The learning relationship

New writing: “The learning relationship in contemporary Vajrayana.” It’s coauthored with my spouse Charlie Awbery.

This is the missing link for my Vividness site, which is about reinventing Vajrayana Buddhism for the contemporary world. I got stuck on that ten years ago, and abandoned the project. The problem was that there is an irreplaceable functional role for lamas—the Tibetan word for “gurus”—in Vajrayana. Their traditional social role is not compatible with current mainstream culture, though.

Charlie has worked out how to separate the functional and social roles, and how to dispense with the latter. This means that the project of Vajrayana reinvention is feasible after all, which is exciting to me!

We will lead a Zoom discussion on this topic, titled “Guru vs Learning Relationship,” at The Stoa this Saturday morning, June 17th at 9:30am Pacific time. Registration is free.

If you have a chance to read the new page ahead of time, you could ask interesting questions in the discussion!

Since I’m advertising Charlie’s work… two upcoming events you might find interesting:

• A half-day course on the Charnel Ground, a key concept in Vajrayana Buddhism. By Zoom, Sunday June 18th, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET. “Going to the charnel ground is a metaphor for refusing to disengage with the most disgusting, disquieting, unappealing, threatening, and uncertain aspects of our selves and society. This half-day course will introduce practices that increase spacious involvement with challenging situations, so you can transform and powerfully influence circumstances.” Not for the faint-hearted!

(My own explanation of the Charnel Ground is one of my most popular essays.)

• “Kaleidoscope of Interaction: Taking Vajrayana into every relationship.” A five-week Zoom course, meeting 10:30 am to 12:00 pm ET on Sundays, July 2nd to July 30th. Practices that transform how you relate: to family and friends, romantic partners, coworkers, and in learning and teaching contexts. “You may be surprised by insight, and by the possibilities you discover to bring more passion, wonder, spontaneity, grace, and ease to your interactions.”