Foundational Statements

We encourage small steps toward living and teaching a compassionate, ethical dharma and meditation practice;
one where each one of us is responsible for navigating our own wounding, injustice, and actions in the world.

**these modules are not…**

✓ a didactic course with informational videos and documentation.

✓ the current legal and ethical definitions for the field.

✓ a list of clear guidelines that you can follow.

✓ taught by a renowned Buddhist teacher expert in all ethical questions.

**these modules are…**

✓ a collaborative, relational model of learning interspersed with time to meditate together.

✓ a chance to use reflective practice to develop your own guidelines and courses of action with the people and situations you encounter in the world.

✓ an opportunity to listen and speak honestly with other teachers.

Reflection as an ethical safeguard:

It takes awhile to cultivate the taste for reflection. It is a different way of learning or knowing. Subtle, nuanced, complex, sophisticated (matured over time).

Transparency as an ethical safeguard:

Being transparent about our goals and biases at the front end is an ethical thing to do. Reflecting on ethics while we are talking about ethics reveals the process we are going through together.

Conversation and consultation as an ethical safeguard:

Creating a healthy and ethical learning community of dharma and meditation teachers/participants.

Our Biases:

We believe ethical transgressions come from our own personal hurt, wounding, and insecurity in the world. It will be necessary to look at this within yourself when participating in these modules. We do not expect you to disclose what you deem private.

Course Overview

These modules are designed to take you through a process of ethical reflecting; reflecting on your life as a meditation and/or dharma teacher. They are designed to untangle some of the threads inter-woven into your ethical life.

The course is flexible but not DIY. Best used with a few teachers from the same sangha or tradition or ethical concern. Best when done over a three month time period; one module per month meeting with Linda Modaro for orientation, support and guidance.

We will fine tune your internal ‘ethical compass’ through exploring your own particular patterns and habits, your sangha’s particular patterns and habits that put you at risk for ethical misunderstandings.

We will be using the early Buddhist teachings as our dharma anchor.

Module 1: Developing trust, safety and rapport with a small, intimate group using ethical reflection.

Module 2: Holding the impact experienced in sanghas, from a lack of clarity or policies to ethical transgressions, and the effect on us individually.

Module 3: Continuing reflective exploration and starting a healing process from the impact of systemic ethical misconduct.

Getting Started

✓ For more information and to set up dates for your group or sangha setup a conversation with Linda Modaro, Lead Teacher and Spiritual Director for Sati Sangha. Group size can be anywhere from 2-10 teachers.

Prerequisites for the course

✓ Read Sati Sangha’s Ethical Codes
✓ Read Sati Sangha’s Online Agreements for Participation
✓ Setup a Zoom account and familiarize yourself with our protocol and online meeting manners

We are teaching this course on a suggested donation range of $200-300, though we will not turn anyone away due to financial difficulty.

This course development was made possible by a grant we received from Hemera Foundation for developing “Healthy Buddhist Communities”.

*Sati Sangha has been approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and relies solely on support and donations to continue our dharma teaching.