The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF

Suzuki Roshi once asked, "Why do we practice meditation? So we can experience a pleasant old age." Aging comes with a constellation of indignities and challenges, often resulting in a feeling of vulnerability. Our ability to accept that life is unreliable, the very definition of dukkha, is essential to maintaining peace of mind. In this talk, David speaks about The Heavenly Messengers of...

While most religions speak of faith, Buddhism in the West usually centers on practice - sitting down, getting quiet and asking "Is this really true? What results when I do X, Y or Z?" In this talk, Daigan shares that we are not asked to rigidly adhere to the precepts, but consider how they orient our lives in a particular direction. Rather than being asked to believe certain things blind...

In this human existence we experience, how do we "come home to ourselves" to truly feel embodied? What does "embodied relaxation" mean to us, and how can we cultivate it? In this talk Anjali shares methods that can lead us to into more spacious states using our bodies, the elements around us, and practices we can explore internally. WATCH the full talk on our website: https://g...

In this Part 2, Dave Richo talks about the sadness that can arise alongside anger, giving rise to grief and fear. Find his handouts on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/healthy-anger-part-2-dave-richo/ ------------------------- Anger itself is a healthy emotion that fits with Buddhist practice. It is the feeling of displeasure we experience at a perceived injustice, against ourselves or...

The Eight Worldly Winds were described in the Pali Canon as the conditions that move through the world:  Gain & Loss Pleasure & Pain Praise & Blame Fame & Disrepute Ultimately we find ourselves grasping at the first of each couplet, and resisting the latter. The Buddha used these conditions to teach that all things are impermanent and unreliable, so we best not rely on them for our...

Laura discusses the power of humor in addressing the challenges in life, and how we can explore humor in our practice. WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/finding-humor-as-we-practice-laura-burges/ ____________ Ryuko Laura Burges, a lay entrusted dharma teacher in the SotoZen tradition, teaches classes, lectures, and leads retreats in Northern California. A teacher...

Anger itself is a healthy emotion that fits with Buddhist practice. It is the feeling of displeasure we experience at a perceived injustice, against ourselves or others. It is a way of communicating what we feel is unfair.  ------------------- In this Part 1, Dave Richo distinguishes between healthy anger and abuse: Healthy anger gets your attention; Abuse makes you feel afraid.  Rather than hold...

A day retreat organized around the Brahma Viharas; practice in diads;  guided practice; and a closing talk on Equanimity TALK #1:  Tending to inner and outer conflict - “bring the calming rains that quiet the fires inside of us.” Exploring the Brahma Viharas Tom Spanbauer - In the City of Shy Hunters - “How do I keep my heart open in hell?” -BREAK- THE 4 BRAHMA VIHARAS Metta - Loving Kindness Karu...

How do we respond to a culture steeped in misogyny, patriarchy, homophobia and white supremacy? Rather than become overwhelmed, we can show up as our full selves and express our humanity through the energy of Wind Horse. On Tibetan prayer flags we find 5 animals: the Garuda, Tiger, Lion, and Dragon on the outer edges, and in the middle is Lunkta or "Wind Horse." Wind Horse is described a...

Is our practice merely a way to stay calm during the crises around us? Or is it something more, a way to help formulate a response to these difficult times? Donald Rothberg believes that our dharma resources are fundamental to the future of humanity.   He explores how we can connect our inner work with community and social responses that are crucial now, by asking: How do we sustain mindfulness in...

Rev. Liên Shutt talks about applying skillful effort as a way to work with freedom from suffering. They cover the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path focusing on skillful or wise effort. Toward the end, Liên discusses compassion and leads a lively discussion on inclusivity. ____________ Rev. Keiryū Liên Shutt is a lineage holder in the Shunryu Suzuki tradition. Born to a Buddhist family in Vietna...

Why do you practice? In this talk, Daigan Gaither begins with the inward awareness for practice and transitions to taking the Dharma with you during your day. He shares about shining The Light Within and interacting with others in a skillful manner bringing more intimacy to the present moment. He also talks about the habit of mind and sense of self. This talk is strongly grounded in Zen and the te...

What does it take to be yourself in this world and to awaken to the full potential of all that it means to be alive in each moment?  Eugene Cash explores both fear and the courage it takes to meditate and to deal with relationships, in our personal life and in civic life. He shares what it takes to be genuine given the social/political world we inhabit and the nation-based identities that engulf u...

