Wilmington College is providing local residents with an opportunity for personal enrichment by offering a trio of free seminars this summer through the Wilmington College Community Seminars program.
The seminars are coordinated by Bill Limbacher and are dedicated to providing a challenging immersion into three subject areas for anyone 20 and older in Clinton County. The goal is for participants to explore new ideas, unique experiences and the pleasures of shared learning.
The seminars meet weekly for one to two hours on WC’s campus or for a time determined by the instructor. No educational requirements are stipulated for enrollment. Past topics have ranged from the arts and sciences to language, quilting, cooking, handicrafts and computers.
The program will begin with three offerings this summer, beginning June 2 and ending no later than July 25. These initial seminars are free of charge as the College begins building this outreach to the community.
The inaugural seminars include “Everyday Zen: Meditation and Mindfulness,” instructed by Suz Croutwater with Wilmington Zen, “Tai Chi” with Bob Baylor and “Cherokee Language 101 & 102” taught by Limbacher.
The Zen seminar will feature instruction in Zen teachings and the practice of meditation, for which loose, comfortable clothing is recommended. It will feature such resources as Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shurnyu Suzuki and The Heart Sutra, both of which can be purchased or downloaded as a pdf file. The class meets on Mondays from June 2 to June 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at WC’s McCoy Room in Kelly Center and on Sunday, June 29, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Wilmington Zen, 42 W. Main St. Croutwater, who has practiced Zen for 17 years as a member of Furnace Mountain Zen, is the Abbot and Peop-Sa (dharma teacher) at Wilmington Zen.
Those in the Tai Chi seminar will learn the internal health benefits of the ancient, slow meditative practice that can help improve balance, reduce stress and increase vitality. Anyone can learn Tai Chi regardless of age, fitness level or flexibility. The seminar meets on eight Tuesdays from June 3 through July 22 at the pavilion on campus behind the Heiland House on Fife Ave. and near the Community Gardens off Quaker Way. Baylor’s study of Tai Chi for the last 18 years has enabled him to achieve higher levels of health and spiritual awareness. He enjoys sharing his knowledge in helping others improve their spirit, mind and body.
The Cherokee language seminar will introduce participants to this unique Native American language still spoken in parts of Oklahoma and North Carolina. Using a variety of audio and written materials, the class will hear, learn and speak simple phrases. The seminar will feature two parts, each four weeks long. The first, Cherokee 101, will address history and culture while also introducing sounds of the language, while Cherokee 102 will introduce the writing system. It meets on eight Wednesdays, from June 4 through July 23, in WC’s Watson Library except for the June 11 class, which will meet in 109 College Hall from 3 to 4 p.m. Limbacher has provided instruction in the Cherokee language and culture for many years. Several years ago, he presented at the Symposium of the American Indian in Oklahoma on playing Scrabble in Cherokee.
Class size is limited. Interested persons can register or seek more information by contacting Limbacher at bill.limbacher@wilmington.edu or by phone at (513) 289-7246.