DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

thumbnail
Dada Kind, modified 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 5:04 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 5:04 PM

DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 633 Join Date: 11/15/13 Recent Posts
The topic of a DhO Discord server was brought up in another thread. If you don't know, Discord is a chatroom app with support for voice channels.

Benefits:
  • Live chat.
  • Easy to just step into a voicechat with one or more people.
  • Easy to DM people in real time.
  • Popular program; a lot of people already use Discord for whatever channels they're a member of.
I'm personally interested in using a general pragmatic dharma Discord server. I like the TMI people, the Rob Burbea people, the Unified Mindfulness people, the AwakeNetwork people, the /r/streamentry people, etc. We could all have our own channels within a single Discord server (and chat together in a General channel).

I was already aware that some related servers exist. Unfortunately the community is a bit fragmented. Here are the current servers (that I'm aware of)
"/r/streamentry"
https://discordapp.com/invite/NBftTnT
13 online, 170 members

"UK Pragmatic Dharma"
https://discordapp.com/invite/wXbgWB9
6 online, 120 members

"The Mind Illuminated"
https://discordapp.com/invite/gF3aNHb

8 online, 112 members

"Meditation & Mindfulness"**
https://discordapp.com/invite/FKWFeYq
399 online, 3135 members.
**The server isn't pragmatic-oriented but does have channels for pragmatic dharma; the pragmatic dharma channels are private and require you to click a couple extra things. There are only 15 members for "The Mind Illuminated" and 15 members for "Unified Mindfulness" (despite how large the server is).

Online and member counts checked ~ Sunday, August 18th, 2019 5:30PM EST.
This fragmentation seems unfortunate to me.

Options:
  • Create a fresh server dedicated to the DhO.
  • Create a fresh server dedicated to general pragmatic dharma.
  • Ask the "Meditation & Mindfulness" server to create a "General Pragmatic Dharma" and/or "DhO/MCTB" channel.
  • Ask the "/r/streamentry" server if they would like to rebrand to be about general pragmatic dharma and add a few channels for "DhO/MCTB", "The Mind Illuminated", "Unified Mindfulness", etc.
  • Some other possibility I didn't think of
I personally lean towards options 2, 4, or 5. Anyone interested? Would you participate in any of these Discord servers? Any ideas for 5?
Jason Massie, modified 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 10:10 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 10:10 PM

RE: DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 124 Join Date: 10/18/16 Recent Posts
I like it discord. I think a weekly voice check in would be helpful. It would require critical mass at the start to be sustainable. Otherwise, they fizzle pretty quick.
thumbnail
Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 11:18 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/18/19 11:18 PM

RE: DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
My experience with discord is that it is difficult to keep track of what has been posted and find old stuff. Discord is charming in many ways but I like the current platform so much more.
JP, modified 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 8:50 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 8:50 AM

RE: DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 175 Join Date: 3/31/17 Recent Posts
The streamentry Discord was pretty active for 2-3 months in 2017, but has been mostly inactive since then.  Rebranding it probably isn't possible, since as far as I know it's not actively moderated anymore.  On the other hand, rebranding probably isn't necessary either, since both r/streamentry and the Discord are pretty solidly pragmatic dharma discussion venues already.

The part that seems challenging to me is about getting a bunch of new people simultaneously interested in the same Discord server.  We had a ton of people join at once in the beginning, and we were mostly in the beginning-intermediate practice phase where we were having big new experiences and were super excited about practice.  You really need that critical mass for chat to work well -- otherwise it's basically someone saying something, then waiting a few hours or days for someone else to respond.
thumbnail
Dada Kind, modified 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 6:44 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 6:44 PM

RE: DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 633 Join Date: 11/15/13 Recent Posts
Thanks for the replies yall.

@Linda

I'll respond to what you said in this and the other thread.

I don't think a Discord should replace the DhO. I think a Discord channel could supplement the DhO with what Discord is good at: real-time text and voice chat. Having a spiritual crisis? Just @everyone and see if someone can talk. Just for example.

When you say that this platform is "technically reliable" I'm not sure what you mean. I could make many arguments why Liferay is a poor forum solution, both technically and personally, having used this site for years.


@JP

I'm sure there is some moderator around who could hop on and give someone else mod. By rebrand I just meant rename to something every pragmatic dharma community would recognize (regardless, in particular, if they know what Reddit or stream entry is). (Also add the appropriate channels).

I agree about the critical mass. If there's not enough people interested then that's fine. I'm just floating the idea and some options. The DhO has seemed slow lately. My survey project is pretty much on hold again since there's not enough people here who seem to care.
thumbnail
Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 11:24 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/19/19 11:24 PM

RE: DhO or Pragmatic Dharma Discord Server

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
Ah, I have no problem with supplements.

It is technically reliable for me as a user in the sense that I can write a post for a long time and even leave it to check something else without having to worry about suddenly losing the text.

Breadcrumb