Gay buddhist retreat
Meditation for the LGBTQIA+ Community
Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity Group
Meeting every second Saturday of the month from 10 am to midday at the Buddhist Centre. Please come early for a prompt start. Optional from we often have a social gathering and finish the morning with tea and cake until
The organization is suitable for GSRD people new to meditation and those with an established meditation practice.
Our employ of Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) reflects our current understanding of marginalised identities, including people on the gender spectrum who might identify as trans, agender, bi-gender, crossdressers, genderqueer, gender fluid, and non-binary. Sexual orientation/identities: including lesbian, gay, bi- and pan-sexual and those on the asexual spectrum. We include people on the aromantic (aro) spectrum, people in multi-partnered relationships as well as those in ‘monogamish’ forms of partnership.
The group is led by GSRD Buddhists offering a supportive space for meditation and an opportunity to connect with other GSRD people. We incl
Annual Fall Retreat, September ,
In the words of Rumi, “Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter.&#; In this retreat we will meet the grief and sorrows of this moment, building our capacity
to be with what is and making territory for the happiness and pleasure that arises in our communal practice.
The near enemy of equanimity is indifference. In cultivating this quality of equanimity in these times of so much division, conflict and loss, we shift towards more aliveness and more feeling, with the land and support of our practice and our sangha.
This retreat will include noble silence, and opportunities to connect in spiritual friendship, still and walking meditation, guided heart rehearse and chanting together.
We invite GBF members, friends, queer people of all genders, to join us for our retreat at the pretty Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, CA: .
In this 3 day (two-night) partly silent retreat, we will position and walk in meditation together, chant, eat, and be in connection with nature and each oth
Buddhism & Meditation Weekend
Not always. Bear in mind that retreats can be challenging. They feature extended periods of silence, meditation, and reflection on the big questions of life and death. They also offer much less distraction than our usual lives so we experience ourselves more directly. Thoughts and feelings might enter alive, both pleasant and unpleasant.
Although it is a very supportive environment, a retreat is not a substitute for therapeutic assist and we can’t offer assist of that kind. If you are experiencing psychiatric challenges, feeling upheaval, or moving through other strong or difficult states of mind, please consider if this is the right time for you to go on retreat. You may consider whether there are other supports you demand in your life first. It’s also true that going on retreat at a time when we’re facing difficulties in experience can be very fruitful, as it gives us a chance to pause, process our encounter and gain perspective.
You may also not be able to profit from a retreat if for health reasons you are unable to participate in the entire prog
Rainbow Retreat
Can I talk to someone about trans/gender-diverse support?
Contact Cittamata (they/them) via info@
Do I need to be a Buddhist or contain any meditation experience?
No, the retreat is suitable for everyone, and makes an excellent first retreat for people who are brand-new to meditation and Buddhism.
What does the cost include?
The retreat cost covers the full cost of the retreat, including all food.
When does the retreat begin and end?
The retreat will begin with dinner on the Friday evening at pm. You are welcome to arrive any second from 5pm. It is normally not advisable to plan to arrive later than this. If you think you might require to, please contact us before booking.
We will finalize on the Sunday afternoon, around 3pm.
What will the accommodation be like?
Vijayaloka provides simple, but comfortable accommodation. Living communally is an important and enjoyable part of the retreat. We will be in common rooms with people in each, and will consume together communally.
Living communally means caring for each other. The team leading the retreat are volunteers wh