Online: Mindful Politics

Online: Mindful Politics
 
with Bodhipaksa
 
Wednesdays, March 2nd – March 30th, 2022 | 7:00pm – 8:30pm ET
 

 
In recent years the political sphere has been a source of intense stress and even trauma—and it’s likely to remain that way for some time to come.

The current situation is not just the same-old-same-old; politics is more polarized, hate-filled, and intolerant than it’s been in living memory. As spiritual practitioners living in this challenging context, we often struggle with maintaining our mindfulness and kindness.

Burning practical issues we’ll explore in this five-week course include:

• Even for people who have spent many years developing mindfulness and compassion, politics is a particularly difficult area. Why is that the case?
• How do we avoid withdrawing from political engagement in despair or cynicism?
• How can we maintain equanimity and calmness in the midst of crisis? And when democracy itself is under threat, how can we do so in a way that avoids ducking responsibility?
• What spiritual tools can help us remain empathetic and free from anger as we discuss politics with people whose views we find extreme?
• What are the most effective ways for us to change our opponents’ minds, when discussion seems to polarize us further?
• How do we avoid being dogmatic in our political beliefs and avoid our political identities from reinforcing rather than attenuating our self-view?
• As engage politically, how do we practice self-care so that we don’t burn out?

This course does not promise easy answers to these questions, but it will introduce tools, perspectives, and practices that can help you to think more deeply about them, and perhaps find your own answers.

With the help of traditional Buddhist teachings and insights from social psychology, and through exploring our own minds and emotions in meditative practice, we’ll seek a way to practice a more compassionate, wiser, and more mindful politics.

Registration:

Please register at the highest level that your generosity offers.
Explanations of levels follow below.
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Registration Fees include Teacher Support

New York Insight Meditation Center has streamlined the registration fee levels. Members of our Circle of Friends are eligible to receive 20% off of the Sustaining Rate via a code provided in the email confirming membership, which you can enter after clicking the Sustaining Level registration.

*Benefactor Level: Supports NYI’s ability to offer the Subsidized Base.

**Sustaining Level: This level reflects the actual costs to support this program. Circle of Friends members eligible for 20% discount with code. Click here to join.

***Subsidized Base: Made possible by the generosity of Benefactor Level above and other donations to ensure participation by those requiring financial assistance.
 
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If you are unable to pay the Subsidized Base Fee, you can learn about volunteering to offer work exchange and letting us know how much you are able to pay for this program by emailing [email protected].

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