Anna Delacroix discusses an online daily sangha led by two meditation teachers, Linda Modaro (Sati Sangha) and Nelly Kaufer (Pine Street Sangha). During the COVID pandemic, the daily meditation group has provided sangha members with an opportunity to practice Reflective Meditation as a refuge, and a time for daily connection.
In an interview with SBN, Linda Modaro, a meditation teacher, discussed a course that she has developed and taught on ethical reflecting for meditation teachers and dharma group leaders.
Buddhists teachings point us towards three characteristics that are common across everything in sentient life: dukkha, anatta, and anicca. Linda Modaro posits a fourth mark of existence based on our need to survive and thrive.
Sati Sangha is offering an online course on ‘ethical reflection’ for Buddhist meditation and mindfulness teachers. Based on a collaborative, relational model of learning interspersed with time to meditate together, the participants will meet monthly over a three month period.
As a ‘hub’ or space where dialogue is fostered and resources and experiences are shared among secular Buddhists, we will adhere to certain guidelines for contributors and readers’ comments which are consistent with our approach and our intention to play a constructive role in the development of a secular approach to the dharma.
Several contributors to the Secular Buddhist Network website offer their insights on how we can best respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The common theme is that by fully understanding core Buddhist insights regarding impermanence, suffering, and interconnection, as well as cultivating an ethical stance of care and compassion, we can skillfully respond to this current crisis.
The coronavirus reveals just how uncertain things can become. Health news changes daily, hourly. New cases are being diagnosed. New routes of transmission are being considered. This is destabilizing and scary. LInda Modaro and Nelly Kaufer offer some guidelines on how we can respond skillfully and compassionately to this crisis.
In leading meditation retreats based on a reflective meditation approach Linda Modaro and Moline Whitson aim to create a middle path between a strict adherence to an intensive schedule and completely doing away with the structures and guidelines that have been considered worthwhile on vipassana retreats.
Almost everything that has changed in how we have developed and teach reflective meditation over the past several years, arises from our experience reclaiming our practice and moving forward from a deeply painful split in our community. Like many Buddhist communities torn apart by failures of leadership, we continue to examine our ideals and assumptions about teaching and leadership and search for a middle path.
Linda Modaro and Nelly Kaufer teach an open awareness, secular meditation and dharma practice which they call reflective meditation. While it is based upon the Buddha’s teaching, this approach also includes principles of western psychology and neuroscience that help support teachers and their students in leading ethical and internally congruent lives.
