Copper Beech Institute Inc

TEACHING MINDFULNESS PRACTICE AND CONTEMPLATIVE WISDOM TO INSPIRE PURPOSEFUL LIVING, AWAKEN OUR FULL POTENTIAL FOR COMPASSIONATE ACTION, AND ENCOURAGE A HEALING SHIFT IN HOW WE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER AND OUR INTERCONNECTED WORLD.

COPPER BEECH INSTITUTE IS A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, COMPASIONATE ACTION, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR INTERCONNECTED WORLD. WE BELIEVE THAT THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE AND THE PRACTICE OF CONTEMPLATION ARE INTRINSICALLY LINKED JOURNEYS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIBERATION OF ALL BEINGS. TO THIS END, WE SEEK TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND TO FURTHER HEALING AND JUSTICE WITHIN AND BEYOND OUR WALLS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT AS A RESULT OF HISTORICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED SYSTEMS, MANY GROUPS, SPECIFICALLY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC), HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM VARIOUS SPACES, INCLUDING MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION COMMUNITIES. AS A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES AWARENESS, CONNECTION, TRANSFORMATION, OPEN-HEARTEDNESS, AND COMPASSIONATE ACTION ABOVE ALL ELSE, WE STRIVE TO CULTIVATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HEALING AND JUSTICE IS POSSIBLE FOR ALL. COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY TRAUMA, POVERTY, AND OPPRESSION IS AT THE HEART OF OUR WORK.WE HAVE SERVED OVER 50,000 PEOPLE FROM 50 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD WITH OUR 100+ ANNUAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FREE, TWICE-DAILY MEDITATION SESSIONS, OUR MONTHLY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR MEDITATION GROUP, OUR RECOVERY DHARMA GROUP FOR FOLKS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION, AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONA AND RESILIENCE EXCHANGE (CARE). THROUGH CARE, WE HAVE SUPPORTED 8,000 OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE VETERANS, INCARCERATED FOLKS, PEOPLE DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS, AND THOSE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND ADDICTION. WE BELIEVE ACCESS TO MINDFULNESS AND RESILIENCE PRACTICES IS A HUMAN RIGHT. THROUGH CARE, WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER $65,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS ANNUALLY TO THOSE WHO NEED THEM MOST.WITH GUIDANCE FROM OUR HEALING & JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE (HJC), A WOMEN-OF-COLOR LED CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, WE ENACT THE GOALS LAID OUT IN OUR HEALING & JUSTICE ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN. DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HJC AND TWO DEI EXPERTS, THIS PLAN ARTICULATES GOALS AT ALL LEVELS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, FROM BUDGET, OPERATIONS, AND HIRING TO PROGAMMING, MARKETING, FUNDRAISING, GRANT-MAKING AND TO GOALS FOR OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.THIS YEAR, WE WERE SELECTED AS 1 OF 14 RETREAT CENTERS BY THE FETZER INSTITUTE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RACIAL HEALING INITIATIVE (RHI). THROUGH THE RHI, OUR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED IN LISTENING SESSIONS AND WILL PARTICIPATE IN A 4-DAY RACIAL HEALING RETREAT LED BY TWO OF OUR COMMUNITY FACILITATORS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY RHI RACIAL JUSTICE EXPERTS. AS ONE OF THE GOALS IN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN INCLUDES HOLDING ANNUAL ANTI-OPPRESSION TRAININGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TEAM, WE WILL NOW HAVE IN-HOUSE FACILITATIORS TO OFFER THESE TRAININGS.