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
Empathy as Currency – HIGHLIGHT
Jerry Colonna’s blog is called “The Monster in Your Head”COLUMN: Radical Compassion Interview with Jerry Colonna conducted by Cameron Wenaus of Retreat.Guru and Sarah Lipton, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Times transcribed by James Gilness and edited by Christopher Schuman Naropa University recently celebrated their 40th year by assembling some ... continuePosted November 3, 2014 by
Dragon Making and the “Weconomy” – HIGHLIGHT
dragon with ball, Follow-up Activities from the Bright Now Festival, Amsterdam article by Meino Zeillemaker and Debbie Evers The Bright Now festival was so successful! Now that it is over, we want to share some news about the events and activities that have come out of the Festival. ... continuePosted November 1, 2014 by
Wild Yearning – HIGHLIGHT
photo credit: Giovanni ‘jjjohn’ Orlando via photopin ccFace to Face with a Moose Shambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief It’s the season for mask wearing and unveiling. Today is Halloween. The gates between the worlds are said to be thin at this ... continuePosted October 31, 2014 by Sarah
The Power of Interconnectedness – HIGHLIGHT
Radical Compassion Symposium Draws upon the Power of Interconnectedness report from the scene by James Gilness, Shambhala Times Volunteer Reporter photos courtesy of Naropa University The Radical Compassion Symposium opened last Thursday evening with the memory of Naropa University’s founding some forty years ago. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche recalled the ... continuePosted October 22, 2014 by
Opening to What Scares You – HIGHLIGHT
“Just allow yourselves to be fully human!” ~ Pema Chodron For more than three decades, Pema Chodron has been teaching and writing about Buddhist principles, which she believes are universal because we are all seeking enlightenment and an end to suffering. continuePosted October 18, 2014 by
Ebola in Our Backyard – HIGHLIGHT
by Megan Bauer, Center Director in Dallas, TX Ebola is a horrific disease having a devastating impact on communities in West Africa. In the last few weeks, it has spread beyond Africa. For many of us, it has been a drama unfolding on the evening news that ... continuePosted October 16, 2014 by
On Gender and the Prevention of Harm – HIGHLIGHT
Miksang image by Charles BlackhallNEWS: from the Shambhala Office of Societal Health & Wellbeing Town Hall Meetings to be Hosted (SEE NEW DATE LISTED BELOW) On Gender and the Prevention of Harm in Shambhala Mary Whetsell is the Director of the Shambhala Office of Societal Health & Wellbeing, ... continuePosted October 14, 2014 by
Finding Your Calling – HIGHLIGHT
photo credit: Tim Good: Photography by Tiwago via photopin ccInterview with Adam Bucko COLUMN: Radical Compassion – conducted by Cameron Wenaus of Retreat.Guru and Sarah Lipton, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Times – transcribed by Emma Sartwell and edited by Christopher Schuman Coming up soon is Naropa University’s celebration of their ... continuePosted October 8, 2014 by
Surviving and Thriving – HIGHLIGHT
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche offers meditation instruction in Amsterdam, photo courtesy of BHH StudiosReporting from the Scene: Bright Now Festival, Amsterdam article by Klemen Kokelj photos by Sabine Lokhorst, Helen Vink and BHH Studios On Saturday morning the Grote zaal (main hall) opens up. Three young musicians called the ‘Twiching Eye ... continuePosted October 7, 2014 by
Harvesting Peace – HIGHLIGHT
Veggies courtesy of Burlington ShambhalaCheerful Harvest of Peace from all of us at the Shambhala Times! The Harvest of Peace Nyida Day is our opportunity to focus on community, and to mark the changing of seasons as a sangha. “Nyi” comes from “Nyima” meaning sun, and “da” ... continuePosted September 22, 2014 by
A Call to Meditation in Action on Climate Change – HIGHLIGHT
by Acharya Marty Janowitz In a short while we will be arriving at the autumn equinox, the moment in our annual and seasonal cycle we call ‘Harvest of Peace’. Such moments are marked not because we need another holiday but because it is natural to experience ... continuePosted September 14, 2014 by
Chogyam Trungpa: The Early Years – HIGHLIGHT
Celebrating a collaboration between Naropa University and the University of Colorado on a Buddhist Studies Lecture Series in honor of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche The Early Years in Colorado by Clarke Warren This is an account of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s early years in Colorado. It is based on interviews with people who ... continuePosted September 8, 2014 by
Back to “School” – HIGHLIGHT
Garden’s Harvest, pottery by JeffreyLiptonPottery.com,Shambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief This morning I sat in my garden listening to crickets and ravens, wind rustling the trees, and the slow, riveting sound of tomatoes ripening. In the chilly clime of northern Vermont ... continuePosted September 1, 2014 by Sarah
One-Stop Retreat Planning – HIGHLIGHT
Introducing: Retreat.Guru interview with Cameron and Deryk Wenaus by Jayne Sutton, Shambhala Times Reporter It started when Cameron Wenaus wanted to go on a yoga retreat in Thailand: “I realized that I just didn’t know how to find the information I needed to identify a good teacher, retreat, or ... continuePosted August 15, 2014 by
Naropa Turns 40 – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Radical Compassion Celebrating Naropa University’s 40th anniversary article by Jaclyn Hawkins, Naropa University “We must begin our practice by walking the narrow path of simplicity, the hinayana path, before we can walk upon the open highway of compassionate action, the mahayana path.” ~ Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche Naropa University, located in ... continuePosted August 4, 2014 by
RSS feed for the Featured Stories category
View all posts from authors in Featured Stories: jillian_johnson