Ann Gleig takes a far-reaching look at how Buddhism and the conversations within it are changing in the twenty-first century.  SUGGESTED READING: "The Shifting Landscape of Buddhism in America" https://www.lionsroar.com/the-shifting-landscape-of.../  ____________  Ann Gleig is an associate professor of Religion and Cultural Studies at the University of Central Florida. She is the author...

Have Westerners created a new and viable form of Buddhism, or has something been lost in translation? Ann looks at how Berkeley professor Robert Sharf argues that with our emphasis on individual experience and meditation, we risk cutting ourselves off from the benefits of a greater tradition.  WATCH the full talk with slides on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/losing-our-religion-ann-g...

What does pride mean to you?  In this talk, Steven poses many questions including why do you practice, why do you come to GBF, and what do you get from and give to GBF? He shares the Buddha's teachings on sangha and that building community is the most important part of supporting practice.  He gives a beautiful extensive history of pride, authenticity, celebration and gives suggestions for en...

What are your practice rituals?  In this talk, JD Doyle shares wisdom about creating practice rituals, mindfulness and letting go of suffering. They weave the Dharma into possibilities, civil rights and the recent LGBTQ+ Proclamation by President Biden. JD shares the poem "Eagle" by Poet Laureate Joy Harjo pointing out nature, wholeness and not knowing.  ____________  JD Doyle serves as...

In this talk titled, “Taking Refuge By Evacuating Gay Afghan Refugees,” Joe shares his recent work, supported by many in our community, to rescue 17 Afghan refugees since the Taliban took over the country in August 2021 and instituted Sharia Law. Read about the dire risks LGBTQ+ Afghans face and the rush to rescue them in this LA Progressive article featuring Joe: www.laprogressive.com/lgbtq/save-...

Our practice is to sit and meet our difficulties, but do we fully acknowledge the sorrow that we carry, brought on by the suffering in the world? Not turning away from this sorrow can be difficult, yet there are practices we can employ to embrace the fullness of our experience without growing despondent. In this talk, Syra Smith explores five practices for nurturing happiness, from Thich Nhat Hanh...

Where and to whom do you think you belong? What is your relationship to belonging and what gets in the way? What have you sacrificed to belong? Frank Ostaseski looks at our desire to belong as not merely about getting our social needs met. Even when we engage unskillfully such as becoming competitive or argumentative, it is an attempt to regain recognition and acceptance. He shares that belonging...

Francisco Gable shares how insight and tranquility can be unleashed through the anapani sutta of mindful breathing, a practice the Buddha himself relied upon for relief.  He speaks of the spinal injury and pain from an accident that brought him to Buddhism. Although he still has severe pain, his practice has played a role in his healing and he now experiences joy and liberation in life. He shares...

Ian is a student and teacher in the Insight Tradition of Buddhism. He is a teacher, founding member, and past guiding teacher of Insight Community of the Desert in Palm Springs. Ayya Khema, Leigh Brasington, Narayan Liebenson, Larry Yang, and Arinna Weisman are key teachers who have inspired and illuminated his practice. Serving Queer community is a passion. 2023 marks his co-teaching of the 7th a...

Dorothy Hunt serves as spiritual director of Moon Mountain Sangha and was the founder of the San Francisco Center for Meditation and Psychotherapy. She is the author of Only This!, Leaves from Moon Mountain, and Ending the Search: From Spiritual Ambition to the Heart of Awareness, as well as articles published on nondual wisdom and psychotherapy. She teaches at the request and in the spiritual lin...

Bob Stahl shares his journey exploring Eastern wisdom, which introduced him to mindfulness. He then orients us to mindfulness of the body within the context of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a sutra that describes the four as:   The Body Feeling Tones Mind States Dharmas Mindfulness of the Body is taught as the first of the Four Foundations, and it consists of 6 different practices:  The Pos...

What is it about retreats that can facilitate wholeness? At the heart of the retreat process is our inner life and various stages of development. These stages can lead us through purification of not only the body, mind and heart, but also our very identity and who we conceive ourselves to be. As we come to know both our inner and outer story it points to what brought us to the dharma. Retreats can...