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Mission Mission Board Contractors BCIMS aims to be a meeting place for anyone interested in learning more about the liberating teachings of the Buddha, in furthering their meditation practice and in living their realization of the dharma.​ ​ Board Members Laura Quilici (she/her) Board Chair Laura’s interest in meditation began in her late twenties after she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and was searching for tools to manage the physical and emotional symptoms of the disease. She is a second generation immigrant settler whose ancestors are from Southern and Central Italy and currently resides at Nexwlélexm (Bowen Island), located on traditional Indigenous territory. Mentored by Bonnie Duran, Laura is a participant in the Dedicated Practitioner Program 7 at Spirit Rock, where she continues to deepen her practice and understanding of the Dharma. She has a particular interest in trauma-informed and embodied practices of liberation for self and all beings. In addition to leading a weekly meditation group, she has been volunteering on the Board at BCIMS since 2019. Juno Kim (he/they) Board Vice-Chair Juno is a creative generalist committed to liberation for all beings. Juno first began meditating in their childhood, but let go of that practice in their 20s. After multiple burnouts marked by deep suffering, their healing journey connected them to Buddhism. Their practices have touched on multiple traditions, spending the bulk of their time with BCIMS, Radical Dharma, and InsightLA. Juno's intention is to explore and cultivate the conditions for all beings to connect to deep embodiment by investigating our collective traumas, shaping and conditioning. Michelle Garvock (she/her) Board Treasurer Michelle has been taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha for 20 years. She lives, with her partner, in North Vancouver. Michelle is very happily retired and enjoys walks with her partner and friends, golfing, sitting retreats and volunteering for BCIMS. She spends time with her 100 year-old mother and lots of BC and Manitoba family. Michelle completed the Dedicated Practitioner Program and co-leads an online North Van sitting group. Sānta Aloi (she/her) ​ Sānta has practiced in the Vipassana tradition for over 30 years. She has sat many long retreats and has completed both the Dedicated Practioners Program (2010) and the Advanced Practitioners Program (2017) at Spirit Rock. She has been greatly influenced by the teachings of Ajahn Sumedho, with her main Vipassana teachers being Guy Armstrong, Phillip Moffitt, Adrianne Ross and Venerable Analayo. She has also studied with teachers in the Tibetan tradition, particularly Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Authorized by Adrianne Ross and Phillip Moffitt she leads sitting groups and teaches classes. A former Professor of Dance at SFU, choreographer and dancer, she taught movement and improvisation from a place of mindfulness of body, mind and heart. And her aspiration has been to live and to share practices attuning the heart to the reality of the dharma for the liberation of all beings. Jim Quail (he/him) ​ Jim lives on Gambier Island and in East Vancouver. He is a semi-retired lawyer. In his legal career he worked in BC’s legal aid system for several years. Later, he represented consumers in telecommunication and utility regulation hearings, and conducted social justice litigation. He acts for workers and trade unions in labour law and regulatory matters. He has been practicing meditation since 2014. His practice has a central place in his relationship with himself and the world. He plays the fiddle and is an avid gardener. He has four grandchildren. He and his partner are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2023. He has long been active in community politics. Rachel Lewis (she/her) ​ Rachel Lewis began practicing insight meditation in 2003, while completing her physics PhD at Yale. Since 2011, she has taught dharma and meditation classes and retreats in British Columbia and beyond. She completed the IMS/IRC 4-year teacher training in 2021, and is a guiding teacher of the British Columbia Insight Meditation Society. Her dharma teaching interests include the power of music, humour, and creativity to increase our capacity for learning, as well as the way that practice supports and is supported by social justice work. Ruth Boogert (she/they) ​ Ruth began her professional life in private sector finance, but soon escaped overseas to volunteer on a nature reserve. On returning home a career re-think was called for, and after spells running a willow coffin weaving social enterprise and setting up a community café, she combined her love of spreadsheets and social justice and now supports local non-profits in the areas of finance and governance. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga as well as running, walking or sitting amongst the trees. She has a particular interest in mindful movement practices. Ruth was introduced to meditation in 2014 but drifted away until a chance invitation to attend a retreat on Salt Spring Island in 2018 gave her a new perspective. She has spent many years volunteering with animal welfare and environmental protection organisations and hopes to benefit all beings through practice and service with BCIMS. Mission Board Contractors Contractors Mission Board Contractors Jess Lee (she/her) Program Director Jess is a second generation Chinese immigrant whose ancestors are from Hong Kong and Guangzhou. She currently lives on the unceded and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She began her meditation journey in 2015 when she participated in MBSR and MBCT courses. Since then, she has been joyfully deepening her learning through offerings from BCIMS, Spirit Rock, IMS, and other spaces, including AAPI and BIPOC communities in which she feels profound kinship and safety. She is grateful for the wisdom of teachers including Tuere Sala, Jeanne Corrigal, Nikki Mirghafori, Oren Jay Sofer, Dawn Mauricio, and many more. Jess is committed to deepening an intersectional feminist and anti-racist lens, and to ongoing learning and embodiment of decolonizing practices that are rooted in curiosity, kindness, deep listening, and community. Lee Anne Smith (she/her) Volunteer Coordinator Lee Anne has been a member of BCIMS since 2001 when she started meditating in the Thervadan tradition with teachers Joanne Broatch and Adrianne Ross. Since then she has annually attended as many BCIMS retreats as she can, along with retreats elsewhere, ranging from 3 - 14 days. She has volunteered as a BCIMS board member, newsletter editor and White Awareness Study Group facilitator. Her service to the Sangha provides her with a beautiful ground for Sati and Brahmavihara practice for lay life. As well as her daily home practice she sits weekly with Ayya Nimmala's group on Sunday mornings and once a month with Cascadia Insight Dialog group. Lee Anne came to the role of BCIMS Volunteer Coordinator after her work as Volunteer Coordinator for Richmond Public Library and loves supporting sangha members in their desire to support BCIMS.

