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by SBN Editor
The Secular Buddhist Network is offering a free online course which explores the key ideas and practices of secular Buddhism, an important trend that has emerged in western Buddhism in recent years. This online course was created with the assistance of The Tuwhiri Project, a publishing imprint which is dedicated to publishing books on early Buddhism which contribute to the creative, secular adaptation of Buddhism to twenty-first century conditions.
The course is mainly based on Stephen Batchelor’s book, After Buddhism: rethinking the dharma for a secular age, and the companion book published by The Tuwhiri Project, After Buddhism: a workbook, by Winton Higgins.
This online course provides an opportunity for secular Buddhists and those curious about secular Buddhism to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of a secular approach to the dharma.
The key objectives of the course are to:
- identify and explain the key concepts of secular Buddhism
- compare secular Buddhism with traditional, institutional forms of Buddhism
- sketch a vision of secular Buddhist practice for individuals and communities
Instructors for the course:
The instructors for the course are Lorna Edwards, Ciara Cullen, and Mike Slott.
Lorna is a psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher in Wales, and one of the teachers of SBN’s online course on secular Buddhism. She is curious as to how Stephen Batchelor’s Four Tasks can help us to change how we live so as to care for planet Earth and practice social justice..
A yoga and mindfulness teacher, Ciara takes a reflective approach to teaching that incorporates elements of early Buddhism, exploring ethics as embodied practice. She participated in the first Secular Dharma course at Bodhi College. Ciara is also an organic farmer, environmental educator and activist.
Mike is a part-time lecturer in labor history at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. A long-time political and labor movement activist, he is the editor of the Secular Buddhist Network website and its monthly newsletter, Reimagining Community.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in taking this course as an individual (self-paced) click here.
If you are interested in participating in the course as part of a learning cohort, with opportunities for discussion and feedback, please get in touch with us through the form on our Contact page.