I Suffer All LGBTQ People
As informed by the Buddhist practice of Tonglen
I suffer all gay men with sorrows
…Who have been disowned by their families
…Who have lost their employment
…Who have lost or are not allowed a home
…Who have been teased or tormented
…Who have been arrested for no reason
…Who have been beaten
…Who have been raped
…Who have lost their lives
Because of who they are and whom they love
Even though I am not one who has suffered thusly
I can empathize with them and
I can have compassion and share with them
In my mind, the joys I have experienced
I suffer Lesbians with sorrows and difficulties
I suffer Trans Persons with sorrows/difficulties
I suffer Asexual Persons with sorrows/difficulties
I suffer InterSex Persons with sorrows/difficulties
Because of who they are and whom they love
Even though I am not one who has suffered thusly
I can empathize with them and
I can have compassion and share with them
In my mind, the joys I have experienced
I suffer all Black People with sorrows/difficulties
I suffer all Brown People with sorrows/difficulties
I suffer all People of Color with sorrows/difficulties
Because of the color of their skin, where they find
Themselves in life and for the sorrows they suffer
Even though I am not one who has suffered thusly
I can empathize with them and
I can have compassion and share with them
In my mind, the joys I have experienced
I suffer all oppressed women
I suffer all oppressed children
I suffer all oppressed immigrants
I suffer all displaced people
I suffer all disabled people
I suffer all people who are different
I suffer all people who live in poverty
I suffer all people who are harassed by the police
I suffer all people who have sorrows/difficult times
Even though I am not one who has suffered thusly
I can empathize with them and
I can have compassion and share with them
In my mind, the joys I have experienced
I practice the Buddhist Meditation of Tonglen
I practice by closing my eyes and thinking about
People who are suffering for whatever reason
And by doing so I am able to empathize and
To cultivate feelings of compassion towards them
Which over time become a stronger part of me
I choose a specific group or person in my imagination
As I breathe in, I feel their suffering
As I breathe out, I feel their suffering lifting
As I breathe in, I feel their difficulties
As I breathe out, I share my job
I repeat this for a period of time while
At the same time I reduce my sense of ego and
My self-obsession & my day to day difficulties
And turn my focus towards the experiences of others
Which helps make me more grateful for what I have
By empathizing with and cultivating compassion
I am better able to accept others and their differences.
I am grateful for my good fortune and my joy
And I increase my awareness of that good fortune & joy
I can experience the sorrow of others
And I can share my joy with them
In my mind as I breathe in to share their sorrows
And breathe out to to share with them my joys
I also promise myself …
That I will always speak up
And I will always speak out
And I will always do whatever I can
Physically and/or emotionally and/or financially
To help make the lives of others better & more joyful
If this sounds like a little bit of bragging
It is, if only because I am a gay man
And I have PRIDE
Being proud of who I am and whom I love
And working on becoming a better person
While trying to make a difference in the lives of others.
