The purpose of institutions and the importance of showing respect for the Buddha’s teachings.

The purpose of institutions and the importance of showing respect for the Buddha’s teachings.
Society has changed since the Buddha’s time. Examining what precepts would have been given for modern issues like usage of internet, recycling.
Middle way (or Madhyamaka) philosophy: the view of reality free from the extremes of absolutism and nihilism.
Practical advice on how to use visualization practices to overcome hurt, resentment, and guilt from the past.
Examining our speech and the way our mind proliferates. How we grasp at true existence.
Working towards gender equality in Western Buddhism: bringing up issues respectfully.
Living with the attitude of “what can I give” as our daily meditation. Training to be a bodhisattva with fortitude and joyous effort.
Continuing the story of the Buddha’s life and his awakening, and how we can become doctors to our own minds.
Consciously moderating contact with certain things because of how they affect the mind and developing the Intention to learn and grow from bad experiences.
A continuing examination of the Buddha’s life, his period of austere practices, and a discussion about fear, habits, renunciation and finding peace.