Love, Sexuality, and Awakening: Retreat

Ven. Amma Thanasanti Bhikkhuni (awakeningtruth.org) and Dr. Sharon Beckman-Brindley (metta.org); Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Fragrant blossoming lotus flower, the symbol of opening (tvladusi/flickr.com)

 

Dr. Beckman-Brindley, Ven. Thanasanti

The theme of this retreat is our relationship with various facets of love as part of a path of Buddhist awakening. "Love" includes a broad range of experience -- from a sense of friendliness and compassion, to appreciation toward ourselves, to the desire to release our masks and defenses and rest in a shared intimacy with others [a loss of self and merging with someone or something larger].

Sometimes in our daily life, this shared intimacy is expressed through romantic sexual involvement. [Other times it is sought diving within through asceticism and spirituality.] Ultimately, resting in love, we can embody an unconditional love that has no expectations, where love is an essential quality of "being" rather than a state or circumstance we long for [a trait rather than a temporary state].

 

Time for reflection (true-enlightenment.com)

This will be an eight precept retreat in which we refrain from killing and harming, and from stealing, any sexual activity, incorrect speech, and/or substances which cloud the mind. There will be two meals and an evening snack. We will begin the week using the Foundations of Mindfulness in silent practice. After a few days of silence, we will introduce sessions of Insight Dialogue to explore the theme.

It runs from Saturday May 23-30 in Loveland, Colorado, at Sunrise Ranch within easy access of Denver Int'l airport, yet secluded from the bustle of city life, in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Program contact: Katherine Wolfe (wolfalohalani@gmail.com). More 
 
ELIGIBILITY: This retreat is suitable for anyone self-identified as a woman who has a regular meditation practice and has done a seven-day mindfulness retreat.

DONATION: The teachings are offered on a dana basis (the Pali word for "generosity," the Buddhist practice of giving to one’s capacity).

SCHOLARSHIP: Dana has played an essential role in the Buddhist tradition. In the spirit of this tradition, Awakening Truth does not want cost to be an obstacle to participation and so, are committed to offering financial assistance to those who need it. If you cannot attend the retreat due to cost, please contact the retreat committee: 720-295-1321 or awakeningtruth.retreats@gmail.com.

SPONSORED BY: Awakening Truth, a 501(c)3 organization based in Colorado with the intention of supporting Buddhist nuns, bringing the teachings into the modern world and building a training monastery for [blended-Theravada] Forest Tradition bhikkhunis.

TEACHERS

Sharon Beckman-Brindley, Ph.D., is a Senior Insight Dialogue Teacher who teaches Insight Dialogue retreats worldwide. A clinical psychologist, she has served as team leader for Metta’s Relational Insight Meditation Program; she also serves on the Metta Programs Teachers Council. She has practiced vipassana (insight) meditation for over 30 years. Since 2001 she has studied and practiced the Dhamma and Insight Dialogue intensively with Gregory Kramer. She is also a co-founder and a guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville, Virginia and is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She also has over 30 years of practice as a psychotherapist, who has led workshops and retreats on meditation and its integration with psychotherapy for over 15 years. She is a stepmother and a grandmother and lives with her husband and their two cats in Charlottesville.
 
Amma Thanasanti Bhikkhuni is a guest in Metta’s Teacher Training program. She has been meditating for over 30 years, a [Theravada or more eccentric American monastic] Buddhist nun for over 20 years, and has been teaching internationally for over 15 years. He work spans rigorous understanding of Buddhist teachings, non-dual meditation, depth psychology, subtle body energies, and the Divine Feminine. She teaches meditation as an art and skill, integrating body, heart, and mind with finesse and compassion. She founded Awakening Truth [whose rainbow motif suggests a particularly welcome climate for lesbians and gays], whose mission is to create a nun (bhikkhuni)'s training monastery and seeks ways for monastics and lay practitioners to work together to support whole-life practice. She is currently based at the Shakti Vihara Hermitage in Colorado Springs.

Complaint: Why ya gotta talk about SEX?!

Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly

That is so disgusting! Sex and Buddhism together?

Lost in translation (en espanol*)

COMPLAINT: I'm no prude but... Why do you have to talk about SEX?!

My gratitude to Wisdom Quarterly for posting some articles and therapeutic workshops regarding sexuality ("Sex, Intimacy, Communication on Buddhist the Path"), but why?

In the world of sensuality, desire, and intimate sexual relationships, I believe that they are educational to many. HOWEVER, as we ALL know, practitioners at different levels may have different needs! For those, like me, who have been on the path for many years and have transcended those worldly desires and felt free will not need any therapy!

Furthermore, although observing celibacy is not required in many spiritual practices for laypeople, enjoying sex, especially with multiple partners (over-indulging in sensual pleasures) is certainly not  encouraged. Do you encourage it? Why is WQ talking about food, too? I'm not done yet! I want to be heard!!

