Tuesday
Warrior in World
Sacred Path of the Warrior Presented at Youth Conference
Rev. Alexander Garbera, a member of the Pioneer Valley Shambhala Meditation Center, presented concepts from Chögyam Trungpa’s Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior at True Colors SOGIEcon (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) last March.
The workshop was crafted to help build attendees’ resilience to weather the onslaught of anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric, policies, and actions leaving youth and parents bewildered, afraid, and frustrated by introducing Trungpa’s concepts of bravery, courage, and fearlessness — as well as using Windhorse and the vision of the Great Eastern Sun to fortify resilience. Meditation was presented as a way of uncovering the source of bravery and courage while engaging with the world with compassion to create a more enlightened society. Each attendant received a free copy of the book.
The workshop was applauded by attendees who resonated with the need for more wisdom, love, compassion, and understanding in what seems to be increasingly dark times.
The unsolicited feedback of one attendee captured many of the comments after the short meditation: “I have often found this subject to be a little out of reach, and [it was] presented in a way that felt more approachable. One of the big takeaways for me was the idea that meditation is not intended to be a form of escape or detachment, but rather to be better connected. I like that it’s not about fixing something that’s broken, it’s just a kind of tool that can help people. I am going to just give it a try and start small, because even just doing a few deep breaths feels like a big change.”
Rev. Garbera feels that the Shambhala dharma is sorely needed now and encourages all of our members and friends to revisit and share the profound gifts we have received.
Held on the campus of the University of Connecticut, it is the largest LGBTQIA+ youth conference in the USA. The conference brings together LGBTQIA+ youth, their peers, allies, family members, educators, social workers, clinicians, clergy, and community members to educate themselves, promote connection, and support the next generation of LGBTQIA+ leaders. With over 200 workshops, performances, and activities organized around specific groups and audiences, there were about 1,850 attendees. A PDF of the PowerPoint can be found at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRgcFeuWaups2MYLAbOGS-5mrnlUK5Pf/view?usp=drivesdk.
Entries filed under Featured Stories
An Ode to Pink Laundry – HIGHLIGHT
photo credit: AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker via photopin ccShambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief I have a big surprise for you: I’m about to hatch a baby! Embarking on this new journey towards motherhood, I sigh and cry when babies’ first ... continuePosted February 1, 2015 by Sarah
Compassionate Exchange – HIGHLIGHT
…an Active Ingredient in Cultivating Good Relations by Acharya Melissa Moore and Shastri Sandra Ladley You know what it’s like when you walk into work, your home, or a friend’s house and you notice that your colleague, partner or friend appear to be in a bad mood? What ... continuePosted January 30, 2015 by
Next Steps: Europe – HIGHLIGHT
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in Berlin, ßmannShambhala Times is pleased to share this news update: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has written to all our European members to share his “thoughts and vision for the future of Shambhala in Europe.” Reflecting the growing diversity of the countries and cultures of ... continuePosted January 28, 2015 by
Decency Is the Absence of Strategy – HIGHLIGHT
Snowy Sunrise,COLUMN: Dispatches from the Front Lines Dispatches from the Front Lines is a new column designed to support the many Shambhalians currently experiencing upheaval at their centers and groups. It is specifically intended to penetrate the sense of isolation common to these painful situations, and to ... continuePosted January 26, 2015 by
Vulnerability and Humor – HIGHLIGHT
The wooden hammer is called a han (from the Zen tradition) used to call to meditation. The slogan at the top reads: “Great is the matter of life and death. Awake! Awake! Don’t waste time!”Exploring Life at Gampo Abbey by Emma Cataford, Shambhala Times Regional Correspondant with assistance ... continuePosted January 14, 2015 by
Exploring Receptivity – HIGHLIGHT
On Contemplative Practice, Receptivity, and Spiritual Activism COLUMN: Radical Compassion Interview with Adam Bucko conducted by Cameron Wenaus of retreat.guru and Sarah Lipton, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Times transcribed by Emma Sartwell, edited by Christopher Schuman It can be difficult to find a place of receptivity in prayer and meditation. But ... continuePosted January 2, 2015 by
The Origins of Iliana – HIGHLIGHT
The Shambhala Times wishes you all a delightful celebration of Children’s Day! interview with Walter Fordham by Sarah Lipton, Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief The renowned meditation master and social visionary Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche established Children’s Day in 1979 for his western students and their children. The holiday, which took place ... continuePosted December 21, 2014 by
Purpose is the New Profit – HIGHLIGHT
The Awakening of Business by Iektje van Bolhuis, Austin, Texas It might seem strange to write an article about enlightened society and business. In many ways the two seem to be contradictory. Indeed, many of the major problems we face in this dark age can be traced back ... continuePosted December 6, 2014 by
Surviving Ebola – HIGHLIGHT
Letter from Ashoka Mukpo to the extended Shambhala Community Ashoka Mukpo, son of Lady Diana Mukpo, contracted the Ebola virus after working for a month as a freelance cameraman for NBC and other media outlets. After being diagnosed in Liberia, Ashoka was flown to the Nebraska Medical Center ... continuePosted December 3, 2014 by
Breaking Silence – HIGHLIGHT
Introducing a NEW COLUMN: Dispatches from the Front Lines Dispatches from the Front Lines is a new column designed to support the many Shambhalians currently experiencing upheaval at their centers and groups. It is specifically intended to penetrate the sense of isolation common to these painful situations, ... continuePosted December 1, 2014 by
A Hundred Years Later – HIGHLIGHT
Parliament of Hungary in Budapest,A Collaborative Article Chronicling the Cultural History around the Hungarian Shambhala Group in Budapest written by Acharya Matias Pongracz, Peter Nowak, Daniel Zoltan Boldog and Robert Potor The Hungarian Shambhala Group was founded three years ago in Budapest. Currently we have about ten active ... continuePosted November 24, 2014 by
Is Tolerance Enough? – HIGHLIGHT
Questions and Answers from: Seeds of War, Seeds of Peace Investigating Religious Conflict in Today’s World Presidential Lecture by Richard Reoch, President of Shambhala Buddhism “If the world had only one religion,” asked one of the students,”would we still have the same problems that we have today?” This was one ... continuePosted November 22, 2014 by
Asparagus Soup – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Dispatches from the Kalapa Court Kitchen article by Khenchen Anthony Miller, Regional Machen Officer, Trident Region In the Kalapa Court, soup is a staple food. Warming, nourishing, and satisfying, a good soup can be amazing. A bad soup, on the other hand, can be dull and disappointing. ... continuePosted November 17, 2014 by
Seeds of War, Seeds of Peace – HIGHLIGHT
Religious Conflict in Today’s World President Richard Reoch presents at the University of Morocco The room full of Muslim preachers, known as Imams, was keenly attentive as I introduced meditation practice to them with a short introduction to the neuroscience of mind, body and extended consciousness. I was in ... continuePosted November 16, 2014 by
Unified Wealth – HIGHLIGHT
Ryan’s favorite view of Halifax from across the waterInterview with Ryan Watson, new Director of Finance, Shambhala International by Sarah Lipton, Editor-in-Chief, Shambhala Times Shambhala International is pleased to announce that after a thorough recruitment process, we have hired Ryan Watson as the new Director of Finance. Ryan ... continuePosted November 7, 2014 by
RSS feed for the Featured Stories category
View all posts from authors in Featured Stories: jillian_johnson