After a long, long, long,
Cold, dark, wet
Snowy, sleety, rainy, windy
(and Did I say long?)
Winter,
Heart Thoughts has returned to an inbox near you!
I’ve been trying now for about ten minutes to use the image of blossoming primrose and heather as a metaphor for the return of our weekly blog, but the whole thing is starting to feel very overwrought. Suffice it to say, I am very happy to be writing to you all again.
The Holiday season here at the store was the first reason for the “cease transmission.” On a personal note, the second reason came on the heels of the first:
On December 30th, my wife, Bhakti, and I welcomed our son and our first child into the world. Ezra Emmanuel Breckenridge. Look out for me next time you visit East West, as I have become notorious for cornering customers and bombarding them with baby photos.
Well, speaking of new beginnings, East West Bookshop, has always served as a place where people could find their new beginning. As a business, we are perpetually reinventing ourselves and evolving in order to facilitate that New-ness. More importantly, we are striving every day with great help and inspiration from our guru Paramhansa Yogananda, to give birth to that Now-ness that you feel as you walk through the door.
A big part of that comes from the leadership of the store. For nearly 15 years, Rick Johnston has been a key member of East West’s staff. Years back, I tried to coin a new phrase— to “Rick” something is to fix the impossible with minimal resource! Rick has always been there for the store to fix this and that and for the last 5 years has served as East West’s co-manager, seeing us through our relocation to Roosevelt Square, a new website, a new point of sales system, store layout changes, and many offsite events.
He has been the glue that ties us as a staff together. It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I announce— Rick will be leaving the store this April 2018 to work full-time at the Ananda Meditation Temple in Bothell. His role as lead co-manager is filled by Aditi Muir who recently came on as Events coordinator in the Summer and brings to the table 15+ years of retail management as well as a deep love for East West and of the spiritual life. Good Luck, Aditi! Be sure to come by in the next few weeks to say “ Hi/Bye” to Rick and to wish him well on his new adventure.
May 1st, marks our 3rd year in our new location at Roosevelt Square and just last week, we celebrated our 29th year in business. What a joy it has been to serve you all in this special place! If you still haven’t visited our new location, we are located on the second level, above Whole Foods, and we share a free parking lot with Starbucks and Bartell Drugs.
In the next few weeks, we will be resurrecting the East West Tea Garden, that cozy, good vibes niche that famously served bookworm and conversationalist alike at our old store. Stay tuned as that new space develops!
Well, friends, that’s all for now! As always, thank you for your help in co-creating the wonderful oasis for spiritual living that is East West Bookshop.
Many blessings,
Bhima Breckenridge
Co-manager, Bookbuyer
East West Bookshop Seattle
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Chandi Holliman
July 03, 2018
Lovely to see the new layout at the store, new directions and shifts.
As for someone who worked at the store for 12 years, I can honor your dedication to Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda missions; to spread light to all truth seekers.
I like your optimismist approach and expansion of consciousness while you tune into what your customers are looking for. Blessings to the lovely staff, and their brave leadership towards this new era for small independent bookstores in retail.