Sat, 23 Sept
|Croydon Buddhist Centre
Buddhism, Identity and the Future of Religion delete me
Can we let go of a fix sense of self and really get to know ourselves? Can we let go of identity? Join Viryadeva as he explores just this through five key teachings. All welcome.
Time & Location
23 Sept 2023, 10:30 – 21 Oct 2023, 12:45
Croydon Buddhist Centre, 98 High St, Croydon CR0 1ND, UK
Details
Buddhism, Identity and the Future of Religion Saturdays, 23rd September to 21st October (5 Week) Led by Viryadeva and team. Suggested doantion: £70 / £50 (conc) All welcome.
Right at the heart of Buddhism lies a powerful critique of our most cherished idea: that we possess a fixed, enduring self. The Buddha made a great discovery: if we let go of clinging to fixed identity, tremendous freedom becomes possible.
In the past decade, identity has become more and more of a pressing social and political issue. Clashes over gender, race and nationality have intensified in a painful struggle for belonging, security and meaning.
At a moment when knowing who you are seems more important than ever, what could it mean to follow the Buddhist path, and go beyond identity?
Join Viryadeva in a 5-week series focusing on this pressing political and spiritual issue. He will explore how we ended up in the current crisis, and how we might move beyond it. In the process, with help from five key teachings from Sangharakshita, he'll show how Buddhism must adapt if it is to offer our culture a future beyond the struggle for identity.
Level 1: Suitable for newcomers.
Discover key Buddhist teachings about the self and individuality. Find out how to find authenticity and inner-strength in a society dominated by confusing messages about who we are and who we ought to be. Gain a basic grounding in the Buddhist take on the self and its true nature. Note: by signing up to Level 1, you’re committing to up to half an hour of reading each week during the course.
Level 2: Suitable for those who have been practising with us for six months or longer. Plunge deep into Buddhist teachings on the emptiness of the self, and what this means for living and authentic human life. Refine your understanding of the way ancient Buddhist teachings about our existential situation apply to the current historical moment. Note: by signing up to Level 2, you’re committing to up to an hour of reading each week during the course.