On Shambhala Day the formal process of considering nominations for new Shastris will begin. All members of Shambhala are invited to suggest possible nominees through their Shambhala Centre’s Director of Practice and Education, or their Centre Director, by February 2. As Shambhala Groups do not have Shastris, suggestions may be made through a nearby centre. For more information on Shastris, their roles, and how to suggest nominations, please read on.

When you visit a larger Shambhala Centre, you may have encountered a teacher who is called Shastri, Sanskrit for “those who have mastered the texts and teachings.” Who are they? Shastris are resident senior teachers in our international Shambhala Centres who have primary responsibility to communicate the Shambhala path, teach programs at beginning and advanced levels, train and mentor emergent Shambhala teachers, and provide path guidance to Shambhala students at all levels. Shastris collaborate with local Directors of Practice and Education in propagating the view of The Way of Shambhala and planning the related curriculum, the selection of teachers, and the enrichment of both the paths of teaching and meditation instruction. They are empowered by the Sakyong, and work closely with Practice and Education Directors and Centre Directors to ensure the integrity of the Shambhala teachings.

With the dawn of 2016, the Shastri program in Shambhala International is now six years old. Our centres are growing, and we are hoping to cultivate additional Shastris who can support our centres and follow in the footsteps of our Shastris who may be stepping down over the next several years. At this time, we invite suggestions for nominations of Shastri candidates for consideration and appointment by the Sakyong in March 2016. Shastris serve terms of three years, with the possibility of renewal.

To make a suggestion for a nomination, please submit a letter to the relevant Director of Practice and Education or Shambhala Centre Director that explains in detail how the individual fits the Shastri qualifications, detailed below.

Individuals will not be informed that their names are being put forward at this time to avoid disappointment if they fail to be accepted. These individuals will, however, be asked if they are willing to have their names put forward should their nominations be accepted and before they are submitted to the Sakyong for approval. Self-nominations are not accepted. Once a list of nominees is assembled, with supporting evidence for the nominations, members of the Shastri Council vet these with centre and regional leadership, Shastris, Acharyas, and international leadership. A vetted list will be presented to Acharya Judith Simmer-Brown, Dean of the Teachers Academy, and Kalapa Acharya Adam Lobel for further vetting, a process through which nominees become candidates on a “short list.”

Shastri qualifications: Nominees for Shastri should be active meditation instructors and experienced, accomplished and compelling teachers who are prepared and authorized to teach the Way of Shambhala curriculum, with its unique pedagogies and the teachings of basic goodness and enlightened society. Experience in teaching buddhadharma is also a plus. Shastris are especially committed to skillfully mentoring other—experienced as well as emergent—teachers and maturing the teaching mandala in their Centres. They are dedicated practitioners who have been to Vajrayana Seminary (or Sacred World Assembly), who have received the Rigden Abhisheka and are now Werma practitioners on the Scorpion Seal path. They have excellent discipline, personal ethics, and respect of their communities. They must be dues-paying members of their Centres.

Shastris combine practice, study, and service in their daily lives. Shastris are committed to the Sakyong as teacher and monarch, and are fully prepared to carry forth his vision in their local Centres. Shastris are willing to receive feedback and are ready to grow and learn in their roles.

The Sakyong is always interested in a balance of students of his father’s and newer practitioners, and considerations of diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, and languages other than English are always important. They are able to work well with others in the sangha, government, and military, and to represent the Pillar of Practice and Education along with its Director. The Sakyong is also interested in Shastris who have worldly accomplishment and career, demonstrating how to carry the Shambhala teachings into their daily lives.

An exploration of what fearlessness means in our world today

by Ron Schultz

“They are fearless in the midst of barbarian arrogance”

This phrase is chanted in every Shambhala Center on the planet. Within the Invocation and Homage, these words ring out. Fearless in the midst of barbarian arrogance. As Shambhala Warriors it is time to put our practice forward, to meet the world as it is, not as we would like it to be or as we hope it will be, but as it is.

Each of us is being called on to be fearless, and yet how many of us actually feel that we are? Perhaps not many of us believe that we can stand bravely before the barbarian arrogance, when we are seeing the suffering that spawned it, the continued suffering that does nothing to transform it, and how so many only wish to run away.

In 1959, thousands streamed out of Tibet when the Chinese created similar terror. And our Tibetan teachers, born within this conflict, fled across the Himalayas and ended up bringing their practice to millions around the world. This practice has flourished because those teachers were themselves fearless in the midst of the barbarians.

In a time of firing Kalashnikovs, exploding bombs, suicide vests and terror we are called on to raise bodhichitta, and recognize loving kindness, yet we are also taught to not fall prey to idiot compassion. We are being given the greatest lesson within our practice.This dark age is a time for us to examine closely the nature of our fear. It is a time to feel the resolve of our compassion and our devotion to the Dharma. This is why we practice, to be able to meet the world exactly as it shows up, and to recognize that we are not separate from it.

If Basic Goodness is our hallmark, then it is time to let it shine with the brilliance of the Great Eastern Sun. Basic Goodness and Great Eastern Sun are not idle symbols. They are living embodiments of our warrior-selves. How we choose to meet the arrogance of our times is a direct reflection of the depth of our practice.

The first thoughts of those who survived the assault on the Bataclan theater in Paris were not hatred for those who tried to kill them, but rather caring about those they love. As one survivor explained, “It’s easy to succumb to hate.” What isn’t easy is a commitment to be fearless in the midst of hatred. These sudden senseless assaults are terrifying and they are meant to be so. But living in these times is also an opportunity, as we have been taught, for us to wake up to fearless wisdom.

In this time of fear and violence, there are those who think our gentleness is a weakness. Yet we know that it is anything but weak. Gentleness is a sense of our personal softness as we begin to face the habitual patterns we have created to protect ourselves from our fears.  Practicing this gentleness is a courageous act, one that comes from the heart. When we can cultivate gentleness, the outcome is confidence. Working with that confidence, with our intelligence, allows us to face our fear, simply by knowing unequivocally that we can face it. Being a Shambhalian is not for the weak. Our strength allows us to come face to face with the barbarians–and not run.

If it’s true that every situation is workable, then it seems clear that now is the time to go to work. But what does it mean to go to work in this way? When I ask myself if I could be fearless within the madness, it makes me realize how unstable my mind really is. When I ask myself how I would react if my own child had died in Paris, it makes me aware of how truly difficult it is to meet the world in all its flaming glory, how challenging to actualize basic goodness.

In such times, it is easy to become numb, but authentic presence is not avoidance of feeling. It’s being able to feel the pain, suffering and sadness in our hearts, yet still recognize its nature, and work with it. As Shambhala Warriors, our practice is continually coming home to roost. It is always time for us to be fearless in the midst of barbarian arrogance, and actualize what that means it terms of love, compassion and intelligence. It’s not just a vow. It’s who we are.

Ki Ki So So.

Ron Schultz is the author of The Complex Buddhist – Doing Good in a Challenging World (Emergent Publications), featuring a Foreword by Richard Reoch. He has been a Shambhalian for close to 25 years and The Complex Buddhist is his 25th published book.

Aarti Tejuja takes her seat as the Chicago Shambhala Center’s new Director of Social Engagement

by Mabinti Dennis

In 2009, when Aarti Tejuja from the Chicago Shambhala Center was temporarily unemployed, she applied for and received the Shambhala People of Color Scholarship Fund Leadership Award, to attend a dathun and later Warrior’s Assembly.  She continued to follow the Shambhala path all the way to Rigden Abhisheka and Scorpion Seal Assembly. She then took a job at the Chicago Shambhala Center. Currently, she is Director of Social Engagement, a new position that was jointly created by Aarti and the center’s Director, Tom Adducci.

As Director of Social Engagement, Aarti has created a host of new programs and ways for people to connect with Shambhala, connections that don’t take Shambhala’s typical approach of open houses and classes.  For Aarti, the linear path in which Shambhala is organized worked well, but after learning more about the Chicago community, she started to see there were other ways that people in Chicago could engage with the Shambhala Center.

She says, “The sequential, linear way that Shambhala Training is organized doesn’t work for everyone.  Through my work with communities and non-profits in Chicago, and with the ‘Speak Up Chicago’ youth-led program, I have found that people learn a lot just by interacting, connecting, and talking with others.  In providing access to dharma teachings, I want to find ways for people to connect that might look different from our typical approach.”

Chicago Shambhala Center

“Speak Up Chicago” evolved from engaging youth who first came to the “Imagining Peace” program in 2013, with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.   Josh Beltran, a young person from Humboldt Park who attended the program, asked Aarti if he could start to host an open mic night at the Shambhala Center. That first idea has blossomed into monthly open mic nights,  contemplative and nature retreats, family dinners, and other community events, drawing hundreds of youth and adults from diverse Chicago neighborhoods.  At Speak Up events, youth and adults, no matter what age, race, sexual orientation, income level, or group they identify with, are encouraged to express their creativity and voice through any medium they choose.  The Open Mic nights  include musical performances, spoken word, comedy, dance—any form of expression is accepted.  There was a pair of Mormons who once spoke, and children as young as 6 and 7 years old have performed at these events.

Coming together and sharing in community, using tools like Peace Circles, can help to address the  social injustices, trauma, and violence that affect so many Chicago communities. At the core of Speak Up Chicago are fourteen youth and adults who manage the program—the youngest is 12 and the oldest 38.  They hold their meetings using Peace Circles.  Peace Circles come from the Lakota tradition which, like Shambhala, sees basic goodness in everyone. This approach supports listening from the heart and speaking one’s own truth.  It can be helpful in humanizing difficult situations.

