QueerDharma is a community outreach group of the Shambhala Meditation Center of New York especially designed for lesbian, gay, other sexual minorities and their friends. Queers, as founding member Craig Smith says, can be those who feel different in any number of ways. Dharma refers to the underlying truth or potential of each moment. Therefore, QueerDharma is about bringing out the inner truths of queers, transforming our differences into a path of realization.

Our mission is to create a safe space for LGBTQ meditators of all traditions to gather, listen, discuss, and encourage each other's Buddhist meditation practice and spiritual growth. At monthly gatherings, meditation retreats and other activities, and through the QD website and mailing list, we cultivate a network of queer practioners who can study and play together, ultimately spreading wakefulness that supports and addresses concerns we face in our daily lives — all in an effort to uncover our strengths, develop confidence in our basic goodness, and to foster relationships, both with others and ourselves.

Some of our aims and goals include:

• Day-long Meditation Retreats
• Discussion Groups
• Volunteering Efforts
• Interactive Workshops & Activities
• Buddha Dharma Study Groups

Come sit, study, and play with us!

The Story of QueerDharma

Why QueerDharma