Jennifer Berezan reflects on the necessity for courage, compassion, and the power of community in uncertain times. Even to simply stop and sit with what is requires bravery—especially amid aging, societal unrest, and personal struggles. She emphasizes meeting the moment with “loving awareness,” as Jack Kornfield taught, and encourages us to find refuge in practice, even when the world feels heavy.

In her signature style, Jennifer weaves music and story into the dharma, sharing mantras and songs that uplift and reconnect. She honors her late teacher Joanna Macy, an eco-philosopher and Buddhist scholar, recounting their journey to witness environmental devastation in Alberta and Macy’s profound teaching: “The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe,” which embodies the bodhisattva Tara and her mantra as a call to compassionate action. Jennifer closes with a poem by Andrea Gibson and a song by Carrie Newcomer, reminding us that joy, beauty, and connection are radical acts of healing.

______________

Jennifer Berezan is a unique blend of singer/songwriter, producer, and activist. Over the course of ten albums, she has developed and explored recurring themes with a rare wisdom. Her lifelong involvement in environmental, women’s, and other justice movements as well as an interest in Buddhism and earth-based spirituality are at the heart of her writing. Find her at https://jenniferberezan.com/

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

When seen with clarity, the dharma sheds light on nearly every aspect of our daily lives. 

In this highly engaging talk, Eve Decker explores in plain language how Buddhist teachings can help us deal with our daily struggles. By highlighting the intersection of Buddhist wisdom and neuroscience, she shows how ancient teachings align with modern psychological frameworks.

Eve emphasizes that the Buddha was, in many ways, a master psychologist—offering insights into suffering, habit formation, and emotional regulation that contemporary science continues to affirm. Eve draws on the work of Dr. Rick Hanson and Dr. Daniel Siegel to illustrate how mindfulness and compassion practices can rewire the brain, and she highlights how Buddhist teachings on awareness, intention, and ethical living are echoed in therapeutic models like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Polyvagal Theory.

Eve also breaks down several key concepts that bridge Dharma and psychology:

1. Neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to change through repeated practice, supporting the Buddhist emphasis on intentional cultivation.
2. Negativity bias – our tendency to focus on threats, which mindfulness helps balance by training attention toward wholesome states.
3. Self-directed neuroplasticity – consciously reinforcing positive traits like gratitude and kindness, a core aim of both Dharma and CBT.
4. Internal Family Systems (IFS) – recognizing and compassionately working with different “parts” of ourselves, much like Buddhist teachings on non-self and multiplicity of mind.
5. Polyvagal Theory – understanding how safety and connection regulate our nervous system, aligning with the Buddhist emphasis on compassion and relational presence.
6. The role of repetition – how consistent practice strengthens beneficial traits, whether through meditation or therapeutic exercises.

Throughout the talk, Eve reminds us that transformation is possible—not through force, but through gentle, repeated attention. With warmth and clarity, she shows how both science and spirituality point toward the same truth: we can train the mind toward freedom.

______________

Eve Decker has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1991, and has taught groups, daylongs, and short retreats since 2006, particularly at Spirit Rock, the East Bay Meditation Center, and elsewhere in the Bay Area. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and of Spirit Rock’s Path of Engagement and Community Dharma Leader training programs, and has been trained in the Hakomi approach to body-based psychotherapy. Eve is also a singer/songwriter who has combined the power of music and dharma practice. Her most recent CDs are “In: Chants of Mindfulness & Compassion,” and “Awakening Joy - The Music.”
Find her at EveDecker.com

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Renunciation is sometimes misunderstood as involving dramatic sacrifices or rejecting the world.

In this talk, Danadasa emphasizes that it’s actually about creating spaciousness in the heart and mind for deeper clarity and connection. It’s less about deprivation and more about redirecting our energy toward something more meaningful and peaceful.

He shares how, in the Buddhist path, renunciation helps loosen the grip of craving and habit energy, making space for genuine freedom. He describes how we often live on autopilot, and renunciation can be as simple as saying no to distractions or addictive tendencies that clutter our awareness. He offers personal reflections and encourages listeners to explore this not as a moral duty, but as a source of joy and liberation.

Danadasa also outlines three key insights related to renunciation:

1. Letting go is natural – Just like a child eventually lets go of toys they outgrow, our inner life can outgrow certain attachments too.
2. Renunciation reveals what’s already here – When we drop constant seeking, we begin to sense a quiet contentment that was hidden beneath our cravings.
3. It's supported by mindfulness – The more present we are, the more we see what’s wholesome to keep and what’s wise to release.

He encourages us to reflect without pressure, and to trust the unfolding of our own path.

______________ 

Danadasa (he/him) began meditating and practicing Buddhism in 1993 and was ordained in the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2011 at the San Francisco Buddhist Center. At his ordination, he received his Buddhist name Danadasa which, in Sanskrit, means “servant of generosity”. In 1995, he developed a heart connection with the archetypal Buddha Amitabha, rooted in the Japanese Pure Land tradition Jodo Shinshu (known in the Western world as Shin Buddhism), and has been practicing an Amitabha sadhana (devotional practice) since 2011. 

Danadasa is deeply passionate about teaching meditation, mindfulness and Buddhism in a somatic and embodied way, bringing the Buddha’s teachings to life in our imaginations through images and storytelling. Embodied practice is the path of getting out of our heads and into our bodies, for it is in our bodies that liberation reveals itself. 

Over the past 20 years, Danadasa has held various administrative and leadership roles within the San Francisco Buddhist Center (SFBC). And in 2023, he resigned from all of his formal SFBC roles, as well as taking a break from teaching for a period of wandering in the wilderness, free from the external responsibilities, expectations and social norms of the monastery, following in the footsteps of the great “crazy wisdom” Mahasiddhas of the past. Since then, many lineage Masters and archetypal Buddhas have provided Danadasa with guidance and inspiration, including Tilopa, Naropa, Padmasambhava, Vajrakilaya, and Machig Labdron. In 2024, Danadasa received Vajrayogini initiation and empowerment. Through Vajrayogini, the Mother of All the Buddhas, the meaning of the Buddha’s words is beginning to reveal itself.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In Part 3, René Rivera looks at how we connect intimacy with self and others to the whole of our life. He examines how we can become more aware of, and present to, the world around us.
______________
René Rivera is a meditation teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and leader, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, mixed-race, trans man.

René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, at the East Bay Meditation Center and other meditation centers. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender-based violence.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

After first exploring intimacy with ourselves in Part 1, we now look at how the dharma informs all our relationships:
Intimate, friends, family, colleagues, society, and even the natural and unseen world - ancestors, guides and deities. 

In this talk, René Rivera reminds us that we can become more grounded in our relationships using the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which are awareness of:
1. The physical body
2. Feelings and sensations
3. Thoughts and consciousness
4. The dhammas - phenomena and the nature of existence
______________ 
René Rivera is a meditation teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and leader, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, mixed-race, trans man.