REPLY: Dear Madam and/or Sir, Consider contributing something on the topic. Anyone who reads one day of Wisdom Quarterly may be misled. But anyone who reads many days will begin to see some balance in our coverage.

WQ: public relations geniuses (lol)

We do not encourage sexual misconduct/clinging to sense desire. We condemn it. It is not the path. But most people may not actively be on the path or seeking it just yet. What should they do? Live lives of shame and guilt, hide or be frustrated, lie to others and deceive themselves? Sex is here. Let's deal with it, candidly and honestly with care for our relationships and the place of this part of our corporeal reality. Believe it or not, there are uptight members of this Judeo-Atheistic-Christian society. 

Our human bodies are fine (examiner.com)

Wisdom Quarterly is a sex-positive site: Like FEMEN and OCCUPY and PUSSY RIOT and SLUTWALK and GO TOPLESS and CRASS, we use our bodies to demonstrate and call attention to ill-done deeds around the world. Let intolerant/orthodox Christian fundamentalists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Satanists, and gatekeeping scientists condemn us. But we will nevertheless cover "forbidden" topics. We welcome all help toward voluntary celibacy for temporary intensive-practitioners, such as those on retreat or pursuing a period of monasticism. Please, offer our readers help on this popular subject.

 

Right-wing Republican Jesus

COMPLAINT cont'd: I may not be able to offer help since I am not a "sex" guru. I just wanted to point out the fact that there are lay practitioners of different kinds of spiritual practices who have realized greater satisfying fulfillment from spiritual practices than from sex. They may not need sex therapies in order to please their partner(s). Of course, I agree with that most humans still have basic needs to fulfill. Therapies suggested by Wisdom Quarterly could be educational and helpful. However, "sex" may not need to be "encouraged" in the name of religion! Why don't you stupid tramps give it a rest? Many great sages of different kinds of spiritual practices embrace a life of celibacy, although they might not be required to do so. However, without judging people by religious standards, I have nothing against those who like to enjoy hot sex. It's just personal choice. As for me, I agree with the teachings of Yoganada [Editor: SRF's Paramhansa Yogananda] and Jesus [St. Issa] on "relationship." Get a life.

*TRANSLATION: A boy wearing a skull rock 'n roll tee-shirt is being scolded by a Catholic priest, who is saying: "Look, son, I don't have anything against rock, but doesn't it seem morbid and in poor taste to you that someone would use an image of a cadaver as a marketing strategy?" Poster reads "Church versus Rock: Not too different."

Sex, Intimacy, Communication on Buddhist Path

Seth Auberon and Gary Sanders, Wisdom Quarterly

"Adore," the next "Lolita" with tables turned on boys by cougars (Gaumont/zimbio.com)

Sex, Intimacy, and Communication on the Buddhist Path

Don't stare at my chest; it's censored!

A unique series will explore what the Buddha taught as principles for lay practitioners regarding relationships and sexuality. The format will include meditation, Dharma talks, and open discussions.

 

Facilitator JoAnna Harper will also leap forward 2,600 years to a growing population of non-monastic Buddhist practitioners living life in the world of sensuality, desire, and intimate sexual relationships. Relatively little is found on these topics in Buddhism. 

 

Sex on the brain (GM)

But this class series is a beautiful opportunity to discover our own relationship to these sensitive topics on how to live life fully while causing less distress to ourselves and others around us.

This four-week series covers the third precept -- not causing harm with our sexuality, renouncing clinging through voluntary celibacy, how a strong mindfulness practice can open us to greater intimacy with others and deepen our communication skills.

• Four-Week Series with JoAnna Harper
• Mondays starting Oct. 7, 7:30-9:00 pm
• Against the Stream, Melrose

COST: $20 per evening, plus dana for the teacher. $10 discount if paid in advance. Scholarships and work study are available and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. INFO/REGISTER

JoAnna Harper (spiritrock.org)

JoAnna Harper has been exploring and practicing multiple traditions since 1999.  In 2005, her focus landed on Buddhism and Vipassana (insight meditation) in particular, which is the basis of most of her current teachings. She facilitates adult and teen weeklong silent retreats, day longs, and weekly classes; she also works with at-risk youth and others in institutional and school settings. She has been trained in council facilitation through the Ojai Foundation, is a graduate of Noah Levine's Against the Stream teacher training program, and is currently in the Spirit Rock/IMS/IMC four-year teacher training. She is a grateful mother of two children, CJ and Harris, who are her main inspirations.

• 4300 Melrose Ave., Hollywood/LA (parking around center)
• Chairs, mats, and cushions provided.
• Against the Stream.org or (323) 665-4300
• Donate to the ATS scholarship fund