Secular Buddhism Archives - Secular Buddhist Network

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Secular Buddhism

A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Tim

Tim grew up in a Christian household, but found a disconnect between his church’s teachings and how church members lived their lives. He was introduced to Buddhism over 20 years ago and learned about secular Buddhism in the course of his explorations. Colette Descent edited the interview for SBN.

The path of the bodhisattva or ‘making the road’ through solidarity?

Mike Slott offers an alternative model to the path of the Bodhisattva, one based on the solidarity of practitioners ‘co-creating’ the transformative changes that we seek.

Our paths to secular Buddhism

Each month, we highlight the path that brought an individual to explore and then fully engage in a secular approach to the dharma.

A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Jeff

Jeff was deeply involved in orthodox Judaism for 15 years, but eventually moved away from this spiritual tradition to explore secular Buddhism: a non-dogmatic, ethical approach to life.

A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Colette

Colette Descent is an active participant in several SBN groups. She is a member of the monthly online discussion group, the weekly meditation group, and is participating in the Spring 2022 SBN course on secular Buddhism, Exploring a Secular Dharma. We asked Colette about her path to becoming a secular Buddhist and how it has impacted her life.

SBN’s new group: Aging as a spiritual practice from a secular Buddhist perspective

Based on conversations at the Secular Buddhist Network’s monthly online discussion group, several of the group’s members have formed a new interest group to explore the aging process as a spiritual practice, within a secular Buddhist frame.

How Buddhist insights and values can help sustain political activism

Mike Slott explores the ways in which Buddhist insights and values can enable political activists to sustain their activity in various movements and to make a positive contribution to the organizations in which they participate.

A conversation about the present and future of secular dharma

On 9 February 2022 leaders and facilitators of secular Buddhist groups and sanghas from nine countries – the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Austria, Germany, Japan, Australia, and the USA – met on Zoom to discuss their current projects, future goals, and how to strengthen collaboration.

Secular Buddhism at the beginning: a study course in 2007

In October and November 2007, Ramsey Margolis and Jonathan Wood facilitated a study course in Wellington, New Zealand called ‘Creating a path: towards a secular Buddhism’, based on dharma talks given by Stephen Batchelor. It was one of the first educational programs to explore the new trend of secular Buddhism.

Resolving the secular versus religious dichotomy: a new approach for secular Buddhism

Stefano Bettera offers an interpretation of a secular approach to the dharma which he believes is a third way, inclusive and conciliatory, which avoids the dichotomy between the ‘religious’ and the ‘secular’. This approach is based in the primary experience of the ethical dimension of awakening, called nirvana.

SBN forms new reading group

Several participants in the Secular Buddhist Network online discussion group have taken the initiative to form a new reading group, which will meet online monthly beginning 3 February 2022. The group will focus on topics related to various types of Buddhism, secularity, mindfulness, and meditation.

A response to ‘The core life tasks and beliefs for a radically engaged Buddhist’

In response to the article by Slott, de Kadt, and Struhl on ‘The core life tasks and beliefs for a radically engaged Buddhist,’ Winton Higgins expresses his agreement with the authors’ perspective, but points to a missing piece in the article: the lack of any discussion over a pathway or transition from our present morass to a socially just, future society.

What kind of Buddhist are you?

Mike Slott offers a ‘map’ of contemporary Buddhism to represent the multiplicity of approaches available to practitioners. The map can used by practitioners to understand how their own interests, values, and attitudes connect with the dharma.

The core life tasks and beliefs for a radically engaged Buddhist

Mike Slott, Katya de Kadt, and Karsten Struhl offer an account of the core tasks and beliefs for radically engaged Buddhists who seek not just individual transformation but the dismantling of social, economic, and political systems which cause harm and suffering to all beings.