The Year of Wholeness
A Draft:
Four-Part Curriculum for the Mind, Heart, Body, and Spirit
Book I – The Mind: Illumination
Season: Winter → Early Spring
Theme: Understanding the World
Purpose: Awaken curiosity, intellect, and clear seeing.
Core Subject: Philosophy • Logic • Science • Systems Thinking
Primary Course: Harvard University – 'Justice' by Michael Sandel (Free on edX)
Suggested Readings
• Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
• The Republic — Plato
• Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari
• The Demon-Haunted World — Carl Sagan
Practices
• Keep a Commonplace Book for insights.
• Weekly Socratic Walk: question one belief deeply.
• Monthly Reflection: 'What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?'
Book II – The Heart: Communion
Season: Spring → Summer
Theme: Understanding Others
Purpose: Expand empathy, language, and inner communication.
Core Subject: Literature • Psychology • Communication • Relationships
Primary Course: Yale University – 'The Science of Well-Being' (Free on Coursera)
Suggested Readings
• Letters to a Young Poet — Rainer Maria Rilke
• The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown
• The Prophet — Kahlil Gibran
• Beloved — Toni Morrison
Practices
• Keep a Compassion Log each week.
• Mirror Work: speak forgiveness or gratitude to yourself.
• Journal Prompt: 'How does love change what I see?'
Book III – The Body: Incarnation
Season: Summer → Early Autumn
Theme: Embodiment and Practice
Purpose: Anchor your learning through physical vitality and ecological awareness.
Core Subject: Health • Ecology • Food Systems • Craftsmanship
Primary Course: Stanford University – 'Food and Health' (Free on edX)
Suggested Readings
• Braiding Sweetgrass — Robin Wall Kimmerer
• The Hidden Life of Trees — Peter Wohlleben
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma — Michael Pollan
• Anatomy of Movement — Blandine Calais-Germain
Practices
• Create a small garden or indoor herb pot.
• Weekly Embodied Hour: dance, yoga, or mindful walking.
• Reflection: 'How does the body teach what the mind forgets?'
Book IV – The Spirit: Continuance
Season: Autumn → Winter
Theme: Integration and Legacy
Purpose: Reflect, synthesize, and express meaning.
Core Subject: Spirituality • Ethics • Creativity • Legacy
Primary Course: University of Edinburgh – 'Philosophy, Science and Religion: Religion and Science' (Free on Coursera)
Suggested Readings
• The Book of Joy — Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu
• The Artist’s Way — Julia Cameron
• The Tao Te Ching — Lao Tzu
• The Book of First Light — Personal reflections and writings
Practices
• Create a Legacy Project to represent your year’s learning.
• Weekly Hour of Silence: sit in stillness and observation.
• Reflection: 'What remains when I stop striving?'