We are delighted to welcome Shawn Yvette Holmes to BCBS as our new Online Programs Coordinator. Here, she shares a bit about her contemplative path and the experiences she brings to this role.
My contemplative practice began at 19 in the Nichiren Shōshū lineage, a branch of Nichiren Buddhism. After stepping away from formal practice for a time, I returned following a medical illness—a turning point that deepened both my commitment and my understanding of practice as a direct embodied experience.
I’ve been a mindfulness practitioner for over 25 years. Along the way, I was certified to teach by Deepak Chopra, and later through the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. I’ve also completed Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner Program and am currently participating in the Community Dharma Leader program.
I’m deeply connected to my home sangha, Seattle Insight, where I practice regularly and serve as a Local Dharma Leader. I’m also trained as a Life Balance Strategist through Phillip Moffitt, whose work is grounded in the practical qualities and teachings of the Dhamma.
My practice is shaped by decades in education, healthcare, and leadership, with attention to human experience within larger systems. I’m grateful to bring this perspective to BCBS and to grow alongside a community committed to well-being, inclusion, and access.
Outside of formal practice, you’ll most often find me with a book in hand, walking in nature with my dog, dancing in my kitchen, or cooking a meal to share with people I love. I’m also a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, and I carry a deep appreciation for the landscapes, cultures, and communities of both places.
