Note from Barbi
“The most important thing is to find out what is the most important thing.” Zen master, Suzuki Roshi
The word dharma in the eastern spiritual traditions points to an understanding that we are each here for a specific purpose and that the work of a life is to discover that purpose and give our whole selves to it, regardless of outcome. Dharma is service to life through the unique gift that flows from our unique life. We do it just because we do it, because that is what we were brought here to do to benefit the whole. It has been clear to Paul that creating healing herbal products is his dharma. In the forty years since he set out on that journey, he has positively affected hundreds of thousands of lives. A passionate servant of the herbal kingdom, his formulations emerge not only through study, science, and research, but a practiced and time-tested intuition that unites him with the herbs themselves.
I have long found my dharma within the meditation world, expanding my own spiritual understandings so they grow arms and benefit those I touch. Together, we entered the herbal field as a complement to our meditation practice and throughout the decades, meditation has silently guided our business process and our drive toward raising consciousness in ourselves and the world. In working with the inspired team we’ve created at For The Biome, our hope is to help build and guide a culture grounded in mindfulness, dedication, and service.
You may know us from our New Chapter days, a company we formed back in 1982 when we entered the herbal supplement field from within our little health food’s store, desiring to fill our customers’ need for truly nourishing, whole food supplementation. Paul’s pioneering innovations, along with the efforts of many passionate stakeholders, facilitated our growth to the #1 position in the herbal supplement industry. In 2012, at the wish of our dedicated partners and shareholders, New Chapter was sold. And in 2018 we chose to move on and venture out again on our own. Soon after, we formed For The Biome.
At its genesis we conceived a high impact approach for our new effort. We knew that were we to start again, we would only want to do so if the larger purpose of the company was to give back. We ask you to give back with us and buy something extraordinary we’ve prepared as a gift for your body, your biome, knowing that with each purchase you are contributing to communities in need, be it through efforts to reverse homelessness, displacement, food and BIPOC disparities, or climate change. We stand for our own healing, and yours, for transparency and truth, for resurrecting our broken planet, and for boldly speaking out for saner health care. We call this effort True Holism, an understanding that turning inward to heal in body, mind, and spirit, will naturally lead to giving back towards healing the whole. And because we have long been dedicated to paradigm-shifting formulations that change lives, we are poised to do that again. It is our dharma.
Our name is For The Biome. Born for the health of the microbiome of our bodies. For the health of the biome of our company, our community, our earth, and with reverence to the spirit we all share.
We are here for your biome,
- Barbi
1 comment
Dearest Barbi and Paul ~
Congratulations on your new chapter! Thank you for bringing “For the Biome” to the world!
You and Paul have always profoundly touched me and thousands of other lives with the integrity in which you live your dharma. My deepest gratitude to you for being the change we seek.
I look forward to the Wednesday meditations. Thank you for offering this guidance.
Blessings and Love to you always ~
Christine