In 2012, Venerable Dr Juewei invited a small group of volunteers to work together, bringing the Buddha’s ancient wisdom into the modern world. Each project has been a learning experience. As well as the materials and knowledge collected, we have been guided to put values, skills and reflections into practice.
In 2018, the team reflected on their own development and the power of the community that had been built over the years. While troubled by the increasing “crises” facing the world, we were continually encouraged by individuals and communities working to tackle these issues from innovative directions. Inspired, we invited these friends to join in a new project “The Communities of Practice”, hosted at our spiritual home – the Nan Tien Institute, Wollongong. Using the principles of Humanistic Buddhism, the community spends a day working through practices to shape a compassionate, effective response to the challenges facing us in our modern lives.
We hope that participants can take back to their homes, workplaces and local communities renewed skills and ideas. From these small beginnings, we look forward to values such as generosity, empathy and community spirit developing deeply and permeating widely.