The Ananda Marga Philosophy Home Study Program has been developed for use as a correspondence course on Ananda Marga philosophy of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti. Through participation in the study program students should develop a sound understanding of basic Ananda Marga philosophy.              

Participation in the study program requires effort, but this effort will enable students of the program to better communicate Ananda Marga philosophy and better apply it in ways that contribute to the upliftment of individuals and the society.

 The Home Study Program has been in use since early 1997, and it has undergone much refinement based on the experience of students in the program. There has been international participation in the course, with students having enrolled from six countries.

 Study Program Administration and Award of Certification

  The Home Study Program is a project of the Dharma Seva Department of Ananda Seva Mission.  The study program has been developed and is presently administered by A'ca'rya Ravi, who can be contacted by phone at 541-344-0553, or by email at ravi@anandaseva.org.

It is preferred that communications between students and the study program administrator take place by email. However, students can choose the means of communication they prefer.

A certification will be awarded to students who complete the spiritual and social philosophy sections of the program, and an additional certification will be given to those who complete the full program of study. These certifications will attest to the competency of their knowledge of Ananda Marga philosophy.

Tuition and Enrollment  

Tuition for the program is $40 per month if study materials are sent by mail, or $35 per month if materials are sent as email attachments. Adjustments in tuition will be made where appropriate. No one will be denied opportunity to take the program for financial reasons.  

Tuition payments should be sent to: Ananda Seva Publications, 814 West 24th, Eugene, OR 97405 USA. Checks should be payable to Ananda Seva Publications. For those who wish to pay by means of international transfer of funds, a bank number can be provided.  

Enrollment is done simply by notifying the Home Study Program administrator (A'ca'rya Ravi) of your intent to take the program. There are no pre-requisites for taking the Home Study Program other than an interest in learning Ananda Marga philosophy.  

New students are encouraged to enroll for a three month trial period to see how they like the program before making a fuller commitment.

Outline of Subject Material

The Home Study Program is divided into four major sections of study: first, spiritual philosophy; second, social philosophy; third, other significant philosophy topics; and, fourth, comparative philosophy, Tantra and As't'aunga Yoga. Each of these sections, in turn, is comprised of several topics. In total, there are twenty topics in the program. Here are the sections of study and the respective topics included within each section:  

Section 1 - Spiritual Philosophy

              1] cosmology

              2] ontology

              3] science of mind

              4] intuitional science

              5] ethics

Section 2 - Social Philosophy

              6] neo-humanism

              7] fundamental principles and prama'

              8] philosophy of history

              9] society and culture

            10] political system

            11] economic system

            12] ecological philosophy; future vision; building a new society

Section 3 - Other Significant Philosophy Topics

            13] women's spirituality

            14] family and social life

            15] language

            16] microvita and new science

            17] health and healing

Section 4 - Comparative Philosophy, Tantra and As't'aunga Yoga

            18] comparative philosophy

            19] Tantra

            20] As't'aunga Yoga

Each of these topics is covered in one month of study. After study of each section of the program is completed, a month is devoted for a section review and a progress exam. So, in full, this course is designed to be a two year program.

Content of the Home Study Program

The first section of the Home Study Program covers spiritual philosophy. In the discourse, "Our Philosophical Treatise" (see Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell, p. 260-263), A'nandamu'rti outlines the major branches of philosophy, both the branches of traditional philosophy as well as two additional branches developed in Ananda Marga philosophy. The traditional branches of philosophy are: cosmology, ontology, ethics and epistemology, and the additional branches of Ananda Marga philosophy are science of mind and intuitional science. Cosmology deals with the origin, structure and evolution of the universe; ontology deals with the nature of being and the categories of being; science of mind deals with the structure and functioning of mind; intuitional science gives philosophical understanding of the transformation of consciousness; ethics deals with moral values; and epistemology deals with the nature and validity of knowledge. This division of philosophy topics, with the exception of ethics and epistemology, is closely followed by A'nandamu'rti in his primary philosophical works, A'nanda Su'tram and Idea and Ideology.  The Home Study Program does not presently cover Ananda Marga philosophy's views on epistemology.

The second section of study includes the classical topics of political philosophy: theory of history, concept of society, economic system and political system; as well as four additional topics which have importance to PROUT philosophy. The added topics are: neohumanism, which provides a fundamental value base for society; the Fundamental Principles of PROUT, which are intended to promote universal welfare in the society; ecological philosophy, which deals with the proper relationship of society to the natural world; future vision, which projects a sense of the direction the PROUT society would move in; and building the new society, which gives an understanding of the methodology for establishing PROUT.  

The third section of study includes several additional topics important to a well-developed knowledge of Ananda Marga philosophy. These are: language, which deals with the philosophy, evolution, social practice and psycho-physiology of language;  feminine mysticism, which gives a philosophical conception of the Divine Feminine and of the spirituality of women; family and social life, which considers a spiritual orientation to social relations; microvita, the new science dealing with the fundamental substance of life; and health and healing, which gives both philosophical understanding and practical remedies related to mind-body health and vitality.  

The fourth section of study covers the subjects of comparative spiritual philosophy; Tantra as a spiritual path; and As't'aunga Yoga, the philosophy and system of spiritual practices given by Patanjali.