Peace Circles were introduced to the Shambhala Chicago community through the local restorative justice community.  Kay Pranis, one of the founders of Chicago’s restorative justice work, was brought in to train Shambhala Chicago in Peace Circles. The Peace Circle format is being used in work that the Shambhala Center is doing with young people at Orr High School. It is also being used at the Shambhala Center for meetings, diversity trainings, and meditation.

Recently, one of the Speak Up Chicago leaders, Josh Beltran, went to Shambhala Mountain Center to serve on staff for 3 weeks this summer.  His time there spawned an interest in taking Shambhala Training Level One himself.  Aarti feels that the experience of community is a key to welcoming diversity to the Shambhala world.

Aarti and the Pope

In addition to her work with young people, Aarti has been active with interfaith networks.  She recently represented Shambhala in the Buddhist-Catholic dialogue in Rome which included an audience with Pope Francis.  She was captured on Vatican television offering the Pope a kata. She originally thought that the Pope would know what to do with the kata, but when it was clear he did not, in her bold, brave, and creative style, she thought fast on her feet, and offered the kata on behalf of the Sakyong and the Shambhala tradition. Of her interfaith work, Aarti says, “When I meet someone of a different faith, I never have any intention of trying to change anyone’s path, but rather, I want to find commonalities, our mutual ground.  The point isn’t to  debate beliefs, but to recognize human dignity, and come together on that.”

Aarti addresses what some may see as shortcomings in the Shambhala People of Color Scholarship Fund.  “While some people have problems with the term ‘people of color,’  we must recognize that it’s complicated; of course not all identify with that label, and no one wants to be reduced to a category.”  The intention of the Scholarship Fund is to help people in specific under-represented groups move forward on their Shambhala paths. The way that the Fund is currently set up is to be available for people attending more advanced programs rather than entry level programs. Aarti comments that “The way the scholarship is currently administered requires a certain level of training in order to apply. We need to find new ways for people of color to enter the path in the first place, and those might not look the way we are used to.”

Aarti is interested in finding new ways for more people to enter the path at the beginning level.  She suggests that Shambhala support inventive ways for land centers to offer entry programs for people of color.  Once example is the recent meditation program at Karme Choling, led by Acharya Gaylon Ferguson for recent graduates from Howard University’s Masters of Divinity program. Aarti is currently working on the upcoming Chicago Shambhala program with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Ani Pema Chodron for Spring 2016. She continues to bring the Sakyong’s vision for social engagement alive in Shambhala.

You can support the Shambhala People of Color Scholarship Fund Leadership Awards by making a donation through the Sakyong Foundation at http://www.sakyongfoundation.org

Readers interested in the work of this scholarship fund can connect through their web page at http://spocsf.shambhala.org, by email at Shambhala.pocsf@gmail.com, or by phone at (U.S.) 416.588.6465.

Mabinti Dennis is one of the founding members of the POC scholarship fund. She has been a member of the Toronto Shambhala Center for over 20 years. Mabinti is involved in the Black community where she is facilitating workshops for youths who are in transition from prison to school, community and home life.

The Office of the Kalapa Court is delighted to announce that the Kongma Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, has appointed Ms Michelle Munro to the position of Director of the Halifax Shambhala Centre, effective Shambhala Day.

Michelle is well-known to the Halifax community, having held the position of Interim Director of the Shambhala Centre since April. She brings great experience, warmth and care to this position. As Interim Director Michelle was active in the Strategic Planning Process, headed the community engagement process, and oversaw a kitchen renovation and asbestos remediation.

A graduate of Enlightened Society Assembly, she has served the centre in many ways over the years, including as Volunteer Coordinator, Way of Shambhala Program Manager, Societal Health and Wellbeing Committee member, Vajra Dawn Co-coordinator and Regimental Commander of the Dorje Kasung.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia and trained in human services, Michelle was worked with families and community activities, managed those with mental health issues for Metro Community Housing, and provided care for at-risk teenagers through S.O.S. Children’s Village.

Please join us in welcoming Ms Munro to her position, and expressing our appreciation to her — along with her husband Alec and daughters Maisy and Ruby — for her continued service to the Halifax community.

Looking at the challenges of caregiving from a dharmic point of view

by Andrea Sherman and Marsha Weiner

“The essence of Warriorship, or the essence of human bravery, is refusing to give up on anyone or anything.”  Trungpa Rinpoche, Sacred Path of the Warrior

Don’t give up on anyone has special meaning when you find yourself in the circumstance of being a caregiver. Whether you are caregiving for someone living with chronic or fatal illness or caring for someone with cognitive or emotional challenges; whether you are a professional caregiver or family or volunteer caregiver, don’t give up on anyone amplifies the need for self care. Don’t give up on anyone, including yourself!

The demands of caregiving are undeniable, as caregivers are up close and personal with old age, sickness and death, trying to use their skills to ease the suffering of others, with kindness and compassion. Caregiving is challenging. When meeting those challenges, obstacles arise.  The health care profession has even coined two terms to describe what can happen to caregivers as they meet the challenges; caregiver burnout and the more recent term, compassion fatigue. Each can resemble aspects of depression and refer to a state of being to which caregivers are particularly vulnerable.

photo by Victoria Hagens

Among other gifts, the dharma offers the paramitas, the transcendent qualities of the heart: generosity, discipline, patience exertion, meditation and wisdom. Like an inner compass, paramita practices can guide us away from the shore of caregiver burnout and towards the shore of awakening.  Consider the first paramita, generosity, to give care, gratuitously, with no expectations. Spacious and abundant, such caregiving dissolves the dichotomy between caregiver and care receiver. Similar to tonglen meditation, the paramitas become an antidote to burnout. When caregiver burnout begins to arise, generosity can shut down. We become irritable and short tempered. What was spacious suddenly constricts. We begin to measure our love, as if we can dole out compassion.

But remember; don’t give up on anyone, including yourself. You can turn to the dharma and discover tools to cultivate balance and equanimity to mitigate burnout. Caregiving can be a transformative experience. It brings us up close and personal to another’s suffering and presents opportunities to experience compassion-in-action. With meditation and paramita practices, you can mitigate burnout and experience the spiritual fruits inherent in caregiving. That is, if you don’t give up on yourself!

Andrea Sherman and Marsha Weiner created Seasons of Care, a selfcare program for caregivers using the contemplative and expressive arts. They are currently working on a book about harvesting the spiritual fruits of caregiving.  Andrea is on the Shambhala Working Group on Aging and Co-Chairs Conversations on Aging at NY Shambhala.  Marsha leads informal meditation groups, including groups for people in recovery.  

Editor’s note: Coming soon, another article from Andrea and Marsha, offering step-by-step instruction for meditative practices that can serve as self-care tools for caregivers.

Practice instructions for meditative tools to support the self-care of caregivers

by Andrea Sherman and Marsha Weiner

photos courtesy of Joey Johannsen

As practitioners who are also caregivers, it is important to remember; don’t give up on anyone, including yourself. You can turn to the dharma and discover tools to cultivate balance and equanimity, to mitigate burnout. Here are some tools that we have found to have exceptional benefit for caregivers.

Meditation: Meditation practice, particularly tonglen and metta (Loving Kindness) meditation are excellent self care tools for caregivers.

Tonglen. Helplessness is an aspect of caregiver burnout. Being close to someone in pain, and using all your skills and knowledge to alleviate their pain, to no avail, can create a sense of helplessness. Don’t give up on yourself. Tonglen practice can transform that sense of helplessness.

First, connect with the suffering. Identify it. Acknowledge it; breathe it in.

On the exhale send peace and compassion to the person in your care.

Tonglen practice dissolves the tightness constricting your heart. As you continue, the sensibility may shift, and you may become aware of your own pain and discomfort.

Like sea anemones that filter the ocean water, tonglen filters the air. Breathe in pain, breathe out peace and compassion, so the person you are caring for can relax and open to their own experience.

Though you cannot remove their pain, you are no longer trapped in a sense of helplessness because you did not give up on yourself. You are practicing tonglen.

Metta.  Metta meditation begins with sending loving kindness to yourself; it then rolls out to include sending loving kindness to someone you have unconditional love for, then to include someone you have neutral feelings towards, and next to someone with whom you have conflict. All three are aspects of feelings we can have for the person in our care.

It is not unusual to feel resistance with sending loving kindness to oneself. Sending kindness to oneself can be especially difficult for caregivers who, after all, are oriented toward caring for others. That is precisely why metta practice is so valuable for caregivers.

If you explore metta meditation and experience resistance, please continue. Cultivating loving kindness for yourself will not take anything away from the care you are giving. To the contrary, loving kindness for yourself will increase your resilience and your ability to give the best care possible. Metta is a gentle way to not give up on yourself, and can transform your experience as a caregiver, paving the way to experience the spiritual fruits and rewards of caregiving.

Gap Practices: We’ve developed a series of “gap practices,” making use of small gaps of time throughout the day for self care.  Sometimes it just takes a moment to not give up on yourself. Here are a few gap practices for you to try:

Catch Your Breath

To cultivate inner harmony and presence.

• Bring your attention to your breath; as it is.
• Continue to gently inhale and exhale.
• Become aware of the sounds around you.
• Take a moment to be present.

You can Catch Your Breath any time: when sitting at the bedside, while stuck in a traffic jam, while waiting.

