Home     Contact Us         Log in

Featured Stories - Category Archive

May 06
Tuesday

Warrior in World

Filed under Community Articles, Featured Stories

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


Discovering the Land of Great Bliss

Discovering the Land of Great Bliss – HIGHLIGHT

COLUMN: Center News & Updates In keeping with the Sakyong’s request that we “turn the flower outwards”, Dechen Choling, Shambhala retreat center in France, has been increasing its efforts to be accessible to the community at its doorstep. Read more to find out how they’ve been doing ... continue
Posted October 4, 2013 by
Allowing Simplicity

Allowing Simplicity – HIGHLIGHT

Vermont foliage, by Sarah LiptonShambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief It’s a tender time of transition. Children are back at school and probably beginning to stew in the thick of new learning. In the northern hemisphere, it’s getting colder, and in ... continue
Posted October 1, 2013 by Sarah
Occupy Spirituality

Occupy Spirituality – HIGHLIGHT

A Radical Vision for a New Generation by Adam Bucko and Mathew Fox interview by Amanda Hester, Shambhala Times Regional Correspondent Amanda: I was struck by your description of “spiritual warriorship”. This is particularly resonant with Shambhala. Matthew: It is nice to hear a woman respond to that language. ... continue
Posted September 27, 2013 by
Message from the Front

Message from the Front – HIGHLIGHT

Report from a Dorje Kasung Regional Encampment held at Karme Choling by Trident Regional Commander Tara Halwes, Kado It was mid-September, and very rainy. We were almost thirty people, residing up on the hillside in the woods above Karme Choling. The mini-encampment was fantastic and extremely rough. It ... continue
Posted September 26, 2013 by
Politicians train in Mindfulness

Politicians train in Mindfulness – HIGHLIGHT

A Round-up of Events at London’s Awake in the World Festival article and video by President Richard Reoch Politicians being trained in mindfulness? It’s not a wild dream. It’s happening in Britain’s House of Commons and House of Lords and may be extended to the country’s parliamentary civil ... continue
Posted September 16, 2013 by Richard_Reoch
Sun Camper steals hearts at London event

Sun Camper steals hearts at London event – HIGHLIGHT

Flashmob outdoor meditationReport from the Ground of Awake in the World article by Shannon van Staden, Shambhala Times Reporter video by President Richard Reoch Among the many people who spoke on Day Three of London’s Awake in the World Festival, one of the most moving personal testimonies was from ... continue
Posted September 15, 2013 by
Reading "Hailstorm"

Reading “Hailstorm” – HIGHLIGHT

video by President Richard Reoch The Awake in the World Festival in London devoted it’s second day to Remembering Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Among the many presenters was British actor Richard Hansell who offering a stunning reading of Trungpa Rinpoche’s poem, “Hailstorm”. Also titled, “In the North of the ... continue
Posted September 14, 2013 by
Gathering Goodness in NYC

Gathering Goodness in NYC – HIGHLIGHT

On a Weekend with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in New York City by Naoko Kojima This coming November, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will be traveling to New York City for a special and long-anticipated weekend program. The weekend event comes at a pivotal time as the Shambhala Meditation Center ... continue
Posted September 11, 2013 by
Investigating the Syria Crisis

Investigating the Syria Crisis – HIGHLIGHT

The article below is copied from the Huffington Post UK, and is President Richard Reoch’s final piece leading up to Awake in the World. How Much Shock and Awe Will it Take to Wake Us Up? by President Richard Reoch The debate about bombing Syria is, in part, about ... continue
Posted September 10, 2013 by Richard_Reoch
Back to School?

Back to School? – HIGHLIGHT

Market in Aix-en-Provence, southern France,Shambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief In the northwestern hemisphere, summer is coming to a close. In northern Vermont, the trees have begun to flaunt hints of autumnal hues, the colors cascading rapidly towards their October denouement ... continue
Posted September 2, 2013 by Sarah
Breaking New Ground

Breaking New Ground – HIGHLIGHT

COLUMN: Youth and Families by Laura Burnham, Los Angeles The third Sunday of every month is Family Sunday at SMCLA (Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles). We have several family-oriented groups that meet simultaneously. One of these is designed for children between the ages of 3-12 to explore ... continue
Posted August 17, 2013 by
At Home on the Road

At Home on the Road

NEW COLUMN: Living Shambhala Culture This is the first in a series of articles brought to you by the Shambhala Office of Culture and Decorum. We hope that these offerings will bring fresh perspectives on living our principles, invoking drala and enriching culture in our homes, centers and ... continue
Posted July 17, 2013 by
Arts Speak the Shambhala Principle

Arts Speak the Shambhala Principle – HIGHLIGHT

News Report A team of Shambhala artists have come together to make a visual online graphic presentation of one of the key messages in The Shambhala Principle. In the opening pages of The Shambhala Principle, Sakyong Mipham invites us to a global conversation about the future of ... continue
Posted July 4, 2013 by
Now is the Time

Now is the Time – HIGHLIGHT

painting by Cynthia MokuShambhala Times Updates from the Inside Out Editor’s Column by Sarah Lipton Shambhala Times Editor-in-Chief On the Shambhala Times this month, you will see a broad range of topics covered, explored, chewed on, and presented. You will also see a lot of re-sounding as people like you ... continue
Posted July 1, 2013 by Sarah
Uplifted Speech in our Communities

Uplifted Speech in our Communities – HIGHLIGHT

A Proposal Towards Creating Enlightened Conversation by Greg Heffron I travel through Shambhala teaching mindful communication. In programs through last few years, I’ve met sangha from Miami, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia, from Birmingham, Alabama to Berkeley, California. Everywhere I’ve gone, teaching Acharya Susan Chapman’s Five Keys to ... continue
Posted June 22, 2013 by

RSS feed for the Featured Stories category

View all posts from authors in Featured Stories: jillian_johnson



Website Development by Blue Mandala using Wordpress MU.
All content and source Copyright © 1994-2025. 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 »