René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, at the East Bay Meditation Center and other meditation centers. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender-based violence.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Welcome to EPISODE 800!
Most Buddhist practices, such as loving-kindness and compassion, begin with ourselves. So it is with the concept of intimacy, which Daigan describes as "being authentic in the experience of the moment."
(One sangha member frames Intimacy as "In-to-me-I-see")

In this first of a series on intimacy, Daigan posits that we must become connected to ourselves if we are to appreciate and enjoy our connectedness with all things.
He asks us to explore questions such as:
What does it mean to be me in this moment?
What experience am I having and what's it like to have that experience?
Do I avoid feelings of loneliness rather than experiencing them when they arise?
How do I REALLY feel about my present experience?
What do I actually enjoy sexually?
Do I believe I like something only because I think I should?
______________
Rev. Daigan Gaither (he/him) began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow,” and received Priest Ordination in July 2011.

Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics, particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice, and their intersections with the Dharma. He also sits or has sat on a number of boards and committees that serve community needs and further social justice causes.

Daigan has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies (with a chaplaincy certificate and a certificate in Soto Zen Buddhism) from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies. You can find out more via his website www.queerdharma.net. He lives in San Francisco, CA and identifies as a disabled, queer, white, cis male. 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How does joy arise in our lives? Do we notice our experience of joy or do we minimize it as merely a fleeting good feeling? 

In this talk, Alistair notes that we tend to naturally dwell on the negative, so it's important to welcome and anchor the joy we encounter in life to incline ourselves toward it more and more in each present moment.  

Recent science tells us that our brain is shaped by what we rest our attention on. This confirms what the Buddha said: "Whatever you think and ponder upon will become the inclination of the mind."

Sympathetic Joy (happiness for the good fortune of others) is one of the 7 Factors of Awakening as well as the Brahmaviharas (the Divine Abodes or Great Immeasurables). But joy is more spontaneous than happiness, which often depends on outside conditions. 

Alistair also explores joy's connection with delight and gratitude, which can often give rise to joy. In much the same way, moments of awe and wonder, such as in nature,  can result in spontaneous feelings of joy.  
______________ 
Alistair Shanks is the Volunteer Program Manager at Zen Caregiving Project where he has worked since 2004, first as a hospice volunteer and training facilitator, and in his current position since 2016. He completed his clinical residency, (CPE), at UCSF and currently serves as a chaplain at both the Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses. He has a Master’s degree from the Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union and has presented at the Association of Professional Chaplains conference and Harvard Divinity School. 

Alistair has been a dedicated practitioner and teacher of the Daoist Internal Martial Arts of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Ba Gua for 27 years, something that has given him a deep appreciation for the wisdom and power of somatic practices to regulate and heal both body and mind. Past volunteer work includes leading mindfulness meditation sessions in the San Francisco County Jail and serving as a volunteer chaplain at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. He has played and toured internationally with several Bay Area bands for the past four decades.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this talk, John Martin shares that our practice can lead us to a peace that is not dependent on the conditions of the outside world. It is cultivated by our internal practice and inner peace means freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts and emotions.

Peace arises in those times when we are not fixated on the past or the future but on the current moment. Accepting the present moment allows us to make peace with this moment and thereby with the entire world, just as it is.

"World peace develops from inner peace." ~ The Dalai Lama

Through practice, we begin to see that the cause of our mental suffering is wanting things to be different than they are. Yes, we have preferences and we work for change, but in each moment we must accept it as it is just now. 

A great mystery and openness arises within us when we let go of our preferences. By doing this, we can meet each moment with compassion, which leads to peace.

He speaks of the pali term Nibudi - a peaceful and relaxed mind.

The Buddha taught that we can find peace in the midst of suffering by recognizing that resistance of the mind to dukkha creates its own suffering which is unnecessary.

John shares how his relationship to physical pain changed once he accepted it as just another form of sensation, without judging it. This led him to a direct knowing of the First Noble Truth, that there IS suffering in our life and the world. When we accept this fact, we realize that it's not us -- it is life itself, and there is nothing wrong with us just because we experience dissatisfaction.
______________
John Martin teaches Vipassana (Insight), Metta (Loving Kindness) and LGBTQIA+ meditation retreats. He leads an ongoing weekly Monday evening meditation group in San Francisco. He serves as Co-chair of the Guiding Teachers Council for Spirit Rock. His practice has been supported by twelve years as a hospice volunteer: including five years at Shanti Project during the AIDS crisis, and seven years with the Zen Hospice project.
Find his upcoming events at: https://calendar.spiritrock.org/event-speaker/john-martin/

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this interactive talk, Prasadachitta reflects on the practice of chanting and then leads the sangha in a few chants. In the Triratna tradition, chanting engages the imagination, which helps counterbalance the more cognitive aspects of the dharma teachings that engage the rational mind.

He describes how chanting and imagery can help us open up to all aspects of the present moment, the vast world around us, and our own being.

In one, he introduces the figure of Green Tara from the South Indian tradition, who rose from the lake of tears shed by the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
______________
Prasadachitta was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2011 and he became the Chair of the San Francisco Buddhist Center in April 2022. He was born on a “back to the land” commune in rural Northern California and that background has inspired his engagement with others in building the SFBC’s rural meditation center called Dharmadhara. He also helped to establish a community of sangha members who support the retreats there. He supports himself as a documentary filmmaker and photographer but his real life’s work is training others who want to practice Buddhism within the Triratna Buddhist Community.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How do we respond when we witness suffering?
In this talk, Devin Berry reflects on passages from the Dhammapada related to compassion for others and ourselves in the face of dukkha.

He shares that the Buddha described compassion as "the trembling of the heart in response to suffering."

Especially in marginalized communities, we practice to create a refuge of belonging, which requires opening our heart. However, the habit of seeing those we encounter as 'other' can constrain our willingness to actively respond with care. Compassion requires a willingness to lean into suffering and be touched.
______________
Devin Berry is an Insight Meditation Society guiding teacher. A meditator since 1999, his practice is primarily informed by the metta and vipassana teachings of the Insight Meditation tradition. He has undertaken many periods of silent long-term retreat practice. Devin is committed to the personal and collective liberation of marginalized communities knowing that through the integration of reflection and insight, clarity and wisdom give rise to wise action. Devin was mentored by Larry Yang, Lyn Fine, Joseph Goldstein, Carol Wilson and Andrea Fella. He lives in New England and the Bay Area and teaches nationally. 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this talk, Melvin Escobar encourages us to meditate on two Koans:
"What is your original face?"
and
"What was your original face before your parents were born?"

He offers the perspective on aspects of the 3 Jewels:
The Buddha - representing the Oneness of all things;
The Dharma - representing the Diversity of all things;
The Sangha - where Oneness and Diversity merge in harmony.

