Readers Forum: What is Sacred?, from the September/October issue of Positively Aware Options

[Root Admin]

A note from a reader:

Thanks for the wonderful piece on “What is Sacred” [May/June 2005)! Finally, someone who can speak to the possibility that a gay man doesn’t have to respond from his penis—but perhaps should respond from his heart and soul. Do you know of any organizations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area that are doing similar work of integrating faith and hope into clinical work? By the way, I do bodywork and massage, and can’t tell you how often the first thing I heard from gay men when I tell them what I do is, “Wow! You must really get to see some nice bodies and dicks!” They are serious, and don’t really want to hear about my work. They simply want to hear about the bodies on which I work. I am very tired of hearing that response.

Name withheld, via the Internet

Response from Tony Hollenback:

I am humbled by your words and am grateful that you were touched by the article. It gives me hope that as a gay community we can begin to change and create how we see ourselves and how we see each other—our friendships and work, our personal and sexual relationships. Opportunities to connect on a deeper level take the relationship to a very different place. I don’t know anything about the community in the Twin Cities, but will refer several Chicago websites that might be a source of support for you. The Native American communities are very open to embracing and honoring gay men as being “twin spirited,” meaning we carry the male and female energy. You might want to check online to see if you can find a local Native American tribe, medicine man or woman, sweat lodge, etc. This would be a wonderful source of sacred community honoring who you are as a gay man. Let me know if I can be of any help to you in your journey. I have my own private practice and lead sacred circles and retreats, as well as individual work.