Welcome to our February 2025 newsletter.
This month we feature articles by Janet Rechtman, Bernat Font, Brian Daizen Victoria, and Yanai Postelnik. We also highlight upcoming SBN events, Ted Meissner's interview with Rick Heller on secular meditation, and the opening of registrations for SBN's Exploring a Secular Dharma course.
SBN articles
Janet Rechtman offers her critical reflections on Stephen Batchelor's four tasks, or ELSA. Click here to read the article.
Bernat Font argues that Buddhists should not succumb to the social pressure to 'take sides' and that our political activism needs to be skillful, based on dharmic insights. Click here to read the article.
Brian Daizen Victoria examines the tensions with Buddhist chaplains' involvement in the US military, including the war in Iraq and support for the Israeli attacks in Gaza. Click here to read the article.
Yanai Postelnik explains that the Buddha’s teachings call us to find our own path of heartful practice and engagement, while honoring the range and variety of different ways others may find to express what is authentic and true for them. Click here to read the article.
SBN Upcoming Events
Mindful Solidarity Online Discussion (January 30) - Craig Murphy, Seth Zuihō Segall, and Karsten Struhl will join Mike Slott for a discussion around Mike's book, Mindful Solidarity: A Secular Buddhist Democratic Socialist Dialogue. The online discussion will be held at 7 pm US Eastern Time and is sponsored by the Secular Buddhist Network and Tuwhiri, a secular Buddhist publishing imprint. To register for the online discussion, click here.
SBN's Half-Day Meditation Retreat (February 16) - The Secular Buddhist Network will be offering a half-day, online retreat on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm US Eastern Time. Facilitated by Janet Rechtman, Marc Symons, and Sharon Tobias, the half-day retreat will focus on four key emotional "tones" or attitudes that are central to the dharmic path: the Brahmaviharas. To register for the retreat, click here.
SBN Community Meeting on Responding to the Trump Presidency (February 19) - We continue to discuss how, as Buddhist practitioners, we can best respond to the Trump administration's policies, including their attack on undocumented workers and immigrants. To register for the meeting, click here.
SBN's Calendar of Meetings and Courses - Click here for a calendar of SBN sponsored discussion and meditation groups, as well as SBN's courses on secular Buddhism.
Ted Meissner's The Secular Buddhist Podcast
Over fifteen years and 337 episodes, Ted Meissner's Secular Buddhist podcast provided those interested in the secular dharma with fascinating and insightful interviews with meditation teachers and writers. This month we feature Ted's interview with Rick Heller on Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace and Compassion, originally aired on January 21, 2016.
Sign Up for SBN's Exploring a Secular Dharma Course
Secular Buddhist Network's free online course, Exploring a Secular Dharma, will run from March 3 to May 12, 2025. The course explores the key ideas and practices of secular Buddhism, an important trend that has emerged in Buddhism in recent years. To sign up for the course, click here.
What are you reading?
Let us know what you've been reading related to secular dharma, mindfulness, or socially engaged Buddhism. Whether it's old or new, what do you find valuable in the book and how has it enhanced your practice? Click here to send us, in 250 words or less, your brief book review.
Connect with the Secular Buddhist Network
Looking for a sangha? - To facilitate the development of local sanghas, SBN has established a listing for individuals looking to meet others in their geographical area.
SBN's monthly discussion group - Meets the third Thursday of each month on Zoom.
Sunday morning meditation group - Meets every Sunday at 11 am US Eastern Time on Zoom.
Sunday evening Practice Circle - A long-time offering of the Secular Buddhist Association, meets the 2nd and 4th Sunday every month, 8:00 p.m. Central Time (9:00 p.m. Eastern).
SBN reading groups - SBN sponsors two reading groups. Book, article, video and podcast selections for both groups focus on topics related to secular Buddhism.
Exploring aging from a secular Buddhist perspective - Meets the second and last Monday of each month on Zoom.
Secular Dharma and Political Activism - Meets the first Friday of every month on Zoom.
Secular Buddhist Zen Pub - Meets every Saturday, 11 am US Eastern Time on Zoom.
SBN online course on Exploring a secular dharma - Learn about the basic ideas and concepts of secular Buddhism through a free online course.
Upcoming Events, Workshops, and Retreats
SBN's Calendar of Meetings and Courses - A calendar of SBN sponsored discussion and meditation groups, as well as SBN's courses on secular Buddhism.
Upcoming courses and retreats - Click here for a listing of upcoming courses, programs, and retreats of interest for secular Buddhists and socially engaged Buddhists.
Tuwhiri Book Reading Group on What is this? (February 16 to May 18)
- This online group will meet on Sundays to discuss What is this? Ancient questions for modern minds, by Martine and Stephen Batchelor. The book explores the practice of radical questioning at the heart of this Korean Buddhist tradition, showing how anyone at all can benefit from this form of radical inquiry today. This reading group will discuss one chapter each week on Zoom for 14 weeks. For more info and to reserve your place, click here.
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