Queer Spirit: Salt Lake City, UT

A bit of Gay History: An argument for Pride Day

2009-08-07T07:16:00.001-06:00

___________________________________________________________
A Child is Listening...

"Because of my own lack of knowledge, I became dependent upon
people in the Clergy. When the Clergy condemns a homosexual
person to Hell and eternal damnation, we, the congregation, echo
'Amen'. I deeply regret my lack of knowledge concerning gay and
lesbian people. Had I allowed myself to investigate what I now see
as Bible bigotry and diabolical dehumanizing slander against our
fellow human beings, I would not be looking back with regret for
having relinquished my ability to think and reason with other
people...people I trust for truth and guidance in my life and in the
life of our gay son.

"God did not heal or cure Bobby as he, our family and Clergy believed
He should. It is obvious to us now why He did not. God has never
been encumbered by His child's genetically-determined sexual
orientation. God is pleased that Bobby has a kind and loving heart.
In God's eyes, kindness and love are what life is about. I did not
know that each time I echoed 'Amen' to the eternal damnation,
referring to Bobby as sick, perverted and a danger to our children
that his spirit was broken until he could no longer rise above the
injustice of it all. Bobby ended his life at age twenty.

"It was not God's will that Bobby jump over the side of a freeway
overpass into the path of an eighteen-wheel truck, killing him
instantly. Bobby's death was the direct result of his parent's
ignorance and fear of the word gay.

"An injustice has been done not only to Bobby but to his family as
well. God knows it isn't right that Bobby is not here with loved ones.
Correct education about homosexuality would have prevented this
tragedy. There are no words to express the pain and emptiness
remaining in the hearts of Bobby's family members, relatives, and
friends. We miss Bobby's kind and gentle ways, his fun-loving spirit,
his laughter. Bobby's hopes and dreams should not have been taken
from him, but they were. We can't have Bobby back; if we could we
would say to him, as I say to all gay and lesbian people around the
world, these benevolent words of Leo Buscaglia:

' Love yourself -- accept yourself -- forgive yourself --
and be good to yourself, because without you the rest
of us are without a source of many wonderful things.'

"There are children like Bobby sitting in our congregations.
Unknown to you, they will be listening to your 'Amens' as they
silently cry out to God in their hearts. Their cries will go unnoticed
for they cannot be heard above your 'Amens'. Your fear and
ignorance of the word gay will soon silence their cries. Before you
echo 'Amen' in your home or place of worship, think and
remember...a child is listening."

Mary A. Griffith

Bobby Griffith lived June 24, 1963 - August 27, 1983

The Lesbian and Gay Public Awareness Project
PO Box 65603
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(213) 281-1946

Queer Spirit has been offered Pre Sale Options!

2009-06-09T07:57:00.004-06:00

Queer Spirit has been given the option of Pre Sale discount on this show. Someone loves us!!

Sat, November 21st, 2009 8:00 PM (Doors open at: 7:00 PM)

Kathy Griffin

Presale Starts 6/10/09 10AM Password (REESE)

Abravanel Hall 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801 355-2787)

All Ages. $35.00 Advance. $37.00 Day Of Show. Tickets available from ArtTix

Tickets also avail on the Floor at $50.00 advance, $2.00 Higher Day of Show. Tickets are available online at ArtTix.Org, at all ArtTix Ticket Office or by calling 801-355-ARTS

Pride Day Booth/T Shirt Sale

2009-05-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

Queer Spirit will have a booth at PRIDE DAY June 6 & 7, 2009 in Salt Lake City. If you would like to volunteer some time at the booth please contact Jerry through the contact tab on the website.

These T Shirts are $20 each. we have large and x large. T Shirts, Tank Tops and Sleeveless shirts. Again, E mail Jerry at JerryBuie@mac.com

Pride Day Booth

2009-05-09T08:06:00.002-06:00

HEY GUYS: By popular request we have raised money (sorta) and have rented a PRIDE DAY BOOTH (June 5-7, 2009) ... still looking for some ideas of what to do at the booth.

Kind of like QUEER SPIRIT'S Public Debut....... getting the word out about Queer Spirit has been a challenge but we are making ourselves known now. We have made about 10 poster images from different events, printed up plenty of items for the table and still contemplating a surprise here and there!

We would love for folks to volunteer time to be at the booth to answer questions, promote T Shirt sales, etc....

The T Shirts are either standard T shirts, Tanks or Sleeveless shirts. White with the Pride Counseling logo on the front and the website printed on the back. These are professional quality T shirts. You can pre-order your T SHIRTS by e mailing JERRYBUIE@MAC.COM ($20). WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE AS MANY T SHIRTS AS POSSIBLE AT PRIDE!

I should mention on May 16, 2009 from 11 to 2 p.m. at the HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE will be a GLBT Health Fair with over 35 booths set up for information on many diverse health care issues. QUEER SPIRIT will have a booth there as well....... our dress rehearsal.

Jerry

Clarity About Queer Spirit

2009-03-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

Clarity about Queer Spirit: This is more detailed than this note will offer, but something to consider.

There are two misconceptions about Queer Spirit.

1. When John and I started Queer Spirit we saw this originally as a community service to the men in Utah. I think we both under estimated what need this Queer Spirit Movement would facilitate for men through out the country. We often offer day workshops or 2 hour workshops or talking circles. We certainly desire to see a "local" community come from these efforts of men who are connecting, sharing and expanding friendship circles. In fact I would love to see similar communities dot the globe, men consistently gathering, sharing and expanding the stories of who and what we are in humanity. I think we are both surprised at the national and even international circle that is developing from Queer Spirit. I personally have been invited to New Mexico, Bermuda, Oregon, New York to name a few places to facilitate and work with groups in the manner that we are doing here in UTAH. Its exciting to see communities embrace this process that we have started here in UTAH. My personal inspiration was Harry Hay who was one of the founders of the Radical Faeries, again, they dot the globe.

The invitation to participate in any of our events is extended to Everyone who is able to be here regardless of home base, we are all family! Faerie Scout Camp was a great success last year in part to our travelers from outside of UTAH and diverse as some Radical Faeries just happen to find us and added some wonderful color and diversity to our process. SO THIS IS NOT JUST A UTAH BASED/PARTICIPANT PROCESS. By all means if your coming to the retreat from out of town I would be glad to help you out with a place to stay before and after the retreat. Just let us know. At times when folks have joined us they are fed as well as they feed us with that perspective.

2. People keep asking about cost.

Again, we are not a business and this is NOT therapy. The retreat is actually the cost of lodging and food that we pay to the ranch. We run our funds through WHITE CRANE INSTITUTE, a 501 C-3, the fully support our vision and offer us great resources to deal with taxes and such. The ranch, in their support to our vision, offers the retreat at a very reduced cost. The MONTHLY GATHERINGS and HEART CIRCLES are free.

Just show up. Donations are appreciated and what we do get often goes towards scholarships or snacks for such events.

PERU is a cost, but this is to facilitate the trip and supports the Peruvian Shaman for his cost and staff. We would like to see money in reference to Queer Spirit not be an issue, most retreats have at least one or two people who come as a product of scholarships and love offerings from those who appreciate what we do. I fully embrace the ability to manifest exactly what is needed.

I hope this helps clears some of this up. My motto.... if you feel the call or need to be here, step up and let me know. If we can't do it, I will let you know, but typically we can find a way.

This Queer Spirit is my passion and I know John is equally invested. I see such potential in this work and to share this is a true pleasure. Some of you may understand what I am offering or can give better perspective on this than I have and I appreciate your thoughts here as well!

Jerry

2009-03-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

"The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision." ~Lynn Lavner

Oscar Speech Inspires Hope: Thank you Mr. Milk

2009-02-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

"Oh my God. This was, um. This was not an easy film to make. First off, I have to thank Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg and all the real-life people who shared their stories with me. And, um, Gus Van Sant, Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco, and our entire cast, my producers, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, everyone at Groundswell and Focus, for taking on the challenge of telling this life-saving story. When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life, it gave me the hope to one day live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married.

I want to thank my mom who has always loved me for who I am, even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours. (Wild applause from the audience.) Thank you, thank you, and thank you God for giving us Harvey Milk." - Dustin Lance Black

I am Here Now!

2009-02-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

"We live in an age of prophecy,
during which humanity has the opportunity to re-awaken
to timeless, inter-dependent relationship with the cosmos.
Without a doubt, we are here at this special time
to help fulfill an awesome and delicately orchestrated plan
to align Earth with the cosmos
and humanity with the universal heart.
We are here to awaken to the full potential
of being authentic, aware human beings.
It is time to drop your cosmic remote control,
get out of that visualization chair,
and get to work.
Spirit helps those who help themselves.
Spirit works right NOW . . .
not yesterday . . . not tomorrow.
Quit watching what is going on and take action.
Use your power to do something
about the imbalances in your world."
- The Star Elders
source: http://www.kachina.net/~alunajoy/solarwave2009.html

2009-02-03T08:14:00.003-07:00

"You perceive love directly from everything, including yourself and other humans. Even when humans are sad or angry, behind these feelings you can see that they are also sending love.

Using your imagination and your new eyes of perception, I want you to see yourself living a new life, a new dream, a life where you don't need to justify your existence and you are free to be who you really are."

Copyright © 1997 by Miguel Angel Ruiz, M.D.

Informational Meeting for Queer Spirit Trip to PERU

2009-01-26T08:53:00.002-07:00

Are you interested or curious about the 14 day trip to Peru?

Can I afford it?

What will we do?

Why this trip?

All great questions. FEBRUARY 8, 2009 (Sunday) at 6:00 p.m. we will discuss the trip and what you might expect by participating in this journey.

Location: 2084 East 6425 South Holladay UT

E mail RSVP to jerrybuie@mac.com

For those outside of Salt Lake City and interested in details please feel free to e mail and we will have a private discussion regarding the details/

Jerry

Are you there? Who are you?

2009-01-18T20:33:00.003-07:00

Those of us connected to Queer Spirit are curious.... who are the readers of this blog? This website? Who is part of the movement of Queer Spirit? Of Queer Enlightenment? Tell us a bit about yourself.

Let us know what your looking for? What information could we post that would be helpful? Insightful? What brings you here? We would like to know what your thinking and how this website can best serve you.

We host monthly circles, quarterly retreats and camp outs, trips to Peru..... what are you looking for? We have envisioned that Queer Spirit is a community effort and so we seek your ideas and inputs. Thanks.

Simply reply in the comment section to this post and we will check frequently for your feedback.

Andes Trip Announced

2009-01-08T08:42:00.004-07:00

Are you ready for a STUNNING LIFE? Check out the site for the next Queer Spirit journey in OCTOBER 2009. Click here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

2009-01-01T08:52:00.004-07:00

You know how you get those e mails with nice little thoughts? I got this a few days back and felt it was a powerful message for all of us. A great thought for the NEW YEAR! Let refine and define the essence of who we are with the power of our mind!

Jerry

BankAccount

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is
fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair
fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he
is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of
70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the
nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I
provided a visual description of his tiny room, including
the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old
having just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how
the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind.
I already decided to love it.

"It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up.
I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed
recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that
no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for
the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes
open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories
I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from
what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to
deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. "I am
still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

2008-12-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

"We each must become like fishermen, and go out onto the dark ocean of
mind, and let your nets down into that sea.

"And what you're after is not some behemoth that will tear through your
nets, foul them, and drag you and your little boat into the abyss. Nor are
what we looking for a bunch of sardines, that can slip through your net
and disappear, ideas like 'have you ever noticed that your little finger
exactly fits your nostril' and stuff like that.

"What we are looking for are middle-sized ideas that are not so small that
they are trivial, and not so large that they are incomprehensible, but
middle-sized ideas that we can wrestle into our boat and take back to the
folks on shore, and have fish dinner.

"And everyone of us, this is what we should be looking for. It's not for
your elucidation, it's not part of your self-directed psychotherapy; you are
an explorer, and you represent our species.

"And the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because
our world is endangered by the absence of good ideas. Our world is in
crisis because of the absence of consciousness.

"And so, to whatever degree, any one of us can bring back a small piece
of the picture, and contribute it to the building of the new paradigm.
Then we participate in the redemption of the human spirit."

- Terence McKenna

2008-11-11T21:40:00.001-07:00

"The best political, social, and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the
projection of our shadow onto others."
- Carl Jung

What is the Shadow Inviting?

2008-11-09T20:29:00.001-07:00

What the Outcome of Proposition 8 offers me as a Queer Man

On November 5, 2008 many American’s awoke to witness a mandate from the people regarding the future of our nation. At some particular level our nation has matured beyond the racial tensions that have so thwarted our ability to grow as a nation. Today our African American President Elect prepares to lead this nation. As a nation we are moving beyond a dark place in our history. In my work on a spiritual plane, I have come to value the power of the “shadow.” Shadow is often a reflection of some aspect of self that is difficult to acknowledge. Darkness can often prevail as a tool for enlightenment. This can be a difficult pill to swallow, but I am left feeling that the defeat of Proposition 8, for us in the queer community, can be a powerful tool to our own enlightenment.

California voters repealed its marriage laws to prevent same sex couples the right to marry, another state is rewriting its constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman. Another state outlawed gay people from adopting children. (All right with the Shadow piece already!)

It’s an overwhelming commentary of how far we still need to go regarding Civil Rights. This morning Queer people nationally are grieving their losses and asking what happened? Many are angry and hurt. As I write this, the lessons are perplexing, and at times painful.

