An Existential Approach to Buddhism

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Live online events

  • Mar 27

    Wednesday Mar 27, 2024 - Wednesday May 1, 2024

     (Start time Wed 18:00 GMT - End time Wed 20:00 BST)
    Online
    John Peacock
    • £139.00 excl.
    6 consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm UK time on March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24 and May 1.
    Register
Description

Price Options:

Standard rate: £139

Supporter rate: £149

Theme: 

The most immediate and obvious connection between existentialism and Buddhism is the recognition of anguish and despair as being at the heart of the human condition. Buddhism speaks about this as dukkha and existentialism as the experience of angst. Both Buddhists and existentialists are interested in the nature of freedom, self, conditioning, being-with-Others, meaning and meaninglessness. So what does existentialism have to offer for the Buddhist practitioner?

This course examines existential approaches that enhance, illuminate and sometimes disagree with Buddhist approaches to many of the issues mentioned. Reading Buddhism through the lens of existentialism, and vice versa, can help us gain a clarity into the important complementarity of both approaches in the contemporary world.
Sessions will consist of introductions to key themes, discussions and questions.

Event Details

Schedule: 

6 consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm UK time on March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24 and May 1.

Suitability:

Open to all - new and experienced practitioners alike.

 Cost:

  • The price includes a fee for the teachers, no additional dana will be requested. 
  • Possibility to pay a supporter rate by selecting the option available on the registration form. (If you would like to pay this rate, please tick the 'yes' box under the supporter rate heading on the first page of the registration form.)
  • If you are unable to afford the our standard course rate, please contact us here. We will make sure that no one is turned away because of lack of funds.

Teacher:


JOHN PEACOCK is both an academic and a Buddhist practitioner of nearly fifty years. Trained initially in the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition in India, he subsequently spent time in Sri Lanka studying Theravada. After doing a doctorate in philosophy, he taught Buddhist and Western philosophy and then Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol. He went on to be Associate Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, co-direct the Master of Studies programme in MBCT(Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy) at Oxford University, and teach Buddhist psychology on the same course.  John is now retired from academia and continues to teach meditation, as he has done for more than thirty-five years.