Radical Spirituality and Sacred Activism

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has spent decades in Buddhist monasteries and is one of the most respected translators of Pali scriptures into English. He is a founder of Buddhist Global Relief, which sponsors projects around the world helping poor communities overcome hunger and malnutrition and provides education for women. Join us for this conversation as he analyzes the present spiritual milieu and proposes a Buddhism and spirituality that can not only help us to work on ourselves, but ultimately work for a world that addresses structural injustices so we can start building a world that manifests the Buddha's great compassion.

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has spent decades in Buddhist monasteries and is one of the most respected translators of Pali scriptures into English. He is a founder of Buddhist Global Relief, which sponsors projects around the world helping poor communities overcome hunger and malnutrition and provides education for women. Join us for this conversation as he analyzes the present spiritual milieu and proposes a Buddhism and spirituality that can not only help us to work on ourselves, but ultimately work for a world that addresses structural injustices so we can start building a world that manifests the Buddha's great compassion.

In a time when meditation and mindfulness are being turned into navel-gazing narcissism, yoga is being sold as a sexy commodity, and many of our religious truths are being used to advance a gospel of spiritual materialism, Lama Surya Das sets the record straight, reminding us what authentic spirituality is all about and how it can help us to heal ourselves and our world.

In a time when meditation and mindfulness are being turned into navel-gazing narcissism, yoga is being sold as a sexy commodity, and many of our religious truths are being used to advance a gospel of spiritual materialism, Lama Surya Das sets the record straight, reminding us what authentic spirituality is all about and how it can help us to heal ourselves and our world.

Phileena and her husband Chris have spent their lives in social justice work, among the world’s poor, helping to build the New Friar movement. For nearly 20 years they’ve built community among victims of human trafficking, survivors of HIV and AIDS, abandoned children, and child soldiers and war brides. Join us to hear what she’s learned about doing social justice work, how she discovered contemplative prayer, and in the process found a new way of doing activism she now shares through her teaching at the Gravity Center for Contemplative Activism.

Phileena and her husband Chris have spent their lives in social justice work, among the world's poor, helping to build the New Friar movement. For nearly 20 years they've built community among victims of human trafficking, survivors of HIV and AIDS, abandoned children, and child soldiers and war brides. Join us to hear what she's learned about doing social justice work, how she discovered contemplative prayer, and in the process found a new way of doing activism she now shares through her teaching at the Gravity Center for Contemplative Activism.

Mirabai Bush has been at the forefront of building a movement known today as American spirituality. She is one of the people responsible for infusing the social change movement with contemplative tools for more conscious activism. Join us as she recalls her journey and studies with legendary teachers like Neemkaroli Baba, Shri S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, and others. We also discuss her work with Ram Dass and the Seva Foundation, as well as the inspiration that led her to cofounding the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. You don’t want to miss this lesson in American spirituality and activism!

Mirabai Bush has been at the forefront of building a movement known today as American spirituality. She is one of the people responsible for infusing the social change movement with contemplative tools for more conscious activism. Join us as she recalls her journey and studies with legendary teachers like Neemkaroli Baba, Shri S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, and others. We also discuss her work with Ram Dass and the Seva Foundation, as well as the inspiration that led her to cofounding the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. You don't want to miss this lesson in American spirituality and activism!

Francisco “Pancho” Ramos-Stierle was pursuing his Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of California at Berkeley when he learned the university's laboratories had contracted with the federal government to develop the next generation of nuclear weapons. The news transformed his life; he “stopped cooperating” with the institution and became a full-time community activist dedicated to creating a culture of peace. Today he lives in Casa de Paz (House of Peace), one of the houses that comprise the Canticle Farm, a community that provides a platform for the Great Turning—the planetary shift from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining society—one heart, one home, and one block at a time.

Francisco "Pancho" Ramos-Stierle was pursuing his Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of California at Berkeley when he learned the university's laboratories had contracted with the federal government to develop the next generation of nuclear weapons. The news transformed his life; he "stopped cooperating" with the institution and became a full-time community activist dedicated to creating a culture of peace. Today he lives in Casa de Paz (House of Peace), one of the houses that comprise the Canticle Farm, a community that provides a platform for the Great Turning-the planetary shift from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining society-one heart, one home, and one block at a time.