Perth Global Buddhist Conference | 8 & 9 Aug 2015
Cecilia Mitra president of BSWA and Lisa Scaffidi Lord Mayor of Perth holding conference poster
Perth will be the host city for the 9th Global Conference on Buddhism at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on 8 & 9 of August 2015.
This conference is not just for Buddhists, it’s for everyone. This becomes even more obvious when you inspect the incredibly diverse array of both Buddhist and non-Buddhist speakers lined up for the event. Go to www.9gcb.org for more information.
Meditation and ‘mindfulness training’ are well accepted these days as important and universal tools for stress management and leadership training among managers and employees, for conflict resolution within closed and small-group environments such as offices and companies, and for training front-line personnel working in the service industries.
Strong scientific claims have been made that meditation and relaxation techniques can dramatically reduce employee absenteeism and turnover, and increase productivity. It seems that some of humanity’s most ancient spiritual traditions may have something to offer business.
A common stereotype of the ‘typical Buddhist’ is to think of him/her as probably rather passive, retiring, reserved and quiet, and definitely withdrawn, if not alienated, from the ‘real world’. Perhaps not the kind of person who could lead a team, or deliver snappy decision-making, or ‘sell’ an idea. Surely you need confidence and aggression, and a keen sense of ‘now’ to do that?
Buddhists would say ‘No’ to that proposition, and to the misperceptions underlying it. They would say that there is place for their philosophy and training disciplines in modern offices and companies.
The non-profit Buddhist Society’ of WA (BSWA) is organising the August conference. Their Perth-based Spiritual Director and Abbot, British-born Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera or ‘Ajahn Brahm’, convener of the August conference, is a renowned Buddhist leader and the author of many best-seller books.
In one of his regular Friday evening talks on the theme of Leadership, Ajahn Brahm had some fascinating things to say about the role of inspiration in the development of leadership, and the need to think outside the box, to do things differently.
An inspirational leader does not need to boss people around or force them to do things; through the example he/she sets, any boss can create an environment where his/her followers are raring to go of their own accord. Ajahn Brahm cited the Chinese general described in the ancient Chinese classic The Art of War attributed to military strategist Sun Tzu, who said, ‘I only order my soldiers to do what they already want to do.’
Conference speakers will address conflict in its many forms—religious intolerance, gender stereotyping, digital and online distractions, anxiety, depression and suicide—and will provide solutions as well as coping strategies to deal with them.
Note that Buddhism is now Australia’s largest religion after Christianity, accounting for 2.5% of the total population. It is also the third fastest growing religion in Australia (after Hinduism and Islam), increasing by 48% since 2001, to a total of at least 529,000 people in Australia now professing Buddhism.
‘Participants will take away from this conference valuable and compassionate, practical information and guidance on how to live a more rewarding and contented life,’ says Cecilia Mitra, current BSWA President, ‘Their mental well-being should improve, and they will also benefit from the cumulative wisdom of a diverse array of speakers. And everyone will come away thoroughly entertained!’
Tickets and more information from www.9gcb.org
