Event Title:
The Art of Mental Transformation: Racism & Right View
Overview:
On January 21, 2025, Sangha House NOLA will host The Art of Mental Transformation: Racism & Right View, a workshop honoring the National Day of Racial Healing. This transformative program addresses systemic racism and healing through liberatory teachings of Buddhist psychology, emphasizing mindfulness, identity view, and collective consciousness. Participants will explore personal and systemic suffering while developing tools for racial healing and community resilience.
The event bridges cultural, societal, and spiritual dynamics, offering practical methods for embodying equity and compassion in daily life. Through meditation, dialogue, and mindful practices, it equips participants to foster justice and healing in their communities.

Program Highlights:
Opening Meditation: Grounding participants in mindfulness to create a safe and connected space.
Keynote Exploration: A lecture on liberatory Buddhist psychology, delving into Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Mind-Only teachings to explore systemic racism, identity view, and the path to liberation through awareness.
Interactive Practices:
Sharing Circles: Facilitating dialogue to build empathy and understanding.
Mindful Movement & Meditation: Engaging in sitting and walking meditations to deepen self-awareness.
Creative Gatha Writing: Reflecting on transformation through mindful poetry.
Drumming Circle: Concluding with rhythmic unity, honoring ancestral teachings and fostering resilience.
Key Text: Thich Nhat Hanh’s “Please Call Me By My True Names” will guide participants to understand interbeing and transcend identity-based suffering.

Alignment with Focus Priorities:
Focus on Racial Healing: Addresses systemic racism and fosters healing through mindfulness-based methods, aligning with racial equity-focused initiatives.
Intersectional Liberation: Integrates spiritual and societal liberation to support transformative healing.
Community Empowerment: Offers participants actionable tools to catalyze healing within their communities.
Accessibility: A hybrid format ensures broad participation, meeting funder priorities for inclusion.
Cultural Restoration: Embeds ancestral wisdom and gratitude into practices, supporting intergenerational healing.

Unique Features:
Holistic Framework: Combines Buddhist teachings with contemporary racial equity efforts.
Practical Tools for Action: Equips attendees to apply teachings in daily life and community work.
Focus on Collective Awakening: Fosters connection and trust across divides, building a shared consciousness of equity and compassion.

This program offers a bold, replicable model for healing the wounds of racism by integrating spiritual wisdom and community empowerment. Supporting The Art of Mental Transformation is a impactful initiative that inspires racial equity and systemic change within ourselves and within the world.