the story 

The birth of The Being Human Foundation came from society’s calling. We witness the unravelling of a system that is in need of watering, of rejuvenation, of change, of drastic re-worlding — and most importantly, of humanity. Specifically, we need humanity to come together. This coming together of humanity starts with each of us at the individual level, embodying our inner humanity, and then embodying it collectively.

Vanessa Ferlaino, 2X award-winning author, distinguished podcaster, and Certified 200hr Mindfulness Meditation Teacher from The Lab of Meditation, founded The Being Human Foundation during her short time in California in 2022. She sought a space to leverage mindfulness for collective good, to invite us to witness the interconnectedness of individual and collective humanity, so we can re-world. Re-worlding is the only way to change our communities, change our system, and change our world. Re-worlding in particular invites us to acknowledge that a "better" more thriving and equitable world is an active state and one that is always evolving, not one that stands still. When we acknowledge re-worlding in this way, we acknowledge that we are active participants in the world, and as we as humans change, we as a society also change.

We began as a small mindfulness circle practicing weekly, pooling our donations and voting on a charity to support. Since then, the organization has expanded into Canada, incorporated in her hometown of Sault Ste Marie, the lands of the Anishnaabeg, Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, and Métis People. We are expecting charity status in 2025.

I take refuge in the Buddha,
the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma,
the way of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha,
the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Excerpt From: The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh

"Sangha" is sanskrit for "community". In Buddhism, sangha may have a few specific connotations depending on the school of Buddhism, but traditionally referred to ordained monks and nuns. Over time, the term has evolved to include all Buddhist practitioners, from ordained to all laypeople. It can even include the tools or elements that support our practice, like a cushion/mat, "walking meditation path, the trees, the sky, and the flowers" (The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh, page 229). 

At The Being Human Foundation, we honour sangha as one of The Three Jewels of Buddhist practice: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings), and the sangha (the community). These three jewels act in concert; when we practice one, we practice all. 

We have combined the Buddhist definition of sangha with the overall definition of community, to remind us that sangha extends beyond us. We incorporate a decolonized and decentralized lens to sangha, to re-world.

We also use sangha to differentiate between our community of individuals who participate in our practices, tools, and workshops from those who are doing their own community engagement work. Our sangha are those participate in our offerings, and then those in our sangha engage in their communities.

Therefore, our BHF sangha includes our team, those who practice with us, those who engage in community, and those vote and participate in capital redistribution. 

Here, we honour its cultural significance, while evolving its significance to empower and re-world global communities. 

With grace & love... BHF ♡