“Is our often-censored urge towards sex and our great, undeniable urge towards a union with God . . . the same urge?” from The Substance of God, by Perry Brass.

What are the core feelings that link queer sexuality, BD/SM and spirituality? Is there a Dominant/ Submissive-Master/Slave feeling that links us directly with submission to the God-force? Does “kinky” sexuality lower male defenses enough to bring in a feeling of a supernatural union? Is gay tribal sexuality—at the heart of a leather and S/M lifestyle—important to our own survival now in the time of a mainstreaming and corporatization of gayness leaving too many gay men and lesbians feeling alone, isolated, and alienated from their community? Perry Brass, author of The Manly Pursuit of Desire and Love, hosts a three-part series of discussions, readings, and even demonstrations on this intriguing, often controversial topic.

Each session will feature different guests sharing their feelings about this often controversial topic. Please note: this series addresses material of a sexually graphic nature and some sessions will include nude performers.

Special guests Andrew Harwin, John Ollom, and Darrell Perry will participate in the first session, Wednesday, October 28, 7 to 9:30 PM.

The second session will take place on Wednesday, November 18, 7 to 9:30 PM.

The third and final session will take place on Wednesday, December 16, 7 to 9:30 PM.

Suggested donation of $5 to benefit the Bureau. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Perry Brass has published 19 books, including poetry, novels, short fiction, science fiction, plays, and bestselling advice books (How to Survive Your Own Gay Life, The Manly Art of Seduction, The Manly Pursuit of Desire and Love). Active in the movement toward lgbt rights (gay equality) since 1969, Brass’s work continuously deals with issues of sexual freedom, personal authenticity, and personal politics coming out of his involvement with the movement for gay liberation. He is especially interested in that connection between sexuality and spirituality; with the world of the body, the mind, and a deeper “soul” consciousness connecting the two. Aside from his books, poetry, plays, and essays, he also regularly blogs for the Huffington Post. For more information: www.perrybrass.com

Andrew Harwin is a Life Coach and Ordained Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister. A Native New Yorker and Bronx Science graduate whose earliest spiritual experiences were in Nature, he pursued Hinduism and Buddhism when a Reform Jewish education didn’t meet his spiritual needs. As a teenager Andrew had transcendent LSD experiences but realized he couldn’t continue and still remain in his body. Hesse’s “Siddhartha” revealed enlightenment was best attained by living consciously, recognizing the connectedness of everything.
Having his first sex with men at 14, Andrew came out at 17 and began exploring his erotic shadow and kinky desires. From 19 to 21, he was a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist. He also learned Transcendental Meditation and has been practicing ever since.
Diagnosed with HIV in ’88, Andrew lost many friends and lovers to AIDS and almost died in ‘95. Returning to life in ’96, he came out as a leatherman, marching with the Leather contingent in the ’97 NYC Pride March and joining the now-defunct Gay Male S/M Activists. He’s a former GMSMA President and Chairman, currently serving as an advisor to the Folsom Street East Board and a member of its Events Committee.
For 10 years, Andrew helped teach the GMSMA Novice Tops & bottoms course. He created a BDSM Spirituality Discussion Group and is the author of stories and essays on transcendent SM published in GMSMA’s “NewsLink.”
In 2003 Andrew was given the Barry Douglas Community Service Award for “selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to New York’s SM-Leather-Fetish community.”
A Chicago Hellfire Club Associate and Member of Delta International, he’s the 2011 recipient of CHC’s J. Paul Eaton Award for service behind the scenes at Inferno.
Andrew’s a graduate of The Body Electric School, including “Power-Surrender-Intimacy” and “Sacred Intimacy Training.” He’s also a member of the Easton Mountain Retreat Center community.

John Ollom received his MFA from Goddard College and BFA in Ballet from Texas Christian University where he trained under Fernando Bujones of American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet. He has been teaching in New York City and around the country since 2000. His methodology has been taught at the Eastern Michigan University, Kalani Retreat Center in Hawaii, Atmananda Yoga Sequence, Baruch College, CUNY Hostos, CUNY in the Heights, Easton Mountain Retreat Center and every summer at the Ollom Movement Art Summer Program at Smith College.

In 2010-2011, John Ollom was chosen as the Artist in Residence at the Eastern Michigan University Dance Department. Since 2002, John has served as the Artistic Director of Ollom Movement Art/Prismatic Productions, Inc. where he has choreographed such works as The Catalyst, Love and Longing, The Journey, John Ollom’s The Journey, Anatomy of Woman, Dido and Aeneas, The Other Species, Love Stories, Internal Landscapes, Man of War, M.U.D. (Men Under Dirt), Kuan Yin’s Compassion, Nemetona, The Portal, and Prisoner of My Projection. His choreography and direction can also be seen in the film “Karpos and Kalamos”.

His work has been the subject of three documentary films: “Late Bloomers” by Annette Cyr, Professor of Art at the National University in San Diego; “The Making of M.U.D.: An Exploration of the Work of John Ollom and Ollom Movement Art” by Robert Kazmayer, MA; and, “There’s Something About John” by Emma McCagg.

 
Darrell Perry (aka Darrellblackandblue) has been active in the New York Leather scene since 1990. He was a member of GMSMA (now defunct) and has been co-founder or founding member of some of the New York area’s most influential leatherclubs.
Darrell produces and sources still and video imagery for both print and web in the news, celebrity, advertising and promotion areas. He also hosts leather-themed play parties and is building a network of interconnected web-based businesses to serve the leather and gay communities in the e-commerce space.