In this clip from the “Smile at Fear” weekend Pema Chodron led in Richmond, California in October 2010, Ani Pema speaks of trusting that the universe will never stop communicating with us.

This article is the fifth in a series by senior Shambhala teachers invited to share their personal impressions of the Way of Shambhala curriculum. For all articles in the series, click here.

Chuck Whetsell

TRUST IN DIVERSITY
By Chuck Whetsell

The display of basic goodness arises afresh each moment in myriad forms, yet I fail to see it. Opinionated, judging, fixating on “this is it” according to narrow ideas of what is acceptable, I miss its everpresent manifestation.

How shall I take off my blinders? Shall I study more, entering more deeply into the view and letting it slowly erode my coward’s view of right and wrong? Shall I practice being still, feeling my human heart and letting false distinctions fade? Can I accept the challenge of unmasking in front of others, becoming awash in embarrassment and tenderness?

Yes, I say, confidently and timidly. I can know where the Great Eastern Sun rises by following the birth of my fears. Fear of sacredness, fear of others, fear of myself―all these fears show the way I can travel, the Way of Shambhala. It is community as practice, taking a second look at what lies underneath the superficial appearances of age, status, external knowledge or culture. Read the rest of this entry »

After a year of using the monthly calendar shown at the left as a backup, we’ve switched to using it as our main calendar.

This calendar has features that make it easier to use than the “clickable calendar” it replaces―most notably, seamless integration with our program/event listings.

See what you think: Monthly Calendar.

In the fourth in a series of articles by senior Shambhala teachers on the Way of Shambhala, Shastri Rebecca Hazell writes about the power of listening. For all articles in the series, click here.

Rebecca Hazell

THE WISDOM OF THE WAY OF SHAMBHALA
By Rebecca Hazell

We are in a time of transition as a community, a transition that is set in a huge context: our earth and its inhabitants, all of whom are both more bound together than in any other time in history, yet all of whom are at great risk both from environmental degradation and from extreme ideas. The Way of Shambhala was designed to address both our sangha’s needs and those of our world at large, including the earth itself.

Sounds overwhelming? Pretentious? Not really; it’s still and always will be a path of opening our hearts while sharpening our intellects, just as the Buddha taught us to do, and with the largest view possible, just as he taught us. The Shambhala terma and the teachings that unfold from that are a unique gift given to us by the Dorje Dradul, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and are meant for our times. Their profundity and vastness have inspired other great Tibetan teachers to request them. The gift Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche gives us is to offer us a complete path that beautifully aligns these teachings, which are based on bodhisattva activity in the world, with the teachings of the Buddha. The Way of Shambhala is therefore a union of ancient wisdom and the cutting edge of the new.

For our sangha, the Way of Shambhala unifies our community’s vision and practices, from basic shamatha through Warrior Assembly and Seminary and into the vajrayana practices of the Shambhala, Kagyu and Nyingma lineages. By integrating the Buddha’s lofty yet earthy wisdom with the equally earthy and lofty teachings of Shambhala, both are strengthened and deepened. Their resonance with each other is made clear, and how to apply their wisdom is made practical. Read the rest of this entry »

Kootenay Shambhala members, we’ve all been invited to join a select group in testing the Shambhala Network, a new website that connects the global Shambhala community through email, groups and friends.

The Shambhala Network provides:
• an easy way to keep up with what’s happening locally, regionally, and internationally;
• online meeting spaces for practice groups, working groups, and other interest groups;
• a social networking system (think Shambhala Facebook); and
• too many other features to list here!

Beta is a technical term referring to a preliminary or testing stage of a software or hardware product. The Shambhala Network (Beta) is not yet fully functional, but it is functional enough for us to use it and offer feedback to help its developers identify bugs and make improvements.

To connect, go to Shambhala Network and enter your Shambhala Account login information. You can get a Shambhala Account through the Shambhala Account Password Centre.

While you’re on the Network, be sure to visit the Kootenay Community Room, a gathering place for Kootenay Shambhala members and friends and everyone else interested in our community. If you’re a member, you can request access to the Kootenay Council group, where you can participate in Centre administration.

For more information or assistance, contact us at nelsonbuddha@gmail.com.

The Official YouTube Channel for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has been updated. It now has over thirty videos of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo. Many of these have captions in up to twelve languages including Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, German, Greek, Swedish, Italian, Czech, Persian Farsi, Arabic, Korean, and Ukrainian.

Click here to visit the channel.

Below is the third in a series of articles by senior Shambhala teachers invited to share their personal impressions of the Way of Shambhala curriculum to complement the resources available on the Kootenay Shambhala Centre’s Way of Shambhala page. For all articles in this series, click here.

Henry Chapin

LESS LIKE SCHOOL, MORE LIKE LIFE
By Henry Chapin

When Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche was developing the Way of Shambhala, he told the group of acharyas designing the curriculum that he wanted the classes to be “less like school and more like life.” By that he meant that the material should relate directly to everyday life experience. He wanted teachers to address what people are most concerned about in their local communities (e.g., the environment, livelihood, parenting) and weave these issues into the Way of Shambhala classes. He also wanted participants to be fully involved in the classes, rather than passive listeners.

The Sakyong has said that the classes should be “more than just a talk.” The Way of Shambhala should be an opportunity to “experience manifesting enlightened society,” in which the communication between and among teachers and participants is open and genuine.

Since Shambhala Buddhism teaches that all beings possess inherent wisdom and basic goodness, the Sakyong has asked teachers to help students discover and express this for themselves, rather than acting as “talking heads” with all the answers. This has meant creating opportunities for participants to dialogue with each other, rather than having teachers leading discussion groups, as well as encouraging contemplative practice and providing time to socialize together. Read the rest of this entry »