The Secular Buddhist Network’s online discussion group meets the third Thursday of each month on Zoom. It’s a great opportunity for secular Buddhists and those who are interested in learning more about a secular approach to the dharma to connect with each other and to discuss key issues. Below the contact form are brief reports from our meetings.
You can join us by completing this form:
Discussion Group Meetings – 2023
19 January 2023
31 participants from seven countries participated: the UK, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Costa Rica, and the U.S.
Here are the key points of the discussions in the four breakout sessions:
Secular Buddhism Meets Western Psychology – The group focused on how our secular practice can help mitigate the dukkha or suffering that we experience – both the inevitable pains and distress of being human and the suffering caused by our own tendencies toward reactivity.
The Evolution of Secular Buddhism – The group looked at how life has changed after the worst phase of COVID ended. How do we use our practice to deal with the transitions and changes which have occurred?
Political Action and Secular, Socially Engaged Buddhism – The group reflected on the relationship of the value of a ‘no-self’ orientation and the reality of social and political identities. They explored our potential for ‘self-creation’ in engaging with each other and the world.
Exploring Key Concepts in Secular Buddhism – The group discussed the negative impact of emotional and conceptual patterns, how we tend to get stuck and identify with these patterns. They also explored how we can recognize these patterns and create “circuit breakers” which disrupt them, allowing us to live with more ease and freedom.
| Click here for summaries of the discussion group meetings in 2022. |
| Click here for summaries of the discussion group meetings in 2021. |
