Home     Contact Us         Log in

Author: Rob_Cameron

Number of entries: 1
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://shambhalanetwork.org/members/Rob_Cameron

Feb 09
Saturday

Does Shambhala Discriminate Against the Disabled?

Filed underOpinion Pieces

photo by Charles Blackhall

photo by Charles Blackhall

I was shocked when I went to a retreat at a Shambhala retreat centre recently. A woman arrived in a wheelchair and it was quickly realized that she had no wheelchair access to her dorm room. She also had a hard time navigating between rooms in the main building because the bottom of the door frames were too big. People quickly started trying to correct the problems but why had no body thought of this before?

Disability access is a lot more than wheelchair access or services for the visually or hearing impaired. I learned this when I developed fibromyalgia. Disability is just a name. I use it as a convenient way to explain how some people move and interact with the world in a way that is different from most people. There are many types of disability and the barriers to Shambhala programs are varied. I can explain how my disability affects my ability to access Shambhala programs. I have chronic pain and fatigue which peaks in the evenings. This makes any evening Shambhala courses prohibitive for me. Almost all Shambhala courses are in the evening. Shambhala levels are set up as weekend programs, which because of the long hours of sitting are just too painful for me to endure. I have tried weekend programs several times and they are just too much. I know I am not alone in this.

I have written a number of emails and letters to the Shambhala leadership over the past 2 years. I have heard nothing substantial back. I had one email reply that they would get back to me. Why the lack of interest? Am I not describing what this means very well or how this affects the disabled? How do I make my message more clear? Or do Shambhalians not care? I wonder if people really understand what it’s like to arrive at a program and find you can’t get around or participate fully. Can you image what that woman in the wheelchair felt like? In a word: unwelcome. I mean come on guys, we talk about enlightened society, compassion, openness, loving kindness and we can’t deal with this? It is really not that hard.

If you want to know what disability accessible Dharma looks like check out Rigpa or Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition websites. They have some really in-depth Dharma study online. Shambhala is improving their online access, but we are far from being leaders.

No additional entries found




Website Development by Blue Mandala using Wordpress MU.
All content and source Copyright © 1994-2024. Shambhala International (Vajradhatu), Shambhala, Shambhala Meditation Center, Shambhala Training, Shambhala Center and Way of Shambhala are registered service marks of Shambhala USA
Privacy Policy
Translate »