COURSES & RETREATS
Exploring secular Buddhism through courses and retreats
For those who want an introduction to secular Buddhism, or who wish to explore key ideas in secular Buddhism more thoroughly, there are a number of excellent courses and retreats to choose from. They range from self-paced, online courses to the two-year course on secular dharma offered by Bodhi College.
On this page you will find the variety of courses and retreats available on secular Buddhism.
RECOMMENDED COURSES
AFTER BUDDHISM
Exploring a secular dharma with Mike Slott
The Tuwhiri Project and SBN’s Mike Slott have created an online course exploring the key ideas and practices of secular Buddhism, an important trend that has emerged in western Buddhism in recent years.
This online course is based mainly on Stephen Batchelor’s recent 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.
Stephen and Martine Batchelor, Winton Higgins, Mike Slott, Jim Champion and Linda Modaro explain the thinking and philosophy behind this course in this short video.
They talk about its origins in the groundbreaking book After Buddhism and the process of revisting and rethinking the teachings of the Buddha for a modern age.
OBJECTIVES
The courses key objectives 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
MIKE SLOTT
COURSE LEADER
The course is presented by Mike Slott. A part-time lecturer in labor history at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, Mike is a long-time political and labor movement activist who began a meditation practice in 2010.
He is a member of and practice leader at New York Insight.
The course is available through this website for individual self-study and for people to go through in a group.
We encourage communities to enrol groups of their members in the course together, allowing them the opportunity to exchange views and experiences. Contact us to discuss.
The course will be accessible in three ways:
AVAILABLE NOW: Self-paced
– for individuals to go through it on their own.
COMING SOON: Community
– for people to go through with a group of friends.
COMING SOON: Group
– for individuals to go through at the same time with a cohort of others.
After Buddhism: exploring a secular dharma is offered without a fixed fee; when you have completed it, you will be invited to make a donation which will ensure that others can go through the course also.
If you are interested in taking this course as an individual (Self-paced) click on the link below:
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.
OTHER COURSES
What should secular dharma practitioners do? Report on a second meeting on the election
SBN community members participated in a second online meeting on December 5 to discuss the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.
By SBN Editor
Rethinking the Dharma / Reimagining Community #63 December 2024
Welcome to our December 2024 newsletter. This month we feature new articles by Sarah Barker, Tom Cummings, and Norma Wong. We also highlight John Danvers' podcast Dharma Roads and a conversation between Winton Higgins and Mike Slott on Mike's new book, Mindful Solidarity.
By SBN Editor
John Danvers’ Dharma Roads Podcast
Since 2022, John Danvers' podcast Dharma Roads has explored in 32 episodes the wisdom and meditation methods of Zen, Buddhism and other sceptical philosophers, writers and poets.
By SBN Editor
Compassion in Buddhism: A Psychological Perspective on Media, Reaction, and the Cycle of Samsara
Sarah Barker examines how key Buddhist concepts and several psychological theories can help us to be less reactive in the current political context.
By Sarah Barker
Post-election Meeting of SBN Community Members
On November 14, SBN community members participated in a Zoom meeting to discuss the U.S. election and how we, as secular dharma practitioners, can respond.
By Tom Cummings
EXPLORE COURSES & RETREATS
What should secular dharma practitioners do? Report on a second meeting on the election
By SBN Editor
Compassion in Buddhism: A Psychological Perspective on Media, Reaction, and the Cycle of Samsara
By Sarah Barker
A conversation between Mike Slott and Winton Higgins on ‘Mindful Solidarity’
By SBN Editor