The vote was so close in California that it clearly speaks to no one being a winner. Personally I don’t want to win by a narrow margin, I want a mandate, similar to what Obama achieved. In the circumstances of California its clear that no one won. Mormons won nothing; they compromised their polished Donny and Marie image; that image of being a loving, family religion, to one that will go to great measures, in the name of Jesus, to smear families across a religious divide. As one living in Utah the divisions have been painful on both sides. Did they win something? No clear winner, no clear looser. In this election issue it was about who held the financial power and could outspend to get their way. One would think that in the scope of issues around civil rights we would see a public mandate that says… “Equal rights for all”. Where is that voice for queer America? This country should understand by now the problems with a separate but equal policy. On some level, the feedback is against us. That message includes fear, misunderstandings and old thoughts of perversions, to mention a few. Many well meaning friends and associates still embrace the gay cliché’s and media images are still full of stereotypical images. I am confused by the notion of our excitement to be mentioned in an acceptance speech, when it’s a calculated mention, so as to not offend the “right”. We are so careful, less we offend. We are encouraged to be friendly in our disagreements, present a “good” or “right” image, so to be heard. We are embarrassed by the “other” and consequently seek to blend, to be as good as the heterosexual norm.

Is this working?

What is the mandate to Queer America? What is the “shadow” inviting?

What is being communicated by 53% of the majority? What is the lesson of the shadow? Here are some thoughts to contemplate.

In many ways and for too long our community has attached itself to the roles of martyr and victim. In fact, its one way we define ourselves. Gay bashing, George Bush/ Karl Rove, legal issues, financial fairness, freedom of expression, definition of family; we tend to be on the loosing edge in these and many other issues. At a rally the other night the shout was “enough already!” We are the sissies being kicked around by the bullies. But how do we look at these circumstances in the eyes of one who works with Light and Spirit? What is the message of the Coyote and Heyoka (native American symbols of the “trickster”) in all of this?

Is it political unfairness we are fighting? Or we being mirrored aspects of ourselves that we struggle to respond too?

On one level I have to wonder if we as Gay Americans have manifested this outcome in some way? It’s interesting how many people I know who have actively demonstrated this election issue only to respond cynically… “It will make no difference” or “they will never change.” Really? It makes no difference? (Someone let Martin Luther King know it makes no difference). Why are we outraged and protesting?

I am reminded of Harry Hay suggestion that we need to get gay men together in circle and create consensus around the notions of who and what we are as a tribe and then to let society in general come to appreciate those gifts and talents (although Harry was speaking to a gay men’s crowd, I would suggest this is a statement to all us, GLBT). I often wonder how many of us are demanding civil rights but ultimately don’t intimately embrace that we should have them? We only have to examine how we interact with each other within our own community, our disillusionments that are often summarized as “that’s how gay people are”, how we prey on each other, how we examine societal maladies as a reflection of gay as opposed to the choices we make in our lives.

Although Harry Hay mentioned “consensus” in understanding who we are I would suggest that this would be an overbearing outcome. BUT, coming to know ourselves, in the context of community, feels vitally important. If you will, instead of a rebellion towards the “other” what happens when we rebel towards the limiting concepts of self that regulate us to second-class citizen, pervert or social outcast?

Have we in fact done our work and examined ourselves and the notions of who we are? Does the broader community reflect/mirror that ambivalence with their vote? (The message of Coyote) What they seem to be saying is “we like you, you dress nice, your good people, but ultimately I don’t understand you”. It’s an easier task to blame religious politics, but this leaves me dis-empowered, victimized. When I step into a place of Powerfully Creating the outcome of a situation, consciously embracing my essence, gifts, talents and rights to be, I become a powerful voice, an independent voice.

I have to wonder if we understand who we are and what we are and what we offer to mainstream society? Have we in fact done our own work or are we just demanding rights without that foundation or examination? How much more effective would our voice be if we collectively, in a nurturing way embraced OUR truth(s) as individuals as well as a collective?

Is this vote a message, a trickster in disguise? The Coyote is often seen as a bad omen, but in reality his gift is powerful, he provokes us to see ourselves in ways that we often do not want to acknowledge. One only has to tune into Manhunt to see where many gay men define themselves. Society sees us as sexual anomalies and we respond in like. When we determine that “gay” is only “one” aspect of who I am, perhaps I marginalize the value of being gay. When I generalize and respond that gay men are “just that way” I offer a clue to just how well I embrace my right to be accepted and valued.

These are difficult questions and yet I feel that once we embrace fully and without reservations the "who" and "what" we are and step into that story with PRIDE and conviction, society will respond. In fact, we generate the energy and spiritual fortitude to manifest that which we put our mind. Someday Pride celebrations will move beyond Beer Garden events to celebrations of cultural expressions. Offering to society our uniqueness that is often taken for granted.

My point is not to criticize how we (queer society) do things or where we as a culture place emphasis in our lives. In fact, many of those nuances are on some levels reflections of who we are. I for one offer complete rejection that we should somehow formulate our lives in the constraints of a heterosexual society; hell those constraints don’t work well for straight society let alone queer society. My invitation is to utilize our creativity to find avenues to this exploration. Exploring opportunities to dive deep into our stories and discover the magic of our existence. Sorting out within us and within our communities the richness and expressions that are uniquely OURS. Finding that voice offers liberation from domesticated notions of being queer, shifts shame into confidence and guilt into liberation. Therein we lay the foundation to civil rights, equality and self-respect.

Jerry Buie
www.queerspirit.org

Vote

2008-10-30T15:09:00.001-06:00

I love Mr. Brezsny's astrology and comments and thought this was
interesting in reference to the coming elections: however you vote. Be the Creator!

THIS IS A PERFECT MOMENT
by Rob Brezsny

This is a perfect moment.
It's a perfect moment for many reasons,
but especially because you and I are waking up
from our sleepwalking, thumb-sucking, dumb-clucking collusion
with the masters of illusion and destruction.

Thanks to them,
from whom the painful blessings flow,
we are waking up.

Their wars and tortures,
their crimes against nature,
extinctions of species
and brand new diseases.

Their spying and lying
in the name of the father,
sterilizing seeds and
trademarking water.

Molestations of God,
celebrations of shame,
stealing our dreams and
changing our names.

Their cunning commercials
and blood-sucking hustles,
their endless rehearsals
for the end of the world.

Thanks to them,
from whom the awful teachings flow,
we are waking up.

*

Their painful blessings are cracking open
more and more gashes
in the shrunken and crippled mass hallucination
that is mistakenly called "reality."
And through the fractures,
ripe eternity is flooding in;
news of the soul's true home is pouring in;
our allies from the other side of the veil
are swarming in,
inspiring us to become smarter and wilder
and kinder and trickier.

We are waking up.

As heaven and earth come together,
as the dreamtime and daytime merge,
we register the shockingly exhilarating fact
that we are in charge
of creating a brand new world.
Not in some distant time or faraway place,
but right here and right now.

*

As we stand on this brink,
as we dance on this verge,
we can't let the ruling fools of the dying world
sustain their curses.
We have to rise up
and fight their insane logic;
defy, resist, and prevent their tragic magic;
erupt with our sacred rage and supercharge it.

But overthrowing the living dead is not enough.
Protesting the well-dressed monsters is not enough.
We can't afford to be consumed with our anger;
we can't be obsessed and possessed by their danger.
Our mysterious bodies crave delight and fertility.
Our boisterous imaginations demand fresh tastes of infinity.

In the new world we're gestating,
we need to be suffused
with lusty compassion and ecstatic duty,
ingenious love and insurrectionary beauty.
We've got to be teeming with radical curiosity and reverent pranks,
voracious listening and ferocious thanks.

*

So I'm curious, my fellow creators.
Since you and I are in charge of making a new world
-- not just breaking down the old world --
where do we begin?
What stories do we want at the heart of our experiments?
What questions will be our oracles?

Here's what I say:
In the New World we're creating,
We will ridicule the cult of doom and gloom.
We will embrace the cause of zoom and boom.
We will laugh at the stupidity of evil and hate;
we'll summon the brilliance to praise and create.

No matter how upside-down it all may appear,
we will have no fear
because we know this big secret:
Pronoia is real.
All of creation is conspiring to shower us with blessings.
Life is crazily in love with us --
brazenly and innocently in love with us.

The universe always gives us
exactly what we need,
exactly when we need it.

*

The winds and the tides are on our side,
forever and ever, amen.
The fire and the rain are scheming to steal our impossible pain.
The sun and the moon and the stars
remember our real names,
and our ancestors pray for us while we're dreaming.

We have guardian angels and thousands of teachers,
provocateurs with designs to unleash us,
helpers and saviors we can't even imagine,
brothers and sisters who want us to blossom.

Thanks to them,
from whom the blissful blessings flow,
we are waking up.

The roads they pave us,
the places they save us,
the tomatoes they grow us,
the rivers they flow us.

Their mysterious stories,
and morning glories,
their loaves and fishes,
granting our wishes.

The songs they sing us,
the gifts they bring us,
the secrets they show us,
above and below us.

Thanks to them,
from whom the blissful blessings flow,
we are waking up.

Todays Thought

2008-10-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

"Remember, we are all affecting the world every moment, whether we
mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we are so
deeply interconnected with one another. Working on our own
consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any
moment, and being love is a supreme creative act."
- Ram Dass

Reminder

2008-09-05T08:27:00.003-06:00

Next Friday is our Fall Retreat and we still have room for people to register. Please E mail jerrybuie@mac.com to secure your space for an adventure of a lifetime!

September is Here!

2008-09-02T07:58:00.004-06:00

WOW, Where did summer go? It was a beautiful summer for Queer Spirit. We had some great workshops, circles and opportunities to come together and grow in beautiful ways. The word of Queer Spirit is growing. I have been asked to help with some articles about our movement, people are signing up on Tribe.Net, Facebook and through the website for more information.

Recently I returned from Zuni Mountain Sanctuary where I held a three day circle. This group of men and women chose to do a modified vision quest and a series of sweat lodges. It was truly a powerful process that endorsed healing and understanding and personal empowerment for this circle of people.

SEPTEMBER presents with three powerful events.

Tuesday September 9, 2008 is Ray McGinnis from Canada who will be presenting Writing the Sacred workshop

Friday through Sunday (September 12-14, 2008) is our Fall Queer Spirit Retreat. Registration is at a steady pace but there is room for you, so act now.

September 25, 2008 is our HEART CIRLCE: Exploring our magic. 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.

PLEASE RSVP by e mailing Jerry Buie regarding these events. Its a beautiful time of the year, lets find our joy and share what we know!

Jerry

Thoughts to make you go HMMMMM

2008-08-13T08:35:00.001-06:00

Spirituality is the search for the profound within us

and

Once a person embraces truth, he is in its ruthless, but gentle, grasp.

Sometimes paying attention to random thoughts/quotes and information is what is being communicated to us at a time when we most need to hear something!

Manhunt and Queer Spirit!

2008-08-04T21:47:00.002-06:00

This was shared on our Yahoo Site for Queer Spirit. Its an interesting thought and wonder if there are any responses to this thread?

There is an interesting article in the September 2008 edition of "Out"
magazine by Michael Joseph Gross on how Manhunt took over our world.
It pertains directly to some of the topics covered in the talking
circle we had at Fairy Scout Camp this past weekend.

I quote from page 118:

<<"Looking for Mr. Right," countless Manhunt profiles claim, but until
he comes along, they're open to playing with Mr. Right Now. Online
cruising has its place in gay society: Access to a satisfying number
of Mr. Right Nows is part of the pleasure and the privilege of moving
to the big city to be gay.

Beyond a certain point, though, perpetually settling for Mr. Right Now
becomes a failure of hope. When you came out, you did it because you
wanted something. Part of what you wanted was sex, but part of what
you hoped for was the possibility of being loved as your true self.
And when, as often happens while curising online, we diminish the hopes
that drew us out of the closet, we reduce sexy to a purely physical act.

When we do these things we lie to ourselves - and worse, we tell the
same lies that our enemies tell about us. The fundamentalist canard
about loving the sinner but hating the sin draws a nonsensical
distinction between person and act. Cruising online, by encouraging us
to separate sex from the rest of our lives, does exactly the same
thing. These are falsehoods about human nature and about the place of
love in our lives, and they undermine the belief that sex can be
anything more than a pastime.

. . .

We celebrate the fact that we're out to the straight world, even though
the only thing that menas, in many cases is that they know we're gay.

When we longged on, I don't thik most of us realized we were creating
new secret lives. I don't think we knew what we were getting into.
But we got into it. For most of us, this is not working. And it it's
not working for you, then it's time to get off.>>

One of the many benefits of Queer Spirit retreats and activities for me
is getting to meet gay men in an intentional community and enjoy them
as whole people. Would I like to have sex with some of the men I meet
in these activities? Duh. But when I do (no disclosures here)
hopefully it will be as two conscious individuals and not two sets of
statistics. Maybe I'm (figuratively) smoking dope, but think about it,
maybe having sex with friends would be more rewarding than having sex
with strangers. I would love to see any comments.

How was Faerie Camp?

2008-08-04T06:02:00.003-06:00

For those of you who attended Faerie Camp this weekend would love to publish your post about the weekend! What say you? Jerry

Quote for Today

2008-08-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

Our self-perception determines our behavior. If we think we're small, limited, inadequate creatures, then we tend to behave that way, and the energy we radiate reflects those thoughts no matter what we do. If we think we're magnificent creatures with an infinite abundance of love and power to give, then we tend to behave that way. Once again, the energy around us reflects our state of awareness.
—Excerpted from A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

Faerie Scout Camp is Around the corner!

2008-07-26T12:26:00.003-06:00

Soon we will be gathering in our camp, singing, dancing and wildly embracing our lives as Queer Men.... What will you bring? Go to the Home page of the site and click on the camp...... on that page are three downloads marked in yellow with "new" and there you can see what we have planned, a map to windwalker ranch and a mini agenda. Jerry

Car Pool to Spirit Camp

2008-07-14T22:48:00.001-06:00

"Hi guys! I'm looking for guys who may be interested in carpooling to
the campout, AND I have a 40 ft motorhome that sleeps 6 we can take.
So please email me if you are interested in carpooling, either in my
motorhome or other vehicle: RoxMyWorld@gmail.com. Thanks, Roger"

We Don't Worship Trees!!!

2008-07-13T14:11:00.003-06:00

BUT WHY NOT?

Recently a participant of Queer Spirit said that he was confronted as he invited folks to our Summer Camp: "Why are you Recruiting to your religion? You worship trees!"

Worship? Trees? Religion? UMMMM. Somewhere in our efforts to share what Queer Spirit is about it gets lost in the field of individual stories, fears and concerns. Many of us have been impacted by some form of spiritual abuse and consequently we write off all things "spiritual" In fact, that word "spirit" pushes buttons in and of itself.

As we were discussing this somewhat skewed and misinformed perception we discussed the various "buttons" often revealed in the context of queer men spending time in a communal setting.... stories of, well, tree worship, religion, sex and sexuality, ulterior motives seem to merge into the context of what Queer Spirit is about. In reality it is very simple: "let's talk! let's explore" might be a mantra of Queer Spirit. I encourage folks to explore the writings on the article section of the website as we have attempted to capture the essence of Queer Spirit in these writings.

Back to Tree Worship.

First of all: Trees are beautiful and often, time under a tree can certainly reveal perspective and perception of ourselves. For example: Have you ever heard a tree dismayed if he/she looks as good as the other trees? If he/she fits in?

Probably Not: It simply is. No apology, no explanation, no repentance, no offense. It simply is.

What if Gay Men were rooted.... (pun intended) in a similar philosophy?

Now thats a sermon if I ever heard one.

Those of us encouraging the retreats and the Queer Camp in two weeks are holding to a dream, that gay men will commune, share and laugh together. Find beauty in each other, in all our different shapes, sizes, beliefs, age, struggles and triumphs ..... we simple are.

Please, come, commune, shoot your roots deep into the earth, spread your branches and find the beauty in our community and with each other.... it may be what your looking for!

Jerry

2008-07-08T14:54:00.001-06:00

"Once again we face a paradox, for it appears that softening your heart
and gently tending its wounds _will protect you from evil. Building a
fortress and defending yourself behind it will only make you more
vulnerable. Healing your own heart is the single _most powerful thing you
can do to change the world. Your own transformation will enable you to
withdraw _so completely from evil that you contribute to it by not one
word, one thought, or one breath."

-Deepak Chopra, *The Deeper Wound Recovering the Soul from Fear and
Suffering*

Interesting Quotes to Consider

2008-06-25T21:23:00.001-06:00

"A verse from the Veda says, 'What you see, you become.' In other words,
just the experience of perceiving the world makes you what you are. This
is a quite literal statement."
- Deepak Chopra

"At all times I will be the pupil of everyone."
- Shantideva

Interesting Perspective on relationship

2008-06-18T13:58:00.003-06:00

From the New York Times website.
I thought this was very interesting and wanted to share with all of you. I often hear in my office about what is wrong or challenging about gay relationships and then someone goes off and offers this aspect. What a gift! Jerry

June 10, 2008

Gay Unions Shed Light on Gender in Marriage

By TARA PARKER-POPE
For insights into healthy marriages, social scientists are looking in an unexpected place.

A growing body of evidence shows that same-sex couples have a great deal to teach everyone else about marriage and relationships. Most studies show surprisingly few differences between committed gay couples and committed straight couples, but the differences that do emerge have shed light on the kinds of conflicts that can endanger heterosexual relationships.

The findings offer hope that some of the most vexing problems are not necessarily entrenched in deep-rooted biological differences between men and women. And that, in turn, offers hope that the problems can be solved.

Next week, California will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, reigniting the national debate over gay marriage. But relationship researchers say it also presents an opportunity to study the effects of marriage on the quality of all relationships.

“When I look at what’s happening in California, I think there’s a lot to be learned to explore how human beings relate to one another,” said Sondra E. Solomon, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Vermont. “How people care for each other, how they share responsibility, power and authority — those are the key issues in relationships.”

The stereotype for same-sex relationships is that they do not last. But that may be due, in large part, to the lack of legal and social recognition given to same-sex couples. Studies of dissolution rates vary widely.

After Vermont legalized same-sex civil unions in 2000, researchers surveyed nearly 1,000 couples, including same-sex couples and their heterosexual married siblings. The focus was on how the relationships were affected by common causes of marital strife like housework, sex and money.

Notably, same-sex relationships, whether between men or women, were far more egalitarian than heterosexual ones. In heterosexual couples, women did far more of the housework; men were more likely to have the financial responsibility; and men were more likely to initiate sex, while women were more likely to refuse it or to start a conversation about problems in the relationship. With same-sex couples, of course, none of these dichotomies were possible, and the partners tended to share the burdens far more equally.

While the gay and lesbian couples had about the same rate of conflict as the heterosexual ones, they appeared to have more relationship satisfaction, suggesting that the inequality of opposite-sex relationships can take a toll.

“Heterosexual married women live with a lot of anger about having to do the tasks not only in the house but in the relationship,” said Esther D. Rothblum, a professor of women’s studies at San Diego State University. “That’s very different than what same-sex couples and heterosexual men live with.”

Other studies show that what couples argue about is far less important than how they argue. The egalitarian nature of same-sex relationships appears to spill over into how those couples resolve conflict.

One well-known study used mathematical modeling to decipher the interactions between committed gay couples. The results, published in two 2003 articles in The Journal of Homosexuality, showed that when same-sex couples argued, they tended to fight more fairly than heterosexual couples, making fewer verbal attacks and more of an effort to defuse the confrontation.

Controlling and hostile emotional tactics, like belligerence and domineering, were less common among gay couples.

Same-sex couples were also less likely to develop an elevated heartbeat and adrenaline surges during arguments. And straight couples were more likely to stay physically agitated after a conflict.

“When they got into these really negative interactions, gay and lesbian couples were able to do things like use humor and affection that enabled them to step back from the ledge and continue to talk about the problem instead of just exploding,” said Robert W. Levenson, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

The findings suggest that heterosexual couples need to work harder to seek perspective. The ability to see the other person’s point of view appears to be more automatic in same-sex couples, but research shows that heterosexuals who can relate to their partner’s concerns and who are skilled at defusing arguments also have stronger relationships.

One of the most common stereotypes in heterosexual marriages is the “demand-withdraw” interaction, in which the woman tends to be unhappy and to make demands for change, while the man reacts by withdrawing from the conflict. But some surprising new research shows that same-sex couples also exhibit the pattern, contradicting the notion that the behavior is rooted in gender, according to an abstract presented at the 2006 meeting of the Association for Psychological Science by Sarah R. Holley, a psychology researcher at Berkeley.

Dr. Levenson says this is good news for all couples.

“Like everybody else, I thought this was male behavior and female behavior, but it’s not,” he said. “That means there is a lot more hope that you can do something about it.”

The Play About Henry

2008-06-11T21:13:00.003-06:00

MISSA SOLEMNIS OR THE PLAY ABOUT HENRY by Roman Feeser, directed by Linda S.
Nelson is a provocative drama based on the actual events of gay Mormon
Henry Stuart Matis who had engaged his life in a false dilemma: either one is gay
or one is Christian. As he believed he was Christian, he believed he could
never be gay. Trapped between his same gender attraction and the power of his LDS
faith, Henry would make the ultimate sacrifice to remove the chains of his
morality. This performance features the New York cast of Matt Huffman, Susan
Pierson, Bill Fairbairn, Warren Katz and Jai Catalano. To learn more about the
play, go to www.theplayabouthenry.com

ONE NIGHT ONLY
benefit performance in
Salt Lake City, Utah
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
with the New York City
cast. At the Rose Wagner
Theatre

2008 Fairy Scout Camp In August

2008-06-07T22:02:00.004-06:00

Auntie Brucie invites you to QUEER SUMMER CAMP:

Fairy Scout Camp!
July 31, 2008 through August 3, 2008

About a month ago a few of us went to a festival at WindWalker Ranch and had such a wonderful time that the idea of Queer Summer Camp was birthed.

This event will be different than the retreats: We want to relax and enjoy camp and company.

We are inviting YOU to plan the weekend. Each of us enjoy talents that are just waiting to be shared and birthed. This weekend will be your opportunity to set up your talent, workshop, etc.

I would love to call out a Talent Show for one night. The stage and logistics are being formulated.... Some inner talent begging to be seen or explored? Bring it on?

Workshops could include/ might include the following:

Tarot and Divination
Body Work
Meditate
Movement and Dance
DJ's
Yoga
Sweat Lodge
Pipe Ceremony
Sing
Dance
Hike
Art
Musically Inclined
Pagans
Christians
Healer (ings)

WHO DID I MISS?

Don't limit yourself.... bring it. In fact, E mail me through the contact page of this website and lets process what you have to offer, our goal is to create the space.

Are you thinking you just want to come and be part of this wonderful gathering???? Come join us. We are opening the door to all queer men, regardless of age or ability to bring together the pieces of our community.

We are about building community of mindful souls. Looking for fun, sensuality and mindfulness. Creating focus while creating community... bringing what we have to explore and bringing it forward.

We are asking to set up camp on Thursday night. Bring your own gear, trailers, tents, food, water, sunscreen and anything else you would need for camping. We are asking that if folks have devices for shade and cover that would be a nice addition for community space. Dress wildly and freely...

The agenda for this event will build as people RSVP through E mail (jerrybuie@mac.com). * This event is a fundraiser for Queer Spirit and WindWalker's Learning Center. We are suggesting a $100 donation.... However, we are not turning anyone away from lack of funds. If you need a scholarship please contact us at jerrybuie@mac.com and we will work something out. SEE YOU SOON.

Spring Retreat 2008

2008-04-22T05:56:00.001-06:00

FYI: There is still space for folks to sign up for the retreat this weekend. Please send Jerry an e mail at jerrybuie@mac.com and we can get you set up!

Jerry Buie

Queer Spirit Movement

2008-04-07T07:19:00.003-06:00

The other day in a Queer Spirit Circle men were introducing themselves and speaking to WHY they were attending the evening Movement and Meditation workshop. One man said he wanted to be a part of the Queer Spirit Movement.

A movement?

It occurred to me the other day that as Gay people we spend an incredible amount of time demanding and seeking legal rights. I too am often involved in local political movements, write letters to government leaders, and otherwise join my voice to the equal rights of our community.

But it occurred to me how many people are demanding rights when often, deep within, they are not sure they deserve them. To me, Queer Spirit becomes a mechanism in which gay men can explore and discover for themselves the gifts they offer the general humanity. The Queer Spirit Movement is about coming out from the inside first!

We have been busy! We held a Shaman Drumming, Movement and Meditation (30 guys were present for that one) and are currently gearing up for the Spring Retreat to be held April 25-27, 2008. These retreats are powerful and fun and appear to be shifting those who are attending and opening themselves up to possibilities.

We are looking at a summer full of great activities. Please e mail on the contact part of the website for additional information.

Jerry

What a Great Circle

2008-01-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Well we just completed this incredible retreat at the ranch and two weeks later we sit in circle and witnessed everyone's process. What a wonderful opportunity we are sharing. So last thursday night we had 20 men attend the heart circle, share and witness life since the retreat. We look forward to those of you with your own ideas of events and processes we can share in community. By all means if you have an idea or an interest let us know so we can incorporate it in the process! Details of the next retreat will soon be posted.

Jerry

Winter Retreat Update/January 24, 2008 Gathering

2008-01-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

It is one week following the Winter Retreat at the ranch. My head is still spinning in pure delight at what an awesome experience we shared in the Cedar Forest of Spring City. First of all thanks to Loretta and Brook for working in such a loving and nurturing manner. These two women are part of the magic of these retreats and I want to honor them for those efforts.

As for the retreat itself, the ranch was magical in the new snow layers offered to us. Sean Kaminsky, the director of the show being filmed was present and captured all the magic and growth of the retreat. Surprisingly this was a pure incidental to the overall process, thus allowing for a free flowing event.

In knowing many of the men I truly honor them for their willingness to show up, share, examine and otherwise journey into a new place.

"Nothing determines who we will become so much as those things we choose to ignore." --Sandor McNab

So, overall the retreat continues to sit with me and in my heart as a truly magical and spirit filled weekend, perhaps life altering for the men who participated. Photos will be showing up soon.

ALSO

Thursday January 24, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. we will hold our talking circle at our usual location. (You are welcome to e mail for directions and a address).

This circle is open to the Queer Men looking to share or witness. You are not required to talk. You need not have attended in the past or been to a retreat. I suspect many men from the retreats will have an interest to process more of their journey. Till we meet again!

Jerry

Updates

2008-01-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

Well the holidays are behind us and what a wonderful winter season we have. Queer Spirit has also been busy.

1. Fellow Travelers Exhibit is soon to be on its way to another state. It is currently hanging at Cup of Joe's and will be there until I can get my act together and take it down. I imagine sometime this week I will get it retrieved. From what I hear many people from Salt Lake City viewed and pondered this beautiful collection by author Mark Thompson. Please see the Q Salt Lake article on this website. I want to thank the owner of Cup of Joe who generously provided space at her coffee shop for the show. Also, Q Salt Lake provided advertisment free of charge for nearly two months. This was a generous offering from them.

2. Gay Soul Making: Great hit. Mark Thompson and Clyde Hall provided insights and group facilitation offering some thoughts to a group of 20 men. This website offers a detail review of that workshop.

3. Post Holiday PJ Party: 13 men got together between holidays, donning grandma's christmas offerings and together watched The Peaceful Warrior. Great fun and social time for all involved.

4. The Winter Retreat is next weekend (Jan 11-13, 2008) We will be filmed by the Logo station for an upcoming special regarding Queer Spirit. Right now there are 15 guys ready to hit Wind Walker Ranch. Still time to go!

This movement of Queer Spirit has been an absolute joy to watch and observe. More and more men are checking it out and moving with what we offer. We have a yahoo group, Utah Queer Spirit we invite people to join. Will have more to report upon our return.

Jerry

2007-12-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys........ Its a post holiday PJ Party.

Tired of the Family Bondage that the Holidays bring?

Need to find a place to dump that Holiday Treat begging to be eaten?

Want to lounge about in those PJ's that grandma got you?

(These two just RSVP'd)

Well here ya go!

John and I thought it would be fun to get together for a relaxed evening of pillows, blankies and PJ's

When: Friday December 28, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.
What to
Bring: Yummy treat to share, PJ's, Blankets, Pillows, everything to be cozy and comfy.
What: Peaceful Warrior Movie and PJ Party

And yes you can bring friends or those interested in Queer Spirit!

