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Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #43 April 2023
Welcome to our April 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight an interview with Stephen Batchelor on Mindfulness Based Ethical Living, a new article by Bhikkhu Santi, a practitioner's account of her journey to secular Buddhism, and an upcoming secular dharma retreat with Stephen Batchelor, Winton Higgins, and Lenorë Lambert.
An interview with Stephen Batchelor on Mindfulness Based Ethical Living
On 22 February 2023, Stephen Batchelor was interviewed by Ayda Duroux, Saskia Graf, and Jochen Weber from Buddha-Stiftung, and Mike Slott from the Secular Buddhist Network. Stephen discussed the key aspects of a new practical and ethical philosophy, Mindfulness Based Ethical Living (MBEL).
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #42 March 2023
Welcome to the March 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight new articles by Robert M. Ellis, Harry Somaraju, and Seth Zuihō Segall, a practitioner's account of her journey to secular Buddhism, and a new SBN discussion group for practitioners who are socially engaged.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Kathy
Kathy Lang particularly appreciates the secular Buddhist emphasis on bringing the practice to everyday life and the the view of nirvana as a process of reducing reactivity, rather than as the metaphysical goal of a state beyond our present reality.
Getting the ball rolling: a new translation of the title of the Buddha’s first teaching
Bhikkhu Santi contends that an alternative translation of the title of the Buddha's first teaching better conveys the need to take up and practice the Buddha's valuable insights, yet also to experiment with, modify, and improve them.
Towards a flourishing-based ethics
Seth Zuiho Segall brings together the virtue ethics systems of Aristotle, the Buddha, and Confucius with the pragmatists' emphasis on provisional truths and democracy to offer a new flourishing-based ethics.
The five principles of the Middle Way
Robert M. Ellis offers five principles of the Middle Way as a useful model for practice and as a set of principles that focus on judgment as a process rather than on beliefs in ultimates or absolutes.
Mindfulness for Everyone: an online course
Dave Smith, a Buddhist meditation teacher and co-founder of the Secular Dharma Foundation, is offering a new online course, Mindfulness for Everyone. This self-paced course offers a dynamic and comprehensive understanding of mindfulness from a secular perspective.
My research on the impact of mindfulness
Harry Somaraju discusses some of his recent research on the impact of mindfulness meditation on the alleviation of stress and the cultivation of positive mental and emotional qualities.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #41 February 2023
Welcome to the February 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight an interview with Nelly Kaufer and Linda Modaro on their new book on reflective meditation, a practitioner's account of his journey to secular Buddhism, and a new article by Dennis SengTing Oliver. We also feature an important 2015 dharma talk by Winton Higgins on a secular approach to Insight meditation.
An interview with Nelly Kaufer and Linda Modaro on Reflective Meditation
In an interview with SBN, Nelly Kaufer and Linda Modaro discussed dharma teaching, their reflective meditation approach, and their new book, Reflective Meditation: Cultivating Kindness and Curiosity in the Buddha's Company.
Secular monks?
Dennis SengTing Oliver, a secular monk in the Centre for Pragmatic Buddhism in Scotland, offers a balanced assessment of the reasons for and against having secular monks within the Buddhist community.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Ronn
Ronn Smith began an intensive study of Buddhism at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) in 2008 and then gravitated toward a secular approach through an engagement with Stephen Batchelor's writings. For Ronn, the ethical and philosophical dimensions of secular dharma are crucial; in particular, the emphasis on flourishing and care rather than on suffering.
An introduction to secular Buddhism
For those who are curious about or interested in secular Buddhism and want to learn about this relatively new trend within Buddhism, this article will provide a helpful starting point for exploring a secular approach to the dharma.
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #40 January 2023
Welcome to our January 2023 newsletter. This month we highlight new articles by Lenorë Lambert, John Danvers, and Seth Zuiho Segall, a practitioner's account of his journey to secular Buddhism, and Dave Smith's online weekly practice community.
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