Online: Truthfulness – A course for the LGBTQIA+ and Allied Community
with Wildecy de Fátima Jury and Gayah (Imani) Gillson
Thursdays, April 4th – 25th, 2024 | 7:00pm – 9:00pm ET
“I have a duty to speak the truth as I see it and share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigated pain. It is important to share how I know survival is survival and not just a walk through the rain.” ― Audre Lorde
“… Where you find Truth
Is where you find your reflection
And where you find your reflection
Is where you find love… “ – Suzy Kassem.
Truthfulness (sacca in Pali) helps us to free the mind from distortion, tunnel vision, and detrimental social constructs and paradigms. As LGBTQIA+ people and allies we might internalize these false beliefs that limit our capacity to really be our full selves. Exploring the power of truthfulness, and cultivating its essence proudly, yields clarity, acceptance, freedom and love.
This course is offered for those who practice or are curious about the sacred energy of the Buddhadharma. Beginners are welcome. You might not know anyone when you start this course, but by the end you will create connections or make new kalyana mitta, spiritual friends. This course will be greatly relational. By attending, you will be a lotus flower for the others attending. Even your intention and effort to show up is an accomplished dedication of merit.
This will be a safe and supportive space with lots of tenderness and opportunities for reflection and interactions. We will contemplate the purpose, blessedness, and magnificence of cultivating truthfulness in our lives and all the gifts that truthfulness offers us. We will meditate, chant, write, make art, have dialogue, and move together. The intention is to examine these teachings with humor, fun, and in a relaxed manner.
For those planning to attend, before registering, please, ask yourself if you are committed to attending all four sessions and to have your video cameras on the entire time, except during meditation and breaks.
Registration:
Please register at the highest level that your generosity offers.
Explanations of levels follow below.
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Please contact registration@nyimc.org if you need assistance.
Registration Fees include Teacher Support
New York Insight Meditation Center has streamlined the registration fee levels. Members of our Circle of Friends are eligible to receive 20% off of the Sustaining Rate via a code provided in the email confirming membership, which you can enter after clicking the Sustaining Level registration.
*Benefactor Level: Supports NYI’s ability to offer the Subsidized Base.
**Sustaining Level: This level reflects the actual costs to support this program. Circle of Friends members eligible for 20% discount with code. Click here to join.
***Subsidized Base: Made possible by the generosity of Benefactor Level above and other donations to ensure participation by those requiring financial assistance.
If you have questions about your registration (cancellation policy, membership discount, email confirmation, etc.), please read our FAQs. If your question is not addressed in the FAQs, please email registration@nyimc.org.
If you are unable to pay the Subsidized Base Fee, you can learn about volunteering to offer work exchange and letting us know how much you are able to pay for this program by emailing registration@nyimc.org.
Please note that New York Insight records online programs. The recorded content may be discoverable should a legal matter arise.
By registering, I give New York Insight permission to use my text/video/audio for educational or other purposes for the duration of New York Insight activities going forward.
If you have any questions, please contact registration@nyimc.org.
Teacher(s)
Wildecy de Fátima Jury
Wildecy de Fátima Jury has been formally practicing Theravada/Vipassana meditation over 20 years. She graduated from the Dedicated Practitioner Program and the Community Dharma Leader Program at Spirit Rock, in California. In 2015, she received a non-monastic ordination through the Dharmacharya Program with the Venerables Pannavati and Pannadipa. She has completed the Dharmapala Training with teachers Thanissara and Kittisaro.
She has offered classes and retreats at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, Insight LA, Zen Center and University of Syracuse, many meditation centers in Brazil, Harlem Insight, Community and New York Insight Meditation Center. At the moment Fátima is at NYIMC Teachers’ Council.
She has studied different spiritual practices and as a spiritual practitioner she has worked with many multicultural communities and groups. She holds a BA in Psychology and Women’s Study and a Master in Social Work. She is certified in Aboriginal Focusing Oriented Therapy through the Justice Institute in Vancouver, BC.
Her intention is to promote the strengthening of sanghas and communities through the cultivation of compassion, unity and decolonization of oppressed and oppressive minds. She is an artist, a writer, and a poet who describes herself as a person within floating identities.
Gayah (Imani) Gillson
Gayah (Imani) Gillson began her meditation journey studying the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and then subsequently studied directly with S.N. Goenka, Ruth Denison, Ven. Pannavati and Ven. Pannadipa, Ruth King, Gina Sharp, Phillip Moffit, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Deepak Chopra, Arisika Rasak, Larry Yang, Pascal Auclair, and Kittisaro and Thanissara.
Gayah [pronounced Guy-uh] is a Dharmacharya Lay-Ordained Monastic Minister, Theravadan practitioner with Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Zen influences.
She/They/Kin graduated from the Dedicated Practitioner Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in Woodacre, California. Gayah has additional roots in intersectional spiritual/mysticism/wisdom practices such as indigenous ceremonies, orisha circles and new-thought christianity.
She also has background training in Peer Counseling, Compassionate Communication and healing racial trauma. She is a California Certified Mediator, has studied Restorative/Transformative Justice and served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA).
Her teaching venues include NYIMC (POC class) at Brooklyn Zen Center, Zen Center of Syracuse, Syracuse University, Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji Zen Studies Society, Gowanus Community Art Center, Brooklyn POC and Allies Sangha Online. She has taught, facilitated, and co-created retreats and workshops in the US and abroad, in Brazil. At both East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) in Oakland (CA) and at the Heartwood Refuge and Retreat Center in Hendersonville (NC) Gayah has taught the sutras by using her theatrical skills to bring ancient texts to life.
As an actress, director, songwriter, artist, lgbtq activist, community organizer, and international speaker-presenter, Gayah brings dharmic values and principles to all activities. She Is the founding director of Theater of the Liberated, as well as chief enthusiasm officer of Artist Temple Film & Music – both companies specializing in creating performance and distribution art through a social justice and spiritual healing lens.