Monday
Transitioning to Zoom
By Craig Sargent
When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens
Due to COVID-19, we closed our Center in Lexington KY on March 14th. Broken hearted, we purchased a Zoom Pro account later that day, and began our transition to Zoom. We held our first Council meeting in Zoom two days later and began offering group meditation sessions later that week.
While we all are sheltering at home, we are scared. People we know have tested positive for COVID-19; people we know have died from COVID-19. We yearn to stay connected with each other, to practice together, and Zoom gives us a vehicle to do that. Just by seeing each other’s smiling faces, our facial expressions soften, our eyes well with tears, and we feel each other’s open hearts. Our online practice sessions feel as powerful as they do when we all meet live in our Center.
Shastri Shelley Heinz leading a White Tara practice session
Now, we have a palette of offerings online. Our free weekly offerings to the public include: White Tara three times per week, Qigong Basics twice per week, and Café Shambhala once per week, each led by someone from their own home. Our last White Tara and Café Shambhala sessions each had roughly 20 participants. We held a Yoga workshop last weekend, and soon will be offering two Shambhala Online classes through Zoom (Shambhala Online Letter). Continue…
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Parinirvana Day 2020 Resources – HIGHLIGHT
To the Noble Sangha, We hope that each of you are well and cared for during this groundlessness. Each year on April 4th, Shambhala marks the life and passing of its founder, the Vidyadhara, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, with the commemoration of Parinirvana Day. As we approach the ... continuePosted April 2, 2020 by alexvangils
Staying Sane In Isolation During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Photo by Natalia Figueredo on Unsplash By “Jackie Writing Jackie” The number of Covid-19 cases around the world has surpassed 872,000, leading governments to effect nationwide lockdowns to reduce the level of contagion. During this time, many people are surrounded by family. One of the hardest-hit groups, however, is ... continuePosted April 2, 2020 by alexvangils
Letter from the Druk Sakyong Wangmo – HIGHLIGHT
Office of the Druk Sakyong Wangmo Dearest Community Members, During this unprecedented time of difficulty, I have been thinking about all of you and wanted to reach out. I know that we are all struggling, in many different ways. Within my own family, I see that everyone has ... continuePosted March 30, 2020 by alexvangils
Meditation and Connection in a Time of Isolation – HIGHLIGHT
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash by Gayle Van Gils I have been feeling more than a bit ungrounded and lonely….. Being forced to stay home and away from other people seems so wrong. Yet, here we are – in this together – feeling our way towards a ... continuePosted March 28, 2020 by alexvangils
What Role Can Exercise Play In Shambhala Practice? – HIGHLIGHT
Photo by Form on Unsplash By “Jackie Writing Jackie” Meditation has a key role to pay in Shambhala practice, but Buddhist belief does see a vital link between mental and physical well-being, and the Eightfold Path clearly envisions both. In a more symbolic sense, the path of Perfect Livelihood ... continuePosted March 24, 2020 by alexvangils
How to Stay Calm in the Face of Fear – HIGHLIGHT
This article was originally posted by Sarah Lipton here. Tea with a T-Rex T-Rex is roaming the earth again. Wreaking havoc, causing disruption, up-ending the status quo. This time, it’s crowned in the form of COVID-19. A global pandemic. A local disaster. From my vantage point, the greater harm is ... continuePosted March 15, 2020 by alexvangils
Being You is a Practice – HIGHLIGHT
by Kelsey Blackwell This article was originally posted here at The Marvelous Crumb Happy Lunar New Year! Year of the Rat — known for industriousness, thriftiness, diligence and positivity. That feels about right. I’m burrowing into my studies at the Strozzi Institute and gnawing on bits of wisdom that are ... continuePosted March 10, 2020 by alexvangils
Ubuntu: “I had nothing but I believed in the power of my people.” – HIGHLIGHT
Photo Credit NaomiW25 on Wikimedia Commons By Hans Kaufmann Este artículo ha sido traducido al español aqui. When I worked with children in the Shambhala Center in Vienna, stories were always an important and requested part of our meetings. During the last years they were around 10 and they manifested ... continuePosted February 17, 2020 by alexvangils
Fostering Indoor Air Quality, with Shambhala Teachings and Practice – HIGHLIGHT
By Vinicius Amano on Unsplash By “Jackie Writing Jackie” The Dalai Lama once stated that there are two major reasons leading to the current environmental crisis: ignorance, and a lack of courage to take action to solve problems. The human connection to nature is a vital part of Shambhala Buddhism ... continuePosted February 2, 2020 by alexvangils
Celebrating Your Wedding Anniversary with Shambhala Ideas and Practice – HIGHLIGHT
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash By “Jackie Writing Jackie” The idea of loving one’s romantic partner and celebrating their individuality can be an important component of a Shambhala life, and connected to what Yale Professor Dr. Nicholas Christakis calls the ‘social suite’. These two considerations work well together, ... continuePosted January 7, 2020 by alexvangils
Love from Auschwitz: A Bearing-Witness Retreat with the Zen Peacemakers – HIGHLIGHT
By Sophie Leger What an amazing experience this Bearing-Witness Retreat with the Zen Peacemakers turned out to be: Ninety participants from many different countries and religious backgrounds, speaking different languages – people from Sweden, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Canada, US, Israel, Brazil, Columbia, Belgium, England. Some ... continuePosted December 30, 2019 by alexvangils
Translating For Burma
Alinsek IR working in exile “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” — The Buddha “There is no religion higher than the Truth.” — H Hahn Blavatsky “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness” — Chinese Proverb by Larry Steele I have a ... continuePosted December 14, 2019 by alexvangils
Outer, Inner and Secret Levels Of Shambhala Center Design – HIGHLIGHT
Community Room in the Los Angeles Shambhala Center By Shastri Russell Rodgers A few years ago, the Kootenay Shambhala Centre in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, purchased a building. Because we had to acquire the services of a non-sangha architect for the renovations, it seemed like a good idea ... continuePosted December 6, 2019 by alexvangils
Creating A Safe And Serene Home Environment For Children – HIGHLIGHT
By “Jackie Writing Jackie” Every year in the United States, over three and a half million children experience injuries that commonly occur in homes. The teachings of Shambhala inspire compassionate care, and we all want to create a space for our children where they are safe to grow ... continuePosted November 29, 2019 by alexvangils
Good Society Part II: Feeling the Goodness – HIGHLIGHT
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash The second part of a two-part series by Shastri Russell Rodgers. For part one, click here. In Part I of this two-part essay, we looked at the genetics behind the universal human impulse to create good society. The logic was this: everywhere ... continuePosted November 15, 2019 by alexvangils
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