bouddhistes et homosexuelles

Lesbian Buddhist Sangha

We know that the dominant expression of Buddhism and Buddhist practice is not a feminine expression and certainly not lesbian. As Buddhism moves to the west it is not only encountering Western ideas and culture, but women’s and lesbian issues. In order for women’s and lesbian expression of Buddhism to emerge, there needs to be a quiet and safe place for our questions, intuition and wisdom. Together we take refuge in our potential to awaken. We take refuge in the teachings. We take refuge in our Lesbian Sangha, which provides us spiritual friendship and support.

Our tradition is based on the practice of mindfulness and loving kindness. Mindfulness is the examination of our experience through calm and focus awareness. Mindfulness, when strengthened, gives us the ability to see things as they really are. In the seeing comes deep freedom and peace. Learning to relate to our experiences from a place of stillness enables one to begins to accept all of life with increasing equanimity and balance. Life is seen as a constantly changing process. This deepening of the awareness process is called insight. Loving kindness meditation gives us the ability to hold ourselves. Both mindfullness and loving kindness meditation supports us to live our lives with compassion and wisdom, in deep connection with all of life.

Sangha Gatherings

We meet on 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 pm, at the Epworth United Methodist Church, 1953 Hopkins Street, Berkeley (just north of the Alameda). Bring your zafus. Chairs are available and the church is wheel chair accessible. We sit for 30 to 40 minutes before announcements, dharma talk and mindful discussion. Occasionally we invite guest speakers, and members have spoken on topics of interest to us all. Sometimes we have potlucks and socializing after the meeting. The Sangha is open to all lesbian, bisexual, trangendered and questioning women.