Common Ground will be offering a two year Dharma Leadership Training inspired by Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Community Dharma Leader training with the following components:
Dharma study that supports a deeper connection with the teachings of early Buddhism.
Experience sharing one’s practice and one’s understanding of the Buddha’s teachings in a way that supports the deepening of practice for diverse urban communities.
Development of dharma leadership skills in supporting Common Ground and other organizations in becoming healthy, harmonious dharma communities for all people.
This training program is designed to develop leaders who share experiences of our diverse urban community. It has been designed to specifically support the training of dedicated students of the Buddha’s teachings who identify as People of Color (POC), Queer or are living with a disability. As such, it is Common Ground’s intention to have at least 50% of the teachers/mentors leading the training to also identify as POC and/or Queer and/or live with a disability.
This is not a training to become a residential retreat teacher, however it is hoped that people completing this training will have the skills and practice background to give dharma talks, offer workshops and engage in other dharma leadership activities. This is a program to prepare people to share their dharma practice in the world. It is not a training program to specifically train people to be Common Ground teachers, although some members of the cohort may end up teaching programs at Common Ground. | 
