We are deeply saddened and troubled by the shooting deaths of five people and wounding of 25 in an LGBTQIA night club in Colorado Springs late Saturday night. This despicable and horrific display of anti-LGBTQIA violence, targeting a community that is pervasively dehumanized and marginalized in our current political climate, happened on the eve of the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR)—a day commemorating the lives of those who have been murdered for being transgender or gender nonconforming—which the Club had planned to honor that Sunday. As a Sangha, we vow to wholeheartedly support and welcome all people in the way they most hope to be seen and loved by others. By providing a safe and welcoming community, we nurture the human spirit of benevolence, love and acceptance. We vow to each do the work to enlighten and liberate  the poisons of anger, hatred, greed, and violence in our own hearts and those around us.

For those interested, we will be including a special moment of silence and reflection at our own event honoring TDOR to be held on December 1st. Please feel free to join us. You can register here, or email LGBTQIA@dharma.net or TGNC@dharma.net for more information.

We have also opened conversations on the Monastery’s “Sangha-Treasure” Google group* and Slack channel in case you would like to share a response or check in with other sangha members.  

*  To become a member of “Sangha-Treasure” Google group send your name and email to:  <Sangha-Treasure@dharma.net>.

Please take good care of yourself,

Sangha Harmony Advisory Council (SHAC) Planning Group