short description:

     This seminar for advanced sufferers
will explore whatever dimensions of our
Existential Predicament or Malaise
the participants choose: existential loneliness,
depression, absurdity, meaninglessness,
void, anxiety, splitting, guilt, death,
despair, or insecurity.
     The text of the same name costs $45
—less if the class decides to read
and discuss only some of the chapters.

one-page course description:

(One session should be sufficient to discuss each chapter,
except the longest chapters—anxiety and death—
which should be given 3 or 4 sessions each.
Because this complete seminar would then take 17 or 18 sessions,
most sponsors will select the most important chapters
to include in any particular seminar.
Or the whole content could be covered
in a series of three or four seminars of about 4 or 5 session each.)

Introduction   Transcending Our Existential Predicament

Chapter   1     Existential Loneliness :
                            Deeper than the Reach of Love

Chapter   2     Existential Depression :
                            Deeper than Psychological Depression

Chapter   3     Existential Absurdity :
                            Is Life Worth Living?

Chapter   4     Existential Meaninglessness :
                            The Collapse of 'Meanings' and Illusions

Chapter   5     The Existential Void :
                            Discovering Our Bottomless Emptiness

Chapter   6     Existential Anxiety :
                           Angst

Chapter   7     Existential Splitting :
                            Søren Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death

Chapter   8     Existential Guilt :
                            Deeper than Moral Conscience

Chapter   9     An Existential Understanding of Death :
                            A Phenomenology of Ontological Anxiety

Chapter 10     Existential Despair :
                            Floating Down the River of Despair

Chapter 11     Existential Insecurity :
                            When all Security-Operations Fail

Afterword       Obstacles to Existential Freedom

Bibliography

     The Introduction prepares us for becoming aware
of our usually-hidden Existential Malaise.
As we honor our sensitivity and subjectivity,
we become open for the disclosure of depths in ourselves
that are seldom discussed in psychology and philosophy.

syllabus for distant learners:

    Here is the synopsis of each chapter:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/XP-SYN.html

    And here you will find the beginning of each chapter,
including its outline:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/XP.html

    Over 50 pages of the book are published on the Internet,
which should give you enough free samples
for you to decide just where to begin reading.
These synopses, outlines, and excerpts
should help you decide which ways of experiencing
our Existential Predicament are most relevant to you.

   Complete bibliographical details:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/OG.html

This book uses some religious language,
but it is not sectarian in tone.
Any open-minded person in spiritual quest
(regardless of religious background and/or present belief or non-belief)
should be able to follow this study-book.

     Additional books will be found
in the Existential Spirituality Bibliography:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/B-XSP.html

"Loneliness of Spirit: Deeper than the Reach of Love":
https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/CY-LONE.html

     After you have begun your own reading program,
you may have some question and comments
you would like to share with someone else who understands the problem.
The author of Our Existential Predicament:
Loneliness, Depression, Anxiety, & Death
offers this service free of charge:
Send your responses, comments, & questions to:
James Park e-mail: PARKx032@TC.UMN.EDU

     This offer also applies to groups of people
who are getting together to discuss our Existential Predicament.
Send your comments, questions, etc. to James Park,
who should be able to answer them by e-mail
before your next meeting.

electronic options

    In 2009, a Facebook Page was established for Existential Spirituality.

    In 2010, a virtual seminar was proposed using the Yahoo Group called Existential Freedom.
This world-wide discussion was listed by the Experimental College of the Twin Cities as
"Loneliness, Depression, Anxiety, & Death: Our Existential Predicament".
Click this title for complete information.

suggestions for offering this class in adult education programs or college courses:

1. Discussion leader.

    It might be difficult to find an appropriate discussion leader
because the content of the text for this class is difficult and unfamiliar.
Anyone who undertakes to lead such a seminar
should take as much time as necessary to read Our Existential Predicament
and other supporting material.
Any questions that arise for the facilitator
can be sent to the author before the class begins.

    This book could also be used in a college course in existentialism
or a class specifically on the existential spirituality of Søren Kierkegaard
or the existential phenomenology of Martin Heidegger.

    The author will also be available by e-mail during any class or seminar,
but the facilitator should know the subject as well as possible
before offering a class on our Existential Malaise.

2. Course title.

    Certainly at first, you are not going to offer this whole class.
Therefore you need a more limited title
describing just which aspects of our Existential Malaise
you are planing to cover.

    Some possibilities:

EXISTENTIAL ANXIETY: ANGST

LONELINESS, ABSURDITY, & MEANINGLESSNESS

DEPRESSION, DESPAIR, &  THE VOID

    If the first limited class, using only a few themes, is well received
and if the participants in that course wish to discuss
other dimensions of our Existential Dilemma,
then another class on other themes could be offered,
inviting new people to join.

    Alternative titles for the class (or series of classes):

OUR EXISTENTIAL MALAISE:
LONELINESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, & DEATH

OUR EXISTENTIAL DILEMMA:
LONELINESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, & DEATH

3. Alternative course.

    Since the above course is advanced and demanding,
it might be wise to begin with a simpler course
based on another book by the same author:
Opening to Grace: Transcending Our Spiritual Malaise:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/OG.html