Thursday
Featured StoriesWhat’s New with the Shambhala Times?
Amsterdam Shambhala Center
by Shambhala Times Editor Sarah Lipton
Have you noticed? The Shambhala Times is fairly exploding with news stories, articles about community events, interviews, book reviews, issues in the sangha and in our worlds beyond the cushion. I don’t blame you if you can’t keep up! There’s so much happening! Or, more accurately, there’s so much accounting for all that has ALREADY been happening.
I travel a lot, and am writing this while sitting at a cafe in Amsterdam (and editing it while sitting at another cafe in Lviv, Ukraine…), sheltering for a short time from the rainy weather, careening bicycles and relentless cobble stones. I’ve had the great good fortune to meet many Shambhala practitioners in Europe, and as I’m about to journey to Ukraine, will continue meeting more. What interests me in all this travel is how universal the message of basic goodness is. No matter how you get to work or what you do, no matter what you like for breakfast (fish or toast or scrambled eggs or oats), your experience of tender open heart is just like mine. Your smile is a reflection of the smile in my heart when I see the new spring greening on all the trees lining the canal.
The Shambhala Times exists to provide a robust method of communication. What are we communicating? We are communicating YOUR voice, your perspectives, your experiences, and the news stories about the doings and goings-on at the center of our mandala (the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo for instance) – to the fringe (all of YOU!).
We recently had a wonderfully rich influx of YOUR voices upon the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the parinirvana of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Did you see the stories? Not only are they still there, waiting for you to read, but YOU are invited to continue to share your stories, remembrances and offerings.
Furthermore, we’d like to encourage you to get involved at your local center level with your blogs. The Shambhala Times can encompass our entire Shambhala mandala, but only if you get involved! Interested in learning more? Contact your local Center to see how you can contribute. We want to see your stories, photos, videos, and more. Leave comments here if you have questions, and we look forward to seeing you on the “web-waves”!
Sarah Lipton & Liesbeth Scholten in Amsterdam
Now I must go dodge the bicycle traffic once more and navigate my way through the canals and dutch signs…it’s dinnertime in Amsterdam. (Oh, and happy 12th anniversary to my sweetheart!!!!)
May 17, 2012
Reply
I could have guessed you would also visit Amsterdam. Too bad I missed you, but nice to hear from you (and a foreigners view on our bicycle culture :)
Warm wishes, Inez de Munnik, Amsterdam
May 14, 2012
Reply
Thanks for your opinion Charles, and indeed, everything in moderation. I see online news sources as par with reading, say the old paper New York Times, sans the tree waste- to stay educated and interested in what’s happening in our global community.
I don’t think that our dear Sarah was promoting internet addiction- personally, I am overjoyed that we can all meet “in one place,” and am exited about out new network too! Sarah, thanks for your hard and heartfelt work for the times!
May 10, 2012
Reply
Greetings Sarah,
I think I have to be a little old fashioned here. I know that basic goodness is everywhere and we all want to connect with it whenever and wherever we can. But if it leads to a kind of mental (and physical) grasshopper approach that we want to be in this city, that cafe, this or that dharma center, see these friends, those friends, etc. it can possibly get frivolous and dilute our energy and waste time.
Regarding media, web use and online journalism….I have, over recent years, said to my friends that I think there is far to much reliance on the internet. You CANNOT create enlightened society by fostering a culture of internet addiction. Sorry again to be so old fashioned. With respect to Shambhala Times, maybe give the yourself, the staff and sangha a bit of space. Do one good and important article and let it sit here in the web space for a full week. Be brave and let us all absorb our life experience and have something great that we want to read and think about over a period of time.
Best Wishes, Charles Marrow, Halifax, Nova Scotia
May 10, 2012
Reply
Thank you, Sarah! What you do is so important and so well done.