You may say I don’t see myself a bridge builder but just by a smile, a flirt, a kind jester, a selfless act online and in the world you have built a bridge...
Is Bridge Building in Our Queer DNA? How are you a bridge builder?
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VYu4K_bHW4 Even if you don’t have time now to read this article …Share in this theme of Bridge Building with your brothers in community by taking 3 minutes to watch this video)
Is it in our DNA? Science has researched for years if there might be a queer gene, or a place in the brain that is unique to same sex love. Findings seen to intrigue researchers enough to keep them investigating the idea.
One could entertain many scientific, spiritual or philosophical ideas about Queer identity and origins. I assert that being Queer is a gift and a sacred part of the whole. Biologist Thomas Huxley said, “No negative trait (one that does not reproduce) ever continues to appear in a given species millennia after millennia after millennia unless it in some way serves the survival of the species.”
In line with that assertion of Huxley’s, consider the possibility that our consciousness chose to come to the earth as Queer. No matter whether this is true or not, the very nature of the Queer person is both prophetic and thus Bridge Building. We are in every tribe, religion, race, nation, gender, and economic status. Just by being in every culture we have the potential to build bridges across divides.
In the past year I have posted a numerous personal profiles on most queer spiritual sites and some erotic/sex sites, queer yahoo groups involving bodywork, eroticism, mysticism, paganism, buddhism, and activism etc as a means of bringing more visibility to our work and to represent a presence of sexuality and spirituality in venues where we as queer men often find ourselves in one box or another. Bridging the erotic and spiritual is just one large the gap waiting to be reconnected. Besides juicy conversations of Spirit and flesh, my awareness of our bridge building nature seems to be a common thread in our queer community. One day an 88 year old man and 18 year man contacted me on the same day. Both exploring their erotic desire to connect to something more than just flesh. A phone call recently came in on the Flesh & Spirit phone line from a man saying he had a disability and didn’t know if he would fit in our work of Flesh & Spirit. Another man called asking about our spiritual work and told me how frightened and even judging he was of doing erotic work.
These gaps, call for bridge building within our own community.
You may say I don’t see myself a bridge builder but just by a smile, a flirt, a kind jester, a selfless act online and in the world you have built a bridge. Welcoming and engaging someone who is outside your usual circle is bridge building.
In a time of extreme polarizations in our world,we as queer folk have an opportunity to build much needed bridges. Years ago when there was a Gay Pride March in Jerusalem I remember seeing images of queer Muslims and Jews who were marching together as friends, lovers and fighters for freedom for all.
Recently as we did our peaceful action called “Queer Fires for Peace.” A queer brother in Syria lighted a candle in solidarity with us. Bridges are easily connected in our current age, yet the real work of bridge building is inside ourselves.
Who are you already bridge building with… that in outside your usual circle?
A couple years ago, Donny and I spoke on stage to an audience of 250 (predominately straight) people. Many of them were very conservative in their spiritual and political views. A man cam up to us after we did healing work from the stage and said, “I experienced the pain in my back leave while you played your violin Donny and even more I have to tell you …I have always been bias against gay people. After seeing your love for each other (Kirk & Donny) and the healing you offered this audience, I can say I NO LONGER have a bias in my heart” We all three stood there and embraced with tears in our eyes.
Bridge building may or may not be in our DNA but it is a much needed call. See what it feels like to say to yourself. “I am a Bridge Builder” and “I’m open to welcome those outside my current
circle.”
If in San Francisco join us July 14th join us for The Ecstatic Massage Training Day and Potluck themed “Meet the Bridge
GregCarey