Open Sky 

To open to spaciousness, to dispel feeling crushed by the stresses of caregiving. Best done outside, but could also be practiced inside.

• Sitting or standing, inhale and look up at the sky – let the sky fill your vision.
• Exhale and allow your thoughts to dissolve into the open sky.
• Inhale, expand your view.
• Exhale. Let go.
• Smile. Allow yourself to recognize the spaciousness.

Hand on Heart – feel the love

To honor your feelings: that’s a good place to begin, and to end (and to experience in between.)

• Stand or sit quietly.
• Tune into your breathing.
• Reach your arms out to the side; bring them overhead until the palms of your hands meet. Move your hands slowly downward until they are in prayer position in front of your heart.
• Unclasp your hands. Place your palms over your heart.
• Feel the warmth. Feel the love.  Let kindness into your heart.

Practiced over time, exercises such as these can cultivate your emotional resilience. Without turning away from the pain you see and feel as a caregiver, these approaches give you the space to experience the transformative change that caregiving makes possible. Caregiving is not only a gift to the person receiving your care; it can also become a gift of spiritual growth for the caregiver. Just remember: don’t give up on yourself!

Andrea Sherman and Marsha Weiner created Seasons of Care, a selfcare program for caregivers using the contemplative and expressive arts. They are currently working on a book about harvesting the spiritual fruits of caregiving.  Andrea is on the Shambhala Working Group on Aging and Co-Chairs Conversations on Aging at NY Shambhala.  Marsha leads informal meditation groups, including groups for people in recovery. 

KTC meditation center in Columbus, Ohio, severely damaged by fire

News of this weekend’s fire has been spreading quickly through the Shambhala community, gathering support for our friends and fellow practitioners at Columbus KTC. The following story originally appeared on their fundraising page, as they reached out to connect with others and begin drawing together the resources needed to rebuild.

We all were saddened to see the devastating fire that damaged the Columbus Karma Thegsum Choling (KTC) building early in the morning of Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. The former church has been the KTC’s home since 1990; the center itself has been in Columbus since 1977.

On the day of the fire, while investigators searched for a cause, KTC friends and neighbors from our Franklinton neighborhood helped us salvage some of our most precious shrine items: Our original Buddha statue filled with mantras and relics and dating back to the founding of the center; our set of Buddhist scriptures, singed but still whole; and a few statues given to us over the years by our spiritual friends and teachers. Thus we have salvaged a few of the external supports of what are called the Three Jewels of Refuge: Buddha as the teacher; Dharma as the path; Sangha as the guides and companions.

Upon hearing of the fire, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, the abbot of our home monastery in New York, gave us precious advice: “Do not be sad; work together and rebuild.” Rinpoche said that rebuilding our center was the best “prayer” we could perform in the face of this devastating change.

Columbus KTC before the fire

Since the fire, we’ve been touched by the many offers of help we’ve received via telephone, email and social media; thoughts and prayers have been shared with us by people of all faiths, showing that a diverse community like ours can come together at times of difficulty. We started this GoFundMe page to thank everyone for their prayers and to give them a practical way to contribute. We will regularly keep you updated on what we learn about the fire and its causes, and what our little community of Central Ohio Buddhist followers is doing to carry out the “prayer” of rebuilding our center.

Our home in Franklinton – where we have sheltered our aspirations to spiritual growth and trained a generation (or two!) of local meditators – has been destroyed, but from the true residing place of love and blessing in our hearts, may we all come together to manifest a new place of refuge in the heart of Columbus.

We’ve set an initial goal of $108,000 to help pay for costs and furnishings not covered by insurance, to rent space (if necessary) to house our programs in the coming weeks, and to form the basis of our next steps – whatever they might be – to provide a home for our dharma family in the days to come. Donations large and small are welcome. Any unused donations from this initial phase will go toward what we anticipate will be our next step – a capital campaign to bring the KTC “home” in the future.

Thanks for whatever help you may offer. You have our deepest appreciation.
May all beings benefit!

Connecting with nature from inside brings a moment of direct awareness

by Steven Bulleit

As soon as I walked through the door, I could tell this evening was going to be different.

The Rigden group, as we had begun to be called, gathered in the prison chapel for our weekly study class. We had recently sat for a weekthün and were completing a modified The Way of Shambhala course in preparation for an upcoming Rigden weekend. Our usual arrangement of facing rows of meditation cushions had been supplanted by a simple circle of cushions in the center of the room.

The twenty of us sat quietly, curious about the new arrangement. Looking around at each other, there were smiles as we recognized that all of our members were now fully in view.  This new-found ability to see one other unifed us. A shared space was created, sufficient for this ragtag cadre of prison meditators to set aside their differences.  With renewed spirit, we could see ourselves as fellow sojourners with common aspirations and purpose.  We saw that our mini-sangha was a continuous thread of basic goodness with which our communal humanity was woven.

As our meditation period began, the mid-evening sun shone through one of the few small windows in an otherwise all-concrete wall.  A small square of light fell almost directly into the center of our circle.  As our meditation progressed, so did the passage of the light across the random pattern of the carpet.  Watching, moment by moment, I could just detect its advance.

For something so seemingly ordinary, I was fascinated by its implications.  While literally imprisoned within concrete and steel, I was still discerning the rotation of the planet on which we all reside, in relationship to the steady luminous sun.  I felt a deep connection to the Earth, for as immovable as the mountains and canyons seemed to be, they too are a part of the swirling tableau we all share.

In a few days, the Rigdon weekend arrived.  A common theme was our connection to the Earth; nature holds an inherent sense of basic goodness, an “as-it-should-be” way of being.  And as our connection to nature deepens, we learn to directly experience life in all its vast and frenetic splendor.

During a discussion group, one of our treasured volunteers, Skylar, began to speak, and then hesitated.  When encouraged to continue, she admitted she had wanted to ask about our own connection to nature. But because we are all in prison, she felt it might be an awkward topic to broach. What happened next was an unexpected outpouring of stories.  One man shared seeing a nest tucked inside the razor wire with the birds coming and going, raising their young.  Another told how he saw tiny, furry moles in the scrub, kicking out dirt from their holes and skittishly sticking up their heads.  A common experience was of sitting on the grass in the yard feeling the earth below and sun’s warmth above, seeming for a moment that we could be anywhere.  I shared about the spot of sunlight that had been traversing our meditation circle a few evenings ago, and to my surprise, almost every head nodded in communion.

These were not dry recollections; everyone related their experiences with heartfelt gratitude for still having these moments of spontaneous grace, for waking up to our lives by tuning in directly to what’s around us.  For several of us, our voices broke during our sharing. Skylar and our teacher, Chaplain Trime Persinger, also connected with and felt these expressions of our sad and tender hearts.  Their tears flowed freely, along with some of ours, as our space was infused with an intimacy rarely found in the prison environment.

Everything passes on, and this moment was no exception.  Yet our discussion served to bond us together more closely as warriors-in-training.  When we acknowledge our deep connection to and inherent need for nature, we learn to just be in the moment, experiencing all our senses.  As the Sakyong tells us, there is the principle of the sacred in nature, of magic in all that surrounds us.

We can develop a deeper faith in basic goodness, learning to trust in the openness of the possibilities presented to us.  The tiger’s contentment and the lion’s joy more naturally manifest when we dare to experience the entirety of our world.

For myself more recently, another experience of nature stands out. Because of a job change, I ran an errand to another building at 6:00 one morning.  For the first time in almost ten years of imprisonment, I looked up to see twinking, pre-dawn stars in an almost pitch black sky.  I paused in awe and apprecation for all that my life offers in its triumphs and struggles.  Just as it is right now—even on the wrong side of the fence.

Steven Bulleit is a founding member of the Snake River Meditation Group, the only prison-based Shambhala group, let by Chaplain Trime Persinger.  Before prison, Steve was a mechanical engineer, active in progressive churches and the gay community.  Currently he participates in several choral and instrumental music groups, in addition to writing music for a small-but-mighty Shambhala choir!

Mingling our intentions with those of the Sakyong, as he conducts year-end practices on behalf of the entire community

by Walker Blaine

As Shambhalians conclude the year of the Wood Sheep with practice to overcome obstacles that may have accumulated over the past twelve months, the Sakyong is also concluding the year with a period of intensive practice. This is culminating this year with a three-day traditional puja, or ritual practice intensive, performed by the Sakyong at Marpa House in Boulder, Colorado with Lama Pema Gyaltsen and Lama Gyurme Dorje. Like the yearly mamo chants being conducted at all Shambhala Centers at this time, the Sakyong’s puja specifically focuses on reconnecting with the wisdom of enlightened activity in the environment and purifying and dispersing any confusion so that it does not carry forward from the past.

Lama Pema Gyaltsen and Lama Gyurme Dorje

The Sakyong’s puja is part of an ongoing cycle of intensive practices he does for the community throughout the year. This cycle includes pujas for health and healing, enrichment, expansion, and overcoming obstacles. We can connect to these pujas through our personal practice, and through offerings and requests made at the pujas themselves. Our own involvement in heart and mind strengthens the community through mutually sharing the Sakyong’s inspiration and vision. The connections we make to the Sakyong’s practice cycle during the year form a parallel to the connections we make with him during retreats and service in the community.

