Membership

Becoming a member of the Seattle Shambhala Meditation Center is a statement about your personal inspiration, curiosity, and commitment to the path of awakening. It means participating in a community of practitioners who aspire to relate to each other with honesty, warmth, and openness. We inspire one another to deepen our practice of mindfulness, awareness, and compassion.

If you participate regularly at our Seattle Center, please consider becoming a member.  Becoming a member of our Center simultaneously brings membership in Shambhala International, a global community committed to cultivating mindfulness, awareness and compassion.

Membership is a way to express appreciation for what Shambhala provides and help make it available to others. This involves three areas of engagement and support:

Practicing meditation

Making a connection to mindfulness-awareness meditation or related contemplative practice is considered the best way for members to support Shambhala and benefit the world and ourselves.

Volunteering

With the exception of a few key administrative positions, the volunteer service of members is what keeps our Center going. Giving our time and talents to the work of our community is vital to the health of the community and to our own progress on the path. This work is part of what is known in the Shambhala community as “creating enlightened society.”

Providing financial support

We rely on membership dues to pay our basic operating expenses and fund further enrichment and expansion of our activities.  We view financial giving as part of our practice as well.

Suggested Seattle Shambhala Center dues are at five levels:

  • Warrior is up to $50 per month.
  • Tiger is $50 per month or more.
  • Lion is $150 per month or more.
  • Garuda and Dragon are percentages of yearly income.

Our current range of dues varies from $5/month to $500 per month.  In addition, the suggested level of support to the Shambhala International global mandala is $10 per month.

To become a member, please fill out our Membership Form online and our membership coordinator will be in touch with you.  If you are not interested in a membership commitment at this time, we invite you to become a Friend of Shambhala: please see our Friends of Shambhala Donation Form.

Why does membership matter?

Although membership is not required to participate in much of what the Center has to offer, without our community’s financial and volunteer support, we would not be able to offer all the wonderful programs, practice sessions, and events that we do.  It is because of our members that the profound tradition of meditation is able to survive and flourish. Payment of membership dues is the financial backbone of our  Center.

What are the benefits of membership?

Connection with our community by becoming a member helps support your practice and strengthen your understanding of Shambhala Buddhism in many ways:

  • Members receive ongoing meditation instruction with a personal meditation instructor
  • Members are invited to community events, programs, and classes, and receive discounts for some programs
  • Membership pin
  • Automatic membership in Shambhala’s world-wide online network
  • Access to a rich library of Member resources at www.shambhala.org

 

Those who are in the sangha are warriors, because they are trying to overcome samsara. Members of the sangha support one another and care for one another. They are not perfect, but they inspire us because they are people who want to deepen their practice of mindfulness, awareness and compassion. The sangha is also a container. When we practice together, the sangha helps our discipline. We realize that there are other people around who are going through the same thing. That gives us a feeling of encouragement.
– Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche