A Sukhavati Ceremony for Robert Bartlett
Our Dharma friend, Robert Bartlett, passed away suddenly in February 5th. Robert was a valiant soul and devoted to his work teaching autistic children. He was connected to San Francisco Shambhala for a number of years and attended and staffed events from time to time. Robert lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over … Continue
Bruce’s Medical Support Fund
Many of you know Bruce dal Santo as a beloved friend, meditation teacher, dharma practitioner, father to Rosie the dachshund, and all-around good soul. A challenging cancer diagnosis implies some necessary lifestyle changes for a while, and we want Bruce to have the support he needs going forward. Please contribute what you can to a … Continue
NorCal Shambhala Response to COVID-19
Dear Sangha, We send this message in care and concern for the wellbeing of all of you as we navigate this health challenge together. The Northern California Shambhala Board of Directors has asked the centers and groups in the region to close all public programs for the remainder of the month of March due to … Continue
Resolution from the Northern California Shambhala Board of Directors and Leadership Regarding the Separation of Children from Their Parents at the United States Border
Family is sacred to Shambhala Buddhism. Family holds the wisdom of our ancestors, a wisdom that enriches us and that can be handed down to future generations. Family is kin, the root of the word “kindness.” Shambhala Buddhism takes as its path the creation of an enlightened society, the most intimate form of which is … Continue
What Is Contemplative Social Engagement?
By: Kelsey Blackwell and David Kahane We live in a time of social, political and environmental turbulence: political division, natural disasters, economic polarization, climate change, refugee flows, hatred and intolerance toward foreigners, people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ and indigenous people. Many of us are asking, “what can I do?” “What does contemplative resistance look like?” … Continue
Unraveling Oppression and White Privilege Starts Here
By Kelsey Blackwell . “But all our phrasing—race relations, racial chasm, racial justice, racial profiling, white privilege, even white supremacy—serves to obscure that racism is a visceral experience, that it dislodges brains, blocks airways, rips muscle, extracts organs, cracks bones, breaks teeth. You must never look away from this. You must always remember that the … Continue
The Compassion of Unconditional Love
What Karuna Training Offers Story and photos by Miriam Hall Originally posted as a Shambhala Times Featured Story Update: A few spaces may still be available for the current cycle. I signed up for the very first North American Karuna Training series with lots of planning and very little expectation. In this article from last … Continue
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