He reminds us that our authentic self is shaped by all of our past experiences, including the experiences of our ancestors before we were born.
______________
Melvin Escobar is a core teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center, a licensed psychotherapist, and a certified yoga instructor. Melvin has walked the path of service for much of his life, drawing on his experiences as a queer man of color born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.

Having encountered the priceless wisdom embodied in Buddhism and Yoga, he continues daily to learn the revolutionary potential of body-centered contemplative practices for personal and social healing. You can read his latest article in Lion’s Roar Magazine “Loving-Kindness: May All Beings Be Happy,” and visit his website www.melvinescobar.com for more information.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

You can WATCH this talk, which includes photos and video, at: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/dharma-trio-bali-retreat/
______________
Three members of our sangha, Jeff Lindemood, Michael Murphy, and Cass Brayton, recently participated in a month-long meditation retreat in Bali, Indonesia. The retreat was small, only four people, with no official teacher, so they were able to intimately explore the dharma, and its role in their lives.

The three speak about how they structured their daily schedule and prepared dharma talks. They describe the unique retreat villa near Ubud, Bali where they were able to engage in an intense period of practice, and share some insights gained and lessons learned as a result of their time together on retreat.

The Bali retreat center: Villa Vajra Dharma Center

Other extended retreats may be found at:
www.dharma.org/retreats
www.spiritrock.org
______________
Jeff Lindemood is a long-time member of GBF, currently serves as Board Chair, and has a long history in social work and hospice care.  He has been a long-time student of Buddhism and practitioner of Vipassana meditation on intensive retreats, and a student and associate of Ram Dass for many years, in the tradition of Bhakti Yoga.  He has done extensive travel and practice in India and Southeast Asia.
______________
Michael Murphy has been a member of GBF since October 2004. His interest in Eastern philosophy, and Buddhism in particular, dates back to his study of Comparative Religion and English as an undergraduate. Graduate study in Transpersonal Psychology deepened his interest in the interface between Western psychology and Buddhism, as well as the way that personality both constrains and reflects essence. Michael has a private practice as a psychotherapist in Berkeley.
______________
Cass Brayton is a long-time volunteer and member of GBF, a founding member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and serves on the GBF Board.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this rich talk, punctuated with wise quotes, David Lewis examines the nature of the mind and shares that our practice can be much easier than we make it out to be. Often we just need to relax and settle in to what is happening in the moment.

Tilopa, the teacher of Naropa who founded the Vajrayāna tradition, offered these simple practice instructions: 
"Don't recall, imagine, think, examine, or control; just relax."

David advises that the mind is not one thing, but comprised of two processes: emptiness and cognition. However, the empty nature of the mind won't be revealed by thinking about it. It is only available through our own direct experience of the present moment. Meditation is about letting go of the cognitive aspects of the mind so that we can access the luminous, spacious qualities of the mind by relaxing into it. 

If we trust our thinking mind but not our intuition and awareness, it can put us off meditation and mindfulness altogether. He encourages us to trust our own experience more than books and talks. "Listening only to others can become like perusing a menu without ever tasting the food." 
______________ 
David Lewis has been following the dharma path for 50 years and has a degree in comparative religious studies.  He teaches at several Buddhist sanghas around the Bay Area and offers a weekly meditation group for seniors (currently on Zoom) at OpenHouse, a nonprofit serving LGBTQI+ seniors.  He’s always happy to return to the Gay Buddhist Fellowship, where he gave his first dharma talk around 15 years ago.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

What does it mean to live with an undefended heart?

Here Mary Stancavage’s explores the profound practice of living what she has been investigating for years. She begins by acknowledging that we all build emotional armor as a response to pain and suffering, often unconsciously, to protect ourselves from further hurt. This armor manifests as fixed views, fear, judgment, perfectionism, and numbing behaviors, which ultimately isolate us and prevent authentic connection.

Mary emphasizes that this defensive stance is a denial of reality and contributes to suffering, echoing the Buddha’s teachings about clinging and the second noble truth. She shares that meditation and mindful sitting helped her face and welcome difficult emotions—grief, anger, sadness—with kindness and openness, revealing that embracing these feelings gently can transform fear and alienation into freedom and connection.

Mary then outlines a practical and compassionate path toward chipping away at this armor using the Buddhist Eightfold Path as a safety net. Key practices include:

• Wise speech—saying what needs to be said even when it's hard
• Compassionate intention
• Non-harming that extends beyond mere avoidance to active kindness and generosity.

She distinguishes between healthy boundaries and defenses, cautioning against “idiot compassion” that allows others to abuse us. Mary also highlights the importance of remaining present with whatever arises in the moment without resistance, cultivating equanimity as a deep intimacy with reality as it is.

Mary concludes by inviting listeners to reflect on the challenges and joys of this lifelong journey, reminding us that an open heart is an act of resistance in a world full of suffering and injustice, and that through love, kindness, and presence, we participate in collective liberation and healing.

______________

Mary Stancavage has practiced meditation, yoga, and cultivated a spiritual practice for over 35 years and in 2009 was empowered to teach Buddhadharma. She teaches classes, retreats, coaches and mentors individuals and has facilitated several Year-to-Live groups. She has served as a volunteer hospital chaplain and been involved with leadership in several non-profit organizations over the years both in meditation and in the social justice arena. She is currently a member of the Guiding Teachers Council for Insight Community of the Desert, and is a Board Member of both Meditation Coalition and CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice.

For the last several years, Mary has investigated what it means to live with an undefended heart and more information on this can be found on her website, https://marystancavage.org. Fun fact: Mary has an MA from UCLA and spent several seasons working as an archaeologist in Syria.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Rev. Liên Shutt shares thoughts on how to 'be with' suffering, such as the harm brought about by climate change.

Liên shares an approach to reframing the 4 Noble Truths as a restorative model for suffering and harm reduction. She describes the Eightfold Path in terms that are actionable and active rather than passive.

Reframing our view in more holistic terms, we can consider Indra's Net described in the Flower Ornamental sutra. It is a representation of the cosmos, similar to an infinitely large spider's web, with each living being represented as a multi-faceted jewel at the intersections of the threads, thus connected to and also reflecting all of the other jewels.

Often we over-emphasize the individual jewels and ignore the net of interconnectedness. A jewel may shine so brightly that it obscures the other jewels, or use up so many resources that it swells and weighs down the net itself, perhaps even to the point of breaking. Focusing on the net of interconnectedness rather than the individuals, we can look at how we can restore the connections between us and the well-being of the collective.
______________
Liên Shutt (she/they) is a priest lineage holder in the Shunryu Suzuki tradition. Born to a Buddhist family in Vietnam, she received her meditation training in the Insight and Soto Zen traditions in the U.S., Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. She was a founding member of the Buddhists of Color in 1998 and currently is the guiding teacher of Access to Zen, an inclusive, anti-oppression sangha and non-profit in the SF Bay Area. She lives on Ohlone land, currently called San Francisco, with her partner, exploring waterways and forests as often as they can. Visit AccessToZen.org for ways to connect and practice together.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

The term Saddhā is often translated as 'faith' but it is different from the 'blind faith' often associated with the word in the West. By exploring the 'Chunky Sutta' we gain an understanding that in the original Pali text, the meaning was closer to 'provisional trust' which is the opposite of skeptical doubt.

