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Wise Speech:
An Introduction to Mindful Communication

  • Oren Jay Sofer
  • Online
  • June 16, 2026 - July 21, 2026

You might consider inviting a friend to join you. In a time when conversations can feel strained or polarized, learning to listen deeply and speak with care can be especially meaningful. Because this program is offered by donation in the spirit of dāna, it is accessible to anyone who feels called to participate.

Communication is at the heart of our lives—personally, professionally, and spiritually. This six-week online course offers practical training in mindful, skillful speech grounded in the Buddha’s path of practice

Rooted in the teachings of the Noble Eightfold Path—especially Right Speech and mindfulness—this course integrates ancient wisdom with modern tools from Nonviolent Communication and trauma-informed awareness. You’ll receive concrete practices to stay grounded, listen deeply, and speak with clarity and care—even in difficult conversations.

Through a combination of guided meditations, reflections, and interactive exercises, you’ll develop a stronger sense of presence, deeper compassion, and more skillful ways of relating.

This course is open to all and especially supports those in roles of service—including therapists, educators, healthcare workers, chaplains, and other helping professionals. No prior experience is necessary.

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In this course, you’ll learn to:

  • Cultivate more meaningful, effective dialogue
  • Build more confidence in conversations
  • Strengthen your empathy, clarity, and resilience
  • Stay grounded in what matters in dialogue

Each live session includes:

  • Teachings on a key aspect of meditation and communication
  • Expert instruction on integrating mindfulness into conversation
  • Guided meditations on cognitive, emotional, and somatic aspects of communication
  • Stories and examples of the intersection between spiritual practice and relationship

What else you receive:

  • Live interactive Q&A with the teacher (during classes)
  • Written online forum (with program assistants)
  • Weekly practice assignments and journal topics
  • Optional weekly calls with a practice buddy
  • Lifetime access to course recordings

Who’s it for?

This course is appropriate for those newer to Buddhist meditation and/or Nonviolent Communication, as well as for experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their skills. Past students include: psychologists, therapists, doctors, nurses, healthcare practitioners, chaplains, teachers, writers, artists, life coaches, lawyers, police officers, engineers, civil servants, and many more.

COST: Dāna Program by Donation

We are honored to offer this course freely, rooted in the Buddhist tradition of generosity. Your tax-deductible donation will be shared between Oren and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Both rely on your support to continue offering programs like this. Please consider giving when you register. You will find one dāna link on our registration page, and all dāna offered will be shared between Oren and BCBS.

Questions?: Please email contact@buddhistinquiry.org

Experience Level:

This course is appropriate for those newer to Buddhist meditation and/or Nonviolent Communication, as well as for experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their skills.

Cancellation Policy:

There are no cancellation fees for donation-based programs.

Online Schedule:

This program is hosted on Zoom. You can check the time of the group sessions in your timezone here: 

https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter

The schedule for this program (shown in US Eastern Time) is as follows:

Meeting Dates: Tuesdays, June 16, 23, 30, and July 7, 14, 21

Meeting Time: 12:15 – 2:00 PM ET

Please note that sessions will be recorded and made available to participants within 48 hours of each session. Recordings remain available indefinitely.

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