FAQ - Attending Retreats What is a Non-residential Retreat? Non-residential means that you leave at the end of each day of the retreat and return home. Each day includes: - alternating sitting and walking meditation session (approximately 45 minutes in length each). - instructions, guided meditaiton and dharma talks from the teacher - group Q&A sessions with the teacher What is a Residential Retreat? At a residential retreat, you stay at a retreat centre for the duration of the retreat. These retreats are usually 7 or 9 days in length (or even longer). A residential retreat provides the environment for deepening your meditation practice with sustained practice periods. What is dana? Dana (pronounced "dah-na") is a Pali word meaning generosity. Since the time of the Buddha, there has existed a mutually supportive relationship between those who offer the teachings and those who receive them. The teachings are given freely, since they are considered priceless. According to the Buddha, generosity - or sharing what we have - is one of the central pillars of a spiritual life. In the act of giving, we develop our ability to let go, cultivate a spirit of caring, and acknowledge the interconnectedness that we all share. The Buddha created a system to develop this quality of open-handedness whereby those who share the teachings are dependent on those who receive them. To this day in the East, monks and nuns go on daily alms rounds with a begging bowl, relying on the generosity of lay people for support in continuing their teaching and spiritual life. As this ancient teaching moves to the West, we hope to keep alive this joyful tradition. At BCIMS, our goal is to maintain reasonable fees for retreats and classes so that everyone in our community may participate in the programs we offer. Registration fees cover venue rental, food, and teacher transportation. None of this money goes directly to the teachers or residential retreat staff. To allow the teachers to continue their dharma work, support from students is needed. There will be an opportunity to contribute at the end of each retreat, class and daylong. The practice of dana is an expression of appreciation for something of great value that has been freely given. Your support allows BCIMS to flourish and others to benefit from the teachings. May your practice be for the benefit of all. What do I need to go on a residential retreat? Not much. Here is a brief list of what you will need: - Comfortable clothing; layers to adjust to the temperature in the dharma hall. Sometimes a light shawl or blanket is useful. Please bring “quiet” clothing: do not bring nylon jackets into the meditation hall. You’ll need outerwear for walking periods outdoors, and shoes to walk between dormitory, dining hall, and meditation hall. As a refinement of courtesy to other retreatants, please do not bring clothing with lots of text on it, and please stay relatively covered-up (t-shirt and long shorts in warm weather rather than halter top and short-shorts). - Something to sit on. Your options are a chair (usually supplied); a zafu (a meditation cushion) which is usually set on a firm mat or folded blanket; or a meditation bench, which also is set on a mat or folded blanket. Most bring their own zafu or bench but if you’re just starting a practice you might want to experiment before you invest. At some residential retreats there may be some extra benches and zafus for you to try. - Unscented personal products (soap, shampoo, body lotion, etc.) out of consideration for persons with sensitivities. What don't I need on a residential retreat? You can leave books, journals, pens, drawing tools, portable audio devices, cell phones, and other technological devices at home. You support the inner journey when you minimize your usual outward distractions. What should I bring to a non-residential retreat? There are three things to remember to bring on the weekend ... a bag lunch, a blanket or shawl because the meditation hall can sometimes be quite drafty and cold and a mug for the hot water that will be available during lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Please bring any tea that you wish to use. There are chairs provided. If you wish to sit on the floor, you will need to bring your own sitting gear (cushions, mats, pillows, etc) What should I not bring to a non-residential retreat? Please do not bring perfumed products on your person or on your clothing. Thanks in advance for your cooperation. What is Noble Silence? The retreat will be held in silence. This means that we do not talk with one another while we are practising. Please preserve the silence in the hall and throughout the building. Anything else I should know about retreats? It helps to know a little retreat etiquette. Here are a few things to keep in mind: - Keep Noble Silence: this