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Community
"Sangha" is the Sanskrit term for "community of practitioners" ~ one of the three jewels of Buddhism. People who come to our center may have different religious faiths, follow different spiritual traditions or teachers, or have different paths of practice and opinions, including political views. They have different ages and genders, as well as different sexual orientations, and physical, perceptual and mental abilities. What we share as a community is a genuine connection to contemplative practice, a desire to lead sane, dignified, confident lives, and the aspiration to realize a more wakeful, sane society. Through the practice of meditation we cultivate the capacity to be fully open to our experience, and the ability to respond to everyday life situations with greater clarity and respect—respect not only for our life situations and ourselves, but for all individuals, social groups and cultures as well. This does not mean that Shambhala is a perfect society. If you visit our center, you may find that it does not mirror in every way the characteristics of the people who live in our area. But please note that it is the intention—and the stated policy—of our center to welcome everyone who enters. This intention is at the very core of the Shambhala Buddhist teachings.
How does one participate in the Shambhala community? ___________________________________________________
Whatever has drawn us to the meditation tradition, whether it was a friend’s suggestion, a book by Pema Chödrön, or any other auspicious coincidence, the first step in participating in the Shambhala Community is attending group meditation sessions. Group meditation practice is one of our most basic and most important community activities. Each session is an opportunity to experience the power and joy of coming together, however briefly, as a community of practitioners. Group practice not only encourages our individual meditation practice but also supports others in their practice and helps build a thriving practice community. Check our Weekly Introductory Programs for ongoing opportunities for group practice.
Programs Programs include The Way of Shambhala curriculum, Shambhala Training weekends, Contemplative Arts training's and various other offerings. These are all heightened opportunities to discover the value of community practice and study while deepening one’s own understanding and experience.
The Shambhala community comes together in many ways — to practice, to learn, to serve others . . . and to celebrate! By joining spiritual practice with the practicalities, challenges and joys of everyday life, we aspire to create a society that expresses the dignity of human experience. Learn more about Shambhala celebrations...
Volunteering Volunteering at the Shambhala Center is a great way to get involved and benefit others. Whatever your knack, we can probably find an outlet for it. If you’re interested, contact our Volunteer Coordinator. You can check out our Local Center Leadership listing for open ongoing positions but you needn’t feel limited to those. If you don’t see an opening that matches your interest, our Volunteer Coordinator will be happy to talk to you about how you could plug in. We always have stand alone projects that need to be done as well.
Families & Children We welcome families at the Boston Shambhala Center as a vital part of our community. Our aspiration is to have a local Shambhala community in which families gather for practice; feel included and supported; and which includes a path for our children to deepen their experience of Basic Goodness. We're committed to creating the circumstances for this aspiration to become a reality.
Children’s Day: Celebration of the winter solstice has its roots in many different cultures. The Shambhala community has drawn on traditional images associated with this time of year to create a distinctive and rich festival of our own. Children's Day provides a special opportunity to express appreciation for and with our children. Held on the weekend closest to the winter solstice, check our online calendar to see where it falls this year. Read more…. Shambhala Sun Camp: Shambhala Sun Camp is an annual gathering for children ages 10 – 16. Campers create and live in their own outdoor environment. Simplicity is the ground for experiencing daily life as open space. Campers discover themselves, their world and each other in a fresh and genuine way. Sun Camp is a place to have fun, make friends and learn to take responsibility for oneself and one's world in a gentle and playful environment. Read more…. Resources: To read more about families in Shambhala, there is a wonderful list of Shambhala Times articles focused on families & children.
Health and Well-Being Council __________________________ The Health and Well Being Council of the Boston Shambhala Center is available upon request to support members of the Boston community in two ways:
Examples of possible need include the birth of a child, serious illness, death, emotional or financial crisis, problems related to health care or housing, or a sudden wave of difficult circumstances. Read more about who is on the Council and how to contact them.
Socially Engaged Buddhism _______________________ Touching the Earth: The Boston Shambhala Center is pleased to follow the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s initiative in “Protecting the Earth” and the Shambhala Green Commitment 2009, which was spearheaded by the Touching the Earth mandala working group. See the Sakyong’s full address at the Shambhala Times here. We are committed to embodying best practices in sustainability ranging from mindfulness of energy use and waste, to purchasing our electricity from 100% wind power sources. Below are some of the center’s efforts.
We encourage all Sangha members to participate in the Shambhala Green Commitment at the center and in your homes. As Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche wrote:
Community Contemplation on Homelessness: Every other Sunday members of the community gather for a half-hour practice session of meditation and contemplation on the feelings and issues that arise within us about homelessness. This community sitting period arose from a community meeting about how to relate to homeless persons living around the Shambhala Center. Within this meeting, an awareness unfolded of the greater issues of homelessness in the Boston area, and this sitting period is dedicated to working with feelings of helplessness and groundlessness that these issues bring up. It is also an invitation to practice compassion, contemplation or tonglen.
Participating in the greater Shambhala Community _____________________________________________
The Shambhala Congress is part of the global governance of the Shambhala Mandala. The Shambhala community is organized as a mandala, a circular framework that connects the teachers and teachings with the community of practitioners. The Shambhala Congress meets approximately every two years in different locations and is a forum for practice, communication, and celebration that aims to engage the mandala as a whole with the central leadership. All members are invited and encouraged to attend. It is an opportunity to explore major topics relevant to the whole mandala, ask difficult questions, and work together to chart the future of Shambhala.
Shambhala Resources
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Meditation Practice
Community Celebrations
Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org |
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