Dear Friend,

Over the last six months, I have been listening to yogis, teachers, and staff. I have asked them, “What is more important to you: study or practice or community?”

I came to see that this was the wrong question.

The real question is how we hold study and practice and community together. Each becomes more powerful when woven with the others. This is the strength of “and.”

What makes BCBS distinctive is this commitment to holding all three together. We do not separate study from practice, or silent retreat from community.

That commitment also shapes how we welcome people. We support people at every stage of the path. Saying “and” instead of “or” allows everyone drawn to this work to be included, regardless of where they are starting.

BCBS is a place that practices “and.” A place where people practice together, support one another, and work to transform their own lives and the world around them.

This work depends on your financial support.

Your generosity allows us to offer financial assistance to those who need it. Last year, more than half of our participants received financial assistance.

It supports a diverse range of programs, from silent residential retreats to online courses and long-term Path programs offered in different formats and across Buddhist traditions.

It makes it possible to sustain physical and virtual spaces where people find community and belonging, and to offer food that nourishes those with diverse dietary needs.

One reflection from the recent Befriending Mortality retreat has stayed with me:

Spending these days reflecting on life and death with others changed how I see my life. Through the teachings, the meditation, and the conversations we shared, I was reminded how much we all have in common and how precious this life really is. I left wanting to live more fully and to let the people in my life know how much they matter.

Reflections like that remind me why it matters that we hold study and practice and community together.

If this vision resonates with you, I hope you will consider making a gift this spring. Every gift makes a difference.

These lines from Nikita Gill’s poem Kindness speak to this spirit:

Maybe this time, the revolution arrives dressed as kindness.
People helping each other despite their differences.
Understanding truly, that without the aid of others,
We would all be alone in this.

Thank you for being part of this community. Your generosity helps make this work possible.

With gratitude,