Spark Zen
Spark Zen
"The Practice of Stillness" in the Pursuit of Justice
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"The Practice of Stillness" in the Pursuit of Justice

A Conversation with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, Buddhist Scholar & Activist

Dear Spark Zen readers, thank you for being here! I truly appreciate your support. In honor of Juneteenth, I’m re-posting this illuminating and inspiring conversation I had last year with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, Ph.D., a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

We discuss her most recent book, Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation. Rima’s book explores healing intergenerational trauma through Buddhist practice; honoring ancestors and the land; dharma teachings such as the Four Noble Truths, the Five Aggregates, and relative and ultimate reality; and working with the body—particularly gender and sexuality on the path of liberation; and the importance of community and love in dharma practice.

Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad is a Visiting Professor of Buddhism and Black Studies at Union Theological Seminary. She leads retreats and classes for dharma centers throughout the U.S.


May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May all beings know peace. May we all remember that no one is free while others are oppressed.

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Spark Zen
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