State of the Center: Funding a Director of Social Engagement

Cheerful Autumn! On September 20th Shambhala centers around the world gathered for Harvest of Peace, our annual celebration of autumn. Locally we also marked forty years at 2288 Fulton Street. The day included the Shambhala Sadhana, an oath ceremony for our new Treasurer, Scott Tracy, an update on Center finances, a talk by the Sakyong, … Continue 

Social Presencing Theater – A Shambhala Art Form for Social Change

Save the date! There will be a Social Presencing Theater workshop offered in Berkeley on November 7th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. See here for details. A look at the training offered by Acharya Arawana Hayashi. This article, by Maria Patten with Shastri Sandra Ladley, originally appeared in Shambhala Times on July 27, 2015. … Continue 

Going Beyond Denial

                      By Shastri Charlene Leung. This article originally appeared in Shambhala Times on July 3rd. FACING REALITY: BEGINNING CONVERSATIONS As the Chairperson of the Diversity Working Group for Shambhala International, I am familiar with our collective avoidance of challenging topics like racism and oppression. And, … Continue 

Way of Shambhala Level I: What the Heck Am I Doing Here?

My relationship with meditation is akin to that of a couple that’s in love, but where the two are quite often at odds with each other. I have been into the idea of meditation for a while now. The feeling of being at least spiritually awake, if not quite up and off the bed, has … Continue 

Email as a Meditation Practice: Sending and Taking

What does it look like to put meditation into action? I’ve been pondering this ever since I took a class at the Berkeley Shambhala Meditation Center last year on the lojong slogans, which are about different ways to train the mind in wisdom and compassion. One of my favorite slogans is “When everything goes wrong, … Continue 

True Listening by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

It is said that when the Buddha first taught, two deer approached, knelt down, and raised their ears. They symbolize the act of listening, a sublime way of being present in the moment. Their perked-up ears represent keen attentiveness. Their bodies kneeling down represent relaxation and respect. The receptive state of listening is a way … Continue 

Shambhala Day Panorama

Dear Berkeley Shambhala Community, It was a real pleasure to gather with you all over the long Shambhala Day Weekend: Thursday  morning at the Center, Thursday evening at our delek gatherings, and Saturday evening at the grand Shambhala Ball. Many thanks to the more than thirty people who made all of these events a success! … Continue 

Obstacles Arise by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

*This article originally appeared the Shambhala Times Community News Magazine on February 13, 2015 In meditation, we are on a journey from here to there — to whatever we are trying to accomplish, be it mindfulness, peace, or compassion. We are developing the ability to have fuller experience of our lives. But as we gain … Continue 

Becoming One With Dharma by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

*This article originally appeared the Shambhala Times Community News Magazine on January 5, 2015 We often bring the dharma into our life only when things come to a painful point — when we are facing a crossroads or experiencing confusion. Then we go into our library, dust off a book and crack it open. We … Continue 

Meditation and Family – A Reflection

I’m a meditator in my mid-twenties who’s completed Level V of Shambhala Training workshops. So, I consider myself comfortably beyond the beginner stage of meditation (compared to where I was a few years ago), though I’ve studied and sat enough to know that what I don’t know is vast. What I noticed when going home … Continue