While our personal end-of-year practice usually concentrates on overcoming our own obstacles, as well as those of our local center and Shambhala, the Sakyong’s practice is unique because of his position in the community. There is tremendous power whenever the central figure of a group performs an action on behalf of that group. The Sakyong is practicing for his own household as well as for the Shambhala lineage and community as a whole. It is like the rivers that flow down from a mountain, benefiting the valleys, plains, and oceans below. We can dedicate the merit from our personal practice in a “like-minded” way, having the intention that whatever the Sakyong’s aspirations are for Shambhala and the world, may our dedication further that aspiration leading up to Shambhala Day. Making dedications in this way allows our own aspirations to mingle in the flow of the Sakyong’s and helps lay further support for a good start to the coming year.

Walker Blaine is Master of Liturgies to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and a Herald of the Kalapa Court. He has studied and practiced the dharma in Shambhala for more than 30 years. Walker lives with his wife Patricia in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Presentation of the Shambhala Lineage Thangka auspiciously follows the Gesar of Ling empowerment ceremonies in Pharpeng, Nepal

by Walker Blaine

Last October was the joyous occasion of the Sakyong and his family receiving the complete transmission of His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche’s mind-treasure, or gongter, in Pharpeng, Nepal. This two-week ritual event was filled with empowerments, teachings, and a myriad of blessings. 2,000 people attended the Gongter at its peak. The ceremonies concluded with a wondrous feast for the eyes and heart—the dances of Gesar of Ling performed by the Sakyong Wangmo, her sisters, and a large troupe of Namkha Drimed Rinpoche’s disciples in the grand monastery courtyard at His Eminence’s seat in Nepal, Rigon Tashi Choeling Monastery.

The morning after the dances was one of goodbyes and packing for the hundreds of guests staying in and around the monastery. As the sun warmed the green hills of Pharpeng there was excitement among the monastics because the Sakyong was formally bidding them farewell with a personal blessing and a gift of a new set of robes for each monk. It was a delight to see them emerging one by one—in order of height to facilitate easy sizing—from the doorway of the audience hall, each monk smiling and holding a crisp set of red robes.

Mr. Rongae presenting the thangka

The Shambhalians too were quite excited because after the Sakyong’s formal goodbyes to the monastics, Mr. Noedup Rongae, the master thangka painter who is a treasure to both the Shambhala lineage and the Buddhist world at large, had arrived to offer the Shambhala lineage thangka to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. A lineage thangka, or scroll painting, is a depiction of all the principal human and beyond-human figures that form the basis of a complete world of teachings within a tantric Buddhist tradition. This painting, which had been ten years in the making, was completed just before the start of the Gongter. The joy and curiosity to see this masterwork was palpable for everyone waiting to be called into the audience room after the thangka had been properly unrolled and blessed for its first viewing.

The Sakyong and H.E. Namkha Drimed Rinpoche viewing the thangka

After the Sakyong, Namkha Drimed Rinpoche, and His Eminence’s two principal dharma heirs, Venerable Jigme Rinpoche and Lhunpa Tulku Rinpoche, chanted auspicious verses before the huge thangka, the Shambhala guests at the Gongter were invited to meet the painting. The room was often quiet because there was so much to take in. Ninety or more deities and dralas are depicted in the painting, including the Primordial Rigden and his consort, the first or primordial Sakyong, Shiwa Ökar, the rigden kings and queens, the dharmarajas and their queens, Gesar and the principal warriors of Ling, the eight great bodhisattvas, and the meditation deities, dralas, and protectors of Shambhala.

The Sakyong during the viewing

This new lineage object arrived at a remarkably auspicious time: the conclusion of the empowerments of Gesar of Ling, one of the main figures in the origin of the Shambhala terma. It also arrived at an incredibly auspicious place: Pharpeng, which the Sakyong described as a confluence of Tibetan and Himalayan culture, and a gateway between Tibet and the modern world. Pharpeng is also a place where Padmasambhava powerfully manifested enlightened activity, subduing many obstacles before establishing the Buddhist teachings in Tibet. It is also where the Sakyong has done numerous retreats and composed a number of key Shambhala texts. In this atmosphere of great meaning and blessing, the Sakyong humorously commented that it would be auspicious to receive this thangka anywhere, but receiving it at this particular time and place was very auspicious.

No one was prepared for the cultural, spiritual, and emotional impact of seeing such a powerful work of art. Time seemed to stand still as everyone witnessed the Sakyong making quiet aspiration prayers and tossing a pristine white khata, a ceremonial scarf of purity, onto the thangka as an offering to the living sacred images embodied in the painting. The room was saturated with a palpable recognition of witnessing a profound moment in our Shambhala history. Tears came to the eyes of many as they too offered khatas and said chants in homage to this profound work of art.

Mr. Rongae guides everyone through the thangka

When we all had made our offerings, Mr. Rongae gently guided everyone through an overview of the vast array of figures in the painting. Afterward, the Sakyong gave a short talk to mark the occasion and to speak on the power and importance of the thangka. “This painting,” the Sakyong said, “will be a very important representation of the vision of the Dorje Dradül, the vision of the Shambhala terma, and the actual manifestation of the Rigdens.” He added that the thangka represented confidence and culture coming into being, and expressed his aspiration that anyone who saw the thangka could receive it well and be moved by it. This would indicate the actual blessing and descent of the Shambhala lineage.

The Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo with Shambhala students

Both Noedup and his father, Tenzin Rongae, served the first Sakyong. Noedup’s presentation of the thangka felt like a transmission of lineage occurring on many levels. Early in his remarks, the Sakyong said that the arrival of the thangka was a very important day in the life of Shambhala, “but also in the life of Mr. Noedup Rongae.” Just before warmly thanking Noedup at the end of his short talk, the Sakyong said, “I feel this is something my father would be very happy about,” and Noedup humbly replied, “Yes, it seemed he wanted these things.”

The Shambhala lineage thangka will be presented to the entire global Shambhala community on Shambhala Day when it is unveiled at the Boulder Shambhala Centre during the Shambhala Day Address. Please join us for this wonderful start to the New Year.

Walker Blaine is Master of Liturgies to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and a Herald of the Kalapa Court. He has studied and practiced the dharma in Shambhala for more than 30 years. Walker lives with his wife Patricia in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

To learn more about the Gongter, please read:

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/15/sakyong-receiving-teachings-in-nepal/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/15/gongter-empowerments-begin/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/15/the-first-empowerments/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/15/gesar-heart-of-the-gongter-empowerments/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/16/sakyong-gives-talk-at-gongter/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/17/letter-from-the-sakyong-wangmo/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/20/the-blazing-warmth-of-generosity/

http://shambhalatimes.org/2015/11/24/grand-conclusion-of-the-gongter/

To learn more about Mr. Noedup Rongae, please visit his site:

http://shambhalaartschool.com/bio.html

The Office of the Kalapa Court is delighted to announce the role of “Werma Acharya” for those acharyas who will lead Scorpion Seal retreats. As the Sakyong has written, “These acharyas will act as my personal representatives, holding the integrity and dignity of the blessing and power of the Scorpion Seal practice. They will be personally responsible for respecting and manifesting the Shambhala lineage within the retreat container.”

The Werma Acharyas are currently Emily Bower, Christie Cashman, Susan Chapman, Suzann Duquette, Michael Greenleaf, David Hope, Adam Lobel, Barbara Maertens, Mathias Pongracz, John Rockwell, Eve Rosenthal, and Judith Simmer-Brown. Please welcome them to their positions.

Shambhala is also marking a milestone with the retirement of Larry Mermelstein as an acharya. Larry, who has held many leadership roles within Shambhala for over 40 years, was one of the original acharyas appointed by the Sakyong in 1996 and has served in that position for nearly 20 years. He is a founding member of the Nalanda Translation Committee and will continue to serve as its Executive Director.

Please join us in extending our deepest appreciation to Larry for his heartfelt service to the Vidyadhara, the Sakyong, and the lineage as an acharya, and in wishing him the best in continued service in Shambhala as a translator, teacher, and publisher.

As a further step in clarifying senior positions and to avoid any confusion such titles may bring, the Sakyong is now retiring the designations “Acharya Emeritus/a” and “Shastri Emeritus/a.”

Celebrating Shambhala Day 2016

Cheerful Shambhala Day!

To all Shambhalians and fellow practitioners across the globe, from all ofus here at the Shambhala Times, very best wishes for the Year of the Fire Monkey.

With Shambhala Day falling on a Tuesday this year, and many centers celebrating this coming weekend, the Times will be waiting until early next week to publish links to video and text of the Shambhala Day address by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. In the meantime, centers are welcome to send in stories and photos of their gatherings and events — we will publish a selection of articles, images and highlights over the coming weeks. So enjoy your time together this weekend, and watch this space for more to come!

Compassion and generosity let friendship survive through challenging times

by Francesca Anton

Our minister had called a special gathering right after the service.  Steve had been arrested earlier in the week, a horrible picture of him was on the front page of the newspaper with numerous charges (that would later almost completely be eliminated, but not published).  Attorneys had been called.  Rumors were flying, emotions were high. We were to meet in the sanctuary to ‘vent our anger’ and sense of betrayal.  I was the music director then, and I loved my job.  It was required that I attend; and so I reluctantly acquiesced, but the weight of emotion was more than I wanted to deal with, as I had no idea what had actually happened.

My relationship with Steve and his family was modest; what I did know about him was that he was a devoted husband and father, and member of our fellowship, taking time from his full schedule to serve in a variety of ways often.  He enjoyed sharing his skills and talent with our music life whenever he could.  If he promised to help on a Sunday with the music, I knew I could count on him.