In Buddhism, we are encouraged to rely upon our own experience and discernment with regard to our practice or finding a teacher. We try things out and, as we see the results, our trust then becomes faith - a belief that we will continue to reap the benefits we have experienced thus far. Over time, our insight can eventually become an unshakeable faith, the hallmark of 'stream entry' when there is no going back.

He explores how faith can evolve from being one of the 5 Spiritual Faculties, to eventually become a power we possess (one of the 5 Spiritual Powers). 

Danadasa also poses a question we can use to determine if we are 'enlightened': "Is it possible for me to be completely free of stress and anxiety at all times and under all conditions?" This is the promise of the Third Noble Truth, that complete cessation of stress and anxiety IS possible.
______________
Dhammachari Danadasa has been practicing with the San Francisco Buddhist Center (SFBC) community since 1993 and was ordained in 2011. His current area of exploration is the cultivation of metta (universal loving kindness) as a response to all the hatred, discrimination, and bigotry in the world out there. 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Alan Levin shares his personal and professional insights on the use of entheogenic substances in the pursuit of spiritual growth. His interest lies in the potential for psychedelics to amplify one's existing and ongoing spiritual practice. 

He touches on the importance of safety, guidance, and intention when using these substances for a spiritual rather than recreational purpose. He explains how our experience with these sacred medicines is affected by the set and setting: 

• The 'Set' is what's inside of us, such as our mindset, intentions, readiness, preparation and prior experiences; 
• 'Setting' is the local environment and surroundings during the journey.    

Also explored is the vital role of integrating what is learned during a relatively short sacred journey into one's overall life. He also explores how one's intention to pursue truth can help avoid 'spiritual bypass' or skipping growth that is needed, and the fact that these kind of spiritual journeys can be very difficult work that can raise profound realizations but can also unearth trauma.
______________
Alan Levin, M.A. L.M.F.T., is a long-time explorer of the interface of psychological and spiritual development, social/political activism and the ceremonial use of entheogenic plants and other substances. He has been a licensed psychotherapist since 1985 and established a non-profit ecopsychology training program, Holos Institute, in California.

He has been meditating and teaching different forms of meditation for several decades. He now resides with his wife in Rockland County, NY; together they work as Sacred River Healing. He is the author of 'Crossing the Boundary - Stories of Jewish Leaders of Other Spiritual Paths' and leads a webinar series, Staying Sane While Making the World Better.
Learn more at http://www.sacredriverhealing.org/  

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Steven Tierney explores the many ways that our trust has been broken by our upbringing, by society, and even ourselves, especially when we do not fit in or are considered to be different.

Some of the tools we can utilize to repair broken trust include:
1. Mantra practice - to soothe, remain grounded and present in the moment.
2. Cultivate an enlightened witness to our lives (a spiritual friend, or kalyana mitta) who can recount not just our struggles, but remind us of the good that we have done.
______________
Steven Tierney is a Professor Emeritus of Counseling Psychology at CIIS. Steven began his Buddhist practice in 1993 and is now an ordained priest in the Soto Zen lineage of Suzuki Roshi. 

He is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco, specializing in addiction and recovery, life transitions and resilience. His therapeutic approaches are grounded in mindfulness-based, trauma-informed therapies. He is the co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco Mindfulness Foundation. 

Dr. Tierney is a certified suicide prevention and intervention trainer and offers community-based workshops to promote safer, healthier communities.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this talk, Bob Stahl speaks about his experience with reconciling, making peace, or making amends as we progress through life. 

He shares his thoughts on reconciling ourselves to four aspects of life: 

1. The times I've been too hard on myself.
2. The others I have hurt.
3. Those that have hurt me.
4. The condition of the life that I actually have and now experience.

______________
Bob Stahl, Ph.D., has founded eight Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs in medical centers in the SF Bay Area and is currently offering programs at El Camino Hospital in Mt. View, California.

He serves as an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences in the School of Public Health at Brown University Mindfulness Center and formerly at the Oasis Institute for Mindfulness-Based Professional Education and Training at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Bob teaches MBSR Teacher Trainings and Insight Mindfulness Meditation retreats worldwide and is the former guiding teacher at Insight Santa Cruz and a visiting teacher at Spirit Rock and Insight Meditation Society. He is the co-author of five books: A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook (1st & 2nd editions), Living With Your Heart Wide Open, Calming the Rush of Panic, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook for Anxiety, and MBSR Everyday.
Find him at www.mindfulnessprograms.com

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How do we make space for natural human emotions, including those we avoid such as shame? Can we not be afraid of them, and hold our experience with more acceptance and compassion?

Shame has a very visceral component that hijacks our emotions, much like encountering a dangerous animal.

In this rich talk, Ian explores the various aspects of shame that cross our minds and how we can examine these despite the pain they invoke. We are conditioned to feel shame based on societal norms, even if we don't share them, which is why it is particularly prevalent among non-conforming individuals such as LGBTQ persons. He discusses how we can avoid internalizing these feelings and not feel isolated as a result.

He makes the distinction between remorse or ethical responsibility, which connect us to the world, and shame which isolates us. Shame withdraws us into our own emotional pain, whereas remorse centers on the pain we have caused others and opens us to reconciliation. 
______________
Ian Challis 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 annual Queer retreat at Dhamma Dena Retreat Center with Leslie Booker.

Ian teaches regular drop-in classes as well as retreats. He is a qualified teacher of MBSR, a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader teacher training, and was formally invited by Arinna Weisman to teach in the lineage of U Ba Khin and Ruth Denison.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Many of us come to our practice with some degree of suffering. Our regular ways of dealing with life may be creating stress, or we feel a wanting, that something is missing as we engage in our capitalistic society. 

While yearning for something is not in itself bad, we need to examine where we are looking for it. Rather than trying to just get from here to there or to become something we are not, can our practice help us become more genuine and experience our essential self?  

