians followed by Muhammad and Islam as they evolve from the Medieval to the Modern Religions Era, culminating with Atheism of the 21st century. There will be required reading, monthly video seminars, and 3 open-book quizzes.
Spring This term you will review the religions you have studied, from Hinduism to Atheism, then examine the internal tension of religion and naturalism in Stoic physics. Everything you learn this term will be oriented to making an informed choice about what you believe.
SECOND YEAR
School of Divinations: year two. Currently, the School of Divinations offers 8 courses for our students. These courses are all taken from standard and classical practices that have endured centuries, sometimes millennia of investigation into the invisible world. On June 1st of the second year, the student will continue studying divinations, beginning with the several Stoic theories regarding the daimon and practice contacting their own daimon.
School of Sciences: nine months: From September to the following June, the student will spend nine months studying Standard Models in the natural sciences, New Theories by eminent scientists, and Metaphysical Research leading to current theories on consciousness, the soul, afterlife, and God. The second year curriculum is still under review and will be completed by September of 2025. The following is an outline of the general topics:
Fall will focus on the extensive theories and speculations regarding God and consciousness, both ancient and modern.
Winter term focuses on Reincarnation and the Afterlife—as well as an examination of the student’s personal beliefs and applicable experiences.
Spring will focus on a two-year Summary and Conclusions thesis paper that will include what the student can and cannot accept from the world’s major religions and from contemporary science regarding consciousness, soul, the afterlife, and God. This work will identify and summarize the student’s personal metaphysical beliefs.
tuition
The School of Divinations charges $100 for each year of study and practice. The Schools of Religions and Sciences each charge $100 per term, for a total of $400 each year the student is enrolled, adding up to a total of $800 (US) for the entire program. For only $800 you can become a Master of the College of Posidonius (MCP) and receive a truly outstanding education and understanding of your relationship to Nature and the Divine.
In conclusion
The curriculum at the College of Posidonius provides an essential foundation for the addition of Metaphysics as a fourth category of study after the traditional tripartite education of the Stoic. In 1956, at the end of Ludwig Edelstein’s Martin Classical Lectures about Stoicism at Oberlin College, he said that Stoicism lacked one ingredient: “…it does not satisfy what Kant called the eternal metaphysical need of man. Whether or not there is an answer to metaphysical questions, the questions are real…”
And this is the work we are doing at the College of Posidonius.
If you have questions or wish to enroll now, please contact the headmaster at this email address: erik.wiegardt@gmail.com
Thank you for your interest in our college,
Erik D. Wiegardt, MFA, GCDK
Headmaster
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