On October 24, 2025, members of the BCBS Board and staff gathered for a quiet ceremony in the forest to place a sacred plaque of Guru Padmasambhava, the revered “Second Buddha” of Vajrayāna Buddhism.
This installation joins a global initiative to place plaques of Guru Rinpoche in natural and sacred settings around the world. The movement arose as a compassionate response to the challenges of our time—war, environmental destruction, and social division—and aspires to bring blessings of peace, protection, and harmony to the Earth and all beings.
Carved from dark stone and engraved with the mantra Om Ah Hūṃ Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hūṃ, the plaque serves as a spiritual anchor—a reminder that steadiness and compassion can be cultivated even in uncertain times.
For BCBS, the placement reflects our aspiration to live the Dharma through study, practice, and community, and to extend that practice into our relationship with the natural world. The forest has long been part of our practice, offering refuge and insight to those who walk its trails.
Now, the Guru Rinpoche plaque rests quietly among the trees. It stands as a simple symbol of protection and care, reminding all who encounter it that the work of awakening begins with wisdom, compassion, and connection to the world around us.
