Department of Wisdom Traditions
“Spirituality is simply a means of arousing one's spirit, of developing a kind of spiritedness. Through that you begin to have greater contact with reality. You are not afraid of discovering what reality is all about, and you are willing to explore your individual energy. You actually choose to work with the essence of your existence, which could be called genuineness.”
The Department of Wisdom Traditions joins academic study with personal experience through contemplative practice and analytical investigation. Students engage in the study of history, contemplative practices, philosophy, ethics, myths and symbols, literature, language, art, and culture. Long-established methods of teaching traditional arts and ancient texts are coupled with experiential learning and contemporary methods of academic and contemplative rigor. Whether in graduate or undergraduate programs, students thrive in programs designed to foster openness to diverse perspectives and compassionate engagement with our ever-changing world.
The Department of Wisdom Traditions is comprised of three related disciplinary areas: Religious Studies, the exploration of religious phenomena with a particular emphasis on their contemplative dimensions; the Master of Divinity Program, grounded in Buddhist philosophy and practice with an emphasis on interfaith community care and leadership; Contemplative Martial Arts and Yoga Studies, centered on the integrative mind/body disciplines of Aikido, Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan), and Yoga.
Our Programs
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Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies
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Bachelor of Arts in Yoga Studies
Master of Arts in Spiritual Care (Low-Residency)
Master of Arts in Yoga Studies (Low-Residency)
Master of Divinity (Low-Residency Option)
Yoga Teacher Training Certificate
Interested in Wisdom Traditions?
Read our blog & magazine or listen to our podcast!
Magazine
“Relighting the Pilot Light”
Magazine
A Countercultural Institute: Ram Dass & Allen Ginsberg
Episode 6. Phillip Stanley: Senses, Concepts & Emotions
Magazine
Naropa University: Sacred Landscape, Living Treasure
Magazine
Taijiquan, A Path of Awakening Compassion at Naropa University
Magazine
The Yogi School: Bringing the World’s Wisdom to Naropa University
Wisdom Traditions Department Faculty News
New Collection of Poetry: Forests, Temples, Glaciers
Professor Andrew Schelling has a new collection of poetry from Empty Bowl Press: Forests, Temples, Glacial Rivers, out late 2024.
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New Alliance of Virtue Collaboration
Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown was recruited to serve on an interreligious team of ten people, contracted by the government of United Arab Emirates, to develop a handbook on virtues in six...
"From Mindfulness to Heartfulness": Keynote Address, Rocky Mountain Dialogue on Contemplative Practices in Higher Education
Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown—professor emerita at Naropa University and a leading voice in contemplative education and a well-known Buddhist scholar and teacher—was the keynote speaker on the 11th anniversary of the...
Retelling Sacred Stories: Our Journeys to a Shared Sacred Story
The culmination of a four-year collaborative project with Fetzer Institute, Retelling Sacred Stories: Our Journeys to a Shared Sacred Story was published by Orbis Books in 2025. Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown...
Magic and Menace of the Naga Realm: An Interview with Dr. Amelia Hall
Dr. Amelia Hall, core associate professor of Buddhist Studies at Naropa University, is delving into the vivid world where ecology, ritual, and imagination meet. Her recent research focuses on klu—serpentine...
Marjorie Woollacott and Ben Williams – Lessons from the Nondual Philosophy of Shaivism and Neuroscience
In this webinar Drs. Ben Williams and Marjorie Woollacott explore parallels between theories about the origins of cognitive processes that filter out a broader perceptual awareness in both modern neuroscience...