In this talk, Pamela shares that delusion is at the heart of our grasping and aversion, because we still believe something we get or attain will alleviate our dissatisfaction. It is the falling away of this fantasy that is the gift of spiritual practice because it can lead us to being at peace in our lives. 
______________
Pamela Weiss is a dual-lineage Buddhist teacher in Soto Zen and Theravada, and the author of “A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism." She sits on the Spirit Rock Teacher Council, and teaches through San Francisco Insight, San Francisco Zen Center and Brooklyn Zen Center. Pamela lives in San Francisco with her husband and little dog, Grover.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In the Buddhist understanding of the universe, we are not separate individuals, but impersonal streams of cause-and-effect that have been unfolding since beginningless time. This is a radical interruption of the idea we have been trained to believe: that we are fundamentally human, with an individual essence and identity. The teaching on the “six realms” proposes that the stream of action (karma) we conventionally called “me, myself, my story” can take a variety of forms depending on our own actions and the conditions of our birth. One of these forms is called “human,” but we also take the form of animals, ghosts, spirit beings, and even powerful gods depending on conditions. Whether you take this teaching as myth, psychological metaphor, or material reality, it offers a powerful antidote to the self-centered, consumerist, isolated self of our modern condition.

An accessible doorway to this ancient, visionary aspect of the Dharma is to practice relating to the entire living world as sentient. When we address the earth, sky, trees, animals, and plants, as well as energetic cultural and emotional stories that are larger than us as individuals, like hatred, lust, or fear, as friends and relatives, we find ourselves living in a far more complex community of beings. This is the world described in the discourses of the Buddha, where spirit beings, animals, and ghosts regularly interacted with the Buddha and his community, revealing a universe where our actions create our own and others’ futures far more expansively than our current materialistic worldview can see.

This talk is an introduction to Dr. Oakes's upcoming sutta study series at Spirit Rock: Animal, Spirit, Human, God: Karma and the Cycle of Saṁsāra, Mar 9 - Apr 6.
______________

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 resolution, and social justice. He received teaching authorization from Jack Kornfield, and wrote his dissertation on extraordinary states in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance. He teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, East Bay Meditation Center, Insight Timer, and locally. See SeanFeitOakes.com

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How do we have a response in keeping with loving-kindness when people hate us or hurt our feelings?
In this talk, Dave defines hatred as "malicious rage with ill-will and an insatiable desire to hurt you or get back at you."
He shares three possible types of responses, taken from his book, "Triggers: How We Can Stop Reacting and Start Living."

Find his handout here: https://gaybuddhist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Hate-or-Hurt-Dave-Richo.pdf
______________

David Richo, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, writer, and workshop leader. He shares his time between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California. Dave combines psychological and spiritual perspectives in his work. His latest book is "Ready: How to Know When to Go and When to Stay." (Shambhala, 2022). The website for books, talks, and events is www.davericho.com.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

What roles do reverence and veneration play in our practice? 
These may be in the form of 'taking refuge' in the 3 Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), bowing, chanting, or other ceremonial actions that lead us to a deeper connection with the dharma. Although the Buddha warned of not becoming attached to rites and rituals, when approached skillfully they can have a beneficial role often missing from Buddhist traditions in the West.

In this talk, Trip speaks about being mindful in pursuing the bodhisattva ideal so that we do not seek a reward for performing rituals, as this might lead to disappointment and more suffering. Rather, rituals can be a mysterious doorway to freedom that inclines the mind to wisdom and compassion. 
______________ 
Trip Weil has been practicing in the Theravadan tradition since 2004. He is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader and Dedicated Practitioner programs. Trip serves on the board of San Francisco Insight, where he also leads sitting groups and teaches meditation classes. He is a psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco and a former attorney.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Michaiel Patrick Bovenes invites us on a spiritual journey to reconnect with our “Capital S” Self — the soul’s eternal essence — instead of staying trapped in ego-driven identities shaped by society. He explains that true spirituality isn’t about rituals or rigid beliefs, but about cultivating an authentic, living relationship with the divine energy that flows through us, around us, and beyond us. By integrating our inner masculine (willpower, clarity) and feminine (feeling, imagination) energies, we come into wholeness, which fosters deeper peace, creativity, and truth. Michaiel shares that feelings of isolation are often rooted in our minds and can begin to dissolve through a shift in consciousness — by being open, curious, humble, and genuinely appreciative of others.

Michaiel also touches on how love, even when unnoticed or unreturned, never goes to waste — its energy contributes to healing both personally and collectively. He shares a touching personal story of grief that underscores the importance of expressing love and gratitude now, not later. Especially for LGBTQI individuals who may struggle with isolation, Michaiel emphasizes the healing power of community built through small acts of presence and connection. His message is both practical and soulful: we are all divine beings here to help one another come home — to ourselves and to each other.

______________

Michaiel Patrick Bovenes - is a metaphysician, published author, spiritual healer, and the founder of Soul-utions -- a revolutionary personal empowerment teaching. His online courses and live events have helped thousands find greater inner strength and personal peace. Since 1991, he has helped people transform their stress into strength and their struggle into greater freedom, confidence, and positive change. Soul-utions is not a religion, it's a conscious relationship with your Soul. Soul-utions focuses on activating your inner power to create the changes you desire by aligning with your true purpose, inner wisdom, and empowered destiny. Find him at https://linktr.ee/michaiel.soul.utions 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Daigan speaks about liberation and how we access it, often beginning by listening to our inner voices, our body, and the other sense gates. He shares a poem titled "To the Soul" by W.S. Merwin that questions which of these, if any, is genuinely ourself. 
______________
Rev. Daigan Gaither (he/him) began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow,” and received Priest Ordination in July 2011. Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice, and their intersections with the Dharma. He also sits or has sat on a number of boards and committees that serve community needs and further social justice causes.

Daigan has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University and an MA in Buddhist Studies (with a chaplaincy certificate and a certificate in Soto Zen Buddhism) from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies. You can find out more via his website https://queerdharma.net. He lives in San Francisco, CA and identifies as a disabled, queer, white, cis male.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Kevin shares concepts from his latest book, "Living Kindness." He speaks about the necessity to make ourselves the first beneficiary of our own loving-kindness (metta) because it's so easy to fall into self-criticism and negativity.

He relates the actual feeling of loving-kindness and its relationship to other aspects of practice - it both depends on mindfulness and acts to support insight.

Finally, he shares that chasing loving-kindness as a preferred state is another form of grasping. Rather than trying to strengthen our ability to love, we can focus on removing the barriers to our innate capacity to love. It can essentially become just an absence of ill will.
Find Kevin's latest book at shambhala.com/living-kindness.html
______________
Kevin Griffin is a Buddhist teacher and author of 9 books known for his innovative work connecting dharma and recovery, especially through his 2004 book "One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps." He has been a Buddhist practitioner since the 1980s and a teacher for three decades. He reaches a broad range of audiences in dharma centers, wellness centers, and secular mindfulness settings. His latest book is "Living Kindness: Metta Practice for the Whole of Our Lives" published in 2022. To learn more and to see his teaching schedule, visit kevingriffin.net.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

John explores worldly happiness vs. a deeper inner contentment the Buddha referred to as sukha - an unconditional happiness that is independent of the world. 