Thankfully, one of my best friends joined me in the back of the sanctuary.  Something about the gathering felt deeply wrong to me.  As the heavy minutes trudged forward, I watched and listened with increasing dread as folks I thought I knew to be compassionate and deep thinkers vilified and demonized this human being I barely knew.  Many in the gathering were people who referred to our church community as ‘beloved,’ and yet compassion was clearly not on the agenda here. I felt like a child suddenly being exposed to an aspect of humanity I had never experienced directly, and something about it frightened me to my bones; frozen in time and space, my heart and mind raced wildly, trying to make some semblance of understanding out of the actions of these people I thought I knew.

But in my mind, there were questions demanding loudly to be answered.  “How can these people make these horrible accusations about him when they haven’t heard his story?”  “How can they, after years of calling him ‘friend,’ describe him as a demon?”  “He’s up there in jail, alone, all his hard work and devotion to family and friends ripped away from him by a justice system highly flawed at several levels, and we think it’s OK to assume that he’s a criminal who should be shunned and forgotten?”

No.

But I’m numb, torn, feel compromised because I love these people in front of me, too.  At the deepest level, my shame was that I felt as though I had just witnessed an insidious crime, and I had sat, watched, and did nothing.  Looking back after all these years, should I have stood up and expressed my shock and disappointment at what I was witnessing?  It would have been the instant end of the little, part-time job I loved that brought beautiful music to our services and larger community.

So I began to lead a double life, continuing to put a meaningful music program together for my church…..and visiting Steve up at the jail, sometimes twice a week.  You see, the very day I left that meeting in our beautiful sanctuary and arrived home, I sat down and wrote a letter to Steve at the jail up on the hill, asking him to please put me on his visitor’s list.  I explained that while I had no idea what had happened, I wanted him to know that the Steve I knew was good and true, and that I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and be there in his need.

He had many needs.  His elderly parents needed to be contacted and assisted in their shock and grief.  His spouse needed a liason person to help deal with the mess of personal property to be divided.  Several people at church who still cared about Steve but too timid to speak up against the minister and board’s request to not have any contact with him, relied on news from me.  There was a long list.  Steve was degraded, dehumanized, confused and frightened.  It took weeks before he began to share the details of his life that had led to his arrest.  I didn’t care, particularly, at the time.  In my heart, I knew I was doing the right thing, and that this journey would be not only an intellectual and emotional learning experience, but also one of the most deeply spiritual experiences I would ever have, next to being the mother of my children.

Thus began our abiding friendship that has deepened over the past 10+ years.  No matter what is happening in my life, I am going to be there on the day he walks out of that prison.  The work he has done, both in his inner and outer life, is great and worthy of admiration.  Not many of us would have psychologically survived the irrational vagaries of our justice system that put him there, not to mention the constant dehumanizing experiences he encounters on a daily basis.

After a few weeks, of course, the minister got wind that I was visiting and assisting Steve.  She called me into her office, her yellow legal pad and pencil in her lap, trying to look official, ready to “discipline” me.  She asked me why I ‘broke her directions and trust.’  That was an easy question to answer.  After listening to her thin scolding and scorn, I gently reminded her that we have a constitution in this country that provides me the generous right of free speech, and that in the exercise of this right, I had begun a journey that, most likely, would be far more spiritually powerful than anything I might gain by attending this fellowship that had abandoned Steve.

Soon came the meeting with two board members, who not only wanted to fire me, but were already planning a false resignation, even providing me a ‘going away’ party.  Really.  There was no ‘beloved’ community here, not when hypocrisy ruled the day.  My sad eyes were opened, but while part of me felt betrayed and saddened, the other part felt free, felt a clean gladness.  Grateful and relieved.

On the inside, Steve was beginning a spiritual journey across a wide and dry desert.  Not much nature in the form of compassion growing around him.  It would be a long walk.  Measure 11 denied him any possible reconciliation with his family and friends, denied the research and testing that advised the very low potential of recividism, and demanded he spend 18 years inside a barbed wire fence, with no possibility of reduced time for good behavior, good work, and further research and testing that might have brought some understanding and sanity into both his own life and that of our communities at home.

Still, one person can provide some relief and hope.  Since my first visit to Steve many years ago, I have learned that there are many human beings who are providing compassionate volunteer services to inmates of all walks of life at many levels, and I am very thankful to be one of them.

Editor’s note: this is a companion piece to Steve Bulleit’s article in an earlier edition of the Times. If you missed that one, you can see it here:  http://shambhalatimes.org/2016/02/06/sacred-nature-at-snake-river/

Francesca Anton was introduced at a young age by her parents and elders to the beauty, majesty and wonder of being alive.  She spent much time sewing kimonos in the tower and studying at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center in California, then married and raised children and hundreds of additional animals on a farm in Oregon. She currently visits and assists both her friend, Steve Bulleit, and her cousin, David Gilmore, who are incarcerated at prisons in Oregon, meeting incredible people and learning important lessons along the way.

Remembering the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

by Larry Mermelstein

article originally published on the Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

One day in Boulder, circa 1978, Larry Mermelstein had a very interesting conversation with Trungpa Rinpoche about relationships. Here for Valentine’s Day, is his account of that conversation.

Often when I was in Rinpoche’s presence, it was as a member of the Translation Committee, and there were almost always several other people in the room, including translators, consorts, board members, attendants, etc. So it was not as common for me to be alone with him. On this particular occasion, I was meeting with Rinpoche in his office, and it was just the two of us. I don’t remember what we were meeting about, but as we were finishing up our business, he turned to me and said, “So how’s your love life?”

I had recently broken up with my girlfriend. So as a matter of fact, my love life was not going very well at all, but I wasn’t particularly overwrought or distraught about it. I told him that my girlfriend and I were not seeing each other any more, and that seemed to be okay. I really had nothing further to say about my love life, but he seemed to want me to continue talking. So we chatted for awhile, and at some point early on in this little conversation, I said something like, “Sir, we often look to you as a reference point for our lives in general, but in this particular area, in terms of our relationships, I don’t really know how much we should do that.” I said this in a slightly tongue-in-cheek way, but I meant it as well. His relationships with women were very unusual, to say the least.

My little comment really got his attention, and he wanted me to fill in all the details, to describe to him what I saw as his unconventional behavior. This wasn’t difficult. Everyone knew that he was married, and yet he had relationships with many women, over time. There was certainly no hiding of that on his part, and no embarrassment. I think for most of us, his relationships with women were just an aspect of who he was. So our conversation went on, and I continued to describe his unconventional behavior. Eventually I (of all people) ran out of things to say. Meanwhile, in characteristic fashion, he had not said very much at all. After a short silence, I asked, “So, should we follow your example in terms of our relationships? Do you mean for us to do that?”

He said, “No. Absolutely not!”

I asked if he really meant that, and he said, “Oh yes. It would be suicidal for you to do what I do.”

I asked if this applied to all of his students, and he said, yes. So I said, “What about the Regent – from the Regent on down?” And he said, “Yes. Absolutely suicidal. People should not try to copy me.”

I was overwhelmed and moved by his clarity. “Why don’t you tell people this? Why don’t you say something?”

He looked over his glasses at me and said, “Why don’t you?” So I’ve told this story to many people over the years. But this may be the first time it is being presented in a public forum.

Personally, I felt great and quite relieved after this exchange. I was relieved to know that I was not expected to follow or imitate his behavior in this regard, though I had never presumed that to be the case. For me, this conversation summed up something about his relationship with the phenomenal world that had always been hard for me to understand. Certainly, it was wonderful to be in his presence, and for the women who were his consorts, this was another aspect of their relationship with their teacher.

From my own experience, as someone who was often around when he was with a consort, I always felt that his relationships with women were quite wonderful. He was always very respectful and caring. So I never had a problem with his actions or his behavior from an ethical point of view. But still, I think many of us wondered on some level what he was doing in this regard. He didn’t really explain that, but he certainly put to rest any confusion on my part that we were expected to imitate his behavior.

Some years later, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche delivered a very similar message to our vajra sangha. He was perhaps the first Tibetan lama (other than the Vidyadhara) to actually talk to us directly in a somewhat critical fashion – kind but critical. Up to that point, the Tibetan teachers we had contact with, including His Holiness Karmapa and His Holiness Khyentse Rinpoche, gave wonderful teachings and blessings, and they greatly inspired our connection to dharma and a sense of lineage. But Jamgon Rinpoche spoke to us very directly, and his message was hard hitting.

On this particular occasion, he was admonishing us for attempting to imitate Trungpa Rinpoche’s behavior. It was a powerful talk, an audience for sadhakas, I believe, and I think many of us were very inspired by what he had to say. He wasn’t criticizing Trungpa Rinpoche in any way. He was criticizing us for trying to copy Rinpoche, particularly with respect to drinking.

Several years after the Vidyadhara passed away, we received a wonderful teaching from Gyatrul Rinpoche on Vajrakilaya. I think some of his introductory comments [click here to read this] are pertinent to this discussion. He was talking about what Trungpa Rinpoche had accomplished in the West.

~~
Larry Mermelstein is the Executive Director of the Nalanda Translation Committee and a well known figure within the Shambhala community. For information about his background and activities, please visit Shambhala.org.

