The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF

How can we cultivate an undefended heart that is open and caring? John Martin shares that the true nature of our heart is inherently pure and loving. However, we need to practice to cultivate this purity.  Some of the practices he shares include: Being aware of our intentions. Using metta phrases. Radiating metta. ______________ John Martin teaches Vipassana (Insight), Metta (Loving Kindness) and...

In this talk, Melvin Escobar looks at the loneliness and separation prevalent in our world.  Especially for LGBTQI individuals, this has roots in both the individual level as well as the structural level, such as the way families may ask us to hide parts of ourselves in order to find acceptance. The societal hierarchies we encounter also contribute to a sense of separation.  However, Buddhist teac...

How can Buddhist philosophy help us address the everyday suffering we encounter in a human body - the accidents, falls, missteps, mistakes, broken bones and broken hearts? In this talk, Laura Burges recounts her own experience following a recent fall and injury.  She shares practices and reminders that can be helpful when we experience "The thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to"...

How can our relationship with fear deepen our practice? In this rich talk, Dale Borglum explains that in fear, we are separated from our feeling of unity. Yet, all true contemplative traditions teach that the end of the spiritual path brings us to the realization that all is one.  He speaks of the two main spiritual paths: Devotion and Self-Inquiry. Both share the practice of meditation to realize...

Why is wholesome speech one of the hardest precepts to navigate? Using the present Israeli / Palestinian conflict as an example, Tom Baker explores the many nuances of wise conversation, including: The ways our words cause suffering The intoxicating aspect of slander and gossip The mindfulness component of watching our speech Listening with our whole presence Our responsibility to speak out agains...

What is humanity's relationship to change? In this talk, Syra Smith shares her thoughts on impermanence, leading with this quote: "Change is the thread woven through the fabric of Human existence, a constant force shaping our journey. In transition, we navigate the spectrum of emotions, from the excitement of new beginnings to the discomfort of uncertainty. It is in these moments that gr...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Recorded at the 2024 GBF Spring Retreat at Vajrapani Institute, April 18, 2024 A chanting session precedes the talk, which begins at 29:50 A Primer for Entering Retreat Though much of our practice may be solitary, retreat can be a time to emphasize the richness of shared spiritual life. In addition to a collective, interwoven practice, retreats can also call us to go deeper by getting real with ou...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

Enjoy a full 5-day retreat experience with these recordings from GBF's Spring 2024 Retreat, held at Vajrapani Insititute. Includes dharma talks, chanting and guided meditations.  ______________ Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma...

What does it mean to "be Buddhist?" In his signature honest and humorous style, Kevin Griffin enriches this powerful and practical talk with numerous examples and approaches to making the dharma real in our everyday lives.  He shares that living the dharma is not about doing activities that are Buddhist, but instead making every activity we engage with Buddhist in our own way.  Kevin als...

What does it mean to go beyond separation as described in the Heart Sutra? Prasadachitta prefaces this rich talk by asking us to consider all the ways we are steeped in separation. This is evidenced by our language's practice of adding -ism to a tradition or condition to define ourselves or others -- a practice that can serve as a judgment that fosters separation.  He goes on to state that th...

Do we trust our thoughts more than the wisdom of our own experience? In this talk, David Lewis helps us see that our reliance on thinking and studying can be an obstacle to gaining a true understanding of reality.  He outlines that Sangha can help us gain wisdom in three ways, through: Direct experience - meditating in silence Listening to Dharma talks Discussions with each other Having polled his...

Can generosity lead to joy in a wounded world? Ian Challis believes so, and helps us explore both our generous impulses and the actions they give rise to if we allow it.  Generosity is the first of the 10 Paramis or beautiful qualities that lead to Buddhahood: Generosity Virtue Renunciation Wisdom Energy Patience Truthfulness Resolve Loving Kindness Equanimity In many Eastern cultures, the practic...

Steven Tierney shares that we begin to truly embody the Bodhisattva vow when our decisions are based on their impact on "we" rather than "I." We pause and consider others before we think or act. It doesn't mean we forget ourselves, but that others are considered in our actions.  Taking this vow we commit to not being instigators of any further chaos or misery in the world....

How can our practice inform encounters with dark times, when we feel loss or face a turning point with trepidation?  Laura Burges shares that we can find "fountains of joy" even in going to the places that scare us. Our practice is not separate from the dark places - we can turn towards the darkness and examine it clearly and experience the "soft heart of sadness" in being aliv...

We all have Stories, Opinions, and Ideas but we don't have to buy into them. In this talk, Rev. Daigan Gaither explains that as humans, our minds think; it's just what they do. Letting go of these thoughts can become the focus of our practice. He examines the trap of thinking that our meditation should be a certain way, but then our experience often does not measure up to that idea. Or w...

Alchemy is all about transformation, and there is nothing in our practice more transformative than generosity - toward both ourselves and others. In this talk, Kevin Martin shares that what we do on the cushion is the most generous thing we can give to ourselves.  Our practice can help us disrupt personal karma by making us more curious about the deeply held beliefs and patterns that imprison us. ...

How do we bring our practice into the difficult moments of relationships with others? Can we learn from these and approach them with curiosity and presence as an opportunity to grow? René Rivera looks at the ways our practice can help us become more aware of when our words or behaviors generate conflict. He shares his approach to mend these transgressions, including:  Be present with ourselves. Pa...

The Diamond Approach incorporates some aspects of psychology to look at what causes our suffering, obscures our innate qualities, and stands in the way of personal freedom. In this talk, Trip Weil examines a key aspect he sees that the Diamond Approach shares with Buddhism: one calls it the super-ego, and the other speaks of the demon Mara. He explores how there are two kinds of suffering: that wh...

How do we quiet the 'monkey mind' that dwells on regrets of the past and fear of the future? In this talk, Michaiel Patrick Bovenes shares that the monkey mind is fueled by immature aspects of our ego. He looks at the stages our ego goes through as we mature:  Am I getting enough?  Am I good enough?  Am I doing enough?  I am enough.  He explains how we can move towards this fourth stage...