He discusses how we can cultivate this in our lives by detaching from our preferences and accepting the unreliability of the material world. Specific practices to generate unconditional happiness include:  

1. Gratitude
2. Generosity 
3. Non-harming

______________ 
John Martin teaches Vipassana (Insight), Metta (Loving-Kindness) and LGBTQIA+ meditation retreats. He leads an ongoing weekly Monday evening meditation group in San Francisco. He serves as Co-chair of the Guiding Teachers Council for Spirit Rock. His practice has been supported by twelve years as a hospice volunteer: including five years at Shanti Project during the AIDS crisis, and seven years with the Zen Hospice project.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In this talk Zerdan teaches on the Six Perfections which are the focus of the Mahayana tradition, just as the Theravada tradition focuses on the Eightfold Path. They mix practice with a specific intention:  

1. Giving
2. Patience
3. Effort 
4. Moral Discipline
5. Concentration
6. Wisdom

He also recounts his background as a Catholic, Pentecostal, atheist, Universalist, and Zen practitioner before becoming a Kadampa Buddhist. 

This talk draws on the wisdom of two books:
"The Joyful Path of Good Fortune"
"How to Solve our Human Problems" 
____________ 
Jetsun Zerdan Kelsang Phunrab is an American Kadampa Buddhist monk. Zerdan has been ordained for 17 years, and a practicing Buddhist for more than 22 years. He was ordained in Ulverston, England by a Gelugpa monk, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. He began his ordained life by helping to create a Buddhist temple by teaching meditation and Buddhadharma in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. Zerdan now lives a humble life in Eugene, Oregon, keeping his vows, maintaining a vegan and minimalist lifestyle, and sharing a warm, gentle heart and joyful attitude.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Prasadachitta talks about the appeal of Buddhism and the concept of 'Stream Entry' -- the initial point at which one is drawn to Buddhism and enlightenment. He shares what drew him to Buddhism and how it relates to the concept of faith. Then he explores how expanding our thinking about what is possible and worthwhile can enliven and broaden our practice. 

He explains that Stream Entry involves the falling away of: 

• Doubt and indecision
• A fixed identity
• Superficial rights and rituals

He also responds to the question of the role of worship in Buddhism, that what we worship and appreciate is actually the value of the dharma.  
____________ 
Prasadachitta was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2011 and he became the Chair of the San Francisco Buddhist Center in April 2022. He was born on a “back to the land” commune in rural Northern California and that background has inspired his engagement with others in building the SFBC’s rural meditation center called Dharmadhara. He also helped to establish a community of sangha members who support the retreats there. He supports himself as a documentary filmmaker and photographer but his real life’s work is training others who want to practice Buddhism within the Triratna Buddhist Community.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

What happens when we vow not to run away from difficulty, but instead develop a relationship with what we're trying to escape? What do we turn to when we are avoiding things? Can we vow not to run to that distraction over and over?

In this talk Dale Borglum explores the nature of vows across the three main Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. He describes the foundational vow as giving up the desire for things to be different. He posits that surrendering to hopelessness must precede fearlessness, and describes the 3 characteristics of compassion as spaciousness, connectedness and warmth. 
____________
Dale Borglum founded and directed the Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the first residential facility in the United States to support conscious dying. Working with Ram Dass and Stephen Levine, Dale helped found the conscious dying movement in the West. He has been the Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project in Santa Fe and since 1986 in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the co-author with Ram Dass, Daniel Goleman and Dwarka Bonner of "Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook," Bantam Books and has taught meditation since 1974. Dale lectures and gives workshops on the topics of meditation, healing, spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, and on caregiving as spiritual practice. He has taught with Ram Dass, Stephen Levine, Joan Halifax, Robert Thurman, Joanna Macy, Jack Kornfield, Annie Lamott, Jai Uttal and many others. He has a doctorate degree from Stanford University.
Learn more at https://www.livingdying.org/

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Do you find it challenging dealing with the holidays and your family? If you experience "10,000 Joys and Sorrows" during the holiday season, Laura's talk might be helpful.

She speaks about the judging mind, comparing mind and habit patterns. Also included are your authentic self and the Dharma aspect of the book "The Underachiever's Manifesto" by Ray Bennett. 
____________ 
Ryuko Laura Burges, a lay entrusted dharma teacher in the SotoZen tradition, teaches classes, lectures, and leads retreats in Northern California. A teacher of children for 35 years, she now mentors aspiring teachers. Laura co-founded the Sangha in Recovery Program at the San Francisco Zen Center and is the abiding teacher at Lenox House Meditation Group in Oakland. Shambhala Publishers will be offering two of her Buddhist children’s books next year, a collection of Jataka Tales reimagined for today’s readers, and a book about Zen Buddhism for kids. Laura is currently working on a book about Zen Buddhism for adults.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

In what ways do we experience resistance (aversion) in the face of today's environmental and social change? In this talk, Alistair Shanks describes various forms of resistance, in both the body and the mind. He then offers how we can observe and hold our resistance with equanimity in these trying times. 
____________ 
Alistair Shanks is the Volunteer Program Manager at Zen Caregiving Project where he has worked since 2004, first as a hospice volunteer and training facilitator, and in his current position since 2016. He completed his clinical residency, (CPE), at UCSF and currently serves as a chaplain at both the Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses. He has a Master’s degree from the Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union and has presented at the Association of Professional Chaplains conference and Harvard Divinity School. 

Alistair has been a dedicated practitioner and teacher of the Daoist Internal Martial Arts of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Ba Gua for 27 years, something that has given him a deep appreciation for the wisdom and power of somatic practices to regulate and heal both body and mind. Past volunteer work includes leading mindfulness meditation sessions in the San Francisco County Jail and serving as a volunteer chaplain at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. He has played and toured internationally with several Bay Area bands for the past four decades.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 old age, illness and death, as important reminders to practice, so that we can prepare our mind for the worst things that might happen to us. Whether it might be these, or injustice, climate change, or political instability, we can still experience equanimity.
____________
David Lewis has been following the dharma path for 50 years and has a degree in comparative religious studies.  He teaches at several Buddhist sanghas around the Bay Area and offers a weekly meditation group for seniors (currently on Zoom) at OpenHouse, a nonprofit serving LGBTQI+ seniors.  He’s always happy to return to the Gay Buddhist Fellowship, where he gave his first dharma talk in 2008.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 blindly, we practice to cultivate our belief based on our own experience.

WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/buddhist-faith-daigan-gaither/
____________
Rev. Daigan Gaither (he/him) began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow,” and received Priest Ordination in July 2011. Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice, and their intersections with the Dharma. He also sits or has sat on a number of boards and committees that serve community needs and further social justice causes.

Daigan has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies (with a chaplaincy certificate and a certificate in Soto Zen Buddhism) from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies. You can find out more via his website queerdharma.net. He lives in San Francisco, CA and identifies as a disabled, queer, white, cis male. Learn more at  https://queerdharma.net 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How can our Buddhist practice make a difference in the face of all the challenges of the modern world?

