University Open Air: Five Pranayamas for Physical and Mental Health
Pranayama consists of regulating, expanding, or gaining control over the breath and subtle energies and is practiced for stabilizing our body and mind and promoting healing various conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, insomnia, stress, and anxiety and so on. In this session, Dr.…
University Open Air: Technical Drawing Exercises for Beginners
In this course, students will gain hands-on experience in technical drawing through learning the art of manual drawing and drafting techniques.
Drawing instruments (including paper and clipboards) will be provided.
University Open Air: AI × Nature: Discover Your Inner Plant
Step into a world of green imagination in this playful, AI-generated workshop, where participants explore identity through the lens of botany. What qualities, shapes, or environments would you embody if you were a plant? Through guided writing and optional sketching, you’ll observe and describe…
University Open Air: Feng Shui and the Natural World
We all know that Feng Shui arrangement is important to our homes but did you know plants can be integrated into our Feng Shui? We will explore the green world of the park and consider some important ways in which the natural world can affect your indoor environment.
University Open Air: Folk and Social Dances of the World
Celebrate cultures, connect with others, and move your body in this lively outdoor dance class with teaching artist Irene Koloseus. Participants will explore a variety of folk and social dances, including Irish, Austrian, Greek, Square Dance, Vernacular Jazz, and more. No prior experience is…
University Open Air: Tibetan Meditation Practice: Shamatha Meditation Practice for Beginners and Advanced Practitioners
What is meditation/mindfulness? Why should we practice meditation? How should we practice it in dour daily lives? In this session, Dr. Chok will teach different types of meditation, with a focus on shamata, or “single-pointed” meditation. We will learn to practice shamata meditation using…
University Open Air: Flower Arrangement
Flowers make us feel good and happy: they are not just beautiful, they also carry a natural power of Qi. Flower Arrangement is a good way to enhance positive Qi in our home. We will talk about the meanings of flowers and their reflections in our lives, while making bouquets during the class…
University Open Air: Line of Flight: Painting Workshop
We'll use a traditional, old-school method to transform photographic images into monochromatic acrylic paintings. Through abstraction we’ll begin with a controlled approach and gradually allow expressive gestures to take over.
Limited to 15 participants.
University Open Air: Save the season: about food preservation and terroir
Uncover the potential of food preservation and the use of local produce in reducing food waste. We will explore how combining seasonal and local eating with preservation techniques can effectively minimize waste while expanding your flavor palette.
This class offers a view into the…
University Open Air: Letters to the Future: Writing Epistolary Stories
What if a letter could outlive you? Could reach a future self—or a future world?
In this imaginative, heart-forward workshop, we’ll explore the rich, intimate form of epistolary storytelling—writing in the form of letters, diary entries, voicemails, or unsent texts. Whether you’re writing…
University Open Air: Purifying Negative Energies: Boosting our Immune System and Spiritual Healing
Right breathing purifies the stale energy in the body, cleans all three energetic channels, helps energy to flow without blockages, reduces negative emotions, tranquilizes your mind, and boosts your immune system, thereby preventing many physical and mental disorders and helping to heal diseases…
University Open Air: Reading the Flight of Birds
Before memory, before words, the birds were our first teachers, their wings tracing lessons across the sky. This class invites you to interpret the poetry of bird flight—the arc of a hawk, the murmur of starlings, the sudden hush before a robin's call. Through mindful observation, you'll learn…
University Open Air: Seasonal Flower Pounding
In this 2.5-hour workshop, we will explore natural printmaking as a way of documenting time and place. Using fresh flowers and leaves gathered from Prospect Park, we will learn techniques for transferring botanical pigments onto fabric through the process of flower pounding (hapazome).
…
University Open Air: The Five Movement Yogas for Balancing the Five Elements
The Five Movements are standing yogas which release blockages in our subtle channels, creating openness. These movements are incredibly beneficial for overall balance and wellbeing. Physical movement, breath and awareness harmonize our body, energy, and mind, and we can feel the benefit right…
University Open Air: Dreams - The Final Frontier
How has big tech affected our dreamscape? What are the new archetypes of the technological age? Are you interested in seeing images from a dream scanner? A team at Kyoto University has made significant strides in decoding the visual content of dreams through reconstruction of visual imagery from…
University Open Air: A Play in Two Hours: Speedwriting for the Stage
Can you write a play in two hours? Yes, you can. And we will.
This fast-paced, joy-filled workshop is for anyone who’s ever wanted to write a scene for the stage but didn’t know where to start. Whether you love drama, comedy, or awkward silences, we’ll help you dive into dialogue,…
University Open Air: The Five Tibetans, or the Foundation of Youth
The Five Tibetans, also known as the Five Rites of Rejuvenation, are a yogic system of simple yet highly energizing exercises that take a minimum of daily time and effort but can dramatically increase physical strength and suppleness as well as mental acuity. Dr. Chok is teaching the Five…
University Open Air: Monologues: Writing and Performing Stories for the Stage
You’ve got a story to tell—and the spotlight is all yours.
