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SBN Editor

Secular reflections on the five precepts
At SBN’s monthly discussion group meeting last week, several members of the Secular Buddhism Meets Western Psychology subgroup offered their perspectives on Buddhism’s five precepts, including their relevance to our daily practice.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #55 April 2024
Welcome to our April 2024 newsletter. This month we feature new articles by Stefano La Fontana and John Peacock. We also highlight a secular dharma meditation retreat and an interview with a prominent advocate of mindfulness and compassion in society. Finally, we ask for help in redesigning our newsletter banner.
The Lotus Library: Free Buddhist eBooks on the internet
Founded by a small group of practicing, Buddhist volunteers in Australia, the Lotus Library offers free, Buddhist eBooks on the internet
Secular Dharma and Ethical Living Retreat
Stephen Batchelor, Winton Higgins, and Lenorë Lambert led a residential study retreat on Secular Dharma and Ethical Living in December 2023. Their secular dharma approach focused on the ethical perspectives and practices needed to engage with the various interconnected crises our world faces in the twenty-first century.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #54 March 2024
Welcome to our March 2024 newsletter. This month we feature new articles by Kirk Mason and Tina Sideris. We also highlight a half day meditation retreat sponsored by SBN and a video presentation on Navigating the Artifical Intelligence Explosion with Buddhist Wisdom. Finally, we offer resources for mindful communication in these challenging times.
Resources for mindful communication
In a polarized society, how can we communicate wisely and compassionately? In this article we offer some valuable resources for mindful communication.
SBN’s half-day online meditation retreat
The Secular Buddhist Network (SBN) held a half-day, online meditation retreat on 4 February 2024. Unlike most traditional meditation retreats that are led by one or several teachers, who give meditation instructions and dharma talks, SBN's retreat was peer-led, with three people providing brief introductions for silent meditation periods.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #53 February 2024
Welcome to our February 2024 newsletter. This month we feature new articles by Jack Chamberlin, Colette Descent, Carmel Shalev, and Karsten Struhl. We also highlight several offerings from SBN: a course, a retreat, and a new online group.
SBN’s new online group: the Secular Buddhist Zen Pub
SBN is starting a Saturday morning weekly zoom that is easy to drop in on, and rewarding through dharma insights and practical applications (including friendships).
SBN’s discussion group: Secular Dharma and Political Activism
The Secular Buddhist Network has formed a discussion group for those who wish to share their experiences of and discuss new possibilities for bringing secular Buddhist ideas, ethics, and practices to community groups, social service organizations, and political movements.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #52 January 2024
Welcome to our January 2024 newsletter. This month we feature new articles by Edward Morey,, Carmel Shalev, and Cedar Thokme. We also highlight an upcoming online retreat sponsored by the Secular Buddhist Network and a "job posting" from Tuwhiri, a secular Buddhist publishing imprint.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #51 December 2023
Welcome to our December 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight an interview with Seth Zuihō Segall about his new book, The House We Live In, and an article by John Danvers.  We also feature a  practitioner's account of her journey to secular Buddhism and Bodhi College's course offerings for 2024.  
An interview with Seth Segall on his new book, The House We Live In
SBN interviewed Seth Zuihō Segall about his new book, The House We Live in: Virtue, Wisdom, and Pluralism. In this book Seth offers a theory of ethics and flourishing based on Aristotle, Buddha, and Confucius.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Sylwia
From a very early age, Sylwia Plich has always questioned religious orthodoxies. She has moved from her family's Catholicism to Protestantism to Tibetan Buddhism. In 2016, she came across Stephen Batchelor's writings and embraced a secular approach which focuses on ethical life on a daily basis.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #50 November 2023
Welcome to our November 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight new articles by Winton Higgins, Keith Jackson, and Mike Slott/Katya de Kadt.  We also feature a  practitioner's account of her journey to secular Buddhism and a statement on Israel/Palestine.