Monday

Sakyong appoints Director for the Kalapa Centre

The Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, is pleased to announce his appointment of Mr. Steve Baker to the position of Director of the Kalapa Centre.

The Kalapa Centre, to be established in Halifax, the Shambhala capital, will be the international centre and beacon for the entire mandala. It will be the seat of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo at the heart of Shambhala, along with the central government and executive. It will provide the long-wished-for drala site for major international Shambhala events, as well as housing the Halifax Shambhala Centre. The huge project will also include a civic cultural space for the city of Halifax so that the intermingling of Shambhala and Nova Scotian society can manifest fully.

“The Kalapa Centre fulfills the cosmic vision of the Druk Sakyong to establish Shambhala on earth,” said Steve. “Sakyong Mipham is making this vision real in our lifetimes. For so many of us, it is a miraculous dream come true. Being a part of that, I feel I will have helped realize the outrageous command of both Sakyongs.”

Steve has been a student in the Shambhala mandala for 38 years, first under the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and now Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He served as Ambassador to Los Angeles (1978-1983) and then as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Europe (1983-1990). He has taught extensively in Europe and North America.

His broad business background includes work as a creative writer and film producer, as well as part owner and President and Chief Operating Officer of a major international travel services company which was sold in 1999. He has been a practitioner of martial arts for the last decade and started and ran four martial arts schools in Colorado and Vancouver, British Columbia. Steve and his wife Jeanne recently moved to Halifax. They have three grown children, Sabrina, Kate and Winston (all members of the Shambhala community.)

In making this appointment, the Sakyong expressed his appreciation to the Warrior General Marty Janowitz, Sangyum Wendy Friedman, Mrs. Gina Stick, and the Governors of the Council of Warriors who have worked tirelessly over many years to lay the ground for the establishment of the Kalapa Centre and who have supported the Sakyong in bringing the project forward to the point where he was able to make this appointment.

The Sakyong asks that we welcome Steve to this new position in the mandala and support him as he leads this Shambhala effort to establish the Kalapa Centre in fulfillment of the wishes of the Sakyongs.