includes avoiding unnecessary direct eye contact, signals, and notes except to the manager and teacher. It’s useful practice to keep your mind to yourself. You’ll find it’s a full-time job! - Help to maintain a tranquil environment by taking off nylon jackets and undoing velcro, zippers, and noisy snaps outside the dharma hall. - Be on time: out of respect for the practice, your fellow retreatants and yourself, be settled in your place when a formal sitting period starts and stay until after the sitting has ended. - Wait until the teacher has left before getting up from the sitting. - Unless you’re not well (in which case, let the teacher know), keep to the schedule: it’s designed to support your inner process. - Learn the vipassana sneeze and cough: cover your coughs with the crook of your elbow, or upper arm, not your hand. - Keep track of the information BCIMS will share about Covid safety precautions for your retreat. - At the centres where we run retreats, vegetarian food is provided, with options for dairy-free and gluten-free retreatants. There is also space (shelves and refrigerators) to store food that you bring from home.

MAKE A DONATION We welcome with gratitude your donations to support BCIMS Programs. ​ Thank you for considering a donation to support BCIMS in its mission to be a resource for anyone interested in learning about the liberating teachings of the Buddha. Your gifts and generosity help us not only to deliver high-quality programming, but also to directly support individuals and communities who have traditionally been underserved by Buddhist organizations. BCIMS is a non-profit organization and Canadian Income Tax receipts are issued for all donations. DONATE NOW How to Contribute One Time Gift We welcome with gratitude any donation you are able to contribute. Your gift supports BCIMS in its commitments to make the dharma available to anyone who seeks it, and to serving you, the Insight Meditation sangha in British Columbia. ​ Recurring Gifts We hope you will consider setting up a recurring (monthly) gift to BCIMS. Recurring donations allow you to spread out your donations. They are also a simple and effective way to support BCIMS by offering the organization a steady stream of revenue throughout the year. Even a small contribution per month adds up to a sizable gift by the end of the year. ​ Donating Publicly Traded Securities or Mutual Funds In addition to being of great benefit to BCIMS, a donation of publicly traded securities or mutual funds is the most efficient way to give charitably. Since capital gains taxes do not apply when giving stocks or mutual funds to charities, BCIMS receives the full fair market value when the security is sold. More Info Leaving a Bequest in your Will We are pleased to discuss with you or your financial/legal advisor the different types of bequests. Click the link below some broad guidelines for ensuring your gift to BC Insight Meditation Society is received as you intend. For more information, please reach out directly to BCIMS at generosity@bcims.org More Info Where to Contribute It’s important to us that you have input for deciding how your gift is used. Currently, we are accepting donations to the following funds, or you can earmark your gift to be put towards the area of greatest need at BCIMS’s discretion. BCIMS Funds Area of Greatest Need Your generous gift to this fund allows us the flexibility to direct funds where they will have the greatest impact throughout the year. ​ Program Funding Contributions to this fund will be used for day-to-day operations at BCIMS. This fund is the primary vehicle that allows BCIMS to make the dharma available through retreats, classes, daylongs and other dharma activities. ​ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Fund The DEI fund was created to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at BCIMS. Its purpose is to:​ Subsidize events for the BIPoC community within our sangha Provide financial assistance to participants from marginalized groups to attend BCIMS long, in-person, retreats Offer extra support to BIPoC teachers leading BCIMS retreats and events Support dharma activities for groups traditionally underserved by Buddhist organizations ​ Financial Assistance for Retreat Attendees This fund is used to offer a 50% registration fee subsidy assistance to individuals who self-identify as requiring financial support to attend a long, in-person, BCIMS retreat. ​ Joanne Broatch Memorial Fund The Joanne Broatch Memorial fund offers a 100% registration fee subsidy for individuals who require financial assistance to attend a long, in-person, BCIMS retreat. The fund was set up in honour of Joanne Broatch, a founding teacher of the British Columbia Insight Meditation Society. Applicants for this scholarship are recommended by the BCIMS Teachers Council.