Drawing on his decades of experience as a teacher, activist, and meditator, Donald Rothberg issues an urgent call to integrate the deepest aspects of Buddhist practice with the pressing needs of our time. By uniting meditation, ethics, emotional work, joy, and conscious action, he maps out a path that combines inner development with outward action.

The Five Themes of Practice

Donald structures his talk around five essential themes that support a holistic Buddhist path:

1. Bridging Inner and Outer Transformation:
   Buddhist practice is often internal, but Donald emphasizes its potential to transform society as well. He reminds practitioners that meditation and activism need not be separate and that cycles of inner and outer focus are natural.
2. Ethics as Foundational:
   Ethics (sila) is a cornerstone of Buddhist training, often overlooked in the West. Donald reimagines ethics as a “commitment to care” and encourages practitioners to see ethical precepts not only as personal guidelines but as vehicles for social justice.
3. Working with Difficult Emotions:
   Emotions such as fear, anger, and despair are not barriers to practice but rich material for growth. Donald introduces practices like the “truth mandala” to help individuals and communities process collective grief and rage.
4. Nurturing Joy:
   Amid crises, joy becomes an act of resistance and resilience. Donald illustrates how joy is part of our inner nature and can be cultivated through song, ritual, and community—citing Emma Goldman and Rabbi Nachman as examples.
5. Listening for What Calls You:
   Rather than trying to solve all the world’s problems, Donald advises identifying one issue that deeply resonates. From there, he suggests taking concrete, manageable steps to become involved, guided by what enlivens us.

Donald expands the traditional view of ethics beyond individual behavior to include social responsibility, discussing how community plays a central role in supporting ethical practice. He shares how personal suffering can be transformed into a source of connection and compassion.

__________

Donald Rothberg, Ph.D., is a member of the Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Center, a guiding teacher for the Marin Sangha in San Rafael, California, and a regular teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, Southern Dharma Retreat Center, InsightLA, and New York Insight.

He teaches retreats and groups on concentration and insight meditation practice, lovingkindness practice, transforming the judgmental mind, mindful communication, working skillfully with conflict, and socially engaged Buddhism.

He has practiced insight meditation since 1976, and has also received training in Tibetan Dzogchen, body-based psychotherapy, and trauma work. He has helped guide many six-month to two-year training programs in socially engaged spirituality, both Buddhist-based and interfaith, and is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World, and the co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue.

Learn more at https://donaldrothberg.com

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/generic-somatic-practices-anjali-sawhney/
____________
Anjali Sawhney (she/her/hers) is a Certified Integral Life Coach from New Ventures West in San Francisco, 2006, and a trained international Leadership Embodiment Teacher (somatic coaching based on Aikido and Mindfulness) with founder Wendy Palmer, 2011. Anjali has coached and led somatics and mindfulness workshops in the movement, nonprofit, corporate, and educational sectors including at the East Bay Meditation Center (where she is also part of the Leadership Sangha Board) as well as the Richmond Community Foundation, California Endowment, Dream Corps, and UCSF. She is also on the facilitation teaching team at Strozzi Institute (Generative Somatics lineage) and Beloved Communities. 

Anjali also serves directly with untapped BIPOC and LGBTQI+ students, those unhoused, and those in recovery by providing coaching, counseling, and series workshops. Anjali was born in Asia, raised in Los Angeles, and has lived on the east coast of the United States as well as in South and East Asia. She is passionate about rallying untapped folx through coaching, community, and spirituality as well as street protests for equity and systemic change. Anjali is in awe of nature and live music, and on rare occasions is allowed to groove with her teenagers, Aanika and Jai.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 others. Healthy anger is a way of communicating what we feel is unjust or unfair.

Rather than hold it in, it can be healthy to express that feeling. We do not lose our temper, but maintain the boundaries that prevent us from becoming aggressive.

If that expression becomes hurtful to others, it contradicts our commitment to loving-kindness. It becomes abuse when it is marked by violence and retaliation - a type of theatrical display meant to intimidate.
____________
David Richo, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, writer, and workshop leader. He shares his time between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California. Dave combines psychological and spiritual perspectives in his work. His latest book is "Ready: How to Know When to Go and When to Stay." (Shambhala, 2022). The website for books, talks, and events is https://davericho.com.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 liberation from suffering. 

Using insights from the addiction model, Sean explores how we can free ourselves from the fixation that accompanies these worldly conditions.

WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/the-eight-worldly-winds-sean-feit-oakes/
____________
Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican and English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma resolution, and social justice. He received teaching authorization from Jack Kornfield, and wrote his dissertation on extraordinary states in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance. He teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, East Bay Meditation Center, Insight Timer, and locally. SeanFeitOakes.com

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 of children for 35 years, she now mentors aspiring teachers. Laura co-founded the Sangha in Recovery Program at the San Francisco Zen Center and is the abiding teacher at Lenox House Meditation Group in Oakland. 

Shambhala Publishers will be offering two of her Buddhist children’s books next year, a collection of Jataka Tales reimagined for today’s readers, and a book about Zen Buddhism for kids. Laura is currently working on a book about Zen Buddhism for adults.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 our anger in, it can be healthy to express the feeling. We do not lose our temper but maintain the boundaries that prevent us from becoming aggressive. 

When that expression becomes hurtful to others, it contradicts our commitment to loving-kindness. It becomes abuse when it is marked by threats, violence, and retaliation - a type of theatrical display meant to intimidate.  

Then he explores practices that allow us to present our feelings of anger safely and still maintain the bond we have with another person. 

Finally, we learn how to become friendly toward our own anger rather than seeing it as a failing. 
____________ 
David Richo, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, writer, and workshop leader. He shares his time between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California. Dave combines psychological and spiritual perspectives in his work. His latest book is "Ready: How to Know When to Go and When to Stay." (Shambhala, 2022). The website for books, talks, and events is https://davericho.com/.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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
• Karuna - Compassion
• Mudita - Sympathetic Joy  
• Upekka - Equanimity

Retreat agreements (from East Bay Meditation Center):

• Try it on
• Practice self-focus -  speak from your own experience and not make assumptions about others
• Understanding the difference between intent and impact
• Practicing both/and -  noticing the difference between but/and
• Refraining from blaming or shaming others
• Move up, move back - noticing the space we take up in groups
• Practice mindful listening - bring our full attention to the person who is speaking
• Confidentiality - “take home your learning but leave the details here”
• Right to pass

____________ 
René Rivera is a meditation teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and leader, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, mixed-race, trans man. René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, at the East Bay Meditation Center and other meditation centers. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender-based violence.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 as the energy of basic goodness we are born with and return to through our meditation. It gives us a sense of confidence without ego, the energy we feel when we are living aligned with integrity.

In the absolute sense, Wind Horse is the expansive feeling we possess but but do not grasp at. It is not really ours, so we hold it loosely, allowing it spaciousness. 