Some of you have RSVP'd so no need to do it again, but if your considering attending and have not RSVP this is most helpful.

Call 801 557-9203 for questions.

Gay-The New Straight- I Don't Think So!

2007-12-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

“Gay — the new straight” — I don’t think so!

A veteran gay activist gets enspirited to tear into a recent Gregory Rodriguez column.
By Don Kilhefner

December 5, 2007

The title of Gregory Rodriguez's recent L.A. Times column, "Gay — the new straight," certainly caught my attention. Drawing his conclusions from an important new research study done by the Williams Institute at the UCLA Law School, Rodriguez makes many melodramatic, but largely unfounded, claims about gay people. While the rest of you were watching "Desperate Housewives," I sat down and studied UCLA research demographer Gary Gates' report, "Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples In The U.S. Census and the American Community Survey," page by page, statistic by statistic. I recommend it only to the masochists among you.

First Flaw. Rodriguez makes several major generalizations about gay people based solely on one study of same-sex couples. Let's do some simple math.

The number of gay couples on which the study was made was about 800,000. If there were two people in each couple (but you never know with you gay people), about 1.6 million gay people were included in the study. If we estimate that somewhere between 8% and 10% of the 300 million people in the United States are gay, we can estimate a total gay population of about 27 million. (That's settling on 9% — one of the few times I'm in the middle of the road.) Thus gay couples in the study represent about 6% of the gay population.

For research on geographic trends among same-sex couples, that's a great statistical sample. The only problem is that you cannot make sweeping generalizations about gay people and gay identity and gay community based on the study — only geographic trends among same-sex couples. You also can't differentiate between lesbian and gay male couples. Also missing was critically important, stratified demographic information such as the age, race and socioeconomic status of the subjects.

Based on my more than four decades of working in the Los Angeles gay community, I would speculate that the majority of gay men are not in coupled relationships, albeit many are desperately trying either to get into one or out of one. And I would speculate further that those who are in coupled relationships tend to be generally more conventional, bourgeois and conservative — gay assimilationist — than those who are not. Thus, generalizing about the gay community based on undifferentiated and unstratified same-sex couples, as Rodriguez and Gates do, is fraught with gross oversimplification and, in their case, the spinning of a sociopolitical agenda.

Second Flaw. To understand the gay assimilation ideology that Rodriguez is trying to spin, one must understand something about gay history and the struggle between two polarities in the historical development of gay people — gay enspiritment vs. gay assimilation. One can trace this debate back to a dinner Walt Whitman (gay enspiritment) and Ralph Waldo Emerson (gay assimilation) had in Boston prior to the publication of the 1860 edition of "Leaves of Grass." Emerson wanted Whitman to tone down and make more respectable what is usually considered the most famous gay poetry ever written. Whitman refused. Gay enspiritment won the day that time.

Right now we are living in a period where gay assimilation is the dominant ideology of the gay community. It has not always been so. There have been four major periods in our history as gay people here in Los Angeles and nationally:

(1) 1951-53: Radical Beginnings (Enspiritment). Harry Hay and the other politically progressive men who founded the Mattachine Society in Echo Park made a radical statement about homosexuals being a minority group. By organizing a network of secret discussion groups, they called on gay people to work toward creating "a highly ethical homosexual culture" and a "homosexual ethic — disciplined, moral and socially responsible."

(2) 1954-68: Homophile Assimilation. At a fateful 1953 meeting of the Mattachine Society at the old Unitarian Church on Crenshaw Boulevard, conservative homophile assimilationists took over the organization, and the radical founders were largely exiled. The homophile assimilationists emphasized the idea that homosexuals are just like heterosexuals except for what they do in bed (or Griffith Park). Respectability (suits and ties for men and dresses for women) and acceptance by the dominant heterosexual society signaled a major move to the right.

(3) 1969-85: Gay Liberation (Enspiritment). Author Mark Thompson called the year 1969 the "Big Bang" for gay people. Homophile assimilation was over, and a new consciousness emerged among gay people. A second radical, indeed revolutionary, push forward took place — gay self-respect replaced acting respectable. For the first time in American history, a gay community and virtually all of the gay community's institutions were created. Gay oppression was battled openly and fiercely. There was no begging for acceptance.

(4) 1985-present: Gay Assimilation. Except for ACT UP and AIDS activism in general, the gay community again moved right, with gay assimilation supplanting gay liberation. The ideology was that gay people are no different from straight people, as reflected in Rodriguez's Op-Ed. Same-sex marriage became almost the sole item on the assimilationist agenda. The gay assimilation poster boys would be a married gay couple with a home, a child or two and a schedule of PTA meetings and ballet lessons (for the child), a dog, a parrot, a few goldfish and tickets to a fundraising dinner at the Beverly Hilton. Inherent in assimilation ideology is the disappearance of the gay community and gay identity. Gay people would become like hetero tapioca pudding.

Third Flaw. A third major flaw in Rodriguez's gay assimilationist spin is his use of a conventional immigration-minority group historiography to interpret developments in the evolution of gay people. It goes like this. They (fill in the blank) came to the United States, the Great Melting Pot, and after two generations they were absorbed into the mainstream (except for Africans who came involuntarily and were enslaved).

I would suggest Rodriguez pay attention to Albert Einstein when he said "the significant problems of our day cannot be solved with the same consciousness that created them." A consciousness from that of our hetero oppressors is needed to understand the present evolution of gay people. Our so-called gay identity, whether negative or positive, is largely hetero-male derived and defined.

A new way of understanding gay people is that being "gay" and being "heterosexual" are radically different — like yin and yang — two separate and different parts of the whole, the human species. As gay people, our function in human evolution is different from the evolutionary function of heterosexuals (reproductive survival). Not only is being gay important and substantial, it has a significant evolutionary and social purpose and provides gay people with innate purpose that guides our behavior, our lives and our many contributions to society.

For a long time, gays have been trying to minimizetheir differences from heteros as an act of survival. But now, for the first time, the forward-moving force of history compels gay people to maximize their differences from straights as an act of love to ourselves and to them — the emergence of a new gay consciousness. In deep and profound ways none of us has "come out" yet.

Don Kilhefner, PhD, is a Jungian psychologist in West Hollywood. He is a founder of Los Angeles' Gay and Lesbian Center, Van Ness Recovery House and numerous other seminal institutions in the gay community including (with Harry Hay) the Radical Faeries, an international gay spirituality and consciousness movement. With Roberto Blain, he writes a column for Frontiers, Southern California's largest gay newspaper, titled Edging Out: Exploring the Frontiers of Gay Consciousness.

I Thoughts this was Interesting

2007-11-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

"Going Our Own Way"

by Jesse Monteagudo

In "A Separate People Whose Time Has Come," the late Harry Hay —
founder of the Mattachine Society and the Radical Fairies — wrote
about the special roles that Lesbians and Gay men, bisexuals and
transgendered people, play in society: We are "messengers and
interceders, shamans of both genders, priestesses and priests,
imagemakers and prophets, mimes and rhapsodies, poets and
playwrights, healers and nurturers, teachers and preachers, tinkers
and tinkerers, searchers and researches." Since Hay wrote those words
other queer authors, mystics and philosophers have echoed his words
and his belief that homosexuality is more than just sexual
orientation.

Gay, Lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are special people,
and not just because our affectional or sexual orientation or our
gender identity is different from the majority's. We are special
because we play special roles in society. Since we are not limited by
strict categories of gender or sex, we often lead the way, leaving
others to follow. According to Judy Grahn, author of Another Mother
Tongue, "Society uses all Gay people who participate in Gay culture,
for special purposes. We are closely watched to see what constitutes
the limit of a thing — too far out, too much, too low, too bad, too
outrageous, too soft, too dangerous, too rough, too cultured, too
aggressive, too sexual." If we could go back in time and examine the
first woman or the first man who ever tried to do something new -
from world-shaking philosophies to styles of fashion — It's very
likely that she or he was Lesbian or Gay, even if that person never
expressed his or her sexuality.

One of the ways GLBT people lead the way is in the field of religion
and spirituality. This we do in spite of, and sometimes because of,
opposition in the part of the religious establishments. In many
cultures, sex and gender-variant people serve as priests, witches,
shamans and sages. And while traditional Judaism, Christianity and
Islam condemn homosexual acts, and often restrict the roles of women
to those of wife, mother, nurse, teacher or servant, they could not
keep many of our ancestors from expressing themselves in their own
unique ways. Many of our ancestors, in the days before GLBT-affirming
churches, synagogues and temples, became mystics, both as a way to
express their own unique talents and because mysticism involves a
personal relationship with God that does not require an intermediary.
Judaism, Islam and Christianity offer many examples of gender-variant
mystics, women and men, who by expressing their own spiritual
yearnings paved the way for others.

In Medieval Iran, the mystics of the Muslim Sufi tradition were often
Gay or bisexual men. For many Sufi masters, the path to the love of
God often went through the love of a beloved disciple, the
shahid. "God is Beauty," said the Qur'an; and for many Sufis that
beauty was most exquisitely expressed in the beauty of a young man.
In the case of Rumi, the greatest of the Sufi poets, his love for
another man was literally earth-shaking. For many years, Rufi shared
his life with his Beloved Friend, Shams al-Din. When Shams
mysteriously disappeared — probably murdered — Rumi mourned his
Friend in his own unique way. He put on mourning robes, a white shirt
open at the chest, a honey-colored fez, and sandals, and for forty
days danced a dance of lamentation and love in the garden where Shams
was apparently killed. From Rumi's experience came a new and lasting
religious order, the "whirling dervishes."

Our Jewish ancestors, who lived for most of the last two millennia as
minorities in Christian or Muslim lands, were not as free as the
Sufis to express themselves so freely. Yet gender and sexual variance
managed to come through at certain points of Jewish history. For
example, the authors of the Cabala, the great book of Jewish
mysticism, wrote at great length about the Adam Kadmon, the
androgynous primordial human, and about the Shekinah, the female
aspect of the Divine. And in Medieval Spain, at a time when Jews,
Christians and Muslims lived in harmony under the Moors, Gay or
bisexual Jewish poets like Moses Ibn Ezra, Solomon Ibn Gabirol and
Jehudah ha-Levi wrote poems that bridged the secular and the sacred.

Within European Christianity, the mystic tradition was often
expressed by members of various monastic orders. The Christian
monastic tradition attracted many men and women who had no intention
of getting married but who welcomed the opportunity to live in same-
sex communities where they were able to express or sublimate their
sexual or affectional orientation through prayer, song, religious
work and community service. Saint Aelred, abbot of the Cistercian
convent of Rievaulx in northern England in the middle of the twelfth
century, was obviously Gay, though probably celibate. To St. Aelred,
spiritual friendship, which Aelred called "true friendship," is "a
gift of God's grace." Though we don't know anything about St.
Aelred's sex life, if any, we are told that he cultivated "spiritual
friendships" with many of the young monks under his rule.

Many of the Christian mystics were nuns who, because of their gender,
were kept out of leadership positions in the Church. One of the great
nun mystics was Hildegard of Bingen, a 11th century abbess who was
also a poet, a prophet, a playwright, a composer and a scientist
whose writings indicate her love for other women. In 17th century
Mexico, another talented nun, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, wrote
volumes of mystic poetry from her cell in the convent of San Jerònimo
while at the same time conducting a series of passionate friendships
with other women, including the wife of the Viceroy.

Today's Lesbians and Gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people,
follow in the footsteps of these and other great mystics and poets
and saints. Many of us left the religious institutions that we grew
up in and gone our way, finding our own paths and expressing our own
gifts. And, by doing so, we inspire others to do the same. We are,
indeed, "a separate people whose time has come."

Jesse Monteagudo is a writer and activist who lives in South Florida.
Reach him at jessemonteagudo@aol.com.

November Activity!

2007-11-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

SPIRITUALITY VS. REALITY
Is There A Difference?

"Too often we get captivated by the busyness and hecticness
of daily living that we forget to reference our deeper, intuitive selves...""
– Christian de la Huerta

What is our unique vision of spirituality?
And how does it manifest in a gay/queer context?

Workshop Focusing on Gay Spirituality

Gay spirituality will be the focus of a workshop guided by art therapist Dean Pappas. Participants will create three-dimensional self-portraits using modeling clay which will serve as a jumping-off point for a discussion of each person’s spiritual vision and worldview.

All materials will be supplied and a small fee to cover expenses will be requested. Additional money above and beyond the requested fee may be donated to the QueerSpirit.org scholarship fund designed to assist those in need to attend upcoming retreats.

Dress is informal. It will be unlikely that the modeling clay will get on any clothing, but if you have concerns about damaging clothing, please wear something that you might consider as "work clothes".

Please bring a drink or treat to share.

2007-11-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

A Fellow Traveler…and His friends

A White Crane Conversation with Mark Thompson

Bo Young: I think most people, when they think of Mark Thompson, think of a
writer, not a visual artist. When did you start taking pictures?

Mark Thompson: Although I am not known for taking pictures, photography has
always been a secret muse for me. I started taking pictures in high school. I attended
a very progressive, artsy-liberal campus in Carmel, California, during the 1960's where
many alternatives were offered. I remember taking a photography class there, and one
of my fellow students was Edward Weston's grandson. Weston, of course, is one of the
consummate photographers of the 20th Century. I greatly admired his work, and in
fact could walk a short ways down to Point Lobos and see where he took many of his
famous images on my favorites beaches.
Also not too far from my school was the legendary Friends of Photography gallery
where Weston's peers such as Ansel Adams and Wayne Bullock showed their work. So, I
was very inspired to frame and capture my own point of view.
Later, when I moved north to study journalism at San Francisco State University,
I continued to take pictures — only now my focus was the burgeoning Bay Area gay
liberation movement. Soon, I began my professional career as a journalist and
editor at The Advocate, and the pen and tape recorder became my first tools of choice.
Plus there were many other very talented photographers on the scene. So I used my lens very
selectively, photographing mentors and friends, rather than parades or protests
which were then so abundant. Later I focused on documenting the Radical Faerie
movement as they were the closest group I could find that mirrored my own hopes and dreams.
The faeries were my own authentic tribe.

