Brahmacarya Boys's topics - tribe.net

Happy, horny, holy Solstice

2008-06-19T05:20:13Z

Supple and turbulent, a ring of men
Shall chant in orgy on a summer morn
Their boisterous devotion to the sun,
Not as a god, but as a god might be,
Naked among them, like a savage source.
Their chant shall be a chant of paradise,
Out of their blood, returning to the sky;
And in their chant shall enter, voice by voice,
The windy lake wherein their lord delights,
The trees, like serafin, and echoing hills,
That choir among themselves long afterward.
They shall know well the heavenly fellowship
Of men that perish and of summer morn.
And whence they came and whither they shall go
The dew upon their feet shall manifest.

Wallace Stevens, "Sunday Morning," Section 7

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I hate to bring this out on tribe but....

2008-05-03T01:22:10Z

I think I hve a sexual dysfunction. I mean don't get me wrong I love sex(forgive me I can't afford a sex therapist) But I love the idea of it more than I like to have it. I love watching sex, porn, BDSM, but partaking in sex just doesn't get me as much. I mean I masrurbate constantly with all of these fetishes that turn me on but when my bf or anyone for that matter wants to have sex with me I lose interst and jerk off later to the things I could have done. I wasn't always like this. I've worked in the sex industry and enjoyed it immensly (Bondage and sex shop here in Philly and the west coast) But these past few months I just don't feel like it unless it's voyerism.....I don't even know why I'm posting about this usually I use tribe for rants and raves about other things but I mangaed to not bring my sex life too into the equasion......Oh well I hope it comes back I am only 24 and I am attactive it's not like I have a problem getting sex. Its not like I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just sexually dysfunctional because I masturbate at least 6 to 7 times a day I just don't know why I don't get turned on like I used to.......anyways I'm done sorry you had to hear that....

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 7 replies

What would be your advice?

2008-02-06T05:35:35Z

If you could only give three pieces of advice to someone you loved, what would they be?

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 4 replies

TRUTH IS FREE; so is my RETREAT --Vermont

2007-11-05T18:03:11Z

I'm looking to network with folks, to extend an invitation to visit Bald Mountain Retreat (www.baldmountainretreat.com) as my guest. Like-minded people who appreciate rustic accommodations are welcome to come up at no charge. (Those who require a private room can inquire about those accommodations as well.)
Basically, I'm offering people the opportunity to come stay with a retired naturopathic doctor in a truly amazing natural setting, secluded, idyllic, peaceful...
Also, if you might like to lead a retreat, please contact me.
Thank you and you are welcome,
Dr David

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5/12 What does your soul long for?

2007-05-06T08:53:28Z

MEN’S SOULFORCE:
Through tarot imagery, storytelling, ritual, & labyrinth
Explore your passions/joys, wounds/fears, & the allies/keys that unlock them
5/12/07, Sat, 4:00-10:30 pm

Do you sense a deeper force operating in your life - a force that knows what you long for and what you're really capable of? Through exploring tarot imagery, story-telling, journaling, ritual, & walking a labyrinth, you can discover aspects of your Soul Force - the stories that propel you to be authentically powerful.

You can playfully and simply tell stories and create your own rituals to look more deeply at your passions/joys, wounds/fears, and the allies & keys that help you invoke parts of your soul’s story. In this workshop we’ll create a quiet, sacred space, and from within that place we’ll ask “Why am I here?” And then we will listen, and keep on listening. We don’t need burning bushes or perfect answers, just what’s true for now.

CO-FACILITATORS:: Paul H. Richard, a life-coach specializing in archetypal psychology, soul mentoring, and the use of evolutionary astrology, tarot, labyrinth, & other shamanic techniques to discover your soul's purpose; James Fabish is a licensed massage therapist & perpetual student and practitioner of the healing arts.

DIVERSITY: We welcome & are strengthened by adult men of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, spritualities (and none), and backgrounds (including trans guys). Thanks for helping us increase the diversity of men who get invited to this event by forwarding this invitation to friends & colleagues who might be interested.

COSPONSORS: MenSpirit is a joint project of three non-profit organizations, Q-LAND, LoveTribe, & Spirit Hawk, empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Bart at 503-223-8822 or events@qland.org or website: qland.org

RSVP website: lovetribe.org/menspirit

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a singular ecstasy!

2007-04-29T06:02:09Z

just a puzzler...

what would you consider the single most important catalyst on your path? First transcendent ecstatic experience?
Just wondering.

Namaste.
Craig
Hermes Alchemist

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 11 replies

4/22 Earth Day Men’s Eco-Walk

2007-04-17T08:56:43Z

Most men have been taught to be cut off from the earth, their bodies, and their feelings. On Earth Day we have the opportunity to reconnect in a very direct, physical way with endangered plants, animals, and the nature we co-create with them. And you can do this in a tiny nature preserve right in the city:

CAMASSIA ECO-WALK
4/22, Sunday, 1:30 pm Carpool, 2:15pm Eco-Walk

Who knew that one of the smallest, most diverse, and most endangered ecosystems in North America was nestled on 26 acres in West Linn? David Barts (Watermelon), who has been studying and interpreting Northwest plants & ecosystems for more than 20 years will lead us in an exploration of Camassia Natural Area , which has beautiful spring wild flowers, unique endangered plants, and is one of the most unique little nature preserves in the U.S. We’ll enjoy a delicious dinner afterwards.

DIVERSITY: Thanks for helping us increase the diversity of men who get invited to this event by forwarding this invitation to friends & colleagues who might be interested.

COSPONSORS: MenSpirit, a joint project of three non-profit organizations, Q-LAND, LoveTribe, & Spirit Hawk, empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: David at 503-223-8822 or registrar@qland.org or website: qland.org

RSVP website: lovetribe.org/menspirit

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SF Faerie Full Moon Chanting on You Tube:

2007-03-08T09:37:14Z

SF Faerie Full Moon Chanting on You Tube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ey3xeCjHgKo

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

12/19 Love Your Low-Back

2006-12-12T09:08:30Z

The lower back is the source of so much power, and when that power doesn't flow, so much pain.

Your lower back deserves simple, practical, & loving support in this stressful time of year . . .

MEN TOUCHING WITH HEART:
Effective, Simple Strategies for Preventing/Coping with Low Back Pain
Tues, 12/19, 7:00-10:00 pm

A Licensed Physical Therapist, Ted Ellquist, who has extensive training in the McKenzie Method of pain management & prevention, will be teaching men how to use better posture, body mechanics, stretches, and healing touch techniques to cope with or prevent low-back pain.

These techniques will be presented in an interactive way, so you'll have the chance to both give & receive healing touch & stretches throughout the workshop. After experimenting with various techniques, you'll receive significant time on the techniques that seem to work best for you. You can learn more about the McKenzie Method and Ted's training & experience at www.backinactionpt.com

DIVERSITY: Event open to adult men of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, experience levels, and backgrounds (including trans guys). Thanks for helping us increase the diversity of men who get invited to this event by forwarding this invitation to friends & colleagues who might be interested.

CO-SPONSORS: MenSpirit, a joint project of three non-profit organizations, Q-LAND, LoveTribe, & Spirit Hawk, empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Bart at 503-223-8822 or healingtouch@qland.org or www.qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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light a candle

2006-12-08T02:47:38Z

Body: Please light a candle!

Today, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the pharmaceutical monolith that charges nearly $1,000 for a 30 day supply of one of its HIV/AIDS medications, is donating $1 to the National AIDS Fund for each person who simply visits their website and "virtually lights a candle." The tally is over 800,000 now.

Please, please take a minute to "light a candle":

www.lighttounite.org

This really will take just a second!! :) Please forward this on to other friends!

P.S. Please, take a few seconds to repost this so that the word can get out to as many people as possible. Thank You!

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New to group....

2006-11-27T07:41:39Z

I was very excited to run into this tribe because this is something I've been struggling with considerably in the past few months. I'm more into the Taoist forms of essence retention but I think the goals are similar. I recently have been getting very involved in my martial arts practice. So much so that I decided I wanted to become a monk. So I went raw and I tried to stop all sexual activity and I shaved my head, etc. But I would find that even if I wasn't masturbating I was still having nocturnal emissions and the past week has just been insane. Anyways, I think I decided it's best for me to not be so hyper-disciplined and hard on my self because it just put me in a terribly negative and depressed mind space. Another thing that I believe also contributed to the depression is the fact that I felt completely alone in my goals. So I'm hoping this group will help:)...I reside in NYC. I study a lot of Taoist longevity practices and I'd be really interested in finding a partner to study with here in the city. Although it seems most of you guys are on the west coast. Oh well, I've rambled enough. Justin

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 2 replies

12/2 Please pass this along . . .

