Identity and Emptiness: A TGNC Discussion

This is a single-session online event: one period of zazen followed by a virtual visit and discussion with Ella Baker, a trans dharma teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen. The retreat centers on the relationship between identity and emptiness—exploring both the Buddhist teaching that identity has no fixed, permanent essence and the practical reality of identity as a lived means to wake up and act with compassion. The format is informal compared to a traditional sesshin: meditation, then conversation, not a full day of sitting.

The Kwan Um School, founded by Seung Sahn, emphasizes direct pointing to mind and the use of koans in practice. Baker's perspective as a trans teacher brings lived experience to questions about how identity functions within that framework—not as something to transcend, but as a vehicle for understanding emptiness and responding skillfully to suffering.

This event is specifically for trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive practitioners. No prior meditation experience is mentioned as a requirement.