Generosity Policy Clarified

When someone is longing to study and practice the Dharma, we don’t want to close the gate because of money. The Governing Council recently re-emphasized this central feature of Shambhala culture.

“Sometimes we have people living near us who have devoted their lives to supporting Shambhala and the dharma,” said Council member Greg Wolk. “If long-time Shambhalians don’t feel invited to participate in our programs and classes because of a perception that they need to pay, that is heartbreaking. It’s also a miscommunication.”

Shambhala’s Generosity Policy allows anyone to “pay what you can afford” for programs and other activities. (Read the full policy, below.) If you need a reduced price, contact Practice and Education Directors Cynthia Bradshaw or Heather Crone via e-mail at [email protected]. Cynthia Bradshaw emphasized that, “There is no such thing as a registration dispute.”

In order to bring about enlightened society, Shambhalians practice both aspects of generosity; receiving as well as giving. Anyone who can offer the full price of programs, or even a bit more, enable participation by everyone.

Acharya Richard John recently embodied this wisdom by offering a generous matching gift to create a Seattle Shambhala Scholarship Fund to support senior members in attending our programs. Gifts to match the Acharya’s are still needed. Contact Center Director Tom Gaylord if you can help, via e-mail at [email protected] .

Here is the Generosity Policy, which is also on the Seattle Shambhala web site under Programs and Classes/Program Policies.

Generosity Policy
In order to make our programs accessible to everyone, we have a “pay what you can afford” policy. If the program price is an obstacle for you, please choose the “reduced price” — or if that is also an obstacle, please decide what works for you and offer whatever you can (to arrange for this, please contact Cynthia or Heather at [email protected]). For those who can offer more than the program price, we have a “patron price”. Your generosity in offering the patron price helps cover the costs for others who are not able to pay the full price. – See more at: http://seattle.shambhala.org/program-policies-and-faqs/#sthash.ZyvnvneR.dpuf