Past Events

Thank you to all who joined us for this event with our host, Ann Gleig! There will be no video replay available of this event, at the presenters request. Ann’s presentation deals with particularly sensitive subject matter and her material is also time-sensitive, due for wider publication next year.

Description: Since the 1980s, Western convert Buddhist communities have been the site of repeated cases of sexual violation and abuse. Cutting across Buddhist lineages, offenders have included many prominent first and second generation Asian and American teachers. This presentation will consider how practitioners are combining Buddhist and non-Buddhist frameworks to understand and respond to these crises. It will identify emerging forms of Buddhist community, leadership, and practice that have been generated in the wake of abuse.

Thank you to all who joined us for this discussion! The video replay is now available, along with the PPT presentation by Jules Evans.

Topic: Critical Thinking and the Spiritual Importance of Discernment
Hosts: Jules Evans and Dr. Dan Wilson
Date: Sunday, October 24, 2021
Cost: Free – donations are gratefully accepted (buttons are below)

Description:
The title “Paramahansa”, as in “Paramahansa Yogananda”, refers to a legendary swan that was said to have been able to separate milk from water. This symbolizes the yogi’s refined discriminative faculties, which enable him or her to discern the Real from the unreal – Truth from falsehood. Many spiritual traditions and teachers emphasize that developing these faculties is essential on the spiritual path, and caution that failing to do so can throw us off course.

Today, the importance of developing discernment, or critical thinking skills, is playing out on the world stage. As documentaries such as “The Social Dilemma” have portrayed, social media connect and inform us but can also distract and divide us.

One might think that spiritual leaders and aspirants would be somewhat immune to such manipulative agendas, but in fact, many of us may be susceptible. Has spirituality eroded our critical thinking skills or failed to encourage their development? Does knowing that spirituality can reveal deep, hidden truths incline some of us to believe dubious assertions, simply because they have allegedly been concealed? How can we tell if our critical thinking skills are deficient, and what can we do to strengthen them?

Video replay is available for viewing here. This meeting was an exploration of our personal connections and responses to worldly and/or global issues. With openness and kindness of humility in action, let’s discuss our relationship with the world. Do we engage in social/political issues? Why and why not? Is your personal response a passive or an active one? Do spiritual leaders have a role to play in worldly issues? What models do we have for how that looks?