Course of Study Options

The Home Study Program is offered in several different course plans so as to meet the diverse situations of students.

            . For those taking the Home Study Program as part of a'ca'rya or LFT training, the full program is given in a two year course of study.

            . For those who would prefer to focus only on core spiritual and social philosophy topics of Ananda Marga philosophy, an abridged fourteen month course can be taken.

            . For those who wish to have an initial experience of the program before committing themselves to a deeper involvement, a three or four month sampler course can be taken in which one topic would be selected from each section of the program. For example, the topics of science of mind, neohumanism, health and healing, and Tantra might be chosen. The student could select the topics to be studied themselves, or they could work out their course of study in consultation with the program administrator.

            . For those who may wish to acquire the Home Study Program readings to study in their own way and on their own time, or simply to have for reference purposes, reading packets can be ordered at reduced rate.

            . For those who face greater time constraints at certain times of the year, or who may wish to take a break in their studies, it is possible to arrange time-off from the course.

  Those interested in the Home Study Program whose needs may not be met by any of the above course plans should contact the program administrator to explore other options.

 Components of the Home Study Program

The Home Study Program contains the following components:

            Reading materials. Each month, students will receive a reading packet containing readings from the published discourses of Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti/P. R. Sarkar and from material which has been  intuitionally given. The quantity of readings will generally be about 60 pages per month, or about two pages reading per day. All readings will be provided to students in the study packets which they receive monthly, with the exception of readings from the book A'nanda Su'tram.  Students should acquire this book, if they do not have it already - preferably the 1996 edition.

            Terminology list. For most topics of study, a list of important terms relevant to that topic will be given. Students are encouraged to develop familiarity with these terms, so that they can possess at least a contextual understanding of their use.

            Concept list. For each topic there will also be a list of important concepts with which students should become familiar.

            Study questions. Also for each topic a set of study questions and exercises will be given to help students deepen their comprehension of the material. Some questions ask students to explain important concepts, other questions give students opportunity to apply concepts in practical and interesting ways. From the set of questions provided, students will only be expected to answer several questions of their choice. If the student wishes, they are welcome to create and respond to their own study questions.

            Section exams. At the end of each section of study students will be given written progress exams. These tests are intended to check that students have obtained an adequate understanding of basic concepts of the philosophy. They are open book exams.

Home Study Program Process

Here is an overview of the Program's study process:

            1] A study program packet for the coming month will reach students by the first of the month and study of the readings will begin at this time.

            2] During the last week of the month, students should and review the terminology list and concept list and work on the monthly homework assignment.

            3] At the end of the month, students should submit their homework assignment to the Program administrator.

            4] The Program Administrator will then read through and send students feedback on their assignments.

            5] Progress tests will be given at the end of each section of study, with test answers checked by the study program coordinator.

            6] Students are encouraged to be in phone contact with the program administrator about every two months to review their progress. For those taking the program as a part of a'ca'rya or LFT training, this should be considered a requirement.

Enhancing Learning 

Learning can be enhanced by interaction with other students and by application of ideas. So students are encouraged to study together and to give philosophy classes.

Collaborative study can be practical if a couple takes the course together, or if students live in the same vicinity and are able to get together for study sessions. There are several possible approaches to collaborative study: readings can be divided, monthly assignments can be worked on together, section exams can be jointly taken, etc.

Students are encouraged to give classes, even if on an informal basis with a few acquaintances, in which use is made of the philosophical ideas learned in the Home Study Program. There is no better way to learn a subject than to teach it.

Students should find that the Home Study Program helps them to acquire a deepened understanding of Ananda Marga philosophy, and to acquire it in a manner which is relevant to their lives. While learning philosophy is important, it is far more important to live philosophy, to express it in one's practical life. The philosophy given by A'nandamu'rti is not to be confined to the pages of a book, but is for applying creatively to one's individual and social life.

Biographical Information on A'ca'rya Ravi

 A'ca'rya Ravi is well-versed in yoga philosophy. In addition to developing the Ananda Marga Philosophy Home Study Program correspondence course, he has taught a course on yoga psychology through Lane Community College and given philosophy classes as part of the Ananda Seva Mission a'ca'rya training program.  

A'ca'rya Ravi has co-authored a book which provides a comprehensive introduction to the PROUT, the socio-economic theory given in the Ananda Marga philosophy. He has also written magazine and newspaper articles on spiritual philosophy and social theory related topics, and he was the associate editor of the magazine, Common Future.

A'ca'rya Ravi has lectured internationally on yoga and on new paradigm social theory, including at a convention of the American Association of Transpersonal Psychology and at symposia in Copenhagen, New Delhi, and Birobidzhan, Russia. In the early 1990s, he traveled internationally presenting a seminar on the future visions of P. R. Sarkar.  

In 1993, he co-authored a PROUT-based economic development plan commissioned by the Vice-Governor of Khabarovsk, a state in the Russian Far East. Among his other activities in Russia, he served as the co-chair of the Symposium on the Humanistic Aspects of Regional Development and was made an honorary member of the Far Eastern Public Academy of Sciences. 

A'ca'rya Ravi attended Dartmouth College, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon, where he earned a master's degree in counseling-psychology.