Editor’s note: Thank you Larry for telling this story for Valentine’s Day. If any of our readers have stories regarding personal instructions from Trungpa Rinpoche on relationships, please send them to the Chronicles: content@chronicleproject.com. Please indicate any request for anonymity.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s Shambhala Day Address, Year of the Male Fire Monkey, Boulder Shambhala Center, 9 February 2016

Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in a cheerful new-year bow. As we gather on this very primal day of the new year, please bring to mind your basic goodness, your aspiration for this year, with tenderness and strength. As we live life, let us connect at the heart level, and as we gather as a community, we can join our heart and mind in this moment with that.

Good morning, everyone. [All: Good morning!] You are looking beautiful and radiant. I just came here to cheer you up. [Laughter] Looks like you are already cheerful. I would like to wish everyone joining us, as we gather in this moment, a very cheerful Shambhala Day. In particular, this year, I believe, is a very important new year. Every year, we gather as the Shambhala community on Shambhala Day, our new year. We also have our conventional new year—so we are not losing touch with reality [laughter]—and it is in the middle of the workweek, as some of you or your co-workers probably know. [Laughter] But we feel like this is an important moment, and I have been lobbied many times to change Shambhala Day to a weekend! [Laughs; laughter] Obviously this year it failed. So we are gathering on a Tuesday, but really we are gathering to mark our basic-goodness calendar.

It is very important that what we are doing as the Shambhala community is creating a culture of basic goodness. The message of the principles of basic goodness, warriorship, and bravery are needed more now than ever. Every year, as the world goes forward, whether it is with fear or uncertainty, we are challenged by these events too, at a personal level and a global level. It is important for us that we connect on this day to something deep within.

For myself, it is important to be able to just share that the journey we have been on is a cheerful one, but not an easy one, and that we are all applying these principles and teachings in our meditation, our relationships, and our life. So for me, Shambhala Day is a new beginning, a time I invite all of you to share today. We all have lots of karma and things we have gone through. This is really the notion of a fresh start, and being able to raise our lungta personally and as a community. Okay? [Laughter]

And I love you! [People in assembly: We love you too.] I can feel it! [Laughs; laughter] I have heard it before, but I can feel it this time. And I feel like—just to let everyone know—I am a human being. I love my job. [Laughter] That’s my big statement today. But as everybody knows, love is challenging, and the reason I do this is because of this love, which is the notion of heart.

Today what we are really celebrating with this presence that I believe is next to me, covered, is the notion of lineage—not as antiquity, not of the past, but of the now. That lineage is in our heart. We are willing to actually chew on these very challenging principles and teachings of kindness, that each sentient being is fully awake, that we are willing to live our life by these principles, and that we are willing to form a community and try to communicate these principles.

So lineage to me is that we are creating a fabric of community, of society. It is our biggest challenge, but also our biggest reward. Shambhala Day represents not just our meditation, which is excellent to do, but actually creating a fabric by which we can live daily. I believe we all experience lineage as we hear of great lineage figures, who have kept this flame alive. On any given day, it is very easy to be tempted to give up. I am always amazed that in terms of tradition, lineage is that somebody did not give up, and so far, in all the lineage stories I’ve read, everybody had a pretty tough time. Otherwise it would be a very short story, not interesting [laughter], as we know from the movies. Every person went through trial and tribulation, and obviously in my mind there are none greater than my father, the Vidyadhara, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Dorje Dradül, the Druk Sakyong. This is our heritage. So as we try to apply these principles daily, we are part of that lineage. We are sewing that fabric ourselves by not giving up, by remaining tough and tender. And so today it’s reawakening.

You can go through every year and there is a tendency to just get by. Our thoughts come and go. In our modern society, they seem to be focused on sports [laughter & applause; the Denver Broncos had just won the Super Bowl], which is sometimes okay. It is a sense of wanting to participate: seeing struggle, seeing somebody overcome. So I am inviting you and asking you to wake up today. Look at your life. It is your life. It’s not somebody else’s life. We may be living very close to somebody else, but it is our life.

These calendar years are not just randomly made up. They are following the seasons. They are following the progress of time, and they are following the progress of our hair color. [Laughs; laughter] They are demarcations throughout our life. We are marking one today, and what we are marking is the continuity, the wakefulness that began in the ancient land of India and Tibet and the world wisdom cultures that we all enjoy and respect. We are trying to sew those wisdom fabrics into our life, into our modernity. We are challenged by speed and by often feeling disconnected. But at the same time, underneath there is the yearning that life is meaningful and powerful. This is what we are celebrating as a community. In this way, lineage is not a level we reach. It is something that we are creating through our own hard work, through our own determination. In this way, it is important for us to feel like every day we are participating and creating the fabric of our life through our own attention, and for us to do that.

I would like to honor everyone’s practice. Whatever practice you are doing, that it is important for your own heart and mind. The practice of meditation is good for us, good for who we are. At the same time, I would like to encourage you to please work on your relationship and family, on how we work together, and most of all, how to incorporate that all into your daily life. This is all a fabric we can weave together. As Shambhala progresses, it is less and less a matter of our spiritually oriented self, our deeper self, and then our normal life. We can bring the whole thing together. If we do this as a community, we have not only endured, we will also continue.

Ladies and gentlemen, even though it is a tradition of warriorship we are engaged in and working hard and enjoying the process—enjoying the fact that we have to put our energy into it, which makes us valiant individuals and is good for our character, our ziji, our presence—at the same time, we can delight and enjoy. So it’s okay if you must smile occasionally [laughter]. I mean I know that frowning is very tempting. But the gravity pulls you down and we have a very complicated logic as to why we have to smile. It goes up for a second, and then back down. Can we be in that situation and have some levity? When you do that, it’s not just for yourself. It’s amazing the power that that has. As a Shambhala community, can we do that for the world? Can we come together as a community and do that? I believe we can. I believe we will.

Today we are having a glorious, auspicious unveiling and opening of the Shambhala Lineage thangka, which is next to me. This thangka is a painting that represents this notion of lineage. This is important because it is the actual visual image of the continuity and heritage that we all have. For myself, personally, it is important because I have always been in a situation of bridging two worlds: the ancient world and the modern world; the Asian and the Western; the ancient practices of Tibet and India and our modern life. I have always walked the path of how to keep the continuity, authenticity, and genuineness of what has come before; how to make it not antiquated but relevant; and how it can go forward. So I think this thangka is a bridge. It is a gift. It is an opportunity for us to connect with that.

I was thinking about what to express, and I would say that this thangka is about family. This is your family. Karmically, somehow whatever happened before has touched you, and we continue that forward. It’s the spirit, which will take us farther as we all live life. What is about to come will be influenced by how we manifest as ourselves. In this way, I hope the thangka not only blesses you, but inspires you and it encourages you to do good—to incorporate it personally and in the world. It is strength.

This thangka has taken over ten years to paint. One of the greatest painters in Tibet and in Tibetan culture, Mr. Noedup Rongae comes from a lineage of thangka painters. His father was a master thangka painter who served my father and escaped from Tibet. Mr. Noedup Rongae has accompanied me and supported me, serving in many, many contexts., so ten years ago, when I asked him to paint the Shambhala Lineage thangka, this wise gentleman knew all too well what he was getting himself involved in! [Laughter] It has been a wonderful journey, working with this artist. As it is with any artist, we had many discussions, let’s say. [Laughter] It has been a step-by-step process.

The thangka has the unique quality of the principle of Ashe and the lineage of the Rigdens—both the Rigden kings and the Rigden queens. It has the warrior tradition of Gesar of Mukpo Dong, the warm-heartedness of the bodhisattva principle, divine and powerful meditative deities and protectors, as well as the Kingdom of Shambhala and all the members of the community who are respecting this tradition. As you will see, this image is held in a tree, which is known as the tree of life. It’s the notion of nature, connecting with the earth, and at the same time, it is going to heaven. It represents each of us connecting in that way.

Please take this into your heart. As we welcome this thangka and lineage—as we join past, present and future—please join me with good-heartedness and a profound sense of fortunateness and auspiciousness.

So thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen. Cheerful Shambhala New Year! May you have a wonderful celebration today. That concludes my address. [Laughs; laughter]

Wendy Friedman: This time, it’s my delight to introduce a Shambhala Day message from the Sakyong Wangmo, Dechen Chöying Sangmo, Khandro Tseyang, and also from Jetsun Drukmo.

The Sakyong Wangmo: Happy Losar and Cheerful Shambhala Day to everyone. I am sending you many tashi deleks and best wishes for Shambhala Day. It is a very special year because we are opening the lineage thangka. The Sakyong has worked so hard to establish this lineage and vision, and now it is really coming into fruition. One of the main messages that inspires me is how we create enlightened society through how we live our lives and through household. In this way, Shambhala is about how we take our practice and manifest by how we relate to others as family and friends, and how we relate to the world. This year, the Sakyong is emphasizing culture, auspiciously beginning on Shambhala Day with how we connect to our basic goodness. So I encourage you all to enjoy and celebrate today, and create wakeful culture.

Again, Cheerful Shambhala Day from Nepal where I am celebrating with my family. KI KI SO SO! And here’s a message from Jetsun Drukmo.

Jetsun Drukmo: Cheerful Shambhala Day, everybody. I hope you are having fun. KI KI SO SO!

[Laughter; applause]

Announcer: At this time, with the theme of Shambhala Lineage and how it manifests in the world today, it’s so auspicious that we are all able to be here to witness the unveiling of the Shambhala Lineage thangka, which is the culmination of many years of dedicated aspiration and work on the part of our Sakyong and others who have supported him in this effort. To further consecrate the Shambhala Lineage thangka, we will begin with a short blessing ceremony performed by the Sakyong and assisted by Lama Pejal.