2006-11-27T04:59:21Z

CREATE A JOB YOU'LL LOVE:
Men's Right Livelihood Workshop
12/2, Saturday, 4:00-10:30 pm

Because men are trained to define themselves by their work, having the wrong job or no job at all can be a major source of stress. In this practical, fun, and affirming workshop you’ll join a group of men who support one another in figuring out:

1) PASSIONS: What are your interests & passions? If you’re depressed or have no idea, what were your passions/interests when you were a kid or young adult?
2) WHO? what kinds of people you most enjoy working for and with?
3) WHAT NEEDS? what kinds of needs/challenges you most enjoy helping
address?
4) WHAT ORGANIZATIONS? what kinds of organizations/businesses you might
enjoy working for or with?
5) WHAT SKILLS? what your skills, experience, & special knowledges are?
6) WHAT ROLES? what roles do you most enjoy playing in work (creator, manager, data collector/analyzer, or supporter)
7) ALLIES? who your allies are for setting up informational interviews with?
potential employers or investors/partners?
8) NEXT STEPS? how you can get on-going support for taking concrete action
towards your right livelihood vision?

TEAMWORK: Finding your great job takes teamwork. Come join a group of men who are serious about finding a great job and want to help one another get started on and sustain effective action. We will use journaling, story-telling, brainstorming, and action-planning to help you create a job you'll love. Out of this workshop you'll also be invited to join an on-going support group to sustain your efforts to create a job you’ll love.

DIVERSITY: This workshop is for adult men of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, experience levels, and backgrounds (including trans guys). Thanks for helping us increase the diversity of men who get invited by forwarding this invitation to friends & colleagues who may be interested.

CO-SPONSORS: MenSpirit, a joint project of two non-profit organizations, Q-LAND & LoveTribe, empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Bill at 503-223-8822 or createyourjob@qland.org or www.qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

This Sat, 11/4 Men Finding Wisdom thru Story-telling

2006-10-30T00:12:57Z

Could you forward this to men who have lived interesting stories or who
understand the power of story-telling to help them draw on the wisdom of men of all ages?

MEN’S INTERGENERATIONAL STORY-TELLING
Saturday, 11/4, 4:00-10:30 pm

* Imagine being able to learn from the wisdom of men of all ages.

* Imagine who you could be if men of all ages helped you tell & understand your story, and you helped them tell their’s.

* Imagine story-telling as a tool for transformation & initiation.

For most of human history story-telling has been a crucial part of men’s initiation and empowerment. Nowadays story-telling has been mostly reduced to mere entertainment -- a mass-produced product to be consumed. This has cut men off from the wisdom of the lived past, present, and future – from actually knowing other men’s stories.

In this playful, creative event you’ll tell key parts of your life story to a small group of men of different ages, and they will retell your story in spoken word poetry, short skits, psycho-drama sculptures, paintings/drawings, and other creative techniques.

Our goal is for you to tell the story of your life to men of different ages, and for you to help retell the stories of other men – in ways that reflect you and the wisdom of the inter-generational group you’re apart of. Ultimately this is about friendship, play, creativity, and initiation through story-telling.

DIVERSITY: We welcome men of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, story-telling abilities, and life backgrounds (including trans guys). Diversity on all levels helps us learn the many ways we can be men. Could you please help us invite diverse men by forwarding this invitation to any of your friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who might be interested, and by attending with them?

SPONSORED BY: MenSpirit, a joint project of two non-profit organizations, Q-LAND & LoveTribe, empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Jack at 503-223-8822 or storytelling@qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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Fall: a time to find your new rhythm

2006-10-16T01:19:49Z

In the Northwest fall brings rejuvenating rain, a quietness that encourages
focusing on inner priorities, and cold that reminds us to support one
another in keeping our body, mind, & spirit warm. Q-LAND & LoveTribe have a wonderful week of men's gatherings designed to help you shift into your new rhythm this
fall. Would you forward this invitation to any men who might be interested
and consider attending one or more of these events yourself?

Tues, 10/17, 7-10 pm
MEN’S HEALING TOUCH EXCHANGE:
Richard Ludt, LMT, helps you use movement, touch, & imagery to release
chronic holding

Thurs, 10/19, 7-9:30 pm
MEN’S DATING LAB:
Finding practical strategies & support to give & receive the kinds of
intimacy you want
Co-Facilitators: Alejandro Cantu & Wayne Bund

Fri, 10/20, 6-9 pm
YOHO’S (Young Homos) COOKING & MUSIC FEST:
Men under 30 learn to cook, eat, & exchange music together
Co-Facilitators: Dan Jones, Wayne Bund, Frederic Henriot

Sat, 10/21, 9:30 am - 6:30 pm
YOGA & MASSAGE FOR STRESS: From Surrender to Strength:
(powerful techniques to respond more creatively to stress; you can attend
the morning session, the afternoon session, or both)
Co-Facilitators: Paul Tucker, Felix Roth, Charles Airey, & Bart Church

Sun, 10/22, 6-8 pm
BEAT-THE-BLUES (DEPRESSION) SUPPORT GROUP
Men’s peer-support group to help you find practical strategies for feeling better
Co-Facilitators: Brian Taylor, RN, & Matthew

INFO: Bart at 503-223-8822 or info@qland.org or www.qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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Tollywood Hot And sexy videoz !!

2006-10-06T17:35:55Z

Tollywood Hot And sexy videoz !!

www.tollywoodstyle.blogspot.com

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Halliburton Watch

2006-10-05T05:06:55Z

www.halliburtonwatch.org/

stay educated...make your own decisions.....

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Gay Hindus

2006-10-05T00:10:04Z

ya feelin me: http://tribes.tribe.net/gayhindus

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SPACES STILL LEFT in our GAY MEN's YOGA RETREAT in HAWAII!

2006-09-07T22:39:46Z

Aloha!
There are still spaces left in our upcoming Fall Men's Yoga Retreat - September 24th-30th on the Big Island at Kalani Oceanside Retreat (www.kalani.com). We'll be practicing together as gay men in a warm, safe and friendly environment. Awaken to Kundalini morning sessions before a tropical breakfast. Enjoy getting into our bodies through hatha, vinyasa and partner yoga before lunch. Afternoons will be free to explore the island, black sand beaches, snorkeling, waterfall adventures and more..! We already have fifteen guys ready to play and practice yoga on the healing island of HAWAII!
Join us this fall, or perhaps for our upcoming retreats next year in 2007! For more info, email: yoga@kalani.com

Peace and aloha,

~jaRed.

Men's Yoga Retreat Facilitator
Vinyasa & Yin Yoga Instructor
Kalani Oceanside Retreat
1 800 800 6886
(808) 965-0468 x122

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Free Fall Men’s Yoga & Meditation starts soon

2006-09-06T21:40:46Z

Would you please forward this invitation to any men who may be interested in attending a FREE men’s yoga or meditation class, and please consider attending yourself?

FREE MEN’S YOGA & MEDITATION CLASSES

As we approach the Autumnal Equinox, the days shorten and it’s a great time to try new ways to integrate wellness & stress-relief into our busy lives. Q-LAND & LoveTribe are launching the fall quarter with the following FREE yoga & meditation classes (for men who’ve never tried one of our classes):

* Monday, 9/18, 6:30-7:45 pm
Core Strength Yoga

* Wednesday, 9/20, 6:30-8:30 pm
Therapeutic Yoga (for men with specific wellness challenges/goals)

* Saturday, 9/23, 10:00-11:15 am
Core Strength Yoga

* Tuesday, 9/12, 7:30-9:30 pm
Men’s Meditation Group

Below are short descriptions of each class.

MEN'S CORE STRENGTH YOGA
Monday, 9/18, 6:30-7:45 pm &
Saturday, 9/23 10:00-11:15 am
As men age, stress, gravity, and neglect of the body conspire to cause us to collapse inward. We close ourselves off to life. In this dynamic, powerful, gentle, and fun class you'll learn to open from the inside out - to strengthen, lengthen, and enjoy your core. This class is for men with diverse abilities, ages, shapes, colors, orientations, and backgrounds (must be able to walk up & down stairs because NW Portland studio is not wheelchair accessible). Instructor Charles Airey has studied yoga for about 25 years, became a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor 20 years ago, and has taught in various studios in South Florida & Southern California.
INFO: Charles 503-223-8822 or yoga@qland.org
RSVP: www.qland.org/menspirit

MEN'S THERAPEUTIC YOGA
Wednesday, 9/20, 6:30-8:30 pm
Small class tailored to address your specific wellness goals, limitations, abilities, & experience. Learn to use Yoga & Ayurveda to reach your wellness goals (getting stronger & more flexible, losing weight, stress relief, becoming calmer & more focused, etc.) and/or self-treat chronic ailments (like back/neck pain, insomnia/anxiety, allergies, depression, HIV, digestive problems, etc). Taught by instructor who has studied for more than l8 years (under certified Iyengar & Raja Yoga instructors) and taught therapeutic yoga for more than 12 years.
INFO: Bart 503-223-8822 or yoga@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

MEN'S MEDITATION GROUP
Tuesday, 9/12 & 9/26 (2nd & 4th Tuesdays), 7:30-9:30 pm
Meditation helps many people relieve stress, feel calmer and more focused, and be more creative and connected to your natural flow. In this group you'll receive basic meditation instruction and simple, silent sitting and walking practice twice a month, on-going support for establishing your own regular meditation practice, and the fellowship of other men from diverse backgrounds who are interested in meditation and mindfulness. Co-facilitated by Rob Downer, M.Div., a local spiritual director and Centering Prayer facilitator; and Jeff Kerr, who has studied Buddhist meditation and currently is a student at the Portland Shambhala Center.
INFO: Rob 503-223-8822 or meditation@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

NOTE: Please RSVP as we limit our class sizes to assure each class is tailored to each man's goals, limitations, & abilities. Men of all experience levels are welcome in all our classes. Classes are only free for men who’ve never attended one of our yoga or meditation classes. After your 1st class, you decide how much you want to donate per class and then pay that amount times the number of classes remaining in the quarter. Space is limited in the Therapeutic Yoga Class, so please RSVP for this class ASAP.

