Ep262: Life of Liberation - Dorje
Dorje is an American Vajrayana practitioner born in 1947 who’s life spans the early days of gay liberation, the AIDS crisis, and beyond.
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Dorje recounts his childhood in the American South, his move to San Francisco in 1968, and his involvement in the early days of the gay liberation movement. He recalls the arrival of AIDS in 1981, the traumatic deaths of his close friends, and the impact of his own HIV diagnosis.
Dorje explains his conversion to Buddhism in the midst of a chaotic and stressful life, his 25 years as an ordained monk, the power of Yamantaka practice, and his understanding of the spiritual path.
Dorje also explores the deep relevance of the core teachings of Buddhism to his experience of the AIDS crisis, describes the rhythms of grief and death, and shares what he has learned about helping the dying.
00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Dorje’s upbringing
02:07 - Dorje as a boy
02:59 - Career aspirations and becoming a lawyer
04:16 - Arriving in San Francisco in 1968
04:38 - Involvement in the civil rights movement
06:28 Early days of the gay liberation movement
09:13 - The Cockettes
11:48 - Gay political organising in Atlanta
14:02 - Arrival of AIDS in 1981
15:21 - Deaths of Dorje’s close friends
16:10 - Dorje’s HIV diagnosis
16:45 - Stages of grief
18:50 - Dorje’s HIV related legal and political work
20:39 - Activism vs realpolitik
23:06 - Encountering Buddhism
25:08 - Reading DT Suzuki and Evans-Wentz
25:46 - Shamata in a highly stressful of life
28:29 - Drawn to Tibetan Buddhism
30:39 - The life of the Buddha
33:57 - Modern insulation from sickness and death
36:14 - The Buddha’s quest for enlightenment
39:18 - 4 noble truths and the core of Buddhism
42:26 - How to develop wisdom
44:10 - The spiritual path
47:38 - Ordaining as a Buddhist monk
52:12 - The 3 jewels of refuge
54:05 - Challenges of living as a monk
56:14 - Moving to Nepal
57:48 - Why were some people slow to recognise the danger of HIV
01:02:25 - Helping the dying
01:03:27 - The rhythm of grief
01:06:43 - Actors and magicians
01:08:42 - Facing his own death
01:10:01 - The power of Yamantaka practice
01:12:10 - Living with an HIV diagnosis
01:17:06 - Leaving monasticism and solo retreat during Covid
01:19:28 - Aspiration to help those newly diagnosed with HIV
01:23:19 - How to help those with a new diagnosis
01:24:10 - Side effects of medication
01:25:31 - Climate change in Kathmandu
01:25:42 - Hippy trail and changing fashions
01:26:35 - Experimentation with psychedelics
01:27:51 - Unsung heroes of civil rights
01:28:53 - Dorje’s Great Stupa kora practice
01:30:07 - Compassion and the goal of practice
01:31:33 - Kora around the Great Stupa
01:32:34 - Developing compassion for others
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