[The Sakyong and Lama Pegyal chant in Tibetan. Gyalings are played.]

Acharya Lobel

Kalapa Acharya Adam Lobel: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Ladies and Gentlemen, what we see unveiled before us is nothing less than a masterpiece of sacred art. It represents the unhesitant and complete proclamation of the Shambhala lineage. This is a historic, momentous event and proclamation. As the Sakyong described, the Shambhala Lineage thangka was painted over the course of a long and patient ten-year process by Noedup Rongae, one of the great living masters, perhaps the greatest living master, thangka painter, with this longstanding connection with the Sakyongs and the Mukpo family. In order to create this masterpiece, Noedup gathered an entire community of thangka painters and had to create a special drum large enough to hold the canvas. Usually thangkas of this size and scope would be painted as a wall fresco, but here we have the traditional format on a canvas, which is very precious indeed.

If you look carefully, each figure is alive and breathing. It is somewhat like the moving paintings in Hogwarts. [Laughter] Every eye, every gesture, every silken piece of fabric is vivid and painted with incredible meticulous detail. In a world of speed and rush, this thangka was slow and steady. When the painting was completed, Mr. Rongae presented this thangka to the Sakyong in Nepal, in Pharping, just this year. As he presented it, he began to weep and cry. He rested his head almost on the Sakyong’s lap, and proclaimed this to be his personal masterpiece and the work of his entire life.

It is a piece of sacred artwork in terms of the imagery and content, but also in terms of the process through which it was created, and of course that process began long before the actual painting. It goes all the way back to the very origins of time, to the timeless and primordial existence of the Shambhala lineage. That lineage began to emerge in this particular form through the visions and writings of the Vidyadhara, the Druk Sakyong Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who as a young person in Tibet had visions of Shambhala and carried that inspiration with him into the modern world. In turn, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has continued that lineage of transmission, unfolding the vision of Shambhala before our very eyes. This particular image that we see before us arose in the Sakyong’s mind very early in the morning—dawn to be exact—in 2004. The Sakyong sat up in bed and called Mr. David Brown to his bedroom, and over the course of a single day, he dictated an immaculate piece of spiritual poetry—the preliminary practices of the Primordial Rigden.

That is where this image comes from: what the Sakyong saw and described in that one day in 2004. From that moment until now, the Sakyong has worked tirelessly to manifest this lineage of Shambhala in so many ways, but in particular through incredible detail and attention to the qualities of how we show this vision to the world in symbolism and art. The thangkas we see in this room—the Primordial Rigden thangka, this Shambhala Lineage thangka—as well as the poetry and the practices in the Shambhala Sadhana, in Shambhala Meditation, in the Scorpion Seal, in the empowerments that we have received, have flowed from the Sakyong, from this original that arose in his mind. In this way, it is traditional in vajrayana to create sacred art that creates a landing pad, a throne, a seat, for magic to become more visible, and something that we can actually express and feel. And so that is what we see before us. Rinpoche, on behalf of all of your students, your members and citizens of Shambhala, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the incredible exertion, attention to detail, beauty, and magic that you have brought into our lives through images and through your teachings. Thank you so much for sharing this magic with us. [Applause]

As the Sakyong described, we have before us the most sacred form of the family photo album. These are our ancestors, our family. Each one of these images has been consecrated by the Sakyong, who wrote the traditional three seed syllables and the three centers behind every single one of the over one-hundred images we see, which took a long, long time. Now it is traditional to consider such a piece of artwork alive, so we are seeing our family. We are seeing the great lineages of the Sakyong lineage with the Dorje Dradül with golden armor in the very center of the tree, holding a black Ashe. We see Shakyamuni Buddha. At the very top, we see the primordial Ashe. We see Shiwa Ökar. We see on the top to our left the ancestral sovereigns, representing the union of spiritual and secular rulership and mastery. We see the great lineages of Dzokchen and Mahamudra flowing into the Shambhala lineage. Surrounding the Dorje Dradül are all the dharmarajas and Rigdens of the Kingdom of Shambhala. On the bottom we have the various protectors, buddha families, and Gesar to the left. And of course, in the very center, we have the Primordial Rigden manifesting the complete union of spiritual and sacred, holding the primordial Ashe and the golden wheel, surrounded by the Rigden Queen and the four dignities. On the very base of the thangka, we have the citizens, the members, and all of you. Each one of you has been perfectly depicted from a digital photograph the Sakyong carries with him. [Laughter]

In essence, we have a huge mirror reflecting back to us our life, our commitment to creating enlightened society, our loyalty to this Shambhala lineage, and our delight and magic. When we are afraid, we can turn to this mirror to experience fearlessness. When we have doubt, we can turn to this mirror to see our own nature. When we are overwhelmed by injustice, climate change, and corruption, we can turn to this mirror to see the infinite possibilities of humanity.

So on this day of proclaiming the Shambhala lineage, we can celebrate our family, celebrate the Sakyong lineage, the Shambhala lineage, and remember, as the Supplication to the Shambhala Lineage states, “May we recognize our nature as the profound brilliant Rigden.”

Editor’s Note: photos accompanying this story are courtesy of Katie Day Weisberger.

Shambhala Day videos now available online for individual viewing.

A full recording of the events held in Boulder, Colorado, including Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s Shambhala Day Address, as well as a presentation of the newly-completed Shambhala Lineage Thangka. You can also hear from Kalapa Acharya Adam Lobel, who presents a commentary on the thangka, and find out about all of the latest Mandala Appointments. There’s so much to see here, so just click on the link to start watching: Shambhala Day videos.

This is the third year that Poetry Space has had the privilege of coordinating the annual Shambhala Day Poetry Contest. Sadly, it’s also the first time that we blew it, failing to get the winning entry to the Office of the Sakyong in time for inclusion in the broadcast. Obviously, we were heartbroken when we found out this had happened. A simple human error, but unfortunate nonetheless.

In any case, it was a lovely contest with entries from across the US and Canada as well as England, Germany and Spain.

Below is the winning poem as well as two runners up selected by the judges.

Also, stay tuned for Part II of Poetry Space and the Shambhala Day contest — we want to share with you an entry that arrived long after the submission deadline, but one which the editors felt deserved to be heard, for a rather different reason…

With gratitude for all those who submitted their work…

The winning entry:

Shortly after she died
Mary tied the corners of my mouth to my heart.
Now, whenever I smile,
Vast and brilliant chambers
Of the world’s sad beauty
Are unveiled.

–Jon Ransohoff
Berkeley California

The Runners-Up:

Weekthun Day 6 (Karme Choling, March 2015)

At noon the sun had warmed the road enough to melt a stream down one side.
At dawn it had been frozen as hard as good Vermont stone.
Tonight it will freeze again.
“Pay attention,” the chickadee called to me, “the day after tomorrow you will make the long drive home.”

–Thomas Hunter
Ridley Park, PA

We

Our breath, leading
Our mind, inward
Our heart, outward
Ourselves, being
Our basic goodness, understood

–Jasmin Stoffer
Fall River, Nova Scotia

Inspiring video lets us hear from the Sakyong, with leaders from all around the mandala

Discovering our bravery, strength, and confidence. Being touched by what is going on, but not being overwhelmed by it. Staying with bravery in the face of fear. Waking up to the reality of who we are. Offering up what we have to the rest of the world. These are the ways that Shambhalians manifest their lineage, a lineage carried in the heart.

Click here to see this inspirational new video, entitled Living Lineage.

For better or for worse, we have no choice other than to be ourselves

by Shastri Gayle Van Gils

“Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde

I have engaged in this inquiry over many years with clients who suffer from the feeling of being a fraud when talking about their work or accomplishments, even if they are successful in the eyes of society. Additionally, wanting to be different than—or more than—what we are can stop us from taking bold action in life, when we actually hold the answers that others need to hear. From personal exploration, I definitely know this place well within myself. Two facets of our self enable us to step more fully into being genuine:

1) Our “Personal Self”: Identifying and staying true to our unique strengths, values and vision.

2) Our “Vast Self”: Uncovering and synchronizing with our deeper, more universal being, which gives energy, power and magnetism to our every endeavor.

In terms of our day-to-day or “Personal Self,” we have to believe in ourselves by embodying a real sense of worthiness. Self-belief inoculates us against the slings and arrows of others. “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent,” as Eleanor Roosevelt famously said. Yet even the strongest among us sometimes falls into doubts and critical self judgement. The good news is that this layer of self-confidence is trainable.

The key to being ourselves is self–awareness. A practice of mindfulness meditation is the best way of getting to know and really understand ourselves . The practice of meditation will be essential, especially for exploration of the second layer — “Vast Self” — where we delve below the surface of our personality.

How to practice mindfulness and develop self-awareness: Take a comfortable seat with an upright posture. Bring your attention to the feeling of breathing in and out. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breathing. I recommend that you practice the path of meditation with a qualified teacher, and, if possible, in the company of fellow practitioners. Over time, this practice will reveal the personal habits, stories and reactions that play over and over in your mind. It will give you the freedom to choose to take the actions suggested below.

“Personal Self”—Knowing ourselves and letting go of the barriers to success

Unmasking our inner critic. This is accomplished by really listening to the voices in our heads telling us that other people are better than us, that we can’t risk failure, that we need another credential before trying something new. Who is talking? Is it our parents’ voice, a teacher, a bully or a former boss? Whoever it is, it’s not coming from us, originally. When we were very young, we didn’t set these limits on ourselves. When we realize that we have taken on someone else’s limiting beliefs, it is much easier to deal with those voices and let them go. These are actually just stories, and when we see them as such, they no longer have a hold on us.