Bart Church
Q-LAND/LoveTribe MenSpirit Program Coordinator:
www.lovetribe.org/menspirit
www.qland.org
503-223-8822 X1
bart@qland.org

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9/9 Men’s Dating Lab: Practical Intimacy Strategies

2006-08-31T03:37:09Z

MEN’S DATING LAB:
Finding Practical Intimacy Strategies
* Workshop: Sat, 9/9, 6:30-l0:30 pm
* On-going Group: lst & 3rd Thurs (begins 9/2l), 7-9 pm

Many men long for more emotionally and physically
intimate relationships, but --

* They’re too busy;
* They’ve been burned;
* They don’t know what they want;
* They’ve tried everything;
* They think they’re too old, shy, ugly, blah, blah . . .

Well love is worth it. Intimacy makes you happier and live longer & better. And you’re capable and desirable enough. You just need a little help figuring out what you want and what you can do – in the real world – to get it.

In this fun, practical workshop you’ll explore with other men:

• What kinds of intimacies you want;
• Your intimacy challenges;
• Your intimacy strengths & skills;
• Practical experiments to try in the work-shop & in your life for dating & intimacy
• Asking for concrete support to help you implement what you’ve learned & sustain learning after the workshop

This workshop is not about experts telling us the answers. It is about us supporting one another to find the intimacy visions and strategies that work for each of us. And most of all it’s about figuring out what you can do differently in the real world to get more of the intimacy you want – and get the support to follow through.

If you can’t attend the workshop, you could check out our on-going Dating Lab Support Group that will meet on the lst & 3rd Thursdays each month, 7-9 pm, starting on 9/2l.

CO-FACILITATORS: Alejandro Cantu, 5l, has been a teacher of multi-cultural students for more than 20 years, was in a long-term relationship and is now returning to dating; Wayne Bund, 25, is a teacher of multi-cultural students, has been in several relationships, and has recently moved back to Portland as a single man; Bart Church, 46, has been in several primary relationships, but has viewed his close friendship network as his primary source of intimacy for most of his adult life & believes in valuing friendship networks.

CO-SPONSORS: MenSpirit is a joint project of two non-profit organizations, Q-LAND & LoveTribe, that empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Bill at 503-223-8822 or datinglab@qland.org or www.qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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For me, Brahmacharya is not a rule but a practice

2006-08-25T22:10:17Z

Thanks so much for initiating this tribe and this conversation. I think these questions are very important for queer men who seek to balance spirituality with sexuality in an honest, compassionate, and rigorous way.

As a queer yoga teacher for the last 10 years, Brahmacharya has been (and is) one of my vows. As a teacher who is also a householder (rather than a monk), I interpret the vow to mean trying not to harm myself or others with my erotic thoughts or actions. In inquiring about whether my erotic thoughts or actions cause harm, I inquire about their affects on my mind and body and the minds and bodies of others.

A queer guru of mine (Guru Jim Gilman) said that any activity that quiets the mind over time is a good activity, and any activity that causes chaos or rapid increases in the number and speed of desires in the mind is probably harmful. One of the challenges with sex for me is that sometimes it quiets my mind for a few hours after the act, but then many fears, thoughts, and desires sometimes arise that tend to cause many challenges for me (and usually others).

Sex is such a powerful force in the mind/body, I think it is important for me to watch its affects carefully over time. When I was younger, abstaining from sex often created great disquiet in my mind and a great increase in the number and speed of desires in my mind. Repression of erotic desire is not Brahmacharya, and in fact I believe repression of the erotic desire is often a much greater destroyer of peace of mind than overindulging in sex. Guru Jim agreed, citing many stories of sex-obsessed celibate monks who could not meditate because their erotic desires were rebelling so completely from repression.

Now that I am older and don't have the huge erotic desires I had when I was younger, I find the mindfulness of harm to myself and others that is the essence of Brahmacharya much easier. In general, I find the prospect of sex much more trouble than it's worth, given my current goals. And luckily I don't seem to struggle with repressed desire like I did when I was younger. So I've ended up living by the classic teaching that sex outside a commiitted relationship is probably too disturbing for householders who seek to meditate. Even sex within a committed relationship often has been very disturbing to my mind (because of my fear of abandonment and history), and I believe its benefits outweigh its risks. And I'm not now in a relationship, so I'm not sure about this cost/benefit analysis. I'll wait to see. For now, I generally don't seek sex outside a relationship because I've done that experiment a lot and am confident it is not worth the trouble.

None of these words should be interpreted as advice or proscriptions for others. I think Brahmacharya, like all the Yamas and Niyamas, must be practiced and interpreted in very individual ways by each person, and these practices and interpretations must change (even dramatically) depending on your life duties, aims, and karma.

I do think repression is very dangerous in my life, as is sex addiction (using sex compulsively to alter unpleasant moods). Both these extremes have caused me great suffering. I gained much practical help and spiritual insight from participating in Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) www.portlandsaa.org and Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous (which doesn't have meetings in the Portland area). In the Portland area, SAA has many queer men involved and is very welcoming to queer men. I deeply respect the programs practical, democratic, and non-commercial approach to self-help. It is one of the few spiritual or psychological resources in the U.S. that isn't out to make a buck.

In Q-LAND's Men's Yoga Class we study how to use Yoga & Ayurveda (the traditional healing system of yoga) to achieve our wellness goals. As part of this, we study how observing the Yamas and Niyamas (including Brahmacharya) can help us find wellness.

If you know anyone who might like to study with us, please let them know about these upcoming FREE classes that kick off our summer semester:

7/6 Back & Neck pain
7/13 Weightloss
7/20 Depression & Loneliness

The class is open to men of all sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, fitness levels, and experience (although you must be able to walk up & down a flight of stairs to get to the studio). Beginners, people out of shape, and people with chronic pain &/or weakness are welcome in this small class where all poses are tailored to each student’s goals & abilities.

Instructor Bart Church studied for 10 years under several senior, Certified Iyengar Instructors, 5 years under senior students of Baba Hari Das (Traditional Ashtanga Yoga & Ayurveda), and has been teaching Yoga & Ayurveda for more than 10 years.

Thank you for forwarding this information to any men who might be interested.

Info/RSVP: yoga@qland.org 503-223-8822 X1 www.qland.org

Namaste,

Bart Church
Q-LAND's Therapeutic Yoga Instructor
yoga@qland.org
www.qland.org
503-223-8822 X1

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 10 replies

9/1-9/4 MEN'S RETREAT - New habits, new possibilities for wellness

2006-08-22T00:43:28Z

Fall is a great time to develop new habits that create new possibilities for enhancing wellness. In its Men’s Wellness Retreat this Labor Day Weekend (9/1-9/4), Q-LAND & LoveTribe will help you enjoy learning new habits of yoga, massage, eating well, and music-making/movement to deal with challenges like:

* stress
* excess weight
* back/neck pain
* depression
* lack of energy
* digestive problems

In this long weekend at a beautiful ranch in the coastal range (on 50 acres of wooded land with a stream & ponds), you can join three experienced yoga teachers, two experienced Licensed Massage Therapists, and experienced musicians in creating a magical Labor Day Weekend Retreat that will include:

* hiking/strolling in the forest
* relaxing & energizing yoga classes,
* healing massage exchanges,
* playing croquet (and a new game called Giant’s Croquet) on the lawn
* making & moving to great music,
* napping,
* great food

All activities will be optional, and every day we’ll offer a couple of yoga classes, a massage exchange class, three delicious & healthy meals, and the opportunity to make & move to energizing & relaxing music.

What you do every day can create wellness and ease in your life. Come have fun with other men learning new habits that create new possibilities.

INFO: Bill at 503-223-8822 or retreat@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

8/5 Can hating your body make you sick?

2006-07-31T09:35:55Z

Can disliking your body or its parts make you sick? What if the things you believe about your body help determine how healthy you are and will be?

What if billions of dollars were being spent to convince you your body is flawed? And what if this belief and many of the products you buy to “fix” your body are actually making you sick?

MEN'S BODY IMAGES: Can hating your body make you sick?
8/5, This Saturday, 6:30-10:30 pm

In this workshop you’ll look simply and compassionately at which parts of your body you like, and which you dislike. You’ll look at how you feel about your body and its parts, as well as what you tell yourself about your body and its parts.

