If the Buddha Got Stuck by Charlotte Kasl

Author:Charlotte Kasl
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2012-01-31T05:36:07+00:00

At a training on homophobia that I led for therapists I was deeply moved by the humble attention of the male and female heterosexual counselors as two lesbian women and a gay man spoke of their negative and positive experiences with counselors. The therapists were open-minded and willing to be shaken, which they were, because they thought there was nothing much they needed to learn, they were operating with the common conception, “we’re all people.” They were astounded to realize the extent of their lack of understanding of homophobia. The experience of the training was positive because of the profound respect and everyone’s willingness to be known, albeit in different ways. The therapists exposed their lack of knowledge and the three people who told their stories had an opportunity to be heard with dignity and respect. They deeply appreciated the willingness of the therapists to learn from them.

There is no one reality in the amazing web of lives drawn together in the mosaic of humanity. There is everyone’s experience. If you are willing to come to the table with all your brothers and sisters—rich, poor, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Christian, lesbian, heterosexual—you will go far deeper into yourself than through any book or lecture. To simply sit and listen with the intention of attuning to another person’s world is to build the most important bridge we humans can ever cross. Knowing dissolves into caring, and caring dissolves into love. We create a shield against violence and tap into our humanity, where we find the seeds of generosity and care.

Once we’re willing to recognize the differences, we will naturally experience the similarities. All people have families, we all suffer loss and have to cope with the looming reality of death. All people want to feel cared for, to be free of suffering, and to be happy. I end this section as I started it, with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.:

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