Friday

The Benefits of Attending a College or University Retreat at Karmê Chöling

by Chaplain Alley Smith

We can slow down and appreciate ourselves.

We can cultivate wisdom, loving-kindness, bravery and compassion.

We can discern where to go next…what to do…and relax into “not knowing.”

Meditation…can help us discover a way of being that is authentic, relaxed and gentle.

—Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

As a young college student, I encountered the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Tibetan Buddhism. Now, 25 years later, I’m introducing my students to Rinpoche’s teachings.

My #1 recommended book for college/university students is, Mindfulness in Action: Making Friends with Yourself through Meditation and Everyday Awareness, by Chögyam Rinpoche, and edited by Carolyn Rose Giminan. As a Shambhala Buddhist chaplain and student advisor, I use the text in formal group discussions, lectures, private meditation consultations, pastoral counseling sessions, etc.,…and the students absolutely love it!

Young neuroscientists, medical students, contemplative-studies scholars, Christian-mindfulness practitioners, multi-faith groups and others have expressed their deep gratitude for Chögyam Trungpa’s teachings. And yes, young people are still searching for contemplative paths, teachers and great training. They are eager to learn about meditation and how the mind works. We should do our best to invite students into our centers and make them feel welcome. Enduring relationships are deeply impactful and life-enriching.

In addition, I encourage higher education students to visit land centers like Karmê Chöling. It offers a unique opportunity to see where and how Tibetan Buddhism took root in the west. It’s a gift!

We are still only in the 2nd and 3rd generation of Tibetan Buddhism coming to the United States. It’s worth the inquiry…and our future depends on it.

The only way to find out who we are is just to look.  

—Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Chaplain Alley Smith (she/her) is an ordained Shambhala Buddhist Minister of Religion: Upadhyaya. She also holds precepts in Zen Buddhism. She serves at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. She is the advisor for the Brown Meditation Community and is supervised by Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown. She has been a student of Shambhala and Zen Buddhism since 1999.