About Us

The Centre for Interspiritual Peace (CIP) will be a spiritual home created by people who aspire to:

• Provide an open and inclusive environment that supports individuals in their sincere, responsible, and ongoing search for truth and meaning,
• Uphold the primacy of unconditional Love: the healthy love of self and the desire to work for the benefit of others.
• Nurture a social and spiritual environment that supports all who are seeking shelter, comfort, and companionship,
• Cultivate Unity and Oneness while accepting and respecting the diversity of people’s beliefs, backgrounds, and cultures,
• Engage in contemplative spiritual practices that foster the communion of the individual with Ultimate Reality,
• Care and protect our planet and all its living systems,
• Promote justice and fairness through peaceful and non-violent means,
• Serve one and all, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, sexual orientation, or social standing.

What values will underpin the Centre for Interspiritual Peace?

The CIP will welcome people from a wide diversity of backgrounds and belief systems. Whether you describe yourself as religious, non-religious, spiritual, atheistic, or indigenous, or prefer not to identify with any label, you will be welcome to join us. Everyone is welcome because we regard everyone as our brother and sister, as family.

We believe in the primacy of Love expressed in thought, word, and deed. We aspire to living according to the great virtues expressed in the world’s many faith traditions: Wisdom, understanding, compassion, loving-kindness, generosity, humility, peace, acceptance, harmony, respect, patience, empathy, justice, fairness, spiritual unity, and self-mastery.

What services will be available at the Centre for Interspiritual Peace?

Weekly/monthly meetings or services will be held to promote spiritual practices that are designed to help us grow in qualities such as peace, love, and unity. These meetings will endeavour to cater for the individual needs of a diverse community. Examples would include contemplative meetings, interfaith dialogue meetings, and meetings which specifically cater for adults, youths, and families with children. The principle of serving others will be emphasized in all our activities.

In addition, it is hoped that the following facilities and services will also be available:

• A suitable place for individuals, whether in groups or in solitary study/practice, to realize their full potential.
• Retreat accommodation for visitors who wish to deepen their spirituality through study and practice.
• An environment that fosters open communication amongst spiritual traditions, and the wider community, to promote mutual understanding, respect and social harmony.
• Guidance, emotional support and encouragement for its members who engage in various forms of community service.
• A reference library for the use of residents and retreatants.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Centre for Interspiritual Peace

Is the CIP a new religion?

No, it is a celebration of what is universal in all religions. While it recognizes the important role of individual religious traditions, the CIP encourages us to transcend the boundaries of individual belief systems to embrace the common thread or perennial wisdom that unites us all.

Who will have oversight of the CIP?

The CIP will be managed by a board of trustees. It is anticipated that they will be selected from various faith traditions as well as from among people who could be described as practising a secular spirituality. The board will be appointed by the project steering committee, which is currently comprised of the following individuals: Ven. Shih Jingang, Terry Sussmilch, Anne Bliss, Nagaratnam Jeyasreedharan (Sree), and Julian McGarry. Eventually, for the benefit of the community, we aim to set up the CIP as a not-for-profit with charitable status.

Will non-religious people (secular) be welcome? What about agnostics, atheists, and non-theists?

Yes indeed! All are welcome. People who declare themselves to be non-religious or non-theistic can still have a profound sense of spirituality, which may be based on a sense of awe, wonder and respect for the mysteries of the universe and it’s myriad life forms. It may manifest as a search for inner meaning, and understanding the nature of things/phenomena. So regardless of our personal beliefs, we are all sisters and brothers.

Won’t the CIP just become another ‘ism’?

The purpose of the CIP is to integrate and unify the diversity of beliefs that characterize human society. The CIP does not have an identifying creed or set of dogma; it has no orthodox teachings other than the unconditional love that is the ultimate bond of true unity. It promotes the universal rather than the particular.

What can I expect to find at meetings of the CIP? What sort of things will the CIP do?

The CIP will facilitate regular group activities and special events which will accommodate the different needs of the interspiritual community.

Examples include: contemplative practice, devotional gatherings, special services, and meetings focused on the needs of youth and children.

In addition, it is hoped that the following facilities and services will also be available:

• A suitable place for individuals, whether in groups or in solitary study/practice, to realize their full potential.
• Retreats for visitors who wish to explore their spirituality in greater depth. For example: contemplative practices.
• An environment that fosters open communication amongst spiritual traditions, and the wider community, to promote mutual understanding, respect and social harmony.
• Guidance, emotional support and encouragement for its members who engage in various forms of community service.
• A reference library for the use of residents and retreatants.

Why do we need the CIP? Aren’t there already enough spiritual groups to choose from?

The founders of the CIP have been motivated by a sincere desire to promote peace, love, and unity in our world, which is beset with sectarian divisions, conflict, and strife. A primary purpose of the Centre is to break down the barriers of tribalism which have infiltrated every stratum of our society. In addition, the Centre hopes to replace people’s widespread despair and disillusionment with a positive sense of hope and purpose based on mutual love, goodwill, and oneness.

Who are the individuals behind the Centre for Interspiritual Peace?

Ven. Shih Jingang:

I was taught as a child that ‘all beings are my sister, brother, mother, father.’  

Both my Buddhist heart teacher and my Christian parents, although from different cultures, encouraged and challenged me to bring this profound universal teaching to life.

Today I live as a Buddhist monk, and also embrace opportunities to listen to, learn from and practice with people of all faiths, or none. Interspiritual practice enriches my Buddhist practice and vice versa.  So, I wholeheartedly offer my support to the CIP Project.

May all sentient beings be well and at peace.

Anne Bliss:

“My career background has been in relationship counselling and community and family mediation.  I was drawn into this area of work by the desire to promote healing and bring about understanding in difficult and painful situations.

Whilst my roots lie in the Judeo-Christian tradition I have received teachings in Buddhism (including Zen) and have attended contemplative silent based retreats in both Christian and Buddhist traditions. In spite of their differences, I have found shared deep truths within each.

From early childhood to the present time I have been aware of a Divine benevolence, that I can now describe as ‘infinite, immanent, and transcendent’, and which is always drawing us into closer intimacy, oneness, and mystery.  I am drawn to the Centre for Interspiritual Peace to learn from and share with others who are seeking, finding, and cultivating the source of all, which is Love.”

Nagaratnam Jeyasreedharan (Sree):

My encounter with spirituality happened over a period of months in 1994. It was unplanned and unexpected. But it was unwelcomed. In fact it was an experience that was transcendental in essence that changed my worldview completely. All was one and my two. I was born again. It has been 30 years now and the understanding is deeper but the essence remains the same.

I have been involved with interfaith activities over the last 10 years and see a need for an interspirituality centre in Hobart.

Terry Sussmilch:

I have been a teacher and community worker living in Hobart for the last 40 years. I have been on the National Executive Committee of Religions for Peace Australia since 2001 and currently convene Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch. Over that time I have witnessed at first hand, the incognito, ongoing efforts of faith communities to work together to build peace and social cohesion in challenging times and situations.

Julian McGarry:

From a very young age I was interested in religion and spirituality, but as I got older, I was not able to find a spiritual home. The faith traditions I encountered always required me to embrace their entire package of dogma to gain membership or salvation, and I was never able to do this. In the end, I went to university, became a clinical psychologist, and used psychology to help myself and others. However, I was always aware of the limitations of psychology and continued to feel drawn by something deeply spiritual within me. After 23 years of professional practice, I am now retired and have devoted much of my time to interfaith and interspirituality.

The concept of an interspiritual peace centre here in Hobart is very appealing to me.

If you have any further questions, or would like to join our group please let us know.