Assessing our strengths and values. Make a list of what you are good at and what you love doing. Make another list of all of your accomplishments and the areas in your life that people admire. Read this list and appreciate yourself! It is also important that we learn to articulate our values. A great way to discover our values, if we are not already familiar with them, is to think about the people we admire. Make a list of what you admire about them person. Most of us find that we share the values exhibited by the people we admire. Another way to discover your values is to take a Personal Values Assessment, like the one developed by the Barrett Values Center.

Acknowledging our weaknesses. If we are measuring ourselves against perfection, we are doomed to failure. The flip side of knowing our strengths is knowing what we don’t like to do, what we don’t do well, and where we need help. When we are honest with ourselves, we can relax and acknowledge that there are areas we don’t even wish to master! Often, cutting out these aspects from our self description is a way to feel totally authentic and in alignment with our strengths. Knowing both our strengths and weaknesses is key to good leadership and teamwork, as well as to self-esteem.

Practicing self-compassion. A growing body of research shows that engaging in self-criticism, or “being mean” to ourselves when we make a mistake or fail, actually sets us up for further failure. We’re just reinforcing negative thinking patterns, and imagining a poor outcome, rather than creating space for a fresh start. Emma Seppala, Science Director of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, discusses this in her book The Happiness Track.

Seppala cites studies by psychologist Kristen Neff which suggest that a better approach is to treat ourselves as kindly as we would treat a friend or family member who has failed. We can let ourselves know that failing does not make us a bad person—everyone has setbacks and what we are going through is normal. We can let ourselves experience our feelings, without giving in to them. We can acknowledge that what we are going through is really hard, and we can send ourselves some compassion and love to get ourselves through it.

“Vast Self”—Underneath our individual stories, dramas, hopes and fears, we can touch into the deeper peace, wisdom, kindness, strength, and confidence that is already there.

Our minds return home. As we practice meditation and get familiar with our personal story lines, we are also strengthening our ability to bring our mind “home.” This home base is a space that has always been there, between our thoughts. We may recognize that space as the very thing we have been searching for in so many other ways. In that basic space of our being, we feel at home and connected to something larger than our own individual version of life.

Our compassion expands. As we become more relaxed and comfortable with ourselves, this allows us to notice not only how to be kind to ourselves, but also that everyone around us is also being pretty darn hard on themselves. We become more caring and more interested in others; we become better listeners who really want to make a difference. Being able to hear with our whole being is the most important result of becoming comfortable with being ourselves. With openness and curiosity, we are much more likely to tune into what needs to be done to achieve success in any endeavor.

Thinking big and trusting our vision. If our desire is to make a difference and help our world, we might follow the advice of Parker Palmer from his 2015 Naropa University Commencement Address: “Take on big jobs worth doing—jobs like the spread of love, peace, and justice. That means refusing to be seduced by our cultural obsession with being effective as measured by short-term results. [M]aintain faithfulness to your gifts, faithfulness to your perception of the needs of the world, and faithfulness to offering your gifts to whatever needs are within your reach.”

Connecting from our hearts and riding our energy. When we return to our home base, we are returning to our hearts. This is the essence of the instruction to “Be Yourself.” When we feel synchronized in our being, our hearts become a powerful source of energy that radiates confidence, magnetizing people and situations. Learning to ride this energy is the path of a lifetime, and a journey well worth taking.

The very best way to be yourself is to get to know both the “vast you” and the “personal you.” The better we know ourselves, the better we can exercise the ability to choose, the ability we have in any moment. In making choices, we rely on our ability to be present and relaxed, able to respond. As we practice this approach, and make authentic choices, we become more and more worthy of love and respect. Our kindness will be contagious, our power will be both real and unselfish, and we will be able to realize the life we have always imagined.

Shastri Gayle Van Gils is an organizational consultant, coach, and serial entrepreneur. She holds an MBA in international business and has been teaching meditation for more than 30 years. Gayle is founder and president of the company “Transform Your Culture.” She is committed to shifting the culture of organizations from fear-based to love-based. Gayle is an SIY Certified Teacher, teaching the “Search Inside Yourself” leadership curriculum developed at Google—integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence and the latest in contemplative neuroscience. She is also a certified consultant utilizing the Barrett Cultural Transformation Tools. Her forthcoming book is entitled, You Are the Key to Change: A Guide to Leadership Through Personal Mastery.

Editor’s note: Shastri Van Gils has a program coming up on March 1st, offered through Shambhala Online: “Social Entrepreneurs — Get Paid to Change the World.” Click here to find out more.

Images courtesy of Pixabay.

A reflection on how our beliefs influence our behavior, our communities, and our ability to live in ways that reflect basic goodness.
by Shastri Christine Heming

Recently, as I was preparing to teach about the power of kindness, I found myself re-reading many of my most revered books, including A Paradise Built in Hell, by Rebecca Solnit. This book investigates five disasters in depth and tells the stories of those who were there – ordinary people as well as those in positions of power. It is a beautiful testament to the basic goodness that naturally arises in those times of total upheaval, hence the use of the word “paradise” in the title.

Peppered throughout the book is the phrase, “Beliefs matter,” echoing a key phrase from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s book The Shambhala Principle. If we don’t believe in basic goodness, what do we believe?

As the Sakyong tells us, “If we hold the belief that humanity has already failed . . . we are surrendering to an underlying belief that humanity is bad. . . . If we have the bravery to proclaim basic goodness and move beyond our doubt about humanity, it will be harder for evil to arise.” Rinpoche also notes that “Tyrants do not arise because humans are by nature evil, but because society does not acknowledge human goodness.”

Beliefs matter.

Somehow this simple phrase keeps reverberating for me. It is partly that I can see how many beliefs I have, some I’m sure that have yet to come to light and many full of prejudice. It is an interesting exercise to hold this mirror in front of me when I begin to comment on something or listen to someone else. I am full of beliefs.

Rebecca Solnit took this phrase from William James who asked the question, “What difference would it practically make to anyone if this notion rather than that notion were true?” As a pragmatist, James was more interested in how our beliefs shape the world, rather than in finding some form of absolute truth. Solnit shows us quite conclusively that in times of crisis when our very survival is challenged, beliefs often are a matter of life and death.

Beliefs matter. They send young men and women to war and others into slavery. They cause inconceivable suffering. But they also save lives, uplift lives, giving our lives meaning and purpose, a sense of belonging and joy.

A woman named Dianne Monroe is alive today because her grandparents in Holland took in a young Jewish German girl and raised her as one of their own, as a sister to Dianne’s mother. Years later, Dianne’s parents would hide this woman, her husband and child, as they made their escape from Nazis Germany to England. In doing so, Dianne’s own parents, who were Jewish, gained first hand knowledge of the perils they faced as well as their means of escape.

Dianne grew up with this story. Taking in a young homeless child and later keeping her from harm, had saved the lives of her parents and her own life as well. She writes, “We truly cannot envision the ripple effects of our actions and the impact they can have on the future.”

Our Sakyong has said on many occasions that humanity is at a crossroads. Every day we witness an array of escalating social, economic and environmental disasters. The list of troubles we face as a planet, as a species, and as a society grows daily. It is overwhelming thinking about how to respond. But on the other hand, it could be as simple as, “Beliefs matter.”

Sometimes it is quite challenging to believe in basic goodness – it seems an abstract concept, or simply too simple or too good to be true. Each morning the world news seems to confirm the opposite of basic goodness. But here we are; humanity has survived so far, and only because of basic goodness.

How do we wish to shape the world? In light of this question, it seems clear to me that beliefs matter. Even when our conviction in basic goodness wavers and we doubt this fundamental truth, if we take the attitude of basic goodness, if we stop to think “What if it’s true?” — this can profoundly change our view. It can change how we go forward, what we do, how we engage with life.

The Sakyong encourages us: “We need to take time for self-reflection . . . [and] examine our view. . . . Self-reflection is not something we do just once . . . we need to do it consistently. . . We have to be able to see what is genuine. . . . in the process of reflection, we are unearthing our treasure, and testing our basic goodness over and over again.”

Let us reflect alone and together on what we believe, which is to say, our view of who we are and how we want to shape the world. Reflection is a simple act with tremendous transformative power. To this end, I find it helpful to reflect again and again on the underlying beliefs that caused me to say certain things, to act in certain ways, or to have certain opinions.

Think about it. Beliefs matter.

Christine Heming lives in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, with her husband Gregory Heming, an ecologist and municipal councillor.  She holds a Ph.D. in speech science and pathology, and for nine years was on the faculty of Dalhousie University, and later the staff of the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board. Now retired, she devotes her time to promoting the principles of Shambhala as a Shastri, or senior teacher.  Fostering genuine communication has been a major part of her life’s work.  She has a daughter, Carolyn, an artist and advocate for persons with special needs, who currently lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada.  She is also a proud grandmother.

Editor’s note: Shastri Heming teaches a program entitled, ‘The Power of Kindness,” that explores this notion through stories, reflection, dialogue and meditation. The next program is scheduled for April 15-17 at Karme Choling Shambhala Meditation Center in Vermont. For further information go to: https://www.karmecholing.org/program/?id=5587, or log on to Karme Choling’s main web site and click on “Programs.”

Images courtesy of Pixabay