To be a Working Guest at BCBS is to step into the daily life of the center. It means contributing to the work that sustains practice and study here, while becoming part of a community shaped by care, consistency, and mutual support.
Every month brings a new rhythm, a new mix of courses, conversations, and relationships. Working Guests share meals, show up with care and humor, and help create the warmth that many visitors feel the moment they walk through the door.
What makes the program especially meaningful is the way work, practice, and community naturally intertwine. There’s something powerful about contributing to a place that supports contemplative life, about knowing that tending a room, washing pots, or welcoming yogis on opening night directly supports the conditions for practice. At the same time, Working Guests often find themselves supported in return: by the steadiness of the schedule, the presence of community, and the opportunity to live close to the Dharma.
We’re grateful to share a video from Rachel, our January Working Guest, who speaks thoughtfully about her experience in the program. Her reflections capture what many have felt: that the Working Guest program is not just about helping out, but about belonging to a compassionate community and participating fully in a shared life of practice and service.
We still have Working Guest openings for the year ahead. If you’re curious about stepping into this shared life of practice and service, we invite you to learn more at: https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/volunteer/
We’re deeply thankful to all of our Working Guests, past and present, who bring their energy, kindness, and dedication to the center. BCBS truly wouldn’t be the same without them.