In this empowering, expressive workshop, we’ll explore the art of writing and performing monologues—dramatic stories told by one person. Whether you’re writing from your own experience or creating a character with something to say…
University Open Air: Cybersecurity: Identifying and Preventing Cyber Attacks
If you ever came across a spammed website or email, would you recognize it? What common features exist in cybercrimes? What techniques do attackers use? This lesson discusses the techniques used introduces some techniques to identify and prevent cybercrimes. This lesson is full of…
University Open Air: From Fields to Cities: The Journey of Sayings
This lecture explores the fascinating evolution of popular sayings, tracing their roots in rural communities and examining how they’ve been reshaped in urban environments. We’ll look at how these expressions reflect cultural and social changes as they move from agrarian life into city living.…
University Open Air: Protecting your Privacy Online
Privacy includes personal and sensitive user information that directly identifies an individual (e.g., name, address, social security number or other identifying number or code, telephone number, marital status, email address, etc. How do organizations manage these information? This lesson will…
University Open Air: Hand Acupressure Points & Health
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine practice, we have many acupressure points in our bodies, which we can activate to boost the immune system and improve our health. In this class, you will learn about some acupressure points in your hands that you can easily manipulate to improve…
University Open Air: A Brief History of Photography (Techniques & Genres)
In this class, first we will see a brief history of photography focused on some of the important techniques and genres (with a bias on French and Francophone photography). After discovering or rediscovering certain techniques used by famous photographers, we will explore off the beaten path…
University Open Air: Ancient Tibetan Chöd Healing: Cleansing Negativities and Restoring Posivities
Chöd means “to cut.” Suffering that we humans experience arises mainly through grasping at self and self-cherishing attitude. Cutting through this self-grasping and self-cherishing attitude is the main goal of chöd practice. Chöd is also widely performed for healing physical and mental…
University Open Air: Creating Constancy in our Changeable Lives
We live in a complicated world: work, daily tasks, family and environment are all constantly changing. While this may be common experience, keeping a stable center remains elusive. From my experience as a certified life coach, I can share some techniques that I find helpful and that you can use…
University Open Air: Five Tibetan Tsa-loong Yantrayogas: Clearing and Opening our Five Chakras
These five tsa-loong yantrayogas will open our five main chakras and energize our five main pranas/energies. In this session, Dr. Chok will explain in detail the functions of the five main pranas and teach the tsa-loong yantra-yogas and their benefits.
The session will end with a guided…
University Open Air: Technical Drawing Exercises for Beginners
In this course, students will gain hands-on experience in technical drawing through learning the art of manual drawing and drafting techniques.
Drawing instruments (including paper and clipboards) will be provided.
University Open Air: Feng Shui Basics
Feng Shui arrangement is important in life, especially when we need to move or are moving to a new and unfamiliar location. We will learn some basics in this class, such as how to choose a good location, building or area, and general dos and don'ts in Feng Shui.
University Open Air: Tibetan Meditation Practice: Vipasana or Analytical Meditation Practice For Beginners and Advanced Practitioners
In this session, Dr. Chok will explain and teach various vipassana (insightful seeing) mind training practices such as loving-kindness and compassion, tong-len (give-take) practice, impermanent nature, suffering, karma, selflessness and emptiness. The benefits of vipassana meditation are immense…
University Open Air: How to Write a Winning Proposal I
This course aims to introduce students to different types of proposals and how to write them step-by-step. You will learn how to persuade donors, sponsors, and potential collaborators by crafting a feasible and profitable proposal.
University Open Air: Autumn Flowers and Feng Shui
The season is changing and the insides of our homes should reflect this shift in the outside world. Flower arrangement is not only decoration, it's a natural force we can use to enhance good Qi at home. In this class, we will discuss the principles of Feng Shui and Qi as we arrange…
University Open Air: Line of Flight: Painting Workshop
We'll use a traditional, old-school method to transform photographic images into monochromatic acrylic paintings. Through abstraction we’ll begin with a controlled approach and gradually allow expressive gestures to take over.
Limited to 15 participants.
University Open Air: How to Write a Winning Proposal II
This course aims to introduce students to different types of proposals and how to write them step-by-step. You will learn how to persuade donors, sponsors, and potential collaborators by crafting a feasible and profitable proposal.
University Open Air: Nejang: Self-healing Yogas (Part 1)
Nejang yogas were introduced by Buton Rinchendrup (1290-1364), one of the greatest yogis of his time. Nejang has 24 simple and profound yogas that can be practiced by people of all ages. You can practice Nejang yogas in sequence as part of daily yoga practice for your overall wellbeing, or you…
University Open Air: Seasonal Flower Pounding
In this 2.5-hour workshop, we will explore natural printmaking as a way of documenting time and place. Using fresh flowers and leaves gathered from Prospect Park, we will learn techniques for transferring botanical pigments onto fabric through the process of flower pounding (hapazome).
…
University Open Air: Save the season: about food preservation and terroir
Uncover the potential of food preservation and the use of local produce in reducing food waste. We will explore how combining seasonal and local eating with preservation techniques can effectively minimize waste while expanding your flavor palette.
This class offers a view into the…
University Open Air: The Effective Use of Artificial Intelligence
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in daily human activities has increased exponentially in the last 5 years. Beginning 2023, we see the enhancement of AI solutions including generating textual contents, videos, PPTs, music, and editing pictures. This lesson introduces the latest AI…
University Open Air: Reading the Flight of Birds
Before memory, before words, the birds were our first teachers, their wings tracing lessons across the sky. This class invites you to interpret the poetry of bird flight—the arc of a hawk, the murmur of starlings, the sudden hush before a robin's call. Through mindful observation, you'll learn…
University Open Air: Drawing the Unseen
In this collaborative workshop, the environment is both inspiration and an active collaborator. Using sensory cues like shifts in light, sound, texture, we will respond with bold, intuitive marks, building a large-scale abstract drawing together. Layer by layer, our lines and gestures will…
University Open Air: Adinkra – Traditional Communicating Symbols by the Akas in Ghana
Have you been told or seen any traditional communicating symbols from your culture? Is it used solely by your culture or shared in other places? This lesson introduces the Adinkra symbols of the Ashanti’s in Ghana, West Africa. I will take you through 15 Adinkra symbols, the rationale behind…
University Open Air: From Fields to Cities: The Journey of Sayings
This lecture explores the fascinating evolution of popular sayings, tracing their roots in rural communities and examining how they’ve been reshaped in urban environments. We’ll look at how these expressions reflect cultural and social changes as they move from agrarian life into city living.…
University Open Air: How to Write a Winning Proposal I
This course aims to introduce students to different types of proposals and how to write them step-by-step. You will learn how to persuade donors, sponsors, and potential collaborators by crafting a feasible and profitable proposal.
University Open Air: NaCl — Salt: Element, Flavor, Story
Salt is more than a flavor—it’s a powerful element that has shaped landscapes, traditions, economies, and human movement across time. In this class, we’ll take a curious look at salt from multiple angles: its physical properties and origins; the ways it’s formed and found in nature, and most…
University Open Air: Tibetan Tantric Methods for Burnout Syndrome
To deal with burnout syndrome, we must understand how our physical body, energy body and mental body work together. In this session, Dr. Chok will explain these in detail and teach the ancient Tibetan methods for restoring our energy.
Note:
1. If possible, come with an empty stomach…
University Open Air: How to Write a Winning Proposal II
This course aims to introduce students to different types of proposals and how to write them step-by-step. You will learn how to persuade donors, sponsors, and potential collaborators by crafting a feasible and profitable proposal.
University Open Air: Nejang: Self-healing Yogas (Part 2)
Nejang yogas were introduced by Buton Rinchendrup (1290-1364), one of the greatest yogis of his time. Nejang has 24 simple and profound yogas. Nejang can be practiced by people of all ages. You can practice Nejang yogas in sequence as part of daily yoga practice for your overall wellbeing, or…
University Open Air: The Plastic Sea Workshop
The Plastic Sea is a collaborative art project in which community members of all ages are invited to co-create a large-scale mural using reclaimed construction mesh and strips of non-recyclable plastic.
The project promotes environmental education through action: participants engage…
University Open Air: Decoding Prospect Park’s Flora
“In order to be able to come up with new forms we would have to understand what has already been created.” — Hilma af Klint
Inspired by Hilma af Klint’s Nature Studies portfolio, currently on view at MoMA, this workshop invites participants to venture into Prospect Park for a close…
University Open Air: Feng Shui's Five Elements and Five Organs in the Human Body
The five elements are the pillars in Feng Shui practice. These elements are related to our organs too. How can we make those organs healthier based on these five elements? We will dive into the details in this class.
University Open Air: Folk and Social Dances of the World
Celebrate cultures, connect with others, and move your body in this lively outdoor dance class with teaching artist Irene Koloseus. Participants will explore a variety of folk and social dances, including Irish, Austrian, Greek, Square Dance, Vernacular Jazz, and more. No prior experience is…
University Open Air: In Search of Lyricism
In lyric works, emotions are expressed through imagery, musicality, rhythm. Hence, reading and watching lyric works is a highly enjoyable experience. Yet, as the mermaids’ song, lyricism can draw us in to better drown us in what we’d turn away from: pain, grief, injustice, or our daily life.…
University Open Air: Mid-Autumn Festival Traditions & Customs
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival 2025 is tomorrow, October 6; in this class, we will talk about the traditions and customs, and the deeply rooted cultural meaning, behind this festival.
University Open Air: Madeline Moment - Dreaming of Lost Time
Have you had a dream which left a nostalgic resonance in its wake? A dream of a lost time is like a lone page of a diary, delivered to you with a purpose you may not understand, but every dream holds a kernel of the highest truth, especially one that takes you back in time. What is it your dream…
University Open Air: Ancient Tibetan Chöd Healing: Cleansing Negativities and Restoring Posivities
Chöd means “to cut.” Suffering that we humans experience arises mainly through grasping at self and self-cherishing attitude. Cutting through this self-grasping and self-cherishing attitude is the main goal of chöd practice. Chöd is also widely performed for healing physical and mental…