New and Notable
In Memoriam of Sarah DoeringSarah Doering (1926-2018) passed away in a hospice setting in Amherst, Massachusetts on the morning of November 16, 2018. She was 92 years old. She was a great benefactor of Insight Meditation Society, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge, all in Barre, Mass; Cambridge Insight Meditation Society in Cambridge, MA; and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. All of these recipients of Sarah Doering’s generosity reflected her lifelong interest in the practice of vipassana (insight) meditation in the Buddhist tradition.[Read more...]
Farewell to Steve Hallquist, Kitchen Manager
It is with both sadness (for us) and joy (for him) that we announce the transition of Steve Hallquist from being a long-serving, well-loved member of the BCBS team, to moving on to other opportunities at the end of November. We will dearly miss Steve's solid, reassuring presence in the kitchen and his delicious meals. We wish him the very best on his new adventures on the west coast. Here is a brief letter that he wanted to share with all of you.[Read more...]
BCBS Library – New Titles August & September 2018
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Welcoming New Board Members
We were very happy to welcome Nihdi Kohli (left) and Novelette DeMercado to our Board of Directors at our meeting on September 30th. We are so grateful to our volunteer Board for the energy, expertise, and time they put into guiding and caring for this organization that means so much to them. Thank you all!
IMS Teacher Trainees – Aug 2018
BCBS was very happy to host the IMS Teacher Trainee's in August, along with teachers Joseph Goldstein, DaRa Williams, Pannavati Bhikkhuni, Kamala Masters, and Guy Armstrong. We love this group!
BCBS Library – New Titles July 2018
New Titles July 2018
BCBS Library – New Titles June 2018
New Titles June 2018
BCBS Library – New Titles May 2018
2019 In the Footsteps of the Buddha Pilgrimage-Fundraiser to Northern India and Nepal
BCBS is very pleased to be partnering with Sacred Path LLC on a pilgrimage and fundraiser in December 2019. This once-in-a-lifetime In The Footsteps of the Buddha journey through northern India and Nepal will be co-led by longtime BCBS Dharma teacher Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia and Buddhist scholar Justin Kelley. The trip visits locations central to both the life of the historical Buddha and modern-day Buddhist communities, illuminating the rich history and contemporary dynamism of this region. The trip will be limited to just 25 participants and part of each program fee will be a tax-deductible donation to BCBS. We hope you can join us! Learn More.
Coming up Strawberries
Our garden is providing nutritious strawberries, greens, kale, and garlic. More coming up everyday. Lots of appreciation for our staff and volunteers who tend and support the garden.
IMS Teacher Training
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies hosted the IMS Teacher Trainee's in May. What a phenomenal, amazing group including the teachers in the front row: Joseph Goldstein, George Mumford, Rebecca Bradshaw, and DaRa Williams! We look forward to having them back.[Read more...]
New Cottages Ready for Occupancy
Our two new cottages are now ready for occupancy. Each has two bedrooms, with a shared bathroom and kitchenette. Cottage #4 will be ADA compliant with a removable handicap ramp and both cottages have solar hot water. A deep bow of gratitude to our generous Cottage Campaign donors, our builders and suppliers, and our Facilities Manager, Scott Perky, who acted as general contractor on the project.[Read more...]
2018 Course Lottery Deadlines
Lotteries for two of our most popular courses are closing soon.[Read more...]
New Cottages Underway
Thanks to the generosity of our Cottage Campaign donors, we have begun construction on two new cottages in our back field. Each of these new cottages will have two bedrooms with a shared bath and kitchenette and will allow us to accommodate more yogis and more self-study retreatants. They should be completed in time for Spring 2018 courses. These are in addition to the new cottage we built earlier in the year for Bhikkhu Analayo who is very happy living at BCBS. Deep, deep gratitude to all those who helped (and continue to help) make this project possible.[Read more...]
Poetry Written at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
Over the last weekend in May, almost 20 yogis attended William Edelglass' course Reading Buddhist Poetry as a Transformative Path, and tried their hand at writing poems inspired by the work of previous generations of Buddhist poets over the centuries. Here are a few selections from their work. [accordion clicktoclose=true autoclose=false] [accordion-item title="Past Even the Moon by Molly Scott"][Read more...]
June 2017 Garden Update from Dawn King
As I sit to write this, we are having a brief break from the garden work: everything is planted, weeded, thinned and protected from expected pests. The lawns are all mowed and the grass clippings have been used for mulch and as a green addition to the compost pile. It’s a great feeling to be caught up after the rush of work that comes with the change of seasons.[Read more...]
BCBS Published Book: Older and Wiser
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) is pleased to announce its publication of Older and Wiser: Classical Buddhist Teachings on Aging, Sickness, and Death, by Mu Soeng, Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia, and Andrew Olendzki. This book is intended as a practice guide for individuals and groups dedicated to practicing the teachings of the Buddha, and reflecting on the urgent issues of aging, sickness, and dying.[Read more...]
Fall Harvest
This year's garden was an amazing success, in spite of the drought and the usual insects and critters. The soil has been improved over the years, partly due to the decay of the mulches we have put onto it. However, perhaps the biggest factor this year was a consultation with a soil enhancement specialist and the addition of both spring and fall mineral supplements.[Read more...]
Bhikkhu Anālayo on Respecting the Different Buddhist Traditions
In March 2016, Core Faculty member Bhikkhu Analāyo sat down with BCBS's Director of Online Learning Evan Henritze to discuss his article, "Mindfulness in Different Buddhist Traditions." Here is the full length conversation.[Read more...]
New Executive Director
Our incoming Executive Director, Richard Henning, shares a few words with our community.[Read more...]