Bo: Question: The portraits that accompanied the interviews in Gay Soul were
yours, too, weren't they? Are these part of the Fellow Travelers work?

Mark: The portraits in Gay Soul (published in 1994) were taken by me to
illuminate the speakers and their words. I am reusing six of my favorite images from that book
in this collection of 15 "guides" — or gay elders, if you will — and dozens of never
before-seen color images of the radical fairies taken over a 15 year period. My
black-and-white portraits of early AIDS activist and singer Michael Callen and photographer
Robert Mapplethorpe are among the pictures that have not been previously exhibited.

Bo: What does the title "Fellow Travelers" mean to you?

Mark: Fellow Travelers for me means being in the company of like-minded
companions: Brave brothers who are building a community, moving forward together! It is also
a sly reference to the use of the phrase during the early days of the Cold War when
people who were accused of being communist sympathizers were dubbed "fellow travelers." It
was a coded word used pejoratively, so I wanted to redeem that and give it a more
positive application for today

Bo: So who are the Fellow Travelers?

Mark: Just about everybody who reads this magazine, who has ever attended a
radical fairie gathering or a Gay Spirit Visions retreat, or has done anything to
achieve healing and authenticity as a sublime, radiant, self-actualized and purposeful gay man who
loves others like himself.

Bo: Well, we certainly hope so...but you haven't taken pictures of everyone who
reads this magazine (I'll be out for my sitting!) Who are some of the Fellow Travelers in
the book?

Mark: "Fellow Travelers" is divided into two sections: Guides and Tribes. Some
of the iconic individuals, or "guides," who have influenced or touched upon my life in
significant ways include James Broughton, Ram Dass, Harry Hay, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Paul
Monette. There are many others, of course. The Tribes section contains dozens of pictures
taken at various Faerie gatherings held across Western lands during the 1980s and early
'90s. Some of the images from the first Black Leather Wings Radical Faerie gatherings
will probably be controversial to some readers.

Bo: Controversial how?

Mark: The book concludes with powerful images of the Sun Dance and Kavandi
rituals, which involves ritual body piercing. Not everyone may understand the cultural
context for doing this and therefore be put-off. I hope not, as I do my best to explain the
background of these ancient practices and their relevance to the gay men conducting them in
the photos. As seen here, spirit and the flesh are truly one.

Bo: We're running four of the photos in this issue...Harry Hay, Clyde Hall,
Essex Hemphill and Robert Mapplethorpe. Tell me about the portrait of Harry Hay.

Mark: The picture of Harry Hay was taken one glorious summer day in 1987 in the
pasture of Wolfcreek, Oregon. Harry and I sat for several hours while he told me the
story of how the Mattachine Society was first formed in Los Angeles in 1950. It was a really
terrible time for gay people and Harry would sometimes get teary eyed with his story-telling,
stopping a moment to wipe his eyes and say, "Never again, Mark. Never again." Finally,
just as the sun was setting low behind him, the perfect moment for a picture came — so I
took it. All of my photos have been taken at the end of a long day of conversation with the
individual. The pictures and talk were all part of a discerning process.

Bo: Discerning…how? Explain.

Mark: The process of discernment is a sifting through known facts and questions
to arrive at some new truth, answer, or insight. In this case, the questions mainly dealt
with issues of meaning and purpose for gay men who are often left bereft of either, due to
the homophobic society we live in. The tragic consequences of this catastrophic loss
are widely seen in our community. I have often found the process of discernment to
be a good part — a real beginning — of the emotional healing work that needs to be done in
our lives. It certainly has been that way for me.
On that note, let me add that a critical part of discerning this book came out
of my collaboration with Los Angeles graphic designer Mark Harvey. He was somehow able
to sift through and organize almost 30 years worth of images, and then craft them into
an elegant and cohesive book. He also inspired me to write new text for the volume,
which will be published as a limited edition art book. Mark has been a joy to work
with, and the book would not be possible without him. The entire four month-long process has
been a refreshing reminder of how well gay men can work together when we really set our
minds to it.

Bo: I think I wasn't clear about my question on "discernment", though I love
where you went with it. I was asking specifically about how you used discernment in your
photography...you say it is a critical part of getting these beautiful
pictures...can you describe how?

Mark: The pictures usually came at the end of a long day of being with the
subject. After much stimulating conversation the "perfect moment" would arrive in which to take
the picture. I use only natural light, so I had to be quick and adaptable — very
discerning — to try and capture the soulfulness of the person in just a shot or two.

Bo: Assotto Saint and Essex Hemphill, are both featured in the exhibition and
book. I became familiar with both men's work, primarily their poetry, in the late
1980's through the publication of Joseph Beam's seminal anthology, In the Life. A few years
later they were featured in Marlon Riggs' equally groundbreaking documentary, Tongues Untied.
Assotto and Essex were key figures in this important new movement of black voices within
our community. They spoke truth that many still did not want to hear: That the gay
world could be as racist as any other. I still remember bars in the early Castro
Street scene that did not welcome men of color.
Their work was so curious, fresh and alive — but tragically short lived because
of AIDS. Beam died in 1988. Marlon and Assotto in 1994. And Essex a year later. I
appreciated Essex's fierce determination to stand up and say his piece, no matter what! As
he famously did the day he denounced Robert Mapplethorpe as a racist at a gay writer's
conference in San Francisco in the early '90's. And the sweet lyricism of Assotto's work
always had a special appeal for me. I flew from my home in California to Manhattan one day in
1991 just to photograph him. His lover of many years had just died, and while deeply
mourning he brought a tremendous sense of vivacity to our time together. Good gay poets
have always captured my heart and soul — most certainly these two beautiful and
talented men.

Dan: What were your impressions on Mapplethorpe? You mentioned Hemphill's
critique of Mapplethorpe's depictions of the black male form in his essay "Does Your Mama
Know About Me." I'm wondering what you feel the significance of Mapplethorpe's work
and life bear for gay men today? He seems to be remembered more for the outrage visited
on his work by the public than for his life or work.

Mark: Robert really liked to cultivate his bad-boy persona as it fueled the
controversy that always surrounded the work — and, not incidentally, promoted sales. I found
another side of Robert the day we met, though. Someone very charming, sweet-natured, and
thoughtful about what he was doing. He was, admittedly, ambitious, but so what? It takes a
lot of chutzpah to make a successful career in the arts. I took many photos of Robert
that afternoon, but the one I choose was the most softly -focused of the group
because that softness best represented the person I found. We had a lot in common, and he
really let his guard down for me. I think his work remains important for several reasons, one being that it
captured an era when gay male sexual exploration was a significant part of our experience. He
came to prominence in the 1970's, a decade during which we saw the sexual revolution
really come home. For example, at the beginning of the decade no one had heard of things
like fisting (which he elegantly photographed) but by the end of the '70's there were clubs
nationwide devoted to it. Some of Robert's photos still have the capacity to shock today, but I think he
was less interested in other people's reactions and more in capturing what he called "the
perfect moment" of any experience. He liked to photograph black men, he told me, because
he was fascinated with the myriad ways light reflected off their skin tones. People
forget, too, that he is considered the greatest photographer of flowers. Nobody could do more
compositionally with a tulip in a vase than Robert. So what was the link between his pictures of taboo sex and tulips? What else is a flower in bloom, he replied with a chuckle, than a throbbing hard-on. For Robert — and
especially the shy inner boy part of his nature I connected with that day — everything was
about the birds and the bees.

Bo: Finally…of the portraits we're running in this issue, the one I have one of
the closest associations with is Clyde Hall. We've been friends a long time. Have you danced
the Naraya?

Mark: Clyde Hall's exemplary work as a spiritual leader in our community is what
motivated me to ask him for an interview and photo. He is someone whom I only
met for a day, but whose authenticity and integrity as a person left an indelible
impression. Our memorable day together concluded with me literally hanging out of a second story
window of the house Clyde was a guest in; one hand clutched tightly on the sill, the
other stretching the camera back as far as I could in order to catch the last rays of
the setting sun on Clyde's face.
One aspect of Clyde's story I find so fascinating is his revival of the Naraya.
It is a ceremony I look forward to doing one day. "I live
a Spirit-filled life," Clyde told me. "If you try to talk yourself out of living a life
with Spirit, you get into all kinds of trouble." And I believe him!

Bo: You and I have been having this conversation for some time now...and these
beautiful portraits bring it up once again.
Why should anyone care about who these men are or were? Why should any young gay
man, or any gay man, of whatever age, for that matter, look at these very
different men...old, black, white, Indian, living or dead, and various combinations
thereof...some of whom were in interpersonal conflict when they were alive, and see anything that
should mean anything to him? Why are these faces important? What's the connection?

Mark: Each of the men portrayed here and in the Fellow Travelers exhibit and
forthcoming book have created important legacies in the form of literature, art, recordings,
and ongoing work that exists to enhance our lives. See these photographs as portals
of discovery, rather than just black-and-white pictures. If a reader tries a Google
search on each of these lives they will be amazed. Delve even further into the work itself
and you will be illuminated, entertained, and in some way transformed — as was I.
My collection of photographs is not meant to be encyclopedic or encompassing, in
any way, of the countless artists, teachers, and spiritual leaders of the gay men's
movement. Rather these are portraits of some of the men who helped to liberate me,
personally. As Edward Weston so profoundly illustrated, the universal is best captured in a
grain of sand.

Fellow Travelers will be exhibited at Cup of Joe's Coffee Shop in Salt Lake City
from December 1-31, 2007 with an opening gala and opportunity to meet Mark Thompson
and Clyde hall on December 7, 2007 from 7-9 p.m. at Cup of Joe. Mark Thompson can
be reached at:
MarkThompsonGaySpirit52@AOL.com

For additional information regarding the SLC showing

jerrybuie@mac.com

© White Crane Institute 2007
All Rights Reserved. Reprints or excerpts may be used with permission

Why Retreats?

2007-11-10T17:52:00.001-07:00

I found this article on a site called Q Spirit by Christian de la Huerta and wanted to share it with you as we prepare and consider the January retreat at Windwalker Ranch

Why Retreat?
Posted by christian on November 9, 2007, 11:36 am

Too often we get so captivated by the busyness and hecticness of daily living that we forget to reference our deeper, intuitive selves. ..

The benefits of a retreat are manifold: relaxation, rest, healing, reconnecting with oneself. The opportunity to go within enables access to deeper answers and allows us to get distance and perspective from the circumstances of our lives.
Why Retreat?

Too often we get so captivated by the busyness and hecticness of daily living that we forget to reference our deeper, intuitive selves. TV can be entertaining as well as educational, but it can also be a distraction, deflecting self-reflection. Our relationships with lovers, family, friends and co-workers likewise provide the juice that makes life worth living and the necessary friction out of which growth ensues. Yet, they too can be a diversion from the inner journey, where the potential for maximum fulfillment lies.

The benefits of a retreat are manifold: relaxation, rest, healing, reconnecting with oneself. The opportunity to go within enables access to deeper answers and allows us to get distance and perspective from the circumstances of our lives.

Retreats afford the opportunity to reassess the direction our lives are taking, and to make the necessary course corrections.

The word "retreat" comes form the Latin meaning to "draw back." In spiritual retreats we withdraw from the "real" world – from surface living – and enter the deeper inner realms. For most of us the inner journey is an adventure that remains vastly uncharted and unexplored.

Going within

One of the constants found among most spiritual traditions is the importance of going within.
Jesus is said to have said: "the Kingdom of God is within you." "If human beings knew their own inner secrets, they would never look elsewhere seeking for happiness and peace," asserts a Sufi master. A well known Wiccan prayer ends with: "And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without." The whole thrust of Buddhist or Hindu meditation is to quiet the mind and delve inside.

Retreats, especially those that include time for silence, make possible the temporary quieting of the constant inner chatter which Buddhists call the "monkey mind." Our thoughts are compared to monkeys randomly jumping from branch to branch.

Types of retreats

Among the many types of retreats are meditation, yoga, and breathwork. Retreats can be solitary or in groups, guided or not. Camping for a few days alone in nature could be profoundly centering, healing and inspiring. Most people choose to join more structured settings, where they feel supported by a facilitator and a group of like-minded others, all sharing a similar purpose. Some choose to rent a secluded house or other venue and hire a leader to facilitate their friends or colleagues in a variety of experiences to deepen their connection to themselves and each other.

Generally, participants are then inspired to go without once again, and re-engage the world as integrated human beings making a real difference.

Below are some retreat opportunities coming up during the next few months.

I hope that you will take some time for yourself and dive deep into your own inner journey.

2007-11-03T09:18:00.000-06:00

Dear Friend

Below is an invitation to a special event that I hope you will take advantage of, it is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity that may potentially shape how you see yourself as a queer man. Please review this request carefully and if you feel drawn to participate please pursue this RSVP. Once you respond to this I will be inviting other people within the gay community but wanted to offer this to a select few to see what my space limitations will be. If you think there is someone who would appreciate this invitation please share, but I can only allow 25 participants. The location of this event will be given when you RSVP (So I have an accurate count). We are intentionally keeping this group size small to facilitate a powerful and intimate experience.

231 East 400 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Phone (801) 557-9203
jerrybuie@mac.com

November 3, 2007

“Bring gay men together in Circle to explore what the specific gifts are that we bring, things that the larger culture needs. And once you have a consensus as to what those gifts are, begin letting the culture know exactly what it is that they are getting from us. It is in this way that we will be given respect and acceptance, not by simply demanding rights or asserting that we deserve them.”

Harry Hay, Gay Civil Rights Activitist/Visionary

Dear Friend:

Two years ago John Cottrell and Jerry Buie had a discussion about creating an enviroment for gay men to explore a deeper essence around queer identity. To shift community thought from marginalized life to profound living. We found The White Crane Instititue and with their tutorship found a valuable resource in bringing out this vision. One of these resources is the Fellow Travelers: Liberation Portraits by Mark Thompson. This exhibit has been to major cities throughout the United States and receiving acclaim for the message of queer history, perspective and the wisdom our history makers have brought forth for queer men today.

