Steven M. Emmanuel, chair of the philosophy department at Virginia Wesleyan University, returns with a follow-up to his Smithsonian Associates January 2026 overview on understanding Buddhist ethics to turn theory into practical application.

Emmanuel outlines how Buddhist teachings might shape the way to handle stress, conflict, work, family responsibilities, consumption, and difficult conversations. Bearing in mind that Buddhism is a diverse tradition, he draws on common themes such as mindfulness, compassion, non-harm, and non-attachment to explore strategies for living with greater awareness, patience, and care.

The goal is not to persuade individuals toward Buddhism, says Emmanuel, but rather to consider what may be thoughtfully and usefully drawn from Buddhist ways of understanding and responding to meet the challenges of contemporary life.

General Information

• View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.