You’ll use simple practices of small group brainstorming & repetition of new body images, touch, breathing, ritual, play, and awareness to enhance the flow of blood, energy & nutrients to parts of your body you like. You’ll also use these practices to soften and enliven parts of your body you dislike. You’ll physically experience the connection between your beliefs about your body and the amount of blood, immune fluid, energy, oxygen, and nutrients that reach parts of your body.

Your beliefs about your body can make you sick. And the reverse is true. Your beliefs about your body can heal you. It is quite powerful to experience this first hand in your body, rather than as just ideas. And it is exponentially more powerful to do this with the support and energy of a group.

Let us re-imagine our bodies as capable of being beautiful, sexy, powerful,
healthy, and creative. Let us accept our bodies as they are -- and learn quiet ways to use our body images to heal our bodies, rather than destroy them.

CO-FACILITATORS: Dan Jones, co-facilitator of Outside In's Gender Blenz Group at the Trans Identity Resource Center, as well as Q-LAND’s coordinator of programs for men under 30 (this event is for adult men of all ages); Celeste Weber, founder of a radical feminist striptease support group & a risk reduction specialist at Outside In's Needle Exchange; Bart Church, a yoga teacher, Zen-Shiatsu Practitioner, and facilitator of men's wellness workshops and retreats for 20 years.

CO-SPONSORS: MenSpirit is a joint project of two non-profit organizations: Q-LAND & LoveTribe. Menspirit empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Bill 503-223-8822 or bodyimages@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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Our wellness can't wait

2006-06-30T01:39:24Z

On the occasion of the death of Eric Rofes, one of the founders of the gay men’s health movement and one of the visionaries who inspired me, it seems important to acknowledge that the health care system in Portland is tragically failing most men, especially queer men. Even the shrinking number of men who have health insurance receive virtually no wellness support from their insurance, and often receive very little beyond wildly escalating premiums. As a lifelong wellness organizer, I’m sure Eric would say, “Stop crying and start organizing!

Below is an essay on the need for, and practical strategies for establishing, a Men’s Wellness Network in the Portland metro area. With our health care system in a state of collapse, it is high time we did something practical and simple to support one another’s wellness. Please read the brief essay below and consider how you can become involved with creating a vital network intended to nurture our collective and individual wellness.

WE WILL NEED:

1) Volunteers to help create a Men’s Wellness Network – see list below.
2) To get the word out. Please forward this e-mail to every man in your community, and consider bringing it up in conversation.
3) Immediate donations of $50-$100 to help us establish a powerful, secure online database that will support the creation of a Men’s Wellness Network. We need to raise $2000 by mid July and we have already raised $1300 in the last week. (Please send your tax-deductible donation to Q-LAND/CIC; 3026 SE 39th Ave; Portland, OR 97202).

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS NEEDED . . .

* WELLNESS COACHES: help men define and manifest their specific wellness visions, understand and overcome wellness challenges, recognize and marshal their wellness resources, and gain confidence and self esteem through vision-driven service to other men in the network.

* MEMBERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS: help invite men to give time and/or money to join the network and keep track of what they need and what they give.

* WEB DATABASE DEVELOPER: create a web-based database that facilitates men joining the network and securely records their visions, needs, challenges, resources, and contributions of time, money, and knowledge, and facilitates men sharing information within mutual support groups designed to meet their specific needs, contribute their resources, and reach their goals.

* DEVELOPMENT TEAM MEMBERS: help raise seed money to launch the Network’s coaching, support groups, and other systems.

Please contact Paul Fukui at volunteer@qland.org or 503-223-8822 if you want more information about these positions. The essay below will tell you why your contribution and these volunteer positions may be critical to your wellness and the wellness of countless other men in our community.

WHY WE NEED A MEN’S WELLNESS NETWORK and
WHAT WE CAN DO TO CREATE IT HERE and NOW . . .

Portland has one of the highest percentages of men who either don’t have health insurance or are grossly under-insured. Because of sexism, homophobia, huge unemployment, massive cuts in public and private health insurance services and coverage, skyrocketing healthcare costs, the failure of health education, and the failure of our political and corporate leadership to prioritize healthcare, more and more men, especially queer men, are contracting and not being adequately treated for HIV, STDs, heart disease, prostate and other cancers, drug/alcohol/sex addictions, depression, anxiety, diabetes, suicidal thoughts/behaviors, and stress-related chronic illnesses like back/neck pain, excess weight, acid reflux and other digestive disorders, etc. It is no accident that men die on average five years younger than women in this state. We have allowed the health care and health education systems to ignore and abandon us.

WE CAN SOLVE OUR PROBLEM: On the occasion of Eric’s death, it seems imperative to say that men CAN and MUST create, and in fact ARE creating, an alternative wellness system that provides highly tailored services to all kinds of men based on our needs for mind/body/spirit wellness and an ethic of mutual support, rather than an ethic of greed and scarcity. We must create a system that learns about and engages each man’s specific wellness visions, challenges, and resources. And most importantly this system must not abandon men when they suffer wellness or financial set backs. It must be there no matter what.

As a record number of us grow older, we cannot afford to wait for the government or health insurance companies to fix the health care system. We now have one of the worst health care systems in the developed world. With costs increasing exponentially while government and the business sector continue to cut budgets, almost everyone is predicting the current system will either continue to get worse -- or collapse entirely.

This fall Q-LAND will be launching a new Men’s Wellness Coaching program that will train men to support one another to:
1) Clarify your individual wellness visions,
2) Overcome and/or manage your specific wellness challenges, and
3) Effectively recognize and utilize your wellness resources.

This coaching program will also help men with similar visions and challenges to create highly tailored mutual support groups such as a weight loss group, a diabetes support group, a dating lab for men whose loneliness is harming them, a right livelihood group for men whose lack of meaningful employment is making them sick, etc.

The coaching program and the mutual support groups, like all other Q-LAND programs, will be open to men regardless of their ability to pay. We expect all men in the wellness network to be of service to other men in the network in ways that match their abilities, skills, and resources. Again, no one will be turned away for lack of funds or because of pre-existing conditions.

We will serve one another from an ethic of abundance and mutual support. While this sounds like pie-in-the-sky, such a wellness network is based on the traditional bartering and mutual support systems used by rural, indigenous, and traditional societies all over the world throughout human history. Bartering and mutual support for health care is a much older, more reliable, and more traditionally successful system than health insurance (which is why the current health insurance system in the U.S. is in a state of collapse). Until universal healthcare somehow miraculously arrives from on high, a Men’s Wellness Network is something concrete and immediately useful we can experiment with in the Portland men’s community. We can learn from one another, and we can help one another.

In the coming years your health will increasingly depend on the quality of the network of people who will support your wellness no matter what. Money will not be enough. Even wealthy people are finding themselves bankrupt overnight by the ways our state and nation fails to deal with health insurance and catastrophic illness. Traditional health insurance and the bloated health care industry it is propping up are increasingly becoming a mirage that gives no one wellness. It is time to invest in a network of men, here and now, who can and will support all of us in very practical, individualized, affordable, and holistic ways.

Let’s start small, make lots of mistakes, learn from them quickly, and build very real and practical systems of mutual support.

We can do this. You can help.

Bart Church, Program Coordinator
Q-LAND: Queer Love Action Network for Discovery
www.qland.org
bart@qland.org
503-223-8822 X1
of, by, and for all the men who need and deserve it.

P.S. -- Q-LAND is a non-profit men's wellness network that empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual and collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, and play. We do this by supporting and creating venues and values for life-long, collaborative learning and heart-conscious community among men. We inspire men to live and love well -- through:
* wellness coaching
* social/play events,
* healing touch events,
* yoga and meditation classes,
* online and phone wellness information and referral, and
* other peer-led programs to promote mind, body, spirit wellness among men.

Let me know if you'd like to donate time and/or money to help us empower more men.

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

FREE Summer Men’s Yoga & Meditation Classes

2006-06-08T21:48:34Z

FREE Summer Introductory Classes:
* Men Core Strength Yoga: 6/l9 & 6/26, Mondays, 5:45-7:00 pm
* Men’s Wellness Yoga: 6/2l & 6/28, Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm
* Men’s Meditation Group: 6/l3 & 6/27, 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 pm

Because most of us are at our strongest & most flexible in the summer, this is the best time to begin studying yoga and meditation. What better way to do this than with a group of men who are committed to helping you use yoga and meditation to better cope with --
• stress
• chronic pain,
• weight loss, and/or
• lack of focus and direction.

Below are brief descriptions of our two yoga classes and our meditation class. Thanks for forwarding this email to any friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who might be interested.

