The Billys: A Heart-Centered Community

Who are the Billys?
The Billys is a heart-centered community woven together by shared values and by our shared experience as gay, bi, and queer men. We strive to be present and mindful with ourselves and each other as we gather four times a year in extraordinary rural venues in Northern California, and now in collaboratively created, rich online venues. Each gathering is a work of art, carefully crafted by Billys to take us to places of joy and playfulness, intimacy and openness, creativity and self-expression. We embrace everyone with deep welcome and radical acceptance.

What are our values?
Heart Circle is our central ritual and consensus is our process; they embody our values. Ongoing Heart Circles keep us connected and in community in online events through the current pandemic. We encourage ourselves to be present and mindful by advocating an environment free of drugs and alcohol at our gatherings. We envision the creation of a world based on principles of nonviolence, sustainability, cooperation, service, and the building of deeper wisdom through shared perspective.

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I found them by accident. I was looking for a gay men's rap group. They were in a monthly GLB publication I receive via email. They have a long history in the state with origins that trace back to the beginning era of HIV-positivity and the ensuing life changes brought about by AIDS. They were a group of people who lent support to a group of the population that was underserved and mistreated.

There is no order to the rapping other than one person speaks at a time, no cross-talk, to telling someone what he should or should not do, and respect that what is said in the group stays in the group.

I don't speak much. It offers me a time and place when I can be in the company of gay or bi men. I have little of that these days. Since I am not where they are, it is doubtful that I will attend any of their gatherings. But, who knows?