Who is Mark Thompson?

Mark Thompson has authored several books such as Gay Soul, Gay Body, Gay Spirit: Myth and Meaning, Long Road to Freedom and Leather Folk. Each of these books explore Queer identity, history and perspective. Gay Soul in particular, of which the exhibit is based, offers insight into our queer history and the framers of that history. In their stories we find the foundation of the work of equal rights and esteemed sense of self.

December 1-31, 2007 at Cup of Joe’s Coffee Shop Fellow Travlers: Liberation Portraits will be exhibited. We have the priviledge to have Mark Thompson in Salt Lake City to highlight his exhibit, explaing the orgin and purpose of the show as well as autographed copies of his books that will be for sale at this reception as a fundraiser for Queer Spirit. The opening reception with Mark Thompson is on December 7, 2007 from 7-9 pm.

On December 8, 2007 Mark has agreed to a smaller group process and discussion that will be centered on Gay Soul Making. This event is by invitation only to ensure a smaller and more intimate discussion. The discussion will be centered around the following themes
“What does it really mean to be a gay man?

Where do we come from? What are we for?

Coming out as an Inside Job: What does that mean? How can gay men conscoulsy seve the communities that they are in?

Why is homophobia evryones problem and what can we do about it?

To offset cost we are suggesting a $25 dollar donation that will be dedicated to the cost of the event. This is a rare opportunity to be with others in our community, to discuss the issues relevant in our selves and our community.

Your RSVP to the December 8 event secures your space. We ask that you confirm your participation by November 15, 2007 to jerry Buie at (801) 557-9203.

To summarize

December 1-31, 2007 Fellow Travlers will be exhibited at Cup of Joe’s Coffee Shop

December 7, 2007 at 7-9 pm Opening Reception/Book Signing with Mark Thompson

December 8, 2007 (invitation only) discussion on queer spirituality with Mark Thompson at The Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We are excited to have this exhibit and Mr. Thompson in Utah. We are equally excited at the outcome of this meeting and the time together. Please do not hesitate to call if there are questoins at (801) 557-9203 or jerrybuie@mac.com.
Regards,

Jerry Buie
John Cottrell

2007-10-29T22:17:00.000-06:00

It is with great excitement that we are able to announce the upcoming exhibit at Cup of Joe's Coffee Shop.

The Fellow Travelers Exhibit is a collection of 14 stunning black & white images of Gay liberation pioneers taken by Mark Thompson, one of the foremost chroniclers of the movement. Thompson is best known for his influential trilogy of books dealing with gay spirituality: Gay Spirit (White Crane Books), Gay Body, and Gay Soul.
Fellow Travelers has exhibited at the New York Gay & Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library, the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, ONE National Gay Archives, and the Los Angeles Episcopal Cathedral.

Read an excerpt from an interview with Mark Thompson: READ MORE>>

See a great YouTube video of the exhibit at the Center in NYC.

You are invited to attend and meet Mark Thompson and Clyde Hall (Featured in the exhibit) at the Gala Reception and Book Signing on Dec. 7, from 7-9 p.m. at Cup of Joe's Coffee Shop. (A limited supply of Mark Thompson's Gay Soul and Gay Spirit: Myth and Meaning will be available for sale as a fundraiser for Queer Spirit Scholarships. Malcolm Boyd's book Take off the Mask will also be available)

All proceeds/donations and sale of books will go towards scholarships for those interested in attending Queer Spirit Retreats. The objective of these appearances will be about self-exploration, understanding our unique history and claiming our essence and gifts within ourselves.

Fellow Travelers
Liberation Photos by Mark Thompson
December 1-31, 2007

A Cup A Joe Coffee Shop
353 West 200 South
Salt Lake City

Gala Reception and Book Signing:
Dec. 7

Jerry Buie MSW, LCSW
Pride Counseling/Queer Spirit
231 East 400 South STE 208
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
801 595-0666
www.pridecounseling.tv
www.queerspirit.org
jerrybuie@mac.com

Sweat Lodge Report

2007-10-29T17:26:00.000-06:00

Last saturday night we had a wonderful sweat lodge expereince. We had 22 men who were new to lodge, come with good hearts and hands and participate in a wonderful process of prayer, community and finding the sacred within our lives. It was a tight crowd but we managed. I want to thank everyone who attended and say good job! I was impressed with the level of sincerity and focus that was brought into the process. Many men asked if we were doing it again next month. It is likely that another one will show up soon so please watch the blog, emails and other sources of information.

Jerry

Sweat Lodge for Queer Men

2007-10-23T09:37:00.001-06:00

This saturday night (October 27, 2007) at 7 P.M. Queer Spirit will be hosting a sweat lodge for beginners. This is an ALL GAY MEN'S Lodge. We invite you to come and join us, you are welcome to sit by the fire, join the lodge, share in the Pot Luck meal to follow and otherwise spend some quality time with yourself and with other queer men. Several have RSVP'd and I anticipate a good turn out for the event.

We will go in the lodge around 730. It would be good to be here by 7 p.m. so we can discuss the lodge and do a teaching before going in. This lodge is bigger than the one at Windwalker and the heat moves differently.

Please bring a lite dish to share for after the lodge. Enter the property through the basement enterance on the West side of the house. If you plan to be there a return e mail is helpful.
Jerry Buie

UPDATES

2007-10-22T21:52:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a busy summer and now Fall is upon us. There are exciting things happening.

First, there will be a winter retreat January 11-13, 2008 at Windwalker Ranch. Stay tuned to the website for details.

Second, This saturday we are hosting a sweat lodge at 7 30 p.m. Please e mail for details if you wish to attend.

Third, Mark Thompson will be in Salt Lake City on December 7 and 8 to participate in the opening of Fellow Travlers in SLC and then to lead a group discussion on December 8. Please e mail for details and information.

We anticipate more news soon regarding funding and grants we have applied for to support this process.

Jerry

Mark Thompson and Malcolm Boyd to visit Salt Lake City

2007-09-21T16:29:00.000-06:00

Queer Spirit (Queerspirit.org) in collaboration with
The White Crane Institute (www.gaywisdom.org) presents

FELLOW TRAVELERS: Liberation Portraits By Mark Thompson
December 2007

At

A Cup A Joe Coffee Shop
Salt Lake City

A collection of 14 stunning black & white images of Gay liberation pioneers taken by Mark Thompson, one of the foremost chroniclers of the movement. Thompson is best known for his influential trilogy of books dealing with gay spirituality: Gay Spirit (White Crane Books), Gay Body, and Gay Soul.  
Fellow Travelers has exhibited at the New York Gay & Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library, the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, ONE National Gay Archives, and the Los Angeles Episcopal Cathedral.  
A special bonus includes an opportunity to meet this incredible man, his partner (Malcolm Boyd who is highlighted in the exhibit) and perhaps other men featured in the collection. RIght now we are still planning this event but are thinking these two great authors and artist will be in SLC on December 7-9, 2007.

Mark Thompson (www.markthompsongayspirit.com, this site contains a beautiful video of this work and the stories around the book) will make public appearances and discuss the community relevance of these pioneers to our identity and life today. These public appearances will take place at A Cup a Joe’s Coffee Shop who has graciously provided a place for this show. Mark Thompson has also agreed to do smaller group processes with those interested. All proceeds/donations will go towards scholarships for those interested in attending Queer Spirit Retreats and have financial hardships. The objective of these appearances will be about self-exploration, understanding our unique history and claiming our essence and gifts within ourselves.

A special treat in this opportunity is the attendance of Malcolm Boyd, (www.malcolmboyd.com) Author and Activist in his 80’s. Malcolm brings his own unique history to our weekend. Malcolm Boyd, a pioneer in his own right and featured in Gay Soul will also participate in public and smaller group processes. More details are sure to follow.

So I offer this as a heads up, I encourage folks to attend these events, visit the exhibits and dedicate the time to sit with our Queer Wisdom Keepers. As details become more specific I will bring this forward. Donations to support this endeavor are greatly appreciated.

Jerry Buie

HEART CIRCLE !!

2007-09-18T21:25:00.000-06:00

Hey Guys,

Seems like we just met and had this wonderful adventure in Spring City. I personally was uplifted and experienced something profound in that brief weekend.

As promised we are hosting a monthly gathering at my home. We will have a lovely pot luck meal beings the last one was deliciously sinful! We will orchestrate this a bit differently. We will have a Pipe Ceremony in which we will set up the pipe for ceremony like we did at the retreat. The sacred pipe is a way to offer your hearts intent, prayers and hopes for yourself and loved ones. Its a good way to pray when special needs or request need to be honored, it is also a good way to give of yourself and to share of yourself with others. It is with the Pipe that we will have our Heart/Talking Circle and check in with each other. You are welcome to bring a friend(s) if they have been expressing interest in Queer Spirit. Participation at the retreat is not mandatory to attend the circle. The Talking Circle or Heart Circle is a space in which to express yourself, your journey and to let go of what needs to be moved and accept what you are seeking in the commradier of friends. It is also a place for each of us to witness each other's story and journey in a good way. John and I will also be sharing an intial draft of upcoming events that will be of interest. Currently we are working on and likely to get Mark Thompson and his partner Malcolm Boyd to Salt Lake in December. They are well traveled and speak frequently on Queer Spirituality and Eldership. Mark Thompson wrote Gay Soul as well as numerous other books as you might see on his website. (www.markthompsongayspirit.com). If you check out White Crane's Blog (www.gaywisdom.org) and view the YouTube feature about Fellow Travelers you will get a small glimpse of what is coming in December.

At any point, lets get together and broader our circle, increase our vision and discover something new!

Traditionally after a ceremony like the Pipe Ceremony there is a feast and that is where Pot Luck comes in handy. We will meet on September 27, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at my home in Holladay. (2084 East 6425 South. Basement entrance on the west side of the house.) The circle is open to all Queer Men. Please call if you have any questions. RSVP is greatly appreciated as space is limited.

Jerry Buie

An e mail surprise!

2007-09-11T11:46:00.000-06:00

Dear Brothers

I belong to a larger group that does Spiritual work nationally around a ceremony called the Naraya. I spoke briefly regarding that work during the retreat. This Naraya Community has people from throughout the country that participates. It touches hundreds of lives each year and has a mailing list of 800 or more people. Often we share personal stories of transformation or seek community prayers for issues, it is how community/family work, mindful of each one. I was so moved by what I seen this weekend duriung our retreat that I called a friend to share my joy of the weekend when he encourage that I share the power of the journey with the prayer list. I felt the need to share this with the Naraya group which is comprised of many traditions, cultures, sexual orientations, people from all nations and walks in life, etc. I know this is lengthy but wanted you to know how important our work together this weekend was to me. I share this with you but encourage you to read BEYOND my entry. Within hours a chapter unfolded that I never knew existed. A man whom I only met briefly responded on his own journey in Utah in the 80's. I thought you would find this interesting. Its interesting how this man, who I know little about, was able to share our OWN history in Utah in deepening our persoanl queer storires. I find this profound. So read my letter and the keep reading Connell's respond. Maybe some of you know of what he speaks or know the people involved?

Again, thank you for how you moved my life this weekend.

Jerry

Begin forwarded message:

(An introduction by the prayer list moderator to the reader)

As the Montana Naraya approaches this weekend, I am reminded that we often hear that the Dance is only the beginning, and how important it is to remember that we are continuing the Dance for the other 362 days of the year, holidays included! It is the dance where we come to clarify our vision, send our cry to the ancestors for guidance and support, and get the rocket fuel we need to make it happen. Once the dance has concluded, the ancestors sent home, the elders thanked for their good work, we go back to our homes, forever changed. Yet it is up to us to sustain the vision, walk our talk, and manifest our dreams every day, every day. Every day!

For many years I've watch my brother Jerry Buie in Salt Lake City nurture his dreams and visions, not only for himself and his community, but also a far-reaching vision of what it means to be a Two-Spirit, a Walks-Between, in modern culture. Jerry writes:

Dear Dancers

I am not one to use the prayer line often but this last weekend was such a powerful weekend for me that I felt to share it with you, as you have supported and danced with me in such a wonderful manner. Although I have not spoken outright about my prayers I have known that collectively the caldron we stir at Naraya is a collective process and that many of you have stirred the pot of my own vision.

For many years Spirit has shown to me a work that I had the opportunity to engage: a vision of moving gay men in a powerful manner in understanding ourselves in a sacred manner. With all the domestication and repression of society on our queer people many gay men get lost in the sense of who they are and in honoring the sacred in our lives. Utah in particular is a challenging place as Mormonism and politics push the agenda of "being less than", "unworthy" and "freaks" more overtly, many gay men assume the worse of themselves and live very abbreviated lives. My vision has been to influence these lives in a good way and to encourage queer men to step into their lives abundantly and deliberately, with sacred intent. Several years ago as a mental health therapist I started Pride Counseling http://www.pridecounseling.tv and watched a part of this dream unfold. Many people said coming out as a therapist should not be done or that I should worry about my reputation, and yet 7 years later we are thriving as an agency and frequently consulted in working with gay, lesbian and transgender clients. Clearly this was one good step in the right direction.

But this vision grew. I briefly met Harry Hay at my first Wolf Creek Naraya and he firmly told me of my own vision and challenged me to go for it. My time with the fairies required me to look at myself in unique and different ways and has always been a profound time for me. Sitting with Clyde, Charles, Laine, Carolyn and other elders have encouraged me to look deeper and more carefully at who I am and what I stand for, with my medicine, the tools entrusted with me, and how might these things work in serving others. My personal work with Spirit, My Guides and the rituals have led me to interesting and profound places around the world and within myself. I have always struggled in how to bring this vision together of bringing queer men together to explore and dialogue in this meaningful and spiritual manner. In Utah in particular there is a strong need for this work.

