In Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is one who, having realized deep insight into the nature of self and reality, dedicates their life to alleviating suffering and guiding others toward awakening. This path begins with a powerful aspiration: to relieve the suffering of all beings. It unfolds through sustained effort—often across lifetimes—to cultivate the wisdom, compassion, and skillful means necessary to serve others effectively. The Bodhisattva path is not merely philosophical—it is a profound and transformative initiation. It calls for a reorientation of one’s inner life, where personal growth becomes inseparable from the welfare of others.
In this course, we will explore the foundational principles of this path through Shantideva’s timeless text, The Way of the Bodhisattva, and examine what it means to be “Bodhisattvas in training” in today’s world. Together we will consider how our psychological orientation shifts when self-development is undertaken for the benefit of all. This course offers both practical guidance and a map for inner transformation—emotional, psychological, and spiritual—providing the tools needed to walk the Bodhisattva path with clarity, courage, and compassion.
What you’ll experience:
• Help you step onto an evolutionary path of inner transformation
• Explore the ten stages of the Bodhisattva’s development
• Provide meditations aligned with each stage of the path to support embodied understanding
• Offer key insights from The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva
• Bring renewed understanding of core Buddhist teachings
• Provide fresh psychological perspectives on the Four Noble Truths, the 8 Fold Path, and the 6 Pāramitās
• Offer mind training practices to cultivate patience, resilience, and compassion
This course consists of:
• 7 recorded lectures (approx. 4.5 hours total)
• 6 meditation videos
• 2 two-hour class meetings
• Guided meditations and experiential practices
• Peer sharing and instructor Q&A
• Recommended reading and handout materials
“Psychology of the Bodhisattva was the right class at the right time for me as I had been feeling stalled in my personal practice with a sense I was being called to go a new level but not yet knowing what that was or how to do that. This class did that and much more!” – Barry L.
“I’m a long time Buddhist practitioner and I’m always amazed at how Isa brings new perspectives into concepts I thought I understood. Her ability to take students deeper into their process is what makes her courses so profound, and Psychology of the Bodhisattva did just that! I left this course feeling deeply grateful and inspired. Thank you, Isa.” – Michael B.
The Sacred Stream has provided high quality education for over twenty years. Each course we offer provides easy to use portal pages, support staff, and support materials. Classes are offered with both online and in person options that are expertly managed to offer the best experience possible for students.
Instructor:
Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D. is a renowned teacher and practitioner whose work bridges ancient wisdom traditions and modern therapeutic practices. She is the creator of Depth Hypnosis™, a groundbreaking model that combines elements of shamanism, Buddhism, energy medicine, hypnosis, and transpersonal psychology. Widely respected by clinicians and spiritual counselors alike, Depth Hypnosis offers a powerful path to healing and self-discovery and has helped thousands of people live happier, more fulfilling lives.
Holding advanced degrees in cultural and linguistic anthropology, comparative religion, and transpersonal psychology, Isa has spent over thirty years studying and practicing spiritual, meditative, and healing traditions from around the world. A pioneer in bringing shamanic and Buddhist principles into clinical contexts, she also developed Coming to Peace™, an innovative conflict resolution process inspired in part by indigenous peacemaking practices from Hawaii, Africa, and North America.
A longtime Buddhist practitioner, Isa developed the Sacred Stream’s Applied Buddhist Psychology program to help students integrate core principles of Buddhist philosophy into their personal lives and professional practice. She has co-taught with renowned Buddhist teachers, including Robert Thurman, Thupten Jinpa, and Khensur Rinpoche Thupten Tenzin, the Abbot of Gyuto Monastery in Dharamsala.
An accomplished author of three books, Isa speaks six languages and teaches and lectures worldwide.
Upcoming Workshops:
No upcoming live events. For availability, see our ON DEMAND COURSES.
Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D.
