Dear friends,

It is the *bodhisattva's understanding that the next Buddha can only be sangha - it requires all of us.

As we arrive at the seven-year mark of Heart Center, I find myself sitting in a quiet place of reflection. These 7 years mark a full cycle. To become she has asked us for devotion, trust, resilience and an incredible amount of creativity and care (seen and unseen). 

When Heart began, I could not have imagined all that would unfold for us. You may have heard our origin story...

Over ten years ago, I answered a very strong call to more deeply pursue the work of heart-tending. My vision included a small retreat property just north of the city where folks could gather to remember and delight in the basic goodness that each of us possesses. In the quiet container of retreat, I saw again and again, how quickly this remembering could happen. The transmissions were felt and the bonds that formed magic. The opportunity to acquire this property arose just as quickly as it fell through. It was an emotional rollercoaster for me, to say the very least.

Soon a dear friend would offer for me to occupy a small practice space in St Francis. I was reluctant at first as I didn't wish to lead another studio, however there was something so sincere and magnetic about her offering. The pull to act was strong, and very quickly, we were open to the community for devotional practice - something that is not common in our area let alone this country.

What has come to be is not just a space, but a field of practice that has been shaped by each person who has walked through the doors. I tear up when I think about these many moments together of shared rhythm, breath, laughter, tears and countless conversations. 

We have come to know Yoga; to verify it with our own bodies. Yoga as the practice of being human together: in our vulnerability, uncertainty, shifting ground, rupture and repair. We've all chosen to participate in this good work, to the benefit of ourselves, one another, our beloved planet and beyond.

This auspicious timing aligns perfectly with the emerging paramita of virya or joyful effort. When I say joyful, I am not only suggesting elation, but more so the full spectrum of joy from quiet relief all the way through its many nuances. Joyful effort is the kind of determination and activity that arises not from striving, but from love. It's the willingness to stay, to listen, to tend to what is here. It's the steadfastness required to keep showing up again and again, even when the path is uncertain. 

Seven years marks both a completion and a threshold. What has been cultivated here is strong AND it is not meant to remain fixed. Like any living thing, Heart is changing, evolving, and opening to new forms so that she can continue to serve humanity best. As I have mentioned in months past, as part of this natural evolution, I am beginning a transition in stewardship of Heart Center. This creates the creative soil that will allow this community, practice space and programming to be supported in new ways, and to better care for those who hold it. Each 7 year cycle builds the foundation for the next so naturally this requires reorientation or a rebalancing. What has been carried by a small few is now ready to be shared in a wider field of support, leadership and presence. 

As I look toward the next seven years, I feel called first to listen. There is a soft, and clear invitation to trust what is ready to emerge, both for this space, and for each of us within it. The joy I feel now is beyond words. All I can say is... Thank you for being part of this first chapter of Heart. Thank you for your presence, your practice, your trust. Thank you for the ways you have helped shape what this space has become (and who I have become too). It has been, and continues to be, an honor to walk alongside you.

With hands in lotus,

Meg Lucks

Getsu Endō | "Brilliant Moon, Circle of the Way"

Lay-Ordained Dharma Companion

The Heart Revival Sangha

The 2026 Recap: I am enthusiastic to share that this year, our community will step into a shared energy of bodhisattva formation. By this I mean that we are moving from practice as something we do, into practice as something that shapes how we live. My support will continue to guide by way of the seasons (specific to our local geography) and ground in the wisdom of the Himalayan traditions. Through these channels, and what I call a *Dharmic Almanac (practice companion), we will explore how compassion, ethical life and presence take form in our ordinary days: in our work and family, in grief and joy, in constant change and not-knowing. It's ideal to consider this not so much a curriculum to complete, but an invitation to simply walk together, allowing the rhythms of the year, our bodies and our personal commitments to train us in becoming the best versions of ourselves. 

*What is a bodhisattva (bo·dhi·satt·va) exactly? This ancient Sanskrit word points to someone who is actively aspiring and dedicated to shaking off the cobwebs of complacency so that they can live in their integrity, to the benefit of all that lives. Said simply, those doing their best to be good humans, to the benefit of all. In more traditional descriptions we hear things like "living awake", "heart-motivated" or "living in appropriate response". The traditions offer examples of these beings, portrayed diversely: as the archetypal ideal, the divine and even the earthly ordinary. Furthermore, they cross cultural bounds, names, genders and forms. This wide representation of possibilities is intended to inspire us and ultimately point us back to our great universal opportunity and responsibility of being human.