A friend of mine, John, heard me discuss this dream for Utah Queer Men to find themselves in this sacred way and challenged me to bring this vision into the real world. In connection with his talents we began the journey of dreaming the miracle. We held our first retreat and 4 men showed up and it was good, small, but good! Then 6 months later, literally from the most incredible and unsuspecting places 13 men showed up and continue to show up. Then this past weekend we had 17 men show up. Each brought something to release, each entered the sacred sweat lodge, tested old stories and left with some new creation and idea of themselves. Each bringing an abundant heart and hungry desire to learn and grow in this way with Spirit and with themselves. Robert Sink donated his energy in creating a beautiful website that is showing up everywhere and being seen by everyone in the Salt Lake City area. Did not really have to ask for his help, he was there, saw the need, touched the vision and offered his services. See it here: http://www.queerspirit.org

There have been three incredible newspaper articles written on our retreats and men calling and emailing wanting more information. Again, not because we asked but because it was needed. Folks have donated time, money and resources to support this New Story. We were able to sponsor 4 guys in recovery or on disability who might not otherwise participate in this journey. They are coming to the retreat, doing their work, going into the world and affecting change in their lives and the lives of people around them. The money shows up effortlessly, we are able to sponsor folks through meager fundraising efforts and somehow all are served who are called to be there.

See a recent article on the Retreat that took place in April: http://qsaltlake.com/ (Click on the left to download the September issue; see pages 24-25.)

This vision has morphed into a REVOLUTION in how we as queer men see ourselves, how we relate to each other and loved ones. When I contemplate the journey I am in awe of how beautifully this has all come together and honor the willingness of the ancestors to support and feed this process. It amazes me about how complicated we can make our lives, if Spirit gives you a vision, don't ask HOW or determine it to be impossible. Just do it! If this is right it will be effortless and will bring joy to lives around you. I am always complicating my own journey and find that when I just turn it over to Spirit it all works out perfectly.

SO, I honor you for your thoughts and prayers in the direction of this work and also write to honor the power of prayer, faith and the ability to deliberately shift reality to work in the behalf of our dreams and visions.

Thank You.

Jerry Buie
jerrybuie@mac.com

CONNELL"S respond. This group has over 1000 people involved. This Naraya event is a huge community. One man, who I really do not know was able to provide an interesting piece for us all.

Jerry!

I was very excited to read your account of the beautiful good work you are doing with Queer men in Utah! I think it's really awesome and wish you the very best in this. I tried to download the PDF of Q-Salt Lake but I keep getting a file error message so I have been unsuccessful. In any case, it reminded me of the work that Ben W., Liza S., Erick M., and I started in Utah in the late 80s and early 90s. We rented out the large and beautiful YMCA camp up in the mountains and invited the whole Queer community to join us for a weekend of spiritual exploration and fun, which we titled "Beyond Stonewall" (BS). Our first year we had about 80 people sign up! The next year it almost doubled!

That first year, at BS, we also started the Salt Lake Radical Faerie circle there. We announced the first morning at BS that later that night, at midnight, any who wanted to join us in a healing ritual celebrating Queer Spirit, please show up outside the lodge before midnight. A couple of us had prepared the fire circle earlier, tidied it up, cast some good spells around, and then dug a mud pit next to the fire pit. At midnight, while I remained sitting naked by the fire playing a haunting flute, the rest who showed up (about 15 men and 8 intrepid women) processed from the Lodge out to the fire circle. And thus began one of the richest, most vibrant, intense, beautiful, courageous, healing experiences of my life. I invited all to disrobe, casting off the "old ways" and to enter the circle naked with but a prayer, and a kiss. Spirit was so strong with us that night! We drummed, danced, chanted, covered each other in mud, laughed, hugged, cried, screamed, howled until about four in the morning. Lucy M. (she was the Executive Director of the Western States Division of NOW and still lives in SLC) was there with us, and she totally shape-shifted into the Goddess. At one point she led us all in a guided meditation in which we envisioned the Queer Spirit we were deeply experiencing as a beautiful pink bubble in the middle of the fire. She had it grow larger and larger and larger until it filled the whole galaxy - then she POPPED the bubble and sent our lovely pink energy spewing through the whole cosmos! It may sound kind of cheesy now, but for all of us there, it was an incandescent and pristine moment of such transcendent grace and love, we all wept like children, and just held onto each other for many minutes as we cried and cried together. Truly a highlight in my already amazing life.

Out of that first ritual together, the Faeries in Salt Lake rapidly grew - from about 23 that night to over 120, pretty evenly split between men and women, within about three months. On full moons, we would meet in gender-separate spaces and for the new moons, solstices, equinoxes, and May Day, Imbolc, Samhain, and Lammas, we would all meet together. Unfortunately division and dissension set in after a year or so. Many were so terrified of sexuality and sex-magic that they refused to participate in that. Then came the issue of the name - of course I wanted us to be Radical Faeries, but because sex and sex magick are such a part of that, the ex-Mormons (pretty much all of us) really struggled with that and instead insisted we be the "Sacred Faerie Circle", to emphasize the non-sexual "sacred" in ourselves. The thing I found most difficult for us to get past was our own woundedness. The scars were still pussy. oozing, sometimes even bleeding, from our years in the LDS church. But instead of allowing us to come together to heal, too many of us just wanted to pick at our own wounds and especially those of others. A part of it was the vicious cycle of the "wounded healer", instead of the "wounded and healed healer". Although it ended up being a rather unpleasant experience (I was literally excommunicated - and they used that word - from the Sacred Faeries for trying to incorporate sex magick into a solstice ritual out on the Great Salt Lake), the beginnings of our circle, especially that elegant, soulful opening ritual at the YMCA camp, are a precious part of my identity, and strongly connect me to Queer Spirit in ways I still haven't fully understood.

I honor you for doing this marvelous work among our tribe, and hold you and your vision in the Light, that Great Mystery surrounds you with wisdom and understanding, for you to call that circle and dance together in a good way that honors our selves as the powerful, magical Queer men that we are!

As you know, I love to write about my experiences in Mormonism, to bear witness of how I have been treated. Sometimes I feel I get a little whiny about it, and I am a wee bit tired of harping on the negative. For my next writing project for Affirmation, I want to turn the tables and instead of complaining about what's wrong with Mormon homophobia, I have started to write a piece called, "What We Bring the Feast," to honor and explain to the LDS Church just what deep gifts I think we Queer folks bring to the journey of life; what are the good things we offer to society. Since you seem to be working along similar lines, while still living in Utah, I was really hoping to get some good feedback from you about what gifts you feel we bring to the world. Without giving away too much of what I have already come up with, a few of the gifts I see are an ability to spawn innovation, a near obsession with aesthetics, and an ability to bridge gaps (especially between the genders). Perhaps you could even use my question (what do we bring to the feast?) as an exercise with your group to explore??? In any case, any feedback you might have would be MOST appreciated!

Be well my sweet brother,

Connell

WOW/ Lets Get Registered

2007-08-31T15:50:00.000-06:00

Hey Guys!

Last night's meeting was incredible. It is amazing to watch this process unfold
and grow and witness as it sheds new awareness. Thanks for the yummy food and the great
discussion. I really see this process moving in a powerful way. Each of you
brought something unique and beautiful to the process. THANK YOU

So, I am off to camping but if you are planning on attending the retreat I need
to get registrations in place ASAP and NO LATER THAN next wednesday, September 5, 2007.
This will allow Windwalker to be ready for us and will also help John and I in
our planning. SO! Get those registrations forms sent in.

Checks Written out to: White Crane
Credit Card with Pay Pal through the website at QueerSpirit.org and fax
registration forms
to (801) 595-0669 or mail them to 2084 East 6425 South Holladay UT 84121 c/o
Jerry Buie

ASAP is the key word on this.

If for some reason you don't make the retreat do watch the website and e mails
for upcoming events.

Jerry Buie

2007-08-29T20:19:00.001-06:00

Clyde Larsen said...
Guardians of the gateways to the spirit world? Can you imagine that? Something you would never find in the world of the Christians.

August 29, 2007 5:44 PM

Gays Guardians of the Gates

2007-08-29T08:51:00.000-06:00

The website now has a LINK tab. I would encourage you to go to this link and explore the article "Gays: Guardians of the Gates" An Interview with Malidoma Some'

It amazes me the more I learn who we are and what our ancient roles have been and continue to be! Read the article and let me know what you think.

Jerry

August 30, 2007 Gathering/Information

2007-08-28T05:42:00.000-06:00

Just want to remind folks about our Pot Luck Gathering on August 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. We will specifically spend time reviewing the upcoming retreat and give folks an opportunity to ask questions regarding the retreat on September 7-9, 2007 at Windwalker Ranch. Please e mail Jerry or John for directions to the potluck. This is an open meeting and we encourage everyone to attend who might have an interest in the retreats.

Remember you can register by printing the registration form the website. You can pay online with Pay Pal (go to the donation tab and pay that way or you can bring a check written out to White Crane and drop it off at the August 30 meeting or send the check via mail.) It is time to register so we can make appropriate reservations at the ranch.

Jerry

Thanks Michael!!

2007-08-24T12:46:00.000-06:00

If you did not see this I thought I would share it here. Michael Aaron of Q Salt Lake Paper did a beautiful job of promoting and educating our community for the retreat. I wanted to share it with you now.

Queer Spirit Retreat Helps Gay Men Shed 'Old Stories,' Build New

by Michael Aaron
michael@qsaltlake.com

Building on the successes of their previous two Queer Spirit Retreats, Jerry
Buie and John Cottrell have announced a third retreat the weekend of Sept.
7-9 at the Windwalker Ranch in Spring City.

The pair admit that upon hearing a title such as "queer spirit," many gay
men are turned off since spirituality is often used as a weapon against
them. The spirituality offered at these retreats, however, is based around
ancient native American themes and rituals - most of which embrace and
cherish queer identities.

"Queer Spirit is about finding the 'queer self' and integrating this into
our lives with pride, honor and confidence," Jerry Buie wrote in a statement
about the event. "We find that ceremony and ritual can be a powerful way to
create intention and focus."

The event begins on a Friday evening as participants dine at the ranch and
set out for a bonfire under the star-lit Spring City skies.

"We use [the fire] to release and let go of stories of shame, doubt, fear or
anything else that binds/restricts us. We create the sacred fire to release
the issues and inhibitions that domesticate our thinking and the expressions
of who we are," continued Buie. "This fire will be fun, meditative and
invigorating. It is not uncommon for someone to bring a guitar or for a
cowboy singer/poet to show up and share his talent."

Saturday is an individual's time to explore his reasons for being there,
what he hopes to get out of the weekend and get in tune with his body, his
mind and his spirit. An early morning yoga session introduces breathing as a
way to connect with the body. Meditative techniques used by many cultures
center around conscious breathing to move inward.

Saturday is also an opportunity to explore the ranch, seen by many Native
Americans as a sacred place. Indeed, an old cedar, referred to as a
grandmother tree, just outside the property boundaries is covered in red
prayer ties and offerings. Many of the men who have participated, says Buie,
have found the trip to the grandmother tree as the most moving, important
part of the weekend.

Most, however, see the sweat lodge Saturday night as the most rewarding and
revealing part of the Queer Spirit experience. The lodge, built by Buie
several years ago and used by many who visit the ranch, is a traditional
wood and canvas structure with a fire pit in the middle. In native
tradition, the ceremony proceeds in four parts. With each, more rocks, which
have been heating in a fire for hours, are brought into the lodge, bringing
the temperature up dramatically. The lodge is pitch black but for an
occasional glow from embers burning on the rock. Water is poured on the
rocks, filling the lodge with steam.

Many of those who have experienced a lodge often say they find new things
about themselves, some have visions in the darkness, others find simply
making it through and overcoming fears of darkness or tight places as a
triumph. Few will say that they leave the lodge the same as they enter it.
Last April's retreat drew 13 men plus the organizers. Buie and Cottrell hope
to expand that number in this upcoming retreat. "We can accommodate 20 or 25
people, and we're getting a lot of interest for September," Buie said.

The April weekend far exceeded any expectations that Cottrell or Buie held
as they were planning the event.

"At best we had hoped to get the men together to talk and to experiment with
a new story," Buie explained. "Instead each man courageously and beautifully
stepped into a magical place, stepped outside of the old story and created a
new one for them."

"As we considered the implication of self-love, self-joy, self-nurturing and
our own individual process of creating that new story, we stepped into a
very powerful and rewarding place," Buie continued. "The 13 strangers who
came together, left as brothers embracing each other, promising future
connections, correspondences and, respecting and engaging each other in a
joyous place. The weekend was beautiful and there are no other words to
describe it."

Registration for the weekend includes all meals and comfortable lodging.
This is a nonprofit event. Any proceeds from the event are turned back into
funding future reterats. More information and registration forms are
available at http://queeerspirit.org or by emailing Buie at
jerrybuie@mac.com or Cottrell at skiutjohn@yahoo.com.

------------------------------------
QSaltLake
Michael Aaron
Publisher/Editor
michael@qsaltlake.com
PO Box 511247
Salt Lake City UT 84151-1247
tel: 801-649-6663
tel2:1-800-806-7357 X10
fax: 1-866-840-5232
mobile: 801-856-5655
IM: http://myspace.com/qsaltlake
http://www.qsaltlake.com

Information Circle/Gathering for September Retreat

2007-08-23T22:19:00.000-06:00

Queer Spirit is about men loving men, gathering together in loving and intimate ways to explore, dialog, enjoy, dream and celebrate the "who" and "what" we are in the broader community. Using our unique gifts we explore our "Old Stories" and bring out new awareness, insight and beauty in the creation of a story that is unique to what is authentic in our lives. We use spirit, energy, ritual and tradition to incorporate the magic of queer men coming together to heal ourselves, our community
and our world.

Hey Guys

Have you checked out the new website? Please do!
www.queerspirit.org

it is more than just advertisement for the retreat! We are using this as a running dialogue and discussion in UT for queer men to explore issues around sexuality, spirituality and our place in the world. The website invites feedback, comments, etc. There are articles that may be of interest written by John and myself, there are also articles from Radical Fairy Founder Harry Hay, John Burnside and the Editor of White Crane, BO Young. These articles are meant to inspire deeper thinking and thoughts regarding who we are. The Blog is meant to stimulate discussion and dialogue and you should be able to subscribe to this blog so you have good information. Events that John and I have been planning such as Yoga, Meditation and Sensuality Workshops are also posted on this blog.

