Navigating Missteps in Our Relationships - René Rivera

The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF

How do we bring our practice into the difficult moments of relationships with others? Can we learn from these and approach them with curiosity and presence as an opportunity to grow?
René Rivera looks at the ways our practice can help us become more aware of when our words or behaviors generate conflict. He shares his approach to mend these transgressions, including:

1. Be present with ourselves. Pause and focus on the sensations and emotions we feel when we make a mistake, such as shame, anger, or frustration.
2. Open to the other person. Turn with curiosity to understanding the other person, such as acknowledging what has been said and being open to feedback.
3. Seek to repair the damage; make amends sooner rather than later.

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René Rivera is a meditation teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and leader, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, mixed-race, trans man.
René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, at the East Bay Meditation Center and other meditation centers. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender-based violence.

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CREDITS
Audio Engineer: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter