The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF

The Mindful Sanctuary: Why We Go on Retreat

In this reflection on retreat life, four GBF community members explore how taking time away from our relentless routines, news cycles, and digital devices offers a quiet

Relating to the Mettā Sutta on Our Own Terms – Prasadachitta

This talk is a preview of the GBF Fall Retreat: Our Belonging to Kindness: Awakening to the World We Carry Together, September 25-27, 2026. ______________ How do we tak

The Gifts of Imperfection: Finding Faith in Uncertainty - Eli Talen

Eli Talen invites us to examine our endless pursuit of perfection and the exhausting habit of waiting until everything is organized before we allow ourselves to start liv

The Sacred Dance of Joy: Practicing Mudita in Daily Life - JD Doyle

How can we remember that we were created for joy when our minds are busy and our hearts feel weighed down by the world's troubles?  In this uplifting talk, JD Doyle

The Power of Words: Practicing Right Speech in Daily Life - Laura Burges

Ryuko Laura Burges invites us to consider how our words shape our reality and whether they serve as a force for division or healing in a troubled world. Laura demonstrat

Becoming Ordinary: The Five Ranks of Zen Service - Roshi David Blackwell (Jōkai)

Despite the world around us constantly changing, we can remain grounded in the timeless stillness beneath it all. Roshi David Blackwell walks us through what happens whe

Remagining Buddhist Pride - Trip Weil

In this talk from Pride weekend, Trip Weil explores how we can find a true, universal sense of freedom in our lives if we allow the dharma to reveal and heal painful aspe

How We Can Stop Judging and Start Living - Daigan Gaither

We become disconnected from our actual lives when we’re constantly trapped in a cycle of judging every feeling we have.  Here Daigan Gaither invites us to look at how we

Finding Our Universal Flow - Bill Weber

Can we move beyond that small, tight sense of feeling separate and truly experience ourselves as part of the vast, magical universe?  In this heart-opening talk, Bill We

The Practice of Unselfish Joy - Melvin Escobar

Melvin Escobar helps us discover how we can tap into a source of happiness that doesn't depend on our personal wins, but actually grows the more others succeed.  He

Shakespeare Dharma: Two Refuges - Matthew Perifano

In this moving and lyrical talk, Matthew Perifano shares how he found a sense of true refuge when facing deep grief and the uncertainty of life.  Matthew shares how he b

The Path to Freedom in an Ever-Changing World - Walt Opie

The Path to Freedom in an Ever-Changing World How can we find lasting peace when everything in our lives—from our favorite shops to our own bodies—is constantly changing

Embodying Our Truth: The Perfection of Queer Wisdom - Liên Shutt

Rev. Liên Shutt explores how the Buddhist path of wisdom can help us fully celebrate and embody our identities as queer people.  The concept of prajna (wisdom) is not an

Fueling Our Resilience with Joy - Eve Decker

Eve Decker explores the vital necessity of cultivating joy not as a way to ignore suffering, but as a spiritual practice to maintain internal balance and equanimity. It i

The Resilience of Joy - Mary Stancavage

Finding a sense of lightness and joy ? Mary Stancavage explores the vital necessity of cultivating joy as a spiritual practice to maintain internal balance and equanimity

The Softened Heart: Cultivating Wisdom Through Vulnerability - Joe Goode

How can we prevent our hearts from hardening against a brutal world and instead use our own imperfections as a bridge to connection? Joe Goode addresses this by arguing

The Balanced Heart: Redefining Equanimity in Times of Conflict - René Rivera

How can we maintain a steady heart and a sense of purpose when the systems we rely on seem to be collapsing and the world feels overwhelmed by conflict? René Rivera show

Leading with a Friendly Heart - Sean Feit Oakes

How can we maintain a compassionate heart in a world defined by conflict?  Sean Feit Oakes shows us how we can use the Brahma Viharas—the "immeasurable" states of love,

It's Okay to Not be Okay - Daigan Gaither

Daigan Gaither helps us examine how we can remain deeply engaged with a suffering world without losing our sanity, despite the "fire hose" of constant information and act

Finding Your Posture of Peace - Victoria Austin

How can we maintain a steady heart and a sense of purpose when the world around us is in conflict?  Victoria Austin introduces us to the concept of a "posture of peace,"