Beloved Community Circles

Description of Organization

Beloved Community Circles’ mission is to mobilize mindfulness practitioners to become “lotuses in the sea of fire”—embodying our true spiritual nature while responding compassionately to the urgent crises of our time. They are a decentralized network of people across many countries working toward climate and racial justice in our communities, grounded in nonviolence, emotional healing, spiritual practice, and mindful action. Their work draws profound inspiration from Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching that “mindfulness must be engaged.” As he declared during the Vietnam War, “Once there is seeing, there must be acting. Otherwise what is the use of seeing?” This wisdom guides our understanding that authentic Buddhist practice cannot remain confined to meditation cushions while our world burns with suffering from climate destruction, systemic racism, and rising authoritarianism.