6/19 & 6/26, Mon, 5:45-7:00pm
MEN’S CORE STRENGTH YOGA: FREE Summer Kickoff Classes
As men age, stress, gravity, and neglect of the body conspire to cause us to collapse inward. We close ourselves off to life. In this dynamic, powerful, gentle, and fun class you’ll learn to open from the inside out – to strengthen, lengthen, and enjoy your core. This class is for men with diverse abilities, ages, shapes, colors, orientations, and backgrounds (must be able to walk up & down stairs because NW Portland studio is not wheelchair accessible). Instructors: Charles Airey has taught and studied yoga for over 20 Years; Eric Wallace has been practicing and studying Yoga intensively for over 2 Years and just graduated from yoga teacher training.
INFO: Eric 503-223-8822 yoga@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

6/2l & 6/28, Wed, 6:30-8:30 pm
MEN’S WELLNESS YOGA: FREE Summer Kickoff Classes
Learn to use Yoga & Ayurveda to reach your wellness goals (getting stronger & more flexible, losing weight, becoming calmer & more focused, etc.) and/or self-treat chronic ailments (like back/neck pain, insomnia/anxiety, allergies, depression, HIV, digestive problems, etc). Taught by instructor who has studied for more than l8 years (under certified Iyengar & Raja Yoga instructors) and taught for more than l2 years.
INFO: Bart 503-223-8822 or yoga@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

6/l3 & 6/27 (2nd & 4th Tuesdays), 7:30-9:30 pm
MEN'S MEDITATION GROUP,
Meditation helps many people relieve stress, feel calmer and more focused, and be more creative and connected to your natural flow. In this group you'll receive basic meditation instruction and simple, silent sitting and walking practice twice a month, on-going support for establishing your own regular meditation practice, and the fellowship of other men from diverse backgrounds who are interested in meditation and mindfulness. Co-facilitated by Rob Downer, M.Div., a local spiritual director and Centering Prayer facilitator; and Jeff Kerr, who has studied Buddhist and Vipassana meditation and currently is a student at the Portland Shambhala Center.
INFO: Jeff 503-223-8822 or meditation@qland.org.
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Friendship: Beyond Trolls and Twinks

2006-05-31T21:46:21Z

Sat, 6/3, 6:30-l0:30 pm
BEYOND TROLLS & TWINKS: Developing friendships with men of all ages

We live in a time of gigantic and rapid changes. What if our survival depends on the diversity of our friendships – much more than on how much money or stuff we control?

In times of rapid change, two qualities become essential:
1. Creativity and;
2. The ability to create alliances across traditional divisions.

One of the most important and difficult divisions men must learn to bridge is age. Our age stereotypes can crush our ability to even see men, much less get to know them. Younger men can come to trust older men and vice versa, and we all need to be able to relate to men our own age.

In this Playshop you’ll use story-telling, psycho-drama, and guerilla theater to explore, make fun of, and look beyond your age stereotypes. You’ll have the opportunity to really get to know men of all ages – their true gifts, their connections to who you really are.

Imagine having male friends; good friends who are much older than you, much younger, and your own age too? What would you learn about yourself? What would you be able to accomplish?

Friendship is the most powerful institution in our lives – it has the power to vastly expand who we think we are. Developing true, authentic connections with men of all ages is an amazing way to explore who you are and who you can become.

CO-FACILITATORS: Multi-generational team: Drew Gadbois, Youth Outreach Advocate at Janus Youthwork/Outside In/Trans Identity Resource Center; Dan Jones, Guerilla Theater & Youth Group Co-facilitator at Trans Identity Resource Center; Aaron Hornstein, psychotherapist specializing in psychodrama; Jack Cox, longtime AIDS activist/organizer and psychodrama practitioner; Etienne Lilja, actor, youth educator, & street performer.

CO-SPONSORS: MenSpirit is a joint project of two non-profit organizations: Q-LAND & LoveTribe. MenSpirit empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

DONATION: $5-$50 (no one turned away for lack of funds; scholarships & work-study available).

INFO: Peter at 503-223-8822 or trolls&twinks@qland.org

RSVP: http://www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

Get Ready for Summer: 3 New Men’s Yoga Classes

2006-05-12T01:05:21Z

GET READY FOR SUMMER:
THREE FREE MEN’S YOGA CLASSES EACH WEEK

Thank you for forwarding this to men who might be interested, and for seeing if you might benefit from any of our new free men’s yoga classes:

* l. Men’s Core Strength Yoga, MONDAYS, 5:45-7:00 pm
As men age, stress, gravity, and neglect of the body conspire to cause us to collapse inward; we can close ourselves off to life. In this class you’ll learn to open from the inside out. You'll gently & powerfully stretch, tone, and strengthen your whole body, building muscle mass, strength & flexibility. Instructors: Charles Airey has taught & studied yoga for over 20 years; Eric Wallace has been practicing yoga intensively for over 2 years and just completed yoga teacher training.

* 2. Men's Wellness/Therapeutic Yoga, WEDNESDAYS, 6:30-8:30 pm;
Learn to use Yoga & Ayurveda to reach your wellness goals (getting stronger & more flexible, losing weight, becoming calmer & more focused, etc.) and/or to self-treat chronic ailments (like back/neck pain, insomnia, allergies, depression, HIV, digestive problems, etc). Taught by Bart Church, who has studied for more than 18 years (under certified Iyengar & Raja Yoga instructors) and taught for more than l0 years.
.
* 3. Men's Gentle/Restorative Yoga, THURSDAYS, 6:30-8:30 pm;
Paul Tucker, Ph.D., who has studied yoga for more than 30 years and been the senior yoga teacher at PSU and at Nike's World Headquarters for eight years, will help you use gentle, long stretches, simple breath practices, and restorative positions to: Better manage stress & its effects on your body; Re-energize your mind & body; Learn to relax deeply & easily; and find your natural flow - where the mind & body work together in more harmony.

DONATION & LOCATION: Your 1st class is always free, and after that you donate what you choose for the remaining classes in the semester (semester ends 6/22). Class is held in a beautiful studio overlooking the river and mountains in downtown NW Portland.

SPONSORED BY: MenSpirit, a joint project of two non-profit organizations: Q-LAND & LoveTribe, that empowers diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play.

INFO: Peter 503-223-8822 X3 yoga@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

heal in Vermont www.baldmountainretreat.com

2006-05-09T20:53:47Z

heal in Vermont www.baldmountainretreat.com

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5/6 Kindred Spirits: Men Laughing with Life

2006-04-27T20:55:07Z

Saturday, 5/6/06 7:00PM-12:00AM

In this playshop, we will help adult men of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, and backgrounds realize the amazing potential for friendship, play, & laughter among men. Kindred spirits are all around you – you need only open up to them and remember how to play.

Throughout history and in virtually every culture male friendship has been an important way for men to get their needs for play, emotional & physical intimacy, and community met. In the modern, industrial world too many men have become cut off from the richness of male friendship and play.

In this event we'll practice remembering how to play together as men.

Bob Czimbal, the facilitator of this event has spent the last 30 years helping corporations, communities, and groups learn how to use play, movement, laughter, creative verbal & non-verbal communication, and healing/nurturing touch to discover the amazing abundance of kindred spirits in our lives. All around us are people who would love to play with us, if we would just invite them to play.

COSPONSORS: Event co-sponsored by MenSpirit, a joint project of two non-profit organizations: Q-LAND & LoveTribe. MenSpirit seeks to empower diverse men in the Portland, OR area to discover and manifest their individual & collective potential for wellness, community, friendship/intimacy, spirituality, & play. We do this by supporting & creating venues and values for life-long, collaborative learning among men.

INFO: Peter at 503-223-8822 X2 or kindredspirits@qland.org
RSVP: http://www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Invocaton of the Easter Bunny

2006-04-13T18:32:36Z

Hail! Fecund Force of Fertility
That did make me love Thy Huevos
as they nestled in Thy ample Basket
amidst the bushy Strands...
O God my God, Thou art Pan!

Hail! Defiance of all Parental Control
That passes through walls to bestow crippling
doses of sugar upon us Children
obedient and disobedient alike!
O God my God, Thou art Lucifer!

Hail! Effigy in Chocolate
Whose Body we Consume in remebrance of Thee
and yet which appears anew each year!
Ears first or tail first...
O God my God, Thou art Jesus Christ!

Hail! Bearer of Multicolored Delights
Who first taught me to seek the Hidden
Sacraments in the Fields
and to Worship with Strange Drugs!
O God my God, Thou art Dionysus!

Hail! Sensless acts of Decoration
Disrupting all Religious Paradigms...
Confusing Churchy Aunts
with PetroPeeps and Rites of Paaz!
O God my God, Thou art Chaos!

In Thy Names come Forth! Move and Appear!
The Age of Man Has Ended
and the Pooka Returns to Claim
Earths Throne!

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

The Essence of Brahmacharya

2006-04-08T10:52:02Z

The practice and lifestyle of transforming self-cherishing / ego-fortifying habits into the path of wisdom & compassion.
The practice of mindfulness, specifically aware of the mental habit of viewing others in terms of how they can serve me or as objects to be used. Consciously choosing to view others in terms of how I can serve the highest good - found equally in all beings - in order to show the way of genuine, lasting peace and happiness.

