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:

ENROLL NOW

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.

ENROLL NOW

OTHER COURSES

SBN’s free online course on exploring a secular dharma begins in September

The Secular Buddhist Network is offering a free online course, called After Buddhism: exploring a secular dharma, as a group learning experience. Participants in the course will go through the course modules, discuss the topics in each module with each other, and meet on Zoom every two weeks with the instructor for the course.

By SBN Editor

Upcoming courses and retreats for secular Buddhists

Upcoming courses, workshops, and retreats led by Stephen Batchelor and other teachers which focus on issues essential to developing a secular dharma.

By SBN Editor

Dave Smith’s Secular Mindfulness Course

Based on the core insights of Early Buddhism and the secular, scientific perspectives of biology, neuroscience, and psychology, Dave Smith is offering an online course on Secular Mindfulness. The course is self-paced and includes introductory video presentations from Dave for each course module, clear and concise explanations of the various topics, and guided mindfulness practices.

By SBN Editor

Bodhi College courses on secular Buddhism

Bodhi College is an educational organisation dedicated to contemplative learning. It has as its focus an exploration of the dharma as found in the earliest Buddhist texts through courses combining study and retreats.

By SBN Editor

Meditation retreats offered by Martine & Stephen Batchelor

Stephen and Martine Batchelor's retreats explore key ideas in secular Buddhism, including the fourfold task, the importance of doubt and uncertainty on the path, and the need to create a culture of awakening.

By SBN Editor