The Open Circle: An online community for the study and practice of Buddhism

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What is the Open Circle?

The Open Circle is an ongoing online discussion forum in which you can explore Buddhist teachings and apply them in your life. Part on-line book club, part course in Buddhism, Open Circle provides an opportunity to explore key Buddhist concepts and be guided through reflections and activities designed to integrate them into your life.

• experience the support and encouragement of an ongoing community of practitioners
• enjoy regular study with a diverse online community
• learn from weekly exercises that provide opportunities for structured learning
• participate in thought-provoking discussions
• benefit from the guidance and feedback of a resident facilitator

What are the topics for discussion and practice?

To begin with the discussions and activities will be based on an exploration of the the very accessible book Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life, by Vajragupta. Each week we will read and discuss a short section of the book. Because the focus of the Open Circle is translating understandings into practice, we’ll only study a few pages per week.

Later study materials will be chosen because, like Tools for Living, they are accessible and can be easily related to daily life.

Who is the Open Circle for?

In the Open Circle we won’t assume that you are a Buddhist or that you want to be a Buddhist, but we will assume that you wish to learn something from the Buddhist tradition and to apply its insights to your life.

Because the emphasis of Open Circle goes beyond understanding Buddhist principles to using them to enrich our lives, we will be doing much more than discussing the concepts presented. Each week the facilitator will suggest specific reflections and activities to make the material for the week relevant and applicable. There will be ample opportunity to ask questions, receive guidance, and share ideas and experiences.

How does it work?

The Open Circle is an online discussion forum. The forum is available at any time, so you don’t need to log in on particular days or during particular hours. Each week there will be an assigned reading, which will comprise a few pages of the study text. We’ll discuss our responses to the text and how we see it applying to our lives. The facilitator will post exercises for reflection and practice that will help you to take the principles being taught deeply into your life. We’ll practice those exercises and discuss our experiences. In this way there will be a balance of intellectual exploration, reflection, practice, and sharing of our experiences.

Can I join anytime?

The Open Circle is an ongoing program and you can join anytime. After doing a little background reading of the text you will be able to feel at home with the discussion.

Membership is by subscription of $19.95 monthly, which is billed automatically to your credit card every month. You can cancel at any time.

How do I get hold of the study text?

Because of the complexities and time delays of mailing books worldwide, we don’t supply the study text, but this is available from Amazon in the US, UK, and Canada, through Windhorse in Australia, as well of course as being available through the publisher in the UK (Windhorse Publications), local bookstores and other online sources.

Who is the facilitator?

The Open Circle’s full-time facilitator is Shrijnana, who has been teaching Buddhism since 2001. Shrijnana is well-known for her clarity and for her questioning mind. She is used to working with people with a wide range in the depth of their understanding of Buddhism, and is skilled at making newcomers feel at home.

Any other questions?

If you have any questions at all, feel free to use Wildmind’s contact form. We’ll be happy to help you.

Joining the Open Circle

You can sign up for the Open Circle on our online store.