The Cyber-Sangha

[scott snedeker]

This is a spin-off of the Violence thread. Below is a patch from my last post to get things started:

Originally Posted by bnmoore

Can we practice serving as a cyber-bodhisattva to each other?

If I may translate the term Sangha loosely as Spiritual Community then may Soulforce serve as our cyber-Sangha?

I don't know anyone whose daily spiritual practice in any faith could not be improved by adding the Six Perfections. (As outlined by the Dalai Lama)

1. Generosity
2. Mindfulness
3. Inclusiveness
4. Enthusiasm
5. Meditation
6. Wisdom

Fabulous idea!!!!

Sangha is one of the three refuges of Buddhism. To create a cyber-sangha is to create a cyber-refuge. I think this can be done easily! Just as there is a Foyer for gritty often confrontational dialogue a Cyber-Refuge forum could be created as its opposite. This balance would offer to the overall spirit of the Soulforce fora an elegance of symmetry. The foyer and the cyber-sangha would compliment each other beautifully!

Like the Hawaiin concept of temples of forgiveness for violators, threads in which members are clearly demonstrating pain and suffering by acting out could be given the option of having the thread moved to the Foyer or to the Cyber-sangha depending on the judgement of the moderators.

I have also noted a growing number of members using Buddhist traditional philosophy to address violence with nonviolence. The practice and learning I have gained here for addressing violence with nonviolence here has lead to multiple facets of heightened awareness that have inproved my inner peace aas well as balance and better skill in the 3-D world.

Temporarily Anyone can create a thread and call it cyber-sangha until, if it seems to Members, moderators and staff at Soulforce that a new forum Named "Cyber-Sangha" or to avoid compromising iinclusion, "Cyber-refuge" if a worthwhile creation.

I will make a proactive gesture and create a spin-off thread from this one today in the Faith and Nonviolence forum. The subject of violence has proven a great place to start but any topic really can be the focus of a cyber-sangha.

[Daniel]

That is, a section of the forum being devoted to the principles mentioned.

[bnmoore]

My introduction to Buddhism actually came from a Unity Minister, Joan Gattuso through her book "The Lotus Still Blooms". She studied with Thich Nhat Hanh in France and with the Dalai Lama. (I admit to ignorance of whether "His Holiness" is required as pre-fix.)

We incorporate teachings from several paths at our center and recently had a Jainist guest speaker.

Can we agree to only limit our Dharma to that which upholds or supports?

[scott snedeker]

Originally Posted by bnmoore

My introduction to Buddhism actually came from a Unity Minister, Joan Gattuso through her book "The Lotus Still Blooms". She studied with Thich Nhat Hanh in France and with the Dalai Lama. (I admit to ignorance of whether "His Holiness" is required as pre-fix.)

We incorporate teachings from several paths at our center and recently had a Jainist guest speaker.

Can we agree to only limit our Dharma to that which upholds or supports?

I think I can agree to following our Dharma with uplifting and supporting as a my intent. If, however someone is harming someone or him/herself brief redirection and demonstration of how he/she is harming him/herself or another.

This redirection, however should be free of any hint of dark gratification such as "holier than thou flavor" or judgementalism. In other words Consciously with mindfulness and inclusion. The emotion benind such is compassion and not pushing anyone out of your heart.

A clue to the poster for the potential for dark gratification will be if there is anger felt during typing the response. I see this as an opportunity to share one's own suffering openly allowing both to understand and share compassion toward self and each other. My spiritual teachers emphasize the importance of not papering over fear and suffering that manifests as anger or dark gratification such as self punshment or putting down others.

They teach that the release of suffering attached to this pain requires acknowlegdement of the the pain the heart has endured. One's heart must not be abandoned to suffer alone. It must not be betrayed. It's trust must be earned by the conscious mind through genuine compassion. Then what follows is what Buddhist monks call throwing straw over mud or genine forgiveness now possible without betraying one's own heart.

Forgivess in three directions:

Toward one's self for harming others

Toward one's self for betraying one's own heart

Toward other who have trespassed against you