More than an elaborate masturbation

My Leather is more than an elaborate masturbation. It is the heart of who I am.

Recently I came face to face with my Buddhist spiritual practice and Leather. As I struggled to explain to my Zen teachers regarding the responsibilities I felt as a Sir relative to my boys, I felt compelled to walk away. After fifteen years in the sangha, I left.

I anticipated that leaving the sangha would also be a struggle but I found just the opposite. As I sit in mediation in the morning, I feel freed from the constraints of Zen. The idea that one sits in meditation to know oneself is wonderful. In Leather, we play to know ourselves. In play, the social masks are dropped. Too much energy to maintain them when play becomes heavy and all one can do is hold on to a thread of awareness to make it through the scene.

I am a Sir 24/7. My boys understand this. As they sit beside me in meditation, they know that I will continue to watch out for them. They do not drop their collars at he door of the Dharma Hall.

Running Home

What a great weekend at the International LeatherSir / Leatherboy / Community Bootblack in San Francisco! Fraternizing with old friends and connecting with new ones renewed my resolve to serve the Northwest Community.

As in years past, I return home with mixed feelings. I am always sad when a Leather run comes to a close and with it, that feeling of Tribe. I always find it hard to describe that feeling of solidarity and power that one feels at a run.

On the other side of the coin, I return to Seattle invigorated and confident as your titleholder.

I was so proud of our Northwest titleholders during the weekend. Thom's amazing stage presence. Dominic's disciplined yet natural protocols 24/7. Diamond Jack's moving speech on Saturday night that brought the audience to its feet. These are the memories I bring back along with a new sense of pride at being from the Northwest.

For those of you who have not shared in the excitement of a run, I recommend it highly. Runs reinforce our bonds as Leatherfolk. And they renew our souls so that we can better serve our community back home.