In the relative world we inhabit, we can use Wind Horse as inspiration to live out our values with integrity. It helps us transform doubt and anxiety into spiritual warriorship to live out our Buddha nature.

WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/wind-horse-ari-lathuras/
____________
Ari Lathuras has been practicing meditation for approximately 35 years. She has received teaching from many renowned Buddhist teachers over the years. Pema Chodron has been one of her main sources of dharma teachings. She studied and practiced with Ani Pema since the mid-90's. 

In 2009 she met Ani Pema's teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and became a student of his. She has also attended several teachings with Mindrolling Kondro Rinpoche. As a professional sign language interpreter, Ari has interpreted for many dharma teachers over the years.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 the middle of community organizing?
• How do we employ wise speech?
• Can we use our inner resources to cut through the social conditioning of racism, sexism, and homophobia? 
• Do we see how greed, hatred, and delusion manifest in our systems and institutions? 

In this rich talk and discussion, he helps us explore how we can see the world through spiritual eyes by starting with equanimity and compassion.

> An extended Q&A follows, discussing schadenfreude, reactivity, and social justice.<
____________
Donald Rothberg, Ph.D., a member of the Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Center, and a teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center, teaches retreats and groups on concentration and insight meditation practice, lovingkindness practice, transforming the judgmental mind, mindful communication, working skillfully with conflict, and socially engaged Buddhism.

He has practiced insight meditation since 1976, and has also received training in Tibetan Dzogchen, body-based psychotherapy, and trauma work. He has helped guide many six-month to two-year training programs in socially engaged spirituality, both Buddhist-based and interfaith, and is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World, and the co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue.

Learn more at https://donaldrothberg.com/

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 Vietnam, she received her meditation training in the Insight and Zen traditions in the US, Thailand, Japan, and Vietnam. She was a founding member of the Buddhists of Color in 1998 and currently is the guiding teacher of Access to Zen, an anti-racist, inclusive sangha and non-profit in the SF Bay Area. She lives in San Francisco with her partner, exploring waterways and forests as often as they can.

Visit https://accesstozen.org/ for ways to connect and practice together.

WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/skillful-effort-lien-shutt-2/

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 teachings of Dogan, the founder of Soto Zen.
____________
This episode is dedicated to the memory of long-time GBF member Paul Shepard
____________
WATCH the full talk on our website: https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/taking-your-practice-off-the-cushion-daigan-gaither/
____________
Rev. Daigan Gaither (he/him) began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow,” and received Priest Ordination in July 2011.

Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics, particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice, and their intersections with the Dharma. He also sits or has sat on a number of boards and committees that serve community needs and further social justice causes.

Daigan has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies (with a chaplaincy certificate and a certificate in Soto Zen Buddhism) from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies. You can find out more via his website queerdharma.net. He lives in San Francisco, CA and identifies as a disabled, queer, white, cis male.
Learn more at http://queerdharma.net 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

How do the works of Shakespeare echo the teachings of the Buddha?

In this heartfelt talk, Matthew Perifano reflects on the transformative power of language as he intertwines his lifelong love of Shakespeare with his journey through Buddhism and the AIDS epidemic. He begins by framing the dharma as more than just teachings—truth, practice, and a deep refuge—and connects it to the power of Shakespearean language. Matthew highlights how Shakespeare can evoke profound emotional resonance, citing authors and works like Shakespeare Meets the Buddha and The Buddha and the Bard that mirror Eastern thought. He recounts how one particular quote from Cymbeline has echoed through his life: “All other doubts by time, let them be cleared. Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered.” This quote, and others, become spiritual companions, much like Buddhist texts.

He shares personal stories from his past, including his deep involvement with a Shakespeare reading group and its eventual disbanding. Through grief and loss during the AIDS crisis, Matthew found solace in Shakespeare's sonnets, many of which mirrored his emotional landscape. This culminated in the creation of a musical project—A Shakespeare Garden—telling a poignant love story between two young men in 1980s San Francisco, solely through Shakespeare’s words. Matthew sees blank verse as a heartbeat, a meditative rhythm that aligns with Buddhist practice. He closes by reciting stirring lines from The Tempest, capturing impermanence and the dreamlike nature of life, resonating with the first noble truth and the dharma's essence.

______________

Matthew Perifano (he/him) is a member of the Gay Buddhist Fellowship. He is grateful to be given this opportunity to share his love of Shakespeare and the Dharma with GBF. Shakespeare Dharma recounts his rich and strange journey with Shakespeare that began with a reading group that approached Shakespeare as mind/body practice rather than as theater. Eventually, this reading group would form Birnam Wood Musical Shakespeare Co. and Matthew would discover his facility for setting Shakespeare’s verse to music.

As Matthew became more knowledgeable about Buddhist Dharma, he discovered connections between Buddhist teachings and the truth about human nature and human existence to be found in the plays and sonnets of Shakespeare. Certain passages have become like sutras to him which he is happy to share with you. Ultimately, on a most profound level, Shakespeare became a refuge of solace and healing during the darkest days of the AIDS epidemic.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 us. He encourages us to mature in our humanity in ways we might not yet have realized. 

Eugene speaks of the inspiration for his talk: Paul Redd, a man imprisoned for 44 years from the age of 19 to 63, including 25 years in solitary confinement. He died on Juneteenth, 2022 of Covid, just two years after being released. 
____________ 
Eugene Cash is the founding teacher of the San Francisco Insight Meditation Community of San Francisco. He teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and leads intensive meditation retreats internationally. His teaching is influenced by both Burmese and Thai streams of the Theravada tradition as well as Zen and Tibetan Buddhist practice. He is also a teacher of the Diamond Approach, a school of spiritual investigation and self-realization developed by A. H. Almaas.

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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 of American Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Modernity (Yale University Press, 2019). She is currently working on a collaborative book with Amy Langenberg on sexual misconduct and abuse in contemporary Buddhism, which is under advance contract with Yale University Press. 

Learn more about Ann, with links to many of her published articles, at https://philosophy.cah.ucf.edu/faculty-staff/profile/569 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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-gleig/

SUGGESTED READING:
Bob Sharf, “Losing Our Religion” 
https://tricycle.org/magazine/losing-our-religion-2/
____________
Ann Gleig is an associate professor of Religion and Cultural Studies at the University of Central Florida. She is the author of American Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Modernity (Yale University Press, 2019). She is currently working on a collaborative book with Amy Langenberg on sexual misconduct and abuse in contemporary Buddhism, which is under advance contract with Yale University Press.

Learn more about Ann, with links to many of her published articles, at https://philosophy.cah.ucf.edu/faculty-staff/profile/569 

______________ 
To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/
There you can:  

•  Donate 
•  Learn how to participate live 
•  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers 
•  Join our mailing list or discussion forum
•  Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995

CREDITS
Audio Production: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter