Study Circle
2026-01-13 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-01-20 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-01-27 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111, United States
JANUARY 2026 PROGRAM
Tuesdays, 7:30 PM PT
Institute of World Culture, Concord House
1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA
In-Person and via Zoom*

GOVERNMENT AND SELF-GOVERNMENT

“Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil . . . For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other law-giver.” – Thomas Paine

Jan 6, 2006 Hieros Logos, The Golden Verses of Pythagoras
We will begin our year with the wise, one could say axiomatic, council of Pythagoras, so that our voyage does not veer from its true course.
“Consult and deliberate before thou act, that thou may’st not commit foolish actions, for it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection.”

Jan 13, 2026 Individuation
Chapter 6 of Parapolitics by Raghavan Iyer
“Man who man would be must rule the empire of himself.” P.B. Shelley

Jan 20, 2026 On the Decline of Society, the State, and Character
The Republic of Plato, Books VIII-IX
“Do you see, then, that there must be as many types of human character as there are forms of government? . . . So, if there are five forms of government, there must be five kinds of mental constitution among individuals.”

Jan 27, 2026 The Generous Spirit
Poetry of William Wordsworth.
“Who, with a natural instinct to discern what knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn; abides by this resolve, and stops not there, but makes his moral being his prime care.”

*Contact donna@worldculture.org for a link to join via Zoom

Expanding a Universal Vision of Liberty, Justice, Social Responsibility and Community
2026-01-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Concord Hall and streaming on Youtube, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara
Presenters: Carolyn Dorrance and Danson Kiplagat
Expanding a Universal Vision of Liberty, Justice, Social Responsibility and Community Core concepts and ethical practices that could be used in the development of a new Universal Vision for humanity’s welfare will be explored. The revolutionary vision that inspired the Republic of Conscience in 18th century America will be matched with current global trends to expand liberty, justice, social responsibility and community around the world. The contributions of leaders dedicated to a universal vision for improving the lives and opportunities for mankind will be presented.
Dr. Carolyn Dorrance and Danson Kiplagat are retired educators as well as
founding members of the Institute of World Culture. Dr. Dorrance served for many years as president of the Institute’s board.

Study Circle
2026-02-03 19:30 - 21:00 | Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111, United States

The Universal Voice of Rabindranath Tagore
2026-02-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Concord Hall and streaming on Youtube, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara
Tagore Flyer 2-7-26 final
This presentation reviews the remarkable life of Rabindranath Tagore, the first and
only Nobel Prize winner in Literature from India. As one of the architects of modern
India, Tagore’s synthesis of Eastern and Western thought offers vital insights for our
fractured contemporary world while firmly anchoring him as a global cultural and philosophical figure. His vision and contributions to literature, education, music, and the arts embody universal humanism and cross-civilizational thought, and offer a model for the possibility of unity without uniformity.
Susmita Sengupta (Rumi) began learning Tagore’s music at age six while growing up in central India to parents of Bengali descent. With a lifelong
commitment to the arts, she continues to actively engage in music. Rumi owns and runs TheRumiStudio, an independent consulting practice. She brings a unique perspective bridging analytical rigor with cultural insight.

Study Circle
2026-02-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Concord House Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States
To receive the Zoom link, please email donna@worldculture.org. For additional program details, visit the Tuesday Study Circles page.

Realizing the Principles of American Democracy
2026-02-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Concord Hall and streaming on Youtube, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara
Saturday, February 14, 2026
2:00 – 4:00 pm (PST)
Presenters: Cliff Tillotson and Jonathan Colbert
In-person at Concord Hall, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA
Live Stream at https://www.youtube.com/@iwcinsantabarbara/streams
On this Presidents’ Day weekend, as we honor the sacrifices of two of America’s
greatest revolutionary leaders, the Institute invites you to join in an engaging
forum on the driving principles behind America’s experiment in democracy.
Realizing the principles of American Democracy is a hard and heroic journey
from independence to interdependence. Together in discussion let us “renew the
universal vision behind the American Dream” and open invisible gateways that
can lead us towards an “ever-evolving Republic of Conscience.”
Guest Speakers
Cliff Tillotson is a founding member of the Institute of World Culture (IWC), and
was an avid student of IWC Co-founders Raghavan Iyer and Nandini Iyer, taking
all the undergraduate classes they offered in the Political Science and Religious
Studies Departments at UC Santa Barbara. Cliff has given numerous
presentations at the Institute. He is Vice-President of Prometheus Construction in
Kapolie, Hawaii.
Jonathan Colbert is a long-time member of the Institute of World Culture, and
has given presentations at the IWC on a wide variety of topics, including
“Practicing Principles of Non-Violence” and “The New Learning.” He has a family-
owned business, Acacia Environmental Construction, based in California.
*Live Stream at: https://www.youtube.com/@iwcinsantabarbara/streams
For more information: https://www.worldculture.org
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Study Circle
2026-02-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111, United States
Ongoing study circle in Emerson Room of Concord House.

