U Mad? Wisdom for Rageful Times – Kate Johnson, Dawn Haney and Katie Loncke

Salepage link: At HERE. Archive: http://archive.is/wip/ii77S

Does anger have you tied up in knots? As a spiritually-minded activist, you still aren’t alone in finding anger challenging.

Anger is a very human feeling. It identifies injustice against yourself and others, offering a sharp sword of clarity. Black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde lays down how women (and we can expand this to people of all oppressed or marginalized genders) channel anger into action:

Every woman has a well-stocked arsenal of anger potentially useful against those oppressions, personal and institutional, which brought that anger into being. Focused with precision it can become a powerful source of energy serving progress and change. And when I speak of change, I do not mean a simple switch of positions or a temporary lessening of tensions, nor the ability to smile or feel good. I am speaking of a basic and radical alteration in those assumptions underlining our lives.

Yet anger isn’t everything. If it’s your only fuel to action, you’ll be quick to lose steam. And you’ve heard that the Buddha isn’t a cheerleader for anger. In some traditions, he even admonishes his most devoted students to train anger completely out of their hearts:

Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words.’ — Kakacupama Sutta

In BPF’s most popular online course, you’ll have a chance to grapple alongside others with these questions and more:

• Can I calm my anger and still fight for justice?
• How do I work alongside people bursting with rage?
• How do I work with those who shame me for being angry?
• What fuels my activism beyond anger?
• Is anger as bad as the Buddha says?
• Is anger as useful as the activists say?
• What practices can help me transform rage into wisdom?
• What practices will cultivate my capacity to work with others?
• When, if ever, can I punch Nazis?

Benefits For Your Practice and Activism

We all have habits around anger. Some of us avoid it at all costs. Others embrace righteous rage as essential self defense. Trauma and anger (its presence, or conspicuous absence) often intertwine.

When you take this 7-week online series, you’ll find:

• Wise reflections from dharma teachers who care deeply about social justice
• Techniques for working with rage, trauma, and betrayal
• Exploration guides to discover your own relationship to anger
• Tools to evaluate when rage is more skillful or less skillful for you
• Community support from like-minded wisdom seekers
• Opportunities to build your skills at allyship and solidarity
• Ability to face rage-making realities with more compassion, balance, and action
• Increased capacity to work with others toward liberation — including difficult people

How the Online Program Works

Sign up today to get access! We’ll release the entire 7 session program to you when you sign up, full of gems to help you touch into your anger with wisdom.

Practice Partners or Study Groups

We’ve found that the best support for learning in this course is a partner or small group to share your learnings with — online or in real life. Invite neighbors, siblings, friends, or co-workers who would also love U Mad? to sign up, and take the course together!

Interviews with Teachers

You’ll hear from wise teachers 30-60 minute video or audio interviews — Buddhist teachers and political activists who are attuned to the experiences of communities targeted by hate. All videos and audio recordings come with full transcripts.

Practice Ideas and Insightful Readings

You’ll get practice suggestions for working with rage, trauma, and betrayal, as well as some of our favorite Buddhist and political readings to scale up your dharma & activist wisdom.

Recorded Community Conversations

During the original run of the course, we conducted three live video chat sessions to help people connect with other spiritually-minded activist who share some common experiences around anger. While we won’t be able to offer these live video sessions again, recordings of the original sessions will be offered for your inspiration.

When can I start? Now! You’ll receive access to the whole 7 week series at once, so you (and/or your study group) can watch or listen at your own pace. You’ll receive reminder emails from us, to help keep you connected to the course over the next 7 weeks. We’re using Teachable, an online platform that you can log into any time.

Course Curriculum

Welcome!

• 10 Tips for Getting the Most out of this Course (4:40)

Lama Rod Owens on Love, Liberation & the Uses of Anger

• Teacher Interview: Lama Rod Owens with Kate Johnson (52:02)
• Practice: Tonglen (8:39)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings

Rebecca Li on Finding Compassion without Losing Accountability

• Teacher Interview: Rebecca Li with Kate Johnson (42:51)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Open Discussion: Rebecca Li

Ruth King on Overcoming the Sting of Betrayal in Social Justice Alliances

• Teacher Interview: Ruth King with Katie Loncke (32:36)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Remember to Practice
• Open Discussion: Ruth King

Dr. Rev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel on Stillness and Sanctuary While Embracing Anger’s Fire

• Teacher Interview: Rev. Zenju with Katie Loncke (60:17)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Practice in Action: “Beyond Vietnam,” Beyond the Moment — and 3 reasons why Buddhists should care
• Open Discussion: Dr. Rev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Pablo Das on Trauma, Anger, and Freedom

• Teacher Interview: Pablo Das with Kate Johnson (41:13)
• Practice: MINC (11:24)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Open Discussion: Pablo Das

Larry Yang on Uniting Anger and Integrity as a Source of Courage

• Teacher Interview: Larry Yang with Kate Johnson (26:21)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Open Discussion: Larry Yang

Venerable Prenz Sa-Ngoun on Buddhist Anger and Mindful Resistance

• Teacher Interview: Venerable Prenz Sa-Ngoun with Katie Loncke (32:54)
• Discussion Questions & Supplemental Readings
• Open Discussion: Venerable Prenz Sa-Ngoun

Call Recordings

• Call #1 recording & transcript (57:06)
• Call #2 recording & transcript (92:59)
• Call #3 recording & transcript (90:44)