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Gay Men's Yoga Retreat on the Big Island April 23-29

2006-03-09T23:51:27Z

Missing the warmth of a tropical yoga practice? Maybe you've never tried practicing in a climate that warms up your body and allows you to go deeper?

JOIN US and other friends (beginner's welcome) next April or September if you're free to our ongoing spring and fall yoga retreats at Kalani Oceanside Retreat with other gay men in tropical yoga heaven as we experience the magic and vitality of the Big Island! Immerse yourself into a variety of styles of yoga including kundalini, meditation and breathwork, vinyasa (flowing), partner yoga and chanting in a relaxed, inclusive environment. Deepen your practice with optional sunrise sessions, practice naked on remote black sand beaches. Let your body and soul find harmony in the most untouched areas of Hawaii.

For more info, visit: http://www.kalani.com/learn/mens_yoga_retreat.htm
or to register contact ~jaRed at: 808 965-0468 x122
or call 1 800 800 6886 x122

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Please Fwd: 3/11 Men Practicing Simple Kindness

2006-03-02T09:49:27Z

Men’s Massage Exchange
Sat, 3/11/06 (& Every 2nd Saturday)
7:00 pm – 12:00 am

Thanks for forwarding this invitation to men who might need simple, kind, healing touch . . .

“Understanding is the very foundation of love,
And looking deeply is the basic practice.”
-- Thich Nhat Hanh

REDUCE STRESS: Healing touch can be a powerful, regular, and affordable part of your life. It can reduce stress, improve the functioning of your immune system, help you feel calm and clear, and reduce chronic pain. Most of all it can help you feel at home in your body and your life.

LMT FACILITATOR: Healing touch can be very simple. It can be uncomplicated – done without pursuing erotic desires, without judging yourself or others, without fantasy or anxiety. It helps when a Licensed Massage Therapist shows you simple techniques that can augment your natural intuition. It’s also great when you have plenty of time to practice giving and receiving with several open-hearted men.

SIMPLE KINDNESS: Some people are afraid of touching or being touched by “strangers.” When you get to know people and they share your goals and values, they aren’t strangers. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you realized that strangers can be incredibly kind, and that your best friend was once a stranger?

Some people think men can’t touch without “making it sexual.” What if men of many ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, and backgrounds are quite capable of being really kind and non-sexual in their touch? What if in fact most men are longing deeply for healing, non-sexual touch. Isn’t that what you want? Do you think you are alone in wanting to be touched with simple kindness?

Healing touch has this way of being complete, of helping you feel complete.

DONATION: $20-$50 (no one turned away for lack of funds; scholarships & work-study available)

SPONSORED BY: MenSpirit, a joint project of two non-profit organizations, Q-LAND.org and LoveTribe.org., dedicated to empowering men in the Portland metro area to transform our community so it values friendship, community, service, play and wellness among men, regardless of their race, orientation, age, religion, background, or other characteristics that should not divide men.

INFO: Chris Boothby, LMT 503-223-8822 X2 or massage@qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Wanna get out this Friday night and MOVE?

2006-02-23T01:45:09Z

Are you tired of winter? Do you need to get out and move your body and connect with other men in healing, nurturing, & playful ways? Are you intimidated by “dancing,” and yet interested in moving & touching authentically?

Mmmmmm: MEN, MUSIC, MOVEMENT, MASSAGE, MEDITATION
Friday, 2/24, 7 pm – 12 am

You’ll use Contact Improv, Authentic Movement, Danceability, Five Rhythm Movement, Ecstatic Dance, healing/nurturing touch, guided meditation, and/or deep relaxation to get in touch with your authentic needs for playful, healing & nurturing movement & touch.

We'll do this in a beautiful, all-ages, wheel-chair accessible dance studio space free of smoke, drugs, alcohol, porn, sex that can be distractions to moving and touching in healing, nurturing & FUN ways. This event is for men of all ages, colors, sizes, orientations, and backgrounds (including trans guys). Sliding scale donation; no one turned away for lack of funds. Space is limited and all participants need to register in advance.

Felix Roth, LMT & founder of Motion Massage; Curtis Walker, founder of Impetus Arts (a mixed abilities movement company), DJ Keer; DJ Dandylion; and Bart Church, a yoga teacher & Zen Shiatsu Practitioner, will help you move and touch in ways that will meet your needs for healing, rest, &/or play.

Thanks for forwarding this to the diverse men you care about to invite them to this amazing healing event.

Co-sponsored by:
Q-LAND.org
LoveTribe.org
Impetus Arts
Motion Massage.com

INFO: Chris at 503-223-8822 X2 or Mmmmm@qland.org

RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

"In order to conquer you have to surrender".

2006-02-19T00:14:30Z

"In order to conquer you have to surrender".

Here is the wikipedia piece of Brahmacharya: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmacharya

At the base of the page are a buncha links that may be of use. But forewarned is forearmed: this is mostly of the "whanking is evil" school of thought.

I include the quote from Gil Fronsdal up top because it reflects a more skilful, empirical, and scientific Theravadan attitude to desire which seems the seed of a more real and useful practice of brahmacharya:

"In order to transform one has to be in a state of not-knowing, one must become the spice of not-knowing, and stay there, spreading one's flavour into the situation.

"Sometimes I tell people 'You're in Limbo, and you need to be there right now.'

In order to conquer you have to surrender".
- From Gil Fronsdal's Zencast, "Transformation".

Rgds,

Paul Bard.

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

godisgay

2006-02-17T12:05:33Z

I found this to
be the crux
of everything i've
ever learned

http://www.godisgaymovie.com

Boomer

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 4 replies

An explanation of the mechanism of lust

2006-02-16T18:37:05Z

Lust does not manifest through cause and effect, although it seems to. When you see a healthy man or woman with the appropriate physical characteristics and you feel lust, clearly it appears as if the experience of lust was "caused" by the experience of the object of the lust.

As it happens, the truth is that both experiences occur simultaneously and are at effect of invisible factors and conditions. It is that invisible side which I want to explain.

The well known pyschological mechanisms of projection and objectification are the basis for the experience of lust.

The way these work is subtle and took me a lot of time and practice to comprehend. Now, because after many months I am quite clear on the nature of this mechanism, the intention has arisen to work with it for a positive end. So the first step for me is to explain to someone else what has been learnt and test it out.

It is frustrating trying to put it into linear words for me because it then appears to be a step-by-step process. In fact the mechanism of lust is a spontaneous and automatic emergence of multiple aspects under a variety of conditions. So here is the essence of it as best I can put it:

Unconscious doubt in the validity of the self is the seed of lust. When the conditions are conducive, the sense of intrinsic value and worth is projected onto an external object. This object then becomes "charged" with whatever tendencies are inherent in the self at that time and appears to be a source of validation, value, and worth. Because the source of worth is experienced as being outside the self, this gives rise to fear, grasping, and unconscious guilt at having denied one's intrinsic worth. This condition of grasping is commonly described as "low self-esteem", but if carefully examined the notion of "esteem" in and of itself is a projection of value onto an external standard, so it is more accurate to describe both low and high self esteem as artefacts of lust itself, with no intrinsic existence or meaning.

This is the pith of it. Commonsense observations show that this mechanism repeats again and again regardless of whether the object of lust is "won" or not. The repetition of the mechanism of lust occurs independent of volition or other business, hijacking consciousness and temporarily or permanently obscuring the ability to view situations and people with accuracy.

The really positive aspect of this situation is that once you subjectively comprehend that lust is a consequence of denying and projecting self-worth, the disadvantages of lust as a mode of being become painfully apparent. Dissatisfaction sets in and spurs growth.

The liberating truth is that all satisfaction, happiness and contentment come from within. Knowing this to be true, it becomes easier to forgo the perception of gain or profit in favor of a more stable and permanent source of happiness.

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

A survery of the classes of skilful means for sex:

2006-02-16T17:46:39Z

I wrote this long and detailed piece on the skilful means involved in wisely working with sex for Matthew's "Intro To Brahmacarya". Because this is a comprehensive survey of the relevant classes of skilful means in regards to sex, I felt it requires a new topic. So here it is:

There are skilful means in regards to sexuality. Not sex tricks but mind tricks, arising from an apprehension of the potentials inherent in consciousness as exemplified by folk like the buddha.

As I write this I am watching an intelligent and highly sexed male Labrador lick concrete where meat had lain a week ago. He has been licking for almost three minutes. As I watch him with pity, his act directly transmits to me the essence of what sex is all about:

The ordinary animal nature of sex comes with the experience of embodiment. It expresses itself in accordance with accumulated tendencies with no concern for dignity, good faith, caring or kindness. That is not to say sex is "against" these things; rather, personal matters are simply not the essential concern of sex.

Given the commonplace notion that sex is related to one's personal life in some mysterious way, sex may be clung to as "I" quite fiercely. This impedes much of the time the possibility of generating any freeing intent or cultivating beneficial qualities in regards to sex. Also, if the accumulated tendencies that effect how sex manifests create highly pleasureable experiences, then there is little incentive or leverage to practice spirituality with sex.