Study Circle
2026-02-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111, United States

Tuesday Study Circle
2026-03-03 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-03-31 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-07 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-14 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-21 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-28 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-05 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-12 19:30 - 21:00 and 4 more dates | Concord House Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States

Autobiography of a Yogi The Legacy of P. Yogananda
2026-03-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Concord Hall and streaming on Youtube, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara
Paramahansa Yogananda was an author, teacher and mystic as well as one of the first Hindu monks of the 20th century to teach and popularize the Eastern system of Kriya Yoga in the West. Immigrating to the US at the age of 27, he sought to demonstrate the underlying unity behind Eastern and Western religious traditions and advocate for a balance between material growth and spiritual values. In 1920 he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), which has become a world-wide organization designed to carry on and disseminate his teachings. His bestselling book Autobiography of a Yogi continues to inspire readers worldwide and Ryan Quirk will provide us with an overview of its contents.
Ryan Quirk is a student of psychology and spirituality and a self-published author. Early in his youth, Ryan found that neither his school system, nor the priests of his church had answers to the questions that perplexed him and has therefore been engaged in an earnest search for deeper and richer forms of practical wisdom. His foremost concern is to share his best understanding in an accessible way, especially with persons his age and younger, where he sees the needs are most pressing and poignant.

Tuesday Study Circle
2026-03-10 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-03-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-03-24 19:30 - 21:00

Artificial Intelligence: Social Impacts on the Future
2026-03-21 14:00 - 16:00

California Water: The Future of a Vital Resource
2026-03-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Concord Hall and streaming on Youtube, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara
Monday Salon Series.

Monday Night Salon Series: From Starlight to Artificial Intelligence
2026-04-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Concord House Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States
How We Learn to Read the Universe
This talk will explore how modern artificial intelligence (AI) systems work through an astronomical lens, including their remarkable capabilities as well as their inherent limitations. By examining how we study the universe, we uncover parallels in how both humans and machines recognize patterns in complex, noisy data to make sense of the world. Drawing on examples from AI and the cosmos, we will discover how scientists use machine learning to analyze faint signals from space, and how these same principles of pattern recognition shape how we interpret information and understand the universe (and one another). In addition, we will explore how these ways of thinking can help guide us through an increasingly complex, technology-driven world.

Daniel Godinez is an astronomer and machine learning expert whose research spans planet formation, gravitational microlensing, and the discovery of rare, energetic phenomena such as active black holes. Beyond the stars, he is interested in how patterns of reasoning, whether in humans or machines, shape the ways we understand the world and connect with one another.

To receive the Zoom link, please email donna@worldculture.org. For additional program details, visit the Tuesday Study Circles page.

ATMA Ensemble: An Evening of Music & Meditation
2026-04-25 19:00 - 22:00 | Lotte Lehman Concert Hall, UC Santa Barbara Campus, 552 University Road, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
The Music Circle and the Institute of World Culture invite audiences to an extraordinary evening of Indian classical music. This special collaborative event promises to transport audiences beyond the ordinary, weaving live musical performance and meditative experience into a single transformative evening honoring the profound connection between sound, stillness, and the human spirit.
The group’s mission is deeply rooted in honoring the legacy of Indian ragas while infusing them with fresh, passionate expressions that reflect both tradition and innovation. Through performance, ATMA explores the soul of musical traditions in collaboration with musicians from many cultures. ATMA is itself a model of social and artistic connections and understanding between diverse groups of people – South Indian and Western (jazz) musicians. Traditional South Indian music develops from steady drones and wild improvisation. During a performance, the pieces thicken and evolve to meet and elevate the energy of the evening.
Musicians
The ATMA Ensemble features Aishwarya on violin, Jaden on guitar, Ray on drums, Krishnan
on Ghatam under the guidance of artistic director Guru Vinod. Traditional compositions in a unique time signature will be performed in various Indian classical ragas with the spirit and verve of Jazz.
By combining the Music Circle’s expertise in Indian classical music and IWC’s passion for world culture, these two organizations will create a magical night of world music together.
Tickets:
Tickets range from $10 to $100 and are now available for purchase online at:
www.musiccircle.org
For additional program details, visit the program page.
