A Letter Regarding the Earthquake in Nepal from Shastri Amy Conway
Dear San Francisco Shambhala Sangha, As you have probably heard by now, yesterday a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal killing more than 2,500 people with other deaths in India and Tibet. Aftershocks today have also been devastating. The people of Nepal have seen their world literally crumble (including many ancient Buddhist temples and stupas). They … Continue
We Can’t Breathe
by Amani Loutfy Originally published in the Berkeley Shambhala Center Blog. On the cushion I sit with my breath, to learn the nature of mind, and to connect myself to all other sentient beings. May we all be free from suffering, and from the nature of suffering. I have mostly questions today, in the morning … Continue
How I Learned To Hang My Hat On My Heart
By Jaime Moreland From the Laughing Lotus Blog I was sitting in a favorite neighborhood coffee shop, when my new 84-year old buddy, Nate, asked what I did for a living. Until recently, this question weighed heavily on my heart. For most of my life, I based my self worth on my job; I once … Continue
The Practice of Community
photo: harvest breeding via photopin cc In Shambhala, we have recently begun to describe membership as the “practice of community.” As Director of the Berkeley Shambhala Center, I’ve been giving this phrase a lot of thought. At first it sounds quite pleasant; as though, “yes, please, sign me up for that.” But then questions arise. … Continue
Reflections on Magyal Pomra Encampment
By Matthew Parkinson After experiencing the earthy and raw encampment grounds at Shambhala Mountain Center, the transition back to modern life is abrupt, to say the least. Last month, seven bay area sangha members gathered with over 100 members of the Dorje Kasung for the annual Magyal Pomra Encampment, a gritty and bare-bones retreat that … Continue
Conference Meets Heart
COLUMN: Youth and Family Teaching Mindfulness and Compassion to Youth article by Leslie Gossett, Column Editor photos by Mark Anderson We recently hosted a conference in Northern California at which the presenters said it was unlike any other conference they’d been to. It was like… conference meets heart. With about 70 people in the shrine … Continue
No Complaint
Teaching by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche When I visited Tibet in 2001, I frequently performed ceremonies outdoors. On one occasion, thousands of people gathered in a high, beautiful valley. It began to rain — just a light drizzle — but at 13,000 feet, any precipitation turns the weather cold. Fifty of us were under a brightly … Continue
The Hard Beauty of the Path
By Susan Piver When it comes to the spiritual path, it seems there are two schools of thought. (Well, three. The first school says there is no such thing as a spiritual path.) The next school says that there is a particular path for you. Find it. Stay with it. Work it. The final school … Continue
