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pastaylor's review against another edition
4.0
I think this book does a good job of offering a different perspective on engagement with the dharma from a voice (gay Asian-american) that we don’t hear from often in Western (read: white) Buddhism. It was instructive both to read what Buddhism mean to him, given his background and experience, and what he saw as the European-American cultural bias in Western Buddhism. It was also interesting to read about how he and the rest of the East Bay Meditation Center have worked to make it more inclusive for people of color and queer folk. I think he articulated the need for culturally specific sanghas really well, pointing out that most Western Buddhist centers were created because white americans wanted something that spoke to their cultural experience more clearly than the ethnic Asian buddhist centers in the US.
He also does an excellent job of laying out the challenges and solutions to building more diverse membership and leadership, especially in removing financial barriers for participation and for being proactive and intentional in seeking out and nurturing leaders, and in constantly building the pipeline. I think this is true across organizations that if we don't change what we are looking for, we are just going to get the same type of people we've been getting. It takes intentionality and creativity to change the make up of an organization.
For me, this book also raised some questions. There was a paradox in that they got to inclusivity partially through excluding straight, heteronormative European americans from their sangha (by creating POC only and queer only events, and by limiting the number of whites that could participate in retreats). Maybe that is necessary – limit the number of people from the dominant culture so that more marginalized groups can feel seen and safe. I certainly think there are enough sanghas in the bay area that cater to whites that they aren’t being dissuaded from the dharma by EBMC’s somewhat restrictive policies. I just wonder if there is a way around that paradox of creating inclusivity by excluding some people. Maybe not.
My bigger issue is that so much of the book is railing against mainstream culture and mainstream Buddhism and white dharma teachers. Maybe it’s a hangover from my punk rock days, but I’m always suspicious of that stance. I mean, I get why a queer person of color might have strong feelings about straight, white culture, but it gets to the point of feeling like just another us vs. them, they are bad we are good type argument. He also never mentions the fact that many of the white buddhist teachers are jewish, a group who have their own experience with oppression. Also, while there are a lot of white buddhist teachers, the majority I know of trained with and frequently reference Asian Buddhists, and are practicing an Asian religion. Which isn’t to say that they aren’t putting their own cultural spin on it, or aren’t inadvertently reinforcing racial hierarchies in their centers and teachings, but to call a guy who lived in Japan for years so that he could get dharma transmission from an elderly Japanese Zen priest “mainstream” is a stretch.
Anyways, those are just some of the thoughts this book provoked, and I was happy to be challenged and have a new perspective to grapple with.
He also does an excellent job of laying out the challenges and solutions to building more diverse membership and leadership, especially in removing financial barriers for participation and for being proactive and intentional in seeking out and nurturing leaders, and in constantly building the pipeline. I think this is true across organizations that if we don't change what we are looking for, we are just going to get the same type of people we've been getting. It takes intentionality and creativity to change the make up of an organization.
For me, this book also raised some questions. There was a paradox in that they got to inclusivity partially through excluding straight, heteronormative European americans from their sangha (by creating POC only and queer only events, and by limiting the number of whites that could participate in retreats). Maybe that is necessary – limit the number of people from the dominant culture so that more marginalized groups can feel seen and safe. I certainly think there are enough sanghas in the bay area that cater to whites that they aren’t being dissuaded from the dharma by EBMC’s somewhat restrictive policies. I just wonder if there is a way around that paradox of creating inclusivity by excluding some people. Maybe not.
My bigger issue is that so much of the book is railing against mainstream culture and mainstream Buddhism and white dharma teachers. Maybe it’s a hangover from my punk rock days, but I’m always suspicious of that stance. I mean, I get why a queer person of color might have strong feelings about straight, white culture, but it gets to the point of feeling like just another us vs. them, they are bad we are good type argument. He also never mentions the fact that many of the white buddhist teachers are jewish, a group who have their own experience with oppression. Also, while there are a lot of white buddhist teachers, the majority I know of trained with and frequently reference Asian Buddhists, and are practicing an Asian religion. Which isn’t to say that they aren’t putting their own cultural spin on it, or aren’t inadvertently reinforcing racial hierarchies in their centers and teachings, but to call a guy who lived in Japan for years so that he could get dharma transmission from an elderly Japanese Zen priest “mainstream” is a stretch.
Anyways, those are just some of the thoughts this book provoked, and I was happy to be challenged and have a new perspective to grapple with.
kenleyneufeld's review against another edition
5.0
A text to continue reading and going back to for deeper understanding. Begins easy, then moves to the hard work of transformation. The lessons learned by Larry Yang and the East Bay Mediation Center are available for all practice communities if we are open and willing. Inspired and nourished by this teaching.
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