We are gathering on August 30, 2007, potluck again. We are going to discuss the upcoming retreat. We have several men interested in attending this year. If you plan on being there please register by downloading the registration form and filling it out. You can fax it to my office at 801 595-0669 OR e mail it to
jerrybuie@mac.com

Payment can be made in Check to White Crane or you can use Pay-Pal through the internet and website and pay by Credit Card, OR better yet. Hand deliver it on August 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at my home when we get together. This will be a good time to socialize, share and explore the next chapter to Queer Spirit.

RSVP would be helpful. You are welcome to invite friends or interested individuals. This will be a good time for people to ask questions and to make the decision if this retreat is for them and will be a great opportunity to get to know each other prior to the retreat. Attendance is not mandatory if attending the retreat but helpful in the retreat being a positive experience.

SO, See you on August 30, 2007 7:30 p.m. at my house. Please e mail for directions to my house if necessary.

Jerry Buie
801 557.9203

Queer Spirit/Money/Pride Counseling

2007-08-16T10:08:00.000-06:00

There have been some questions regarding Queer Spirit and its relationship with Pride Counseling. Pride Counseling is a personal business of Jerry Buie LCSW. Pride Counseling has been around for about 4 years as a formal counseling agency to the GLBT community. Our website is www.pridecounseling.tv Queer Spirit is something totally different than Pride Counseling. Queer Spirit is about community, spirit and being queer. It is personal passion of mine that is taking root and growing in a wonderful manner, but distinct and different than Pride Counseling.

My friend Bo Young is the Editor of a queer spirit journal named The White Crane. This journal is a wonderful publication for the queer community with writings that are provoking and informative. Bo create the White Crane Institute to support communities and efforts similar to Queer Spirit.

For years now I have envisioned queer men getting together in the wonderful surroundings of Utah to explore and understand who we are. Meeting John Cottrell a few years ago we realized how we shared in this vision. He was already generating interest in Yoga, relaxation/mediation techniques and body work. We began a process of unfolding for ourselves what a queer retreat might look like and we quickly acknowledged the financial angle that might be a challenge for those who needed to attend and might not have the resources. We have applied for grants but with limited success. We do local fundraising and this has been successful and has facilitated or partially facilitated scholarships for folks to attend. The cost of the retreat covers the cost of the ranch, lodging and food and to a small degree the cost associated in educating folks about the retreat. The editor of White Crane offered to integrate us into his 501 Non profit considering his mission statement was the essence of what we wanted to accomplish in Utah. Our connection to this non profit makes funding issues for the retreats less complicated and also makes funding agencies more interested in assisting us. The funds that have been raised and generated that go beyond our expenses such as lodging, food, supplies, advertisement, etc go back into the non profit and become start up funds for the next retreat. One of our goals is to create an accessible event. John and I have seen that this retreat could be a powerful venue for folks in recovery or in other challenging life circumstances. It is a retreat.

So please do not confuse Pride Counseling with Queer Spirit. Two different ventures and two different ambitions. I do want to thank White Crane Institute as they have provided a generous start up funds (www.gaywisdom.com), Q Salt Lake who has been generous with rates for ads as well as visibility, The Pillar who recently did an article in our behalf, The Center who have linked us to the broader community, and Yahoo Groups and the various Utah Yahoo Groups who have willingly donated space in their listserv in helping us get the word out. It is this type of energy and spirit of things that truly transforms a community into becoming a powerful force.

Jerry

August 30, 2007 Gathering/Information

2007-08-14T22:28:00.000-06:00

The response to the retreat has been incredible. We have received numerous e-mails and request for information. On August 30, 2007 at 7:00 p.m we will be gathering to discuss the upcoming retreat. This is a great opportunity for you to come, ask questions and determine if this is the event for you. We will have a small potluck with past and future particpants of the retreat. Please attend with your curoisity and questions. For those who have already registered this is a great opportunity for you to connect with others attending. For more information please e mail Jerry at JerryBuie@mac.com or John at skiutjohn@yahoo.com This will allow you to RSVP and get directions to the meeting location.

There is still space available for this retreat

2007-08-14T22:14:00.000-06:00

The Queer Spirit Retreat is just around the corner (September 7-9).
It's time to register!

Read more about this incredible experience by visiting the website:
www.queerspirit.org. Download your registration form today. If you are
in need of a scholarship to attend, please contact one of the
facilitators.

Take a minute, too, to visit our blog http://queerspirit.blogspot.com/
Share your thoughts and feelings. Take part in our monthly gatherings,
too, and other special events.

John

The Body Sensual

2007-08-04T08:25:00.000-06:00

One of the areas we'd like to explore in Queer Spirit is our intimate relationships with ourselves and others. As we continue our growth toward a positive self image as gay men, an important area to consider is our sensual and sexual beings.

Many of us may have learned that sexuality, particularly homosexuality, is a sin, immoral, wrong. This message only stunts the growth of the evolving gay man. If we have doubts about our sexuality, it creates yet another self-deprecating message. Further, this hinders our abilities to fully love ourselves and others.

Queer Spirit is dedicated to help the gay man find his true self. Help to change this and other false images we have created about ourselves.

We have designed a workshop called The Body Sensual that begins to explore these intimate and personal relationships with ourselves and those around us.

The Body Sensual puts us back in touch with our sensual, sexual, and even erotic selves. It explores our issues and stories about intimacy and relationships. Through dialog, we begin to discover the origins of why it may be difficult for some of us to fully love ourselves. Through guided touch techniques, we learn how to ask for what we want; know the things that make us feel good. We learn to say "yes" to what we like and "no" to the things we do not like. We also learn to listen to what our partners need and want. With direct and honest communication, experiencing love and pleasure will be more appreciated and valued. What emerges is a fuller respect for yourself.

We have generated some interest in our Queer Spirit Community to hold this workshop. Our first was scheduled for Sunday, August 5th, but was postponed for a later date and time to be determined.

If this is something that interests you, please feel free to contact John (skiutjohn@yahoo.com) for more information. This is a special workshop that can be worthwhile for you as an individual or for a couple. We would also like to feature a Body Sensual experience at our retreat in September.

More thoughts about WHY?

2007-07-29T10:29:00.000-06:00

Two Things:

1. Our meeting on July 26, 2007 was a success, we all enjoyed some nice fried chicken and discussed our lives since the retreat. We looked forward to the next retreat in September with some discussion about what we liked and what we would encourage to have happen differently in September. The feedback and friendship was nice. It was good to see everyone again.

2. Let's step into some thought about "WHY" Queer Spirit?

"Gay people are a community constantly coming out of erasure. With little in the way of social institutions or institutions that are themselves too young or too busy to remember where they came from, Gay people have, from generation to generation the odd experience of feeling like “the only one” and having to construct a healthy adult personality, usually in a hostile environment." Bo Young Editor of White Crane.

My friend Bo has been helping us at Queer Spirit in our quest for grants that supports our efforts in hosting retreats and other events that would address the overall psycho, social and spiritual selves of gay men. The above comment certainly defines the NEED, in particular for the Utah Community, although, I would suggest that this need is both national and global. In our section within this website titled "articles" is an essay by Bo Young that is explores the need for gay men to discover themselves, not only sexually, but intimately, socially, emotionally, culturally, communally, but MOST importantly PROFOUNDLY! To step into a sense of inner and outer confidence that we are a Pro-Found tribe/community with many expressions and culturally relevant and unique gifts to offer society in general.

We (Queer Spirit) are creating the caldron at Windwalker Ranch for us to conjure and explore. Admittedly this is an initial process, a new process and open to suggestions and influences by those participating. Our earlier description of the retreat sounded like this:

"By using ceremony, storytelling, movement, and expression we will create a space that will facilitate friendship, (inter) connection, and improved self-esteem by the unraveling of "old stories" (belief systems that no longer serve us) that often sabotage our efforts in life. This retreat seeks to assist participants in creating "new stories" (healthier belief systems) of empowerment as gay men. Participants will find the higher purpose of their lives by the sharing/processing of personal stories. We will incorporate the use of group process and indigenous ceremony/ritual with the aim of honoring our path as queer men. This process will tap into the hidden mysteries of our lives; mysteries that most indigenous communities have understood for centuries." In many ways this is how we find ourselves. I have had some questions as people attempt to understand this process of what they are getting into. Some want to compare it to popular, intense seminars. So let me see if I can offer more input into what Queer Spirit is about.

Our Goal; To create an opportunity to freely and openly explore who we are, to seek out what we want and to find the loving support of our peers to experience this new found sense of self. To broaden and deepen our sense of what it means to be Queer and to embrace this as a sacred and legitimate gift to the world and to ourselves. There are unique approaches in finding this sense of "vision" that may be our of the ordinary, and yet the mundane and routine is where we often get stuck.

SO

You can sit on your couch, or do the same thing you do every other weekend........ Or you could step out into something new this particular weekend that could alter your sense of self.

Old Story or New Story

Please contact us for further information. Its important to note that we are holding monthly meetings and gatherings that are social, fun and opportunity to share and connect. It is a great way to be introduced to the retreat and get more information.

Stayed tuned! Lets see what unfolds! Would love to see you there.

Jerry Buie
(801) 557-9203
jerrybuie@mac.com

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!

2007-07-26T09:02:00.000-06:00

A friendly reminder that tonight is our first night of planning and collaborating about the retreat in September. If your curious, want to ask questions, explore and dialogue then please join us tonight at 7:30 p.m. Please call Jerry at 801 557-9203 for directions. Tonight is potluck so bring something yummy to share.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2007-07-24T17:08:00.000-06:00

July 26, 2007 Starting at 7:30 p.m. Queer Spirit Potluck BBQ

This potluck is meant for anyone interested in learning more about Queer Spirit Retreats. We are coming together to share in their experiences, provide information about the upcoming retreat and to socialize and have a good time together. We will be able to answer questions regarding the retreat and hear some of your ideas about what provokes you to attend this year and what you might be looking for to ensure the retreat is successful for everyone. By coming together we begin to break the ice and explore the possibilities for a wonderful event. To gather information about location of this event call Jerry at (801) 557-9203 or e mail at jerrybuie@mac.com

Q: Is attendance at these meetings mandatory?
It is a good idea as we begin to gel as a group, but not mandatory. At the last retreat we had people sign up at the last moment and they did just fine integrating with the group!

Q: Is there a cap of particpants at Queer Spirit?
We would close the group off at 20 participants. In April we had 13 attend and that was a nice size group. If we end up with more we will evaluate what we need to do to address the request. We have several options in facilitating this process so size is not a huge factor. Slots are going fast for this particular retreat so do not delay!.

Q: Can I pay with Credit Card?
Yes you can. Go the page for registration and download the registration form, we will need this completed by all participants. You can pay with Check or through Pay Pal which requires credit card. The White Crane Emblem should take you to a Pay Pal site.

August 8, 2007 7:00 p.m. Queer Spirit Yoga (See above description from John)

August 22, 2007 7:00 p.m. Meditation (See above description from John)

August 23, 200 Queer Spirit Talking Circle and Retreat Planning This event will be creating dialogue about what we desire and hunger for in our lives and how we anticipate the retreat helping us to access that place. We will do potluck and Talking Circle in exploring what we are looking for in the retreat.

SEPTEMBER 7-9, 2007 Queer Spirit Retreat

Meditation & Relaxation

2007-07-22T16:35:00.000-06:00

eNerGY is a group in Salt Lake City giving men a safe environment to explore and reconnect with themselves and others through the power and practice of yoga. On Monday, July 23rd, eNerGY will be hosting a Relaxation & Meditation Session at 7pm. The intention of these sessions is to unwind and relax after a long day. The facilitator will teach you healing and cleansing breathing techniques then assist you through a guided meditation. The cost of the session is $10. $5 of your contribution will go directly to the Queer Spirit Scholarship Fund. This fund will allow more men to experience the upcoming Queer Spirit Retreat in September. There will be another eNerGY sponsored Meditation & Relaxation Session on Wednesday, August 22nd. There is still space in both sessions. You may sign up by visiting www.mbody.org.

About Queer Spirit Monthly Gatherings

2007-07-15T16:53:00.000-06:00

One of the intentions of the Queer Spirit Retreat is bring queer men together in a process of sharing and expanding the stories of our collective lives, sharing, talking, challenging and expanding our sense of who we are with the feedback and support of one another. This fosters a sense of intimacy and connection that we wish to grow upon.
Knowing that connections will occur in this retreat process we desire to facilitate a meaningful dialog beyond the retreat to keep the process moving, creating a community of support and growth.

We are hosting ongoing, monthly gatherings such as Sweat Lodges, talking circles, workshops, mini retreats, BBQ's and various social activities. We are currently meeting the fourth Thursday of each month from 7:30 to 9:00 PM with a new focus each month. These gatherings happen at different venues considering the event and process but are generally located in the Salt Lake Valley.

The Queer Spirit Monthly Gatherings are for gay male Retreat participants and invited guests. Please contact us for more info and questions.

July Queer Spirit Meeting
July 26, 2007, 7:30 PM ~ 9:00 PM
Salt Lake City, UT
Facilitators: Jerry Buie & John Cottrell
This month we will have a fabulous outdoor BBQ in the garden, Talking Circle, and discuss the upcoming Queer Spirit Retreat in September. Potluck to follow. Past and future participants of the retreat are invited to attend.
CONTACT>> MORE INFO & TRAVEL DIRECTIONS

August Queer Spirit Meeting
August 30, 2007, 7:30 PM ~ 9:00 PM
Salt Lake City, UT
Facilitators: Jerry Buie & John Cottrell
TBA
CONTACT>> MORE INFO & TRAVEL DIRECTIONS

VISIT THE WEB SITE: QUEERSPIRIT.ORG