Wednesday Reading Group

  • 25 Jan 2023
  • 23 Apr 2025
  • 117 sessions
  • 25 Jan 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 01 Feb 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 08 Feb 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 15 Feb 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 22 Feb 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 01 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 08 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 15 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 22 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 29 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 05 Apr 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 12 Apr 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 19 Apr 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 26 Apr 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 03 May 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 10 May 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 17 May 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 24 May 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 31 May 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 07 Jun 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 14 Jun 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 21 Jun 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 28 Jun 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 05 Jul 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 12 Jul 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 19 Jul 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 26 Jul 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 02 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 09 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 16 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 23 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 30 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 06 Sep 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 13 Sep 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 20 Sep 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 27 Sep 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 04 Oct 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 11 Oct 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 18 Oct 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 25 Oct 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 01 Nov 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 08 Nov 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 15 Nov 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 29 Nov 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 06 Dec 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 13 Dec 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 20 Dec 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 27 Dec 2023, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 03 Jan 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 10 Jan 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 17 Jan 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 24 Jan 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 31 Jan 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 07 Feb 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 14 Feb 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 21 Feb 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 28 Feb 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 06 Mar 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 13 Mar 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 20 Mar 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 27 Mar 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 03 Apr 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 10 Apr 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 17 Apr 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 24 Apr 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 01 May 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 08 May 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 15 May 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 22 May 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 29 May 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 05 Jun 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 12 Jun 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 19 Jun 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 26 Jun 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 03 Jul 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 10 Jul 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 17 Jul 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 24 Jul 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 31 Jul 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 07 Aug 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 14 Aug 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 21 Aug 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 28 Aug 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 04 Sep 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 11 Sep 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 18 Sep 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 25 Sep 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 02 Oct 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 09 Oct 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 16 Oct 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 23 Oct 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 30 Oct 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 06 Nov 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 13 Nov 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 20 Nov 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 27 Nov 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 04 Dec 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 11 Dec 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 18 Dec 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 25 Dec 2024, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 01 Jan 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 08 Jan 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 15 Jan 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 22 Jan 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 29 Jan 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 05 Feb 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 12 Feb 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 19 Feb 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 26 Feb 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 05 Mar 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EST)
  • 12 Mar 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 19 Mar 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 26 Mar 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 02 Apr 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 09 Apr 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 16 Apr 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • 23 Apr 2025, 8:00 PM 9:30 PM (EDT)
  • Zoom

Wednesday Reading Group

(Zoom Only)

The Reading Group has been meeting for well over a decade and continues to bring forward and discuss books expressing an extremely wide range of Buddhist views and interests (intentionally texts representing diverse traditions, races, gender orientations, etc). The conversation is about making the dharma real in our lives. We meet on our regular Zoom link (click here) at 8:00 on Wednesday evenings and sit together for 30 minutes, after which our book discussion runs for an hour from 8:30 to 9:30.

Many join the group at 8:30 after the sitting period, and it is common for attendees to not have read (and even not to own!) the book we're reading, so please don't let this be a barrier to your own attendance. The book serves as a point of departure...and if the conversation interests you in the text, you can buy it and start to catch up before the next week's conversation.

The discussion is facilitated by one of the regular senior attendees, often Gareth, to help keep the conversation smooth and ensure that all are included and heard as they wish.

Currently Reading

Anatta is the Buddhist teaching on the nonexistence of a permanent, independent self. It’s a notoriously puzzling and elusive concept, usually leading to such questions as, “If I don’t have a self, who’s reading this sentence?” It’s not that there’s no self there, says Rodney Smith. It’s just that the self that is reading this sentence is a configuration of elements that at one time did not exist and which at some point in the future will disperse. Even in its present existence, it’s more a temporary arrangement of components rather than something solid. Anatta is a truth the Buddha considered to be absolutely essential to his teaching. Smith shows that understanding this truth can change the way you relate to the world, and that the perspective of selflessness is critically important for anyone involved in spiritual practice. Seeing it can be the key to getting past the idea that spirituality has something to do with self-improvement, and to accessing the joy of deep insight into reality.


 Dates

 Topic/Material

October 9
Stepping Out of Self-Deception: The Buddha's Liberating Teaching of No-Self by Rodney Smith (2010) Chapters 8-9
October 16
Stepping Out of Self-Deception: The Buddha's Liberating Teaching of No-Self by Rodney Smith (2010) Chapters 10-11
October 23
Stepping Out of Self-Deception: The Buddha's Liberating Teaching of No-Self by Rodney Smith (2010) Chapters 12-13
October30 Stepping Out of Self-Deception: The Buddha's Liberating Teaching of No-Self by Rodney Smith (2010) Chapters 14-15- end of book
November 6
New Book: Noble Truths, Noble Path: The Heart Essence of the Buddha's Original Teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2023)- intro and discussion of how to progress
November 13
 Noble Truths, Noble Path: The Heart Essence of the Buddha's Original Teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2023)
November 20
Noble Truths, Noble Path: The Heart Essence of the Buddha's Original Teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2023)

Future Books

The group periodically undertakes a selection process of identifying future books of interest and submitting for a group vote to identify those of broad interest. Books currently selected and to be read and discussed by the group, in upcoming order, are:

  • Noble Truths, Noble Path: The Heart Essence of the Buddha's Original Teaching by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2023)
  • Daughters of the Buddha: Teachings by Ancient Indian Women by Bhikkhu Analayo (2022)
  • The Mind Illuminated: Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness by Yates, Graves & Immergut (2017)
  • Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master by Amy Schmidt (2005)
  • Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah by Ajahn Chah (2002)
  • Boundless Heart: The Buddha's Path of Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity by Christina Feldman (2017)
  • Casting Indra's Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community by Pamela Ayo Yetunde (2023)
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