Coming together is an essential aspect of Sangha.
Regular Buddhist Mobilization Project (BuMP) Sangha meetings:
Regular Buddhist Mobilization Project (BuMP) Sangha meetings:
- Happen at least once a month. Cohorts are encouraged to form within larger groups based on the times people have available to meet, or on shared interests or affinities, or on intentions to participate in actions together. Cohorts can have separate (additional) meeting times.
- Involve at least three people who have made a six-month commitment to:
- Eight hours a month of action (on average);
- Accounting for their action hours in shared online document;
- Attending the monthly meetings - for the sake of others as well as ourselves.
- Are meant to be nourishing and supportive - a time to focus on our concern and love for the world as a Sangha.
- Can be in person, online, or hybrid.
- Should last no longer than 90 minutes. If it takes longer than this for the suggested meeting format (below) because of the large number of people, it would be good to divide the group into two cohorts. (Stable groups should probably be no larger than 12.)
- Are not a time for decision making. If decisions need to be made, ask for volunteers to meet or correspond about the matter after the main meeting.
- Should not have a leader but should be well facilitated. The facilitator role should rotate among Sangha members. Facilitators:
- Review the BuMP values and principles ahead of time.
- Make sure no one dominates the conversation, perhaps using a timer for checkins and the stack method for open conversation (keep a list of people who have raised their hands then call on them in order).
- Recognize when the group has come to a decision point that needs follow up outside the meeting, ask for volunteers to do the follow up, and then keep the conversation moving.
- Recognize when a conversation is veering into a debate about politics or lifestyle choices and gently ask participants to find common ground or move on to another topic.
Suggested format for meetings:
- Begin on time, giving a five minute grace period for people to arrive.
- Practice - Begin with a few minutes of meditation (or other shared Buddhist practice such as chanting).
- Values & Principles - Have one participant read aloud the Values, and another read aloud the Principles.
- Check Ins - Have each participant check in:
- Give an update on your action(s) or discernment process, including any challenges or rewards and how you have practiced with them.
- Reflect on your responses - internal and external - to what is happening in the world. Share something that is causing you concern, and something that is giving you some hope or inspiring gratitude.
- Housekeeping - Briefly discuss any housekeeping or process matters (e.g. meeting times, next facilitator, communication, etc.). Ideally keep this short and make plans for later decision making if the discussion bogs down in details.
- Information Sharing - People can share about upcoming action opportunities, helpful resources they have encountered, or inspiring stories. If people decide to do something as a group, any decisions about follow-up should take place later among a "coalition of the willing."
- Open Conversation - If there is time, have an open conversation about topics of the group's choosing, such as practicing in a troubled world, responding with wisdom and compassion, or sustaining energy for action. Keep a stack - have people raise hands and speak in order. This helps avoid a few voices dominating. It may be fruitful for the meeting's facilitator to bring a question/subject for discussion.
- Closing - End a few minutes before the scheduled end of the meeting for a formal closing (e.g. another short period of meditation or chanting, a closing verse, or sharing reasons for gratitude).
Instructions for Meeting Facilitators:
Give some thought and preparation to the meeting you are going to lead ahead of time. Although you aren't the meeting "leader," you can do a lot to make the meeting rewarding for all involved.
Thank you for leading a meeting!
- Review the suggested meeting agenda ahead of time. Have it in front of you for the meeting.
- Think ahead of time of a topic (or two) to suggest for Open Conversation.
- Think ahead of time of a closing verse if you don't want to use the one suggested above.
- Be a little early to the meeting yourself.
- Welcome people by name as they arrive.
- Prepare for the Practice. (Do you have a bell to begin and end meditation, or do you need to use a timer on your phone? If your group doesn't have one established practice, what are you going to do?)
- Be ready to share links to the Values and Principles in the chat (or paste them in).
- Remind people of the basic suggestions for Check Ins.
- Lead people through Housekeeping - at the very least, identify someone to facilitate the next meeting and make sure they know about these instructions.
- Lead people through Information Sharing.
- Offer your topic for Open Conversation unless there seems to be something else alive for the group at the time. If the discussion is lively, implement the stack process so everyone has space to speak (ask people to raise their hands and call on them in order).
- Offer your closing verse, or this one, to end.
Thank you for leading a meeting!
