A Time for New Possibilities
For 19 years, September meant one thing: a new first-day-of-school picture. My daughter has outgrown this tradition, and September now holds a dual meaning for me: a marker of time past and the start of a new year with new possibilities.
I joined BCBS one year ago, and last week we launched our 2027 programs, a marker of time past and a new year of possibilities.
The last year has been filled with learning. I learned, and many of you have shared with me, that the BCBS staff are incredibly dedicated to doing what it takes to create an environment, both in person and virtually, that supports teachers and participants.
This year included:
- a new learning platform for online programs
- new staff and a new staffing structure for online programs
- a revitalized garden in Barre
- new dishes and salad dressings on the menu
- welcoming a new tractor, Karma Yāna, to the team
The coming year will bring many new possibilities. We continue to try to live up to our aspiration of having distinctive programs that combine study, practice, and community. We also aim to create spaces where everyone is welcome—a culture of many communities.
We have several residential retreats in 2027 to support particular communities. These include a retreat for Cambodian Buddhist practitioners; a retreat grounded in the teachings of five Black Buddhist women; several retreats that support young adults; an Insight Dialogue retreat for practitioners of color; and retreats for particular groups from past BCBS programs to continue deepening their study, practice, and connections with each other.
Some of our retreats in 2027 explicitly explore the ways in which different lineages of practice can fruitfully inform each other: a retreat that includes both Theravāda and Mahāyāna practice; a retreat on Huayan Chinese Buddhist approaches to interdependence and contemporary Western Buddhism; and a retreat exploring the different ways in which concentration, samādhi, and jhānas are related to insight practice.
I am very excited about the work we are doing to explore new possibilities for BCBS. The staff and board have started data-informed discussions about our vision for BCBS over the next five years and, specifically, what strategic initiatives we should prioritize. Our goal is to clearly articulate what BCBS will do and why by June 2027. This will only be worthwhile if it represents the communities we aspire to serve.
You should have received an email last week asking for your input. Please share with us your thoughts, concerns, and aspirations for our future by taking the survey. And if you’d rather talk to a human, email me. Every voice counts.
I sometimes wish that I still got a new picture of my daughter each September. Then I think about all the exciting possibilities ahead of her, and I let that bring me joy.
With gratitude for this community as we step into a new year together, one that I hope will be filled with new possibilities for joy.
Melissa