RESOURCES Meditation Centres Meditation Centres Online Resources Karuna Sangha Support Engaged Dharma British Columbia Birken Forest Monastery D.I.Y. Dharma Hollyhock Salt Spring Island Vipassana Commu nity Sea to Sky Retreat Centre Victoria Insight Meditation Society Canada Regina Insight Meditation Community Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community True North Insight, Montreal Edmonton Insight Meditation United States Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, CA Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, MA Bhavana Society, WV Cloud Mountatin Retreat Center, WA East Bay Meditation Center, CA Insight Meditation Society, MA Insight Retreat Center, CA Metta Forest Monastery, CA Northwest Dharma Association, WA Seattle Insight Meditation, WA Spirit Rock, CA Vipassana Hawaii, HI Vipassana Metta on Maui, HI International​ Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, England Gaia House, England Sakyadhita: An international association of Buddhist women Online Resources Meditation Centres Online Resources Karuna Sangha Support Engaged Dharma Online Information on Buddhism Buddhanet: Buddhist Education and Information Network ​ Dharma Talks - audio ​ Dharma Seed Audiodharma Compassionate Action Sites Buddhist Peace Fellowship One Earth Sangha Buddhist Global Relief Fund Greater Vancouver Food Bank . Volunteer with or donate to the GVFB, which helps feed more than 26,000 people each week. Global Volunteer Network . A great organization that offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world. Dharma Action Network for Climate Engagement (DANCE ) Earth Sangha in Arlington, Virginia Green Sangha in the San Francisco Bay Area Spirit Rock Green Group Touch the Earth Forum Insight World Aid Karuna Sangha Support Meditation Centres Online Resources Karuna Sangha Support Engaged Dharma BCIMS has a Karuna (compassion) Sangha Support group to assist those in our sangha who may need help for various reasons from time to time. It's an opportunity for us to practice generosity, compassionate action and to support each other in concrete, caring ways. ​ For example, if there’s a sudden or prolonged illness, surgery or other unexpected crisis. In short, it's an opportunity to live the dharma, and the meaning of sangha, which is community. ​ We can also offer spiritual care in the form of home or hospital visits for those experiencing grief, loss, transition, or crisis who would welcome any of the following: compassionate listening, someone to meditate with, guided meditation, chanting or Healing Touch. ​ "Joanne Broatch and I personally experienced the generosity of this group. At that time we had both undergone surgery and needed support in various ways: I needed someone to stay with me for the first few days at home; we both needed people to supply a few hot evening meals and someone to take us to the occasional doctor's appointment. We felt supported and cared for at a vulnerable time. This is a valuable and important service to offer and it builds a stronger, caring sangha." ​ If you would like to offer help from time to time or if you are in need of support please contact karuna@bcims.org Engaged Dharma Meditation Centres Online Resources Karuna Sangha Support Engaged Dharma Bringing the dharma into daily life is how we manifest the naturally compassionate and altruistic heart. When we are aware of the abundance in which we live, it’s easy to to do this and to take advantage of the many opportunities available beyond the home and workplace. ​ BCIMS encourages and supports volunteering and involvement in existing groups that further the values of generosity and heartfulness. We encourage involvement in community projects such as those under the banner of Engaged Buddhism, Food Banks, Community Kitchens, and ”Runs”; as well as initiating specific projects in the dharma community, such as sit-a-thons, car-washes, and social fund raisers (usually in support of overseas Buddhist communities). ​ Buddhist Peace Fellowship The Buddhist Peace Fellowship aspires to help beings liberate themselves from the suffering that manifests in individuals, relationships, institutions, and social systems. BPF ’s programs, publications, and practice groups link Buddhist teachings of wisdom and compassion with progressive social change. ​ One Earth Sangha Go to One Earth Sangha , to explore how Buddhist teachings can inform and support awakening and response to climate change and other threats to our shared home, through education, sustainable living and advocacy. ​ Buddhist Global Relief Fund Founded by Bhikkhu Bodhi, BGR is an interdenominational organization comprising people of different Buddhist groups who share the vision of a Buddhism actively committed to the task of alleviating social and economic suffering. ​ Green Sangha Green Sangha is an organization that brings spiritual practice and environmental work together to heal our planet. Their mission is to bring healing to ourselves, one another, and the earth through thoughts, words, and actions rooted in love. ​ Compassionate Action Sites Greater Vancouver Food Bank . Volunteer with or donate to the GVFB, which helps feed more than 26,000 people each week. Buddhist Peace Fellowship . Through BPF, Buddhists of many different traditions are developing individual and group responses to socially conditioned suffering. Zen Peacemaker Community . A global civil society of organizations and individuals around the world working for social transformation. Global Volunteer Network . A great organization that offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world. Sign the Buddhist Declaration for Climate Change All concerned members of the international Buddhist community are invited to study the document and add their voice by signing the Declaration.