One obvious skilful means the foregoing description suggests to me is an overall attitude of allowing and observing sex in actions, feelings, fantasies, and thoughts. It suggests that a gentle and occasional quality of attention, and a modestly small intention held for short moments, will help free one from bondage more effectively than sudden enforced chastity and big vows of brahmacarya. A small constant act of mindful sexuality acts like many drops of water, slowly filling up a container with good thoughts and feelings.

The Labrador I mentioned before is neglected by his owners, my neighbours. So in secret, while they are asleep, I let him out of his filthy, shit-strewn, grassless prison. He comes into my lush green garden and goes mad with excitement. The first time I had to physically drag him out of my silverbeets and scold him. The second time he avoided the tender plants in favor of the excellent crotchy scents of the compost heap.

Now he trots into my garden, snuffles at the compost for ten minutes, then spends a good long time rolling in the cool green grass until he is fully relaxed. I ignore him until he calms down. If he does not calm down he goes back into his jail without the slightest regret on my part. He is not my responsibility: he just comes with the territory here.

Because shit gets in his fur when he sleeps on the ground, every few weeks I brush his coat down. When I brush him he sometimes gets an erection. But despite being a bit grossed out by this display I keep on brushing until all the shit, dust, and knots of hair are out of his coat and it is shiny. I cannot reasonably expect the dog to control his sexuality, so I ignore it and instead focus on being of benefit to him.

Because we humans are more similar to dogs (and cats, rats, pigs and primates) than we are different to them, it is useful to be aware of their impersonal and nonattached expression of sex. They relate to sex as if they are scratching their haunches. But unlike humans they are unaware to modify their sexual inheritance.

The most beneficial rule of thumb in relationships is simply that it is largely more beneficial to simply ignore sexuality and instead focus on being of benefit to those nearby us everyday. There are of course seeming exceptions to this rule of thumb. But by and large sex is an impersonal and neutral thing, exactly analogous to shitting, pissing, cleaning the body, eating, drinking, and using sounds and symbols to indicate meaning to others. We are not the language we speak, and nor are we the qualities of sex we experience.

I don't think it is useful to speak about goals in regards to sex. Aspiration and inspiration to spiritualise sex simply arrive back again and again at the basic work of uncovering pre-existent tendencies, constantly and gently energizing a helpful intent, and not resisting the particular karmic bent inherent in sex. Each person's karma regarding sex is different, so different skilful means need to be applied to each one, although the spiritual principles are the same: do no harm with sex to oneself or others, minimize or block others doing harm with sex if at all possible by standing up for the basic spiritual principle of kindness and decency, and accept and work with the cards one is given for the benefit of all.

The most destructive aspects of sex, shame and guilt, are carefully concealed. If they are challenged at all when they appear in oneself or in others they will typically appear to vanish from awareness. The sudden sensation of shame and guilt leaving consciousness is a familiar experience to most people. Due to a low level of awareness of how shame and guilt operates it is seldom seen for what it really is. But if you have ever returned home from a night of sleazy sex, and got ready for work by showering and then putting completely aside the experience of the night so that you can function at work, then that is the experience I am talking about.

Shame is at the core of the barebacking subculture. The widespread manifestations of pride, rationalisation, rebelliousness and denial among barebackers imply the presence of unconscious shame. And again, different skilful means are required for different people in order to free people from the trance of the lust for death.

I do not think little sermons about responsibility are the most effective skilful means to heal shame. I am learning that a great deal of caring and sensitivity to small things DOES help - sometimes a great deal - with first dissolving the reflexive charge of anger and winning confidence, second by pointing out the mechanism whereby lust works so that it may be seen for the sham it is, and third by inspiring overall self-care that automatically precludes harmful and destructive sexual behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.

Finally - and please accept my apologies for this long and detailed explanation - I believe it is a great relief to put harmful uses of sex in a collective context. This tends to relieve the awful pressure of feeling alone in one's struggles with sexual energy (men especially at this time collectively are experiencing anguish, fear, anger and hopelessness around the subject of sex the world over). What follows then is a brief contextualisation of recent shifts in humanity around sex as I understand them:

In the early 1990s the collective human awareness was shaken by a realisation of the full extent of paedophilia and of a deep shame at the collective denial of such things over many centuries. The resulting fear and confusion sold many newspapers and managed to ward of the visceral shock of this new information for several years.

As an analogy to this historical shock, imagine you are horny so you have stripped off your clothes to self-pleasure, lain down, and discovered than instead of your pleasuring hand there is a giant black spider. This intolerable sense of horror and grief at the seemingly permanent loss of innocence has given rise since 2001 to overall collective expressions of outrage and hatred. Never before has the West been so internally divided over what is true and good and what is false and evil.

In the last month (February 2006) a subtle change has emerged. People have begun to talk about shame. We have, by fits and starts, begun to face up to the adverse influence of our animal nature on human affairs. Collectively the overall mood has become one of curiosity leading to tentative investigation.

I have great faith that humanity will manifest an effective treatment for overall psychopathology in the years ahead. Such a treatment will go a very long way to healing the many souls that have been adversely effected by the madness of out of control animal tendencies. I pray and intend it happens soon.

Thankyou for your patience in reading this piece. I realise it is fairly dense with information; this is partly because this information is only just forming and has not had time yet to sort itself out into simple and obvious shared collective knowledge, and partly because of my difficulty in writing these complex things as clearly and simply as possible. I hope it may be of service.

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2/24 Mmmmm: Diverse Men Healing thru Music, Movement, Touch

2006-02-10T21:35:38Z

Mmmmm is in two weeks -- could you please help us make this event as diverse as possible by forwarding this email to any men who might be interested?*

Mmmmm:
Men, Music, Movement, Massage, Meditation
Fri, 2/24, 7 pm – 12 am

Music, movement, meditation & healing touch have the power to send waves of energy through our bodies that set all our cells vibrating in unity – they allow us to discover our authentic needs for rest, nurturing, and healing. For thousands of years in many cultures men have used music, movement, touch, and meditation to discover who they are out beyond their superficial differences and self-imposed limitations. .

Two weeks from today men of all abilities, ages, sizes, shapes, colors, orientations, and backgrounds (including trans guys) will gather in a smoke, alcohol, drug free space that is wheel-chair accessible. We will explore more authentic, healing connections with ourselves and other men through music, authentic movement, deep relaxation, contact improv, guided meditation, danceability, ecstatic dance, healing touch/massage, and free-style movement and touch.

Each of us will be invited to get in touch with our own needs for rest, healing, and nurturing -- and to move and touch in ways that meet those needs authentically. We will keep our focus on healing and nurturing ourselves first and others as a function of the abundance we feel when we are taking care of ourselves. To keep the space safe for all kinds of men, there will be no genital or anal touching, no asking people out for dates, no sexual come-ons, and everyone will keep their comfortable clothes on (if you want a back massage, you can lift up your shirt for this).

Thanks for helping us to welcome all kinds of men by forwarding this email to the diverse men you care about. Don’t forget the astonishing power of music, movement, healing touch, and meditation to refresh your spirit and free your heart.

Featuring
* DJ DandyLion;
* DJ Keer (who also will facilitate our altar building);
* Felix Roth, LMT, founder of Motion Massage & co-founder of Sacred Circle Dance;
* Curtis Walker, Director, Impetus Arts (mixed-abilities movement);
* Bart Church, Zen Shiatsu Practitioner & yoga teacher.

Co-sponsored by:
QLAND.org
LoveTribe.org
Impetus Arts
MotionMassage.com

INFO: 503-223-8822 X2 or Mmmmm@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

* NOTE: If you’d like to print out & distribute the beautiful Mmmmm invitation flier to men who don’t have computers, let me know and I’ll email you the Microsoft Word version of the flier.

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how did i get here?

2006-01-28T00:28:05Z

how did you get here?

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 12 replies

420 & Entheogen Friendly Vegan seeks Vancouver home this spring

2006-01-20T20:50:50Z

37 year old gay vegan escaping President Bush's United States for the more civil Canada. Seeking a place to share with some easy going and fun people or person.
I love places that are rustic and have character. I am an easy going guy into reading, music (mostly old blues, R&B, jazz, alternative and 70's pop), entheogens, yoga, meditation, kirtan, gardening and nature walks (lovely shrooms to be found). I am responsible and respectful and although myself a vegan I have a "live and let live" attitude.

I am quiet and very low maintainence. I try to genuinley get along with everyone - after all "It's all good!"

Thank you for reading my ad and Namaste!

jamie

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A Gay Men's Sangha Anyone?

2006-01-17T03:57:54Z

Who would be interested in starting a Sunday meditation group?

It would be nice to have a group that met for two hours. The first hour or so to settle in and Meditate, and then the last 45 minutes or so to share experiences, read from a book, or talk.

There are men of all kinds of meditation/buddhist backgrounds here. Who wants to take it to the next level and start our own group? I do.

I would be willing to start it at my house first.

