The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF

• The Multiplicity of Awareness - Eugene Cash

  What does it mean to truly awaken—and how do we live with full awareness in every moment, even in the face of impermanence? Eugene Cash's warm, playful, and deeply sincere style invites us into a rich exploration of mindfulness, death, and the immediacy of life. Drawing from the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Eugene emphasizes the experiential nature of awareness, encouraging us to feel our bodies, notice our breath, and recognize the fleeting nature of each moment. He shares personal stories, including a near-death experience and the dissolution of San Francisco Insight to illustrate how impermanence can be a gateway to freedom.Eugene’s teaching is grounded in both classical Buddhist texts and lived experience. He references the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10), Zen master Dogen, Longchenpa of the Dzogchen tradition, and Shantideva, offering poetic and powerful quotes that illuminate the path to awakening, focusing on:Mindfulness of posture, breath, and bodily elements (earth, air, fire, water)Awareness in all activities—“no one at Safeway has to know you’re meditating”The normality of death and the intoxications of youth, health, and lifeAwakening as “springing into being” and “the freshness of reality”The insight that freedom arises when we stop clinging to anythingHe offers us a gentle nudge to wake up to the miracle of being here, now.______________Eugene Cash is the founding teacher of the San Francisco Insight Meditation Community of San Francisco which ended in October 2025 after more than 30 years. He now 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. Learn more at https://www.insightdharmacenter.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 many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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• The Heart, Broken Open - Jennifer Berezan

  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 many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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• The Buddha & Neuroscience - Eve Decker

  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:Neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to change through repeated practice, supporting the Buddhist emphasis on intentional cultivation.Negativity bias – our tendency to focus on threats, which mindfulness helps balance by training attention toward wholesome states.Self-directed neuroplasticity – consciously reinforcing positive traits like gratitude and kindness, a core aim of both Dharma and CBT.Internal Family Systems (IFS) – recognizing and compassionately working with different “parts” of ourselves, much like Buddhist teachings on non-self and multiplicity of mind.Polyvagal Theory – understanding how safety and connection regulate our nervous system, aligning with the Buddhist emphasis on compassion and relational presence.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 many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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• Self Compassion - Walt Opie

  Self-compassion is a vital part of the Buddhist path, especially here in the West. Here, Walt Opie shares personal stories and reflections on how difficult it can be to extend kindness toward ourselves, especially when we’re caught in patterns of self-judgment or perfectionism. Walt emphasizes that self-compassion isn’t selfish—it’s foundational. When we treat ourselves with care and understanding, we’re better able to show up for others and engage with the world from a place of balance and authenticity.Walt also highlights several key practices and perspectives to cultivate self-compassion:Mindful awareness – noticing when we’re being hard on ourselves and gently shifting our inner dialogue.Loving-kindness (Metta) – directing phrases of goodwill inward, not just outward.Common humanity – remembering that suffering and imperfection are part of being human.Letting go of the inner critic – recognizing that harsh self-talk doesn’t lead to growth, but gentle encouragement might.Taking refuge in the Dharma – using the teachings as a source of support and clarity during difficult times.Throughout the talk, Walt reminds us that self-compassion is a skill we can build—not a personality trait we either have or don’t. It’s a practice of returning to ourselves with warmth, patience, and the willingness to be imperfect.______________Walt Opie was introduced to insight meditation in 1993 at Spirit Rock and attended his first residential retreat there in 2005. He is a graduate of both the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders' (CDL4) program and the Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy program. Walt is a participant in the current Insight Meditation Society (IMS) Teacher Training program. He leads a monthly sitting group for people in recovery in Berkeley and serves as a volunteer Buddhist facilitator at Solano State Prison in Vacaville. In addition, he is the Executive Director of the Buddhist Pathways Prison Project (BP3). ______________ 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 many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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• Living with Integrity - Steven Tierney

  In this talk, Steven Tierney emphasizes living with integrity as the core of Buddhist practice.He helps us reflect on living a meaningful and compassionate practice that is responsive to our unique life situations while benefitting both ourselves and others.Steven defines integrity as aligning thoughts, words, and actions with core values while living for the benefit of others.Integrity means wholeness and completeness, derived from Latin meaning "whole"Encourages self-reflection and internal alignment with personal valuesMoves us beyond intellectual understanding to embodied practicePractical ApplicationsReplacing to-do lists with "to-feel" lists (focusing on desired feelings rather than tasks)Reducing doom scrolling and social media consumptionPracticing "We Care" - balancing self-care with caring for othersBuddhist Practice in Daily LifeEmphasizing that Buddhist teachings should be verified through lived experiencePromoting engaged Buddhism that flows from contemplative practiceLiving the Bodhisattva vows through everyday interactionsKey ConceptsUpaya (skillful means) - teaching in multiple ways to reach different peopleNimbleness of spirit - knowing when to speak up versus when to listenBeing present and compassionate rather than getting overwhelmed by external eventsSteven concludes by referencing the Buddha's belief in the innate nobility and compassion of all beings, suggesting that negative qualities are learned rather than inherent.______________Steven Tierney (Kai Po Koshin) is a Dharma transmitted teacher in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi. Steven has a new Sangha: Oceans Compassion Sangha and also practices with Gay Buddhist Fellowship, Meditation in Recovery at SFZC, Great Spirit Sangha, SFLGBTQA Sangha, and the Hartford Street Zen Center.Steven believes that we can find wisdom, compassion and awakening wherever good people come together for practice, healing, service and joy. Dr. Tierney is a psychotherapist in private practice and Professor Emeritus in Counseling Psychology at CIIS.He is a Certified Addiction Specialist and has been named a Diplomate in Clinical Mental Health by the American Mental Health Counselors Association. He is also a certified suicide prevention and intervention trainer, providing workshops, classes, and consultations. Steven can be reached at 415-235-1061 or [email protected] ______________ 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 many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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