Spring greetings! The snowy cold winter at last seems to be drawing to a close. Bulbs are sending their plucky shoots up into the stronger light of the returning sun. After months under a shroud of white here in Massachusetts, the magic of green unfolds from the Earth yet again. The blessings of renewal!
Spring finds the Center deeply engaged in a process of reflection and inquiry as we envision the ways our work must adapt to the remarkable times in which we live. We are reaching out to a wide range of people who share a connection with the Center, confident that the collective wisdom of this extraordinary network can help us see beyond our limited perspective. The future will take us into more collaborative relationships and new partnerships with allied organizations, as we synergize our work by acting together. By summer we anticipate that the way ahead will be clear.
All this is happening against the backdrop of a broader transformation, a cultural edge with which the Center has been integrally involved. Since the ‘60s there has been in American society a progressive development of awakening to the inner life. This is partly due to a happy conjoining of the development of psychology with the accessibility of contemplative practices so long held in the monasteries of Europe and Asia. Similar to the earlier transformation of European society that occurred when literacy became no longer confined to the monastic realm, now there is a new shift: the dramatic, widespread growth of the literacy of the inner life. As it spreads and deepens in American culture, this may have an even more profound effect upon our lives than the adoption of basic literacy.
The Center has played an active role in this inner awakening and in the cultivation of its outer face in compassion and connection, the twin seeds of the beloved community. We thank you for your continuing support and engagement with our work—your active participation strengthens our shared intent and our efforts for a better future.
Like the spring bulbs unfolding, may we embrace the light of these longer days!
Philip Snyder
Executive Director