Anyone who is interested, send me a message.

love,
JP

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 3 replies

GLBT WeNoCa tribe

2006-01-07T08:17:26Z

GayLesBiTrans Western North Carolina kind. JFF (just for fun).

http://www.GLBTWeNoCa.tribe.net

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

1/7 Don't give up on your dreams . . .

2005-12-31T02:17:44Z

"If you dream alone, it's just a dream.
If you dream together, it's reality."
-- Brazilian proverb

Sat, 1/7/06
MEN’S VISION QUEST RETREAT
Five amazing movement, visual, and healing artists and 20 visionary men will help you use creative, practical techniques to clarify, express, and manifest your visions for better health, work, intimacy, play, &/or spirituality. We also will help you create a team & concrete next steps to help you transform cynicism, procrastination, and fear. Co-sponsored by two non-profit organizations dedicated to men's wellness & community: Q-LAND and LoveTribe's MenSpirit. Retreat is presented in two parts (you can attend either or both):
Part 1: Creative Playshop (Write/Draw/Move Your Vision) (1-5 pm)
Part 2: Teamwork/play to Support Manifesting Vision (7 pm - 12 am)
$40-$20 Donation requested for each Part (no one turned away for lack of funds; scholarships & work-study available).

INFO: visionquest@qland.org or 503-223-8822 X2
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

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1/4 Support is the key to maintaining resolve . . .

2005-12-28T16:23:00Z

FREE MEN’S YOGA CLASS
Wed, 1/4 or 1/11, 6:30-8:30 pm

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicated yoga is one of the most effective non-surgical strategies for relieving chronic backpain. And like all wellness strategies, the key is getting the regular support you need to make real changes in your strength, flexibility, circulation, and how you hold stress.

This small class is tailored to your specific wellness goals, abilities, and
limitations. With the support of other men, you'll learn particular
stretches, breath practices, diet changes, and lifestyle changes
traditionally used to achieve your individual wellness goals (like losing
weight, overcoming stress, becoming stronger & more flexible, feeling calmer
& more focused, etc.). You'll also learn gentle, practical ways to deal with
chronic ailments (like back/neck pain, depression, allergies, insomnia, HIV,
digestive problems, etc.). Students of all experience levels are welcome,
including men who've never taken a yoga class.

Class taught by Bart Church, who studied yoga for 10 years under several
senior, certified Iyengar instructors, and who studied yoga & Ayurveda for
five years under senior students of Baba Hari Das. He has taught
therapeutic yoga for more than 12 years, and has used yoga to overcome his
own neck & shoulder pain, as well as persistent digestive problems. Because
Bart has struggled with chronic challenges himself, he has great patience
for students who find exercise and diet change difficult.

INFO: yoga@qland.org or 503-223-8822 X3
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

12/20 Touch Your Shadow; 1/7 Expand Your Vision

2005-12-14T00:13:19Z

“If you dream alone, it’s just a dream. If you dream together, it’s reality.”
-- Brazilian proverb

Please forward this invitation to any men who might be interested in connecting with other men to explore their shadows and/or expand their visions . . .

Tues, 12/20, MEN TOUCHING WITH HEART: on the Winter Solstice, use movement & healing touch to explore your shadow – those parts of you that seem to sabotage you from getting what you want. Many of us spend an enormous amount of time and energy distracting ourselves from our shadow or running from it. When we turn and look at our shadow, it is astonishing how simple its needs are, and how much energy it has to give us -- if we would work with it, not always against it. A licensed massage therapist, movement facilitator, yoga teacher, and long-time facilitator of shadow work will help men to use touch and movement as tools to gently get in touch with the feelings and needs of the so-called “dark-side” of our being.
INFO: Chris 503-223-8822 X2 or massage@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

Sat, 1/7/06, MEN’S VISION QUEST RETREAT: Five incredible artists are collaborating to help you use various creative tools (story-telling, movement, collage, painting, psycho-drama, meditation) to explore, express, prioritize, and get support to manifest your visions. They’ll also help you explore and integrate the needs behind cynicism, procrastination, and fear, so they don’t sabotage you. For most of human history, men have supported one another in teams/tribes to explore, express, & manifest their visions. In modern times many of us lack the powerful support of a team in discovering and manifesting our authentic visions for intimacy/community, health, spirituality, work, and play – and a life that balances these realms. This retreat will have two parts (you may attend either or both):
* Part 1, 1:00-5:00 pm Creative Playshop: Discover your visions with art, movement, mindfulness
* Part 2, 7:00 pm – 12:00 am Get support in clarifying & manifesting your vision (make it real)
INFO: Chris 503-223-8822 X2 or visionquest@qland.org
RSVP: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

Thanks for helping us to promote diversity among men by forwarding this email to men who might not hear about these events (especially men of color, men under 30 or over 60, men without computers, working class men, shy or introverted men, Trans men, married men, straight/bi men, etc).

Bart Church
Q-LAND/LoveTribe MenSpirit Program Coordinator:
www.lovetribe.org/menspirt
www.qland.org
503-223-8822 X1
bart@qland.org

P.S. -- MenSpirit is a joint project of Q-LAND and LoveTribe dedicated to empowering men in the Portland metro area to transform our community so it values friendship, community, service, play and wellness among men, regardless of their race, orientation, age, religion, background, or other characteristics that should not divide men. To be successful, we need donations of time and money from people like you; please let me know if you'd like more information about how you might help.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever does."
--Margaret Mead

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 0 replies

Do we need drugs/alcohol to be free, have fun?

2005-11-08T21:36:58Z

Shamans and great artists have often used mood-altering substances to free themselves and speak the truth out beyond the suffocating web that passes for the collective reality. But do we need drugs/alcohol to be free, have fun?

In a capitalist culture, who profits from our reliance on these substances for our freedom? As usual, LoveTribe and Q-LAND are NOT interested in just discussing these issues (talk is usually really cheap & weak), we're interested in creating other, non-commercial ways to support one another in being free, having fun, and speaking our truths with our whole bodies and hearts, not just our minds.

Would you join us in co-creating the next Men's Spirit Pajama Party, this Sat, 9/3, 7 pm - 12 am, where we'll invent ways to have fun, play non-competitive/children's games, make funny faces, have pillow fights, and manage to invent ways to be creative and silly and free without drugs, alcohol, or nicotine?

The New Games movement is trying to unlock the enormous creativity that comes from play. Virtually all mammals and birds spend an enormous amount of time playing throughout their lives, and some important evolutionary biologists believe play has been essential to the survival of most species. Play involves the whole body, mind, and heart. Most modern adult humans rarely play in this full-bodied way. We work, we surf, and we escape our bodies and one another.

Thanks for helping us create spaces where non-commercial, non-drug-induced play among men can happen regularly. Our MenSpirit events welcome all kinds of adult men, regardless of their size, shape, age, orientation, color, background, or experience, including trans men. We have suggested donations for our events, and no one is turned away for lack of funds.

LoveTribe also sponsors lots of non-commercial, non-drug/alchohol events where men and women come together to play in heart conscious, touch positive ways.

To RSVP for the 9/3 Men's Spirit Pajama Party: www.lovetribe.org/menspirit

For more info: 503-223-8822 X2 or pajamaparty@qland.org

For more info on LoveTribe events: www.lovetribe.org (click on calendar)
For more info on Q-LAND events: www.qland.org

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

Mantak Chia anyone?

2005-11-08T21:31:07Z

Who here is familiar with the various works of Mantak Chia?
Does his understanding of seminal essence depletion and conservation describe your experience?
Do his theories of seminal retention sound like the Victorian anti-masturbation mania?
Has anyone here practised any of his techniques long enough to confirm or contradict his system?

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 1 reply

Jung on Phantasies vs Living other people's lives

2005-11-04T19:54:38Z

Jung encouraged his patients to set aside part of the day for what came to be known as `active imagination'. This is a state of reverie, in which judgment is suspended, but consciousness is preserved. The subject is required to note what phantasies occur to him, and then to let these phantasies pursue their own path without conscious intervention. In this way, the subject may be able to rediscover hidden parts of himself as well as portray the psychological journey on which he is embarking.

Jung's self-analysis convinced him that, whereas the young individual's task was primarily to emancipate himself from his original family, establish himself in the world, and found a new family in his turn, the middle-aged individual's task was to discover and express his own uniqueness as an individual. ... Men became neurotic at the mid-point of life because, in some sense, they had been false to themselves, and had strayed too far from the path which Nature intended them to follow. By scrupulous attention to the inner voice of the psyche, which manifested itself in dreams, phantasies, and other derivatives of the unconscious, the lost soul could rediscover its proper path, as Jung himself succeeded in doing. The attitude or `set' required of the patient is really a religious one, although belief in a personal God or adherence to a recognized religious creed is not part of the undertaking.

- Anthony Storr, Solitude, A Return To The Self

As I grow older, more and more of the economic and political details keep pushing in, and I wonder what became of that early inner quietness that allowed me to move out of my own center.

- Joseph Campbell in conversation with Michael Toms, from An Open Life

posted in Brahmacarya Boys - 4 replies