Having come together to meet the collective needs of the sangha during this pandemic, Bhumisparsha has been in a process of ongoing experimentation, creation and troubleshooting. Now is a time to look back, take stock of things and acknowledge what has been built solidly, and what isn't quite working yet...
With this spirit and with the desire to move forward in a good way, members of the Mission Circle (something like our Board of Directors), the Lamas, members of the General Circle (concerned with day-to-day operations) and myself Repa Trinlay, a former Core Organizer, came together on 10/11 to share reflections, concerns and aspirations around the needs, mechanisms and stylings of Bhumisparsha's organizational structure.
Central to this discussion are 1) how to distribute decision-making equitably and efficiently given our size, resources, and values. For example, re-examining the distribution of work across volunteer positions and potentially identifying and allocating resources to fund paid positions in support of critical functions. 2) The position of the Lamas within the administrative and organizational structure of Bhumisparsha. In regards to the Lamas, Lama Justin and Lama Rod have held a number of formal and informal roles in Bhumisparsha's decision making processes since its inception. In our recent meeting, a proposal was made to invite the Lamas to step into a formal advisory role distinct from but operating in conjunction with the administrative functions of the organization, acknowledging our need for them not just as collaborators but as Elders and Guiding Teachers on this path.
It is my personal belief that this last part--navigating and making decisions about our relationship to our teachers--is essential to both moving forward in our aspiration to see Bhumisparsha as an American Vajrayana Sangha and to do so in a way that does not replicate the structures of oppression and harm previously experienced by members of this sangha.
Now, the question is "How?". What would that look like? Each decision can affect other aspects of Bhumisparsha's circle structure and processes, which could also be up for revision and re-imagination.
Three members of the October 11 meeting (Leigh Rosenberg, Alex Rodríguez, and myself Repa Trinlay) volunteered and were accepted by the assembled members to synthesize comments from the meeting and draft an initial proposal for several changes to Bhumiparsha’s organizational structure, as well as to outline a process for its revision and community ratification.
The three of us met first on October 14 and plan to meet next on Friday, October 29. From then forward, our meetings regarding the discussion of changes to organizational structure will be recorded and posted to the Bhumisparsha Blog/News (visible through the home page) with attached summary of discussion points. Comments will be enabled on the blog to allow interested members to leave questions, which will be discussed in subsequent meetings or responded to through the blog. Having thus outlined the processes for recording and a structured mechanism for community feedback, the group aims to begin discussion around the envisioned processes of input and revision before moving to the draft proposal for structural changes.
So with that said, away we go!
You can keep tuned here to the Bhumisparsha News/Blog for forthcoming videos and updates on the process.
Trinlay