New Shastri Brings a Feminine Perspective to Seattle

by Andrea D’Asaro

Our new Shastri, Trinley Busby is relocating to Seattle from her home in Vancouver as our center’s first female Shastri. She brings a deep passion to open Shambhala to greater diversity including the power of the feminine.

Her work in diversity includes 10 years of reaching out to marginalized populations in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. “My work in housing and poverty activism led me to a career in social service support, working with people living with concurrent mental health and substance abuse challenges.”

She’s happy about her move to Seattle, which “feels friendly and welcoming.” Trinley is married to our Center director, Michael Busby. “I am excited to be here with Michael and because of my longstanding relationship with the Seattle Center, where I did my Sacred Path levels: it feels like my second home.”

Together with our Center’s other Shastris she is rolling out Phase 2 of the Shambhala Educator Path, the new training programs for future teachers. “In the coming years, we are hosting and training folks in Seattle at all levels on the Shambhala Path.

Trinley first met Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in 2006. In 2013 she was appointed as a Shastri, a senior Shambhala teacher, and enjoys mentoring upcoming leaders in Vancouver and elsewhere in North America.

As a steward for the Ziji Global Council, the Shambhala youth organization, she was on the teaching team at the Ziji Collective Global Summits in Mexico 2015 and Berlin 2016. Many of you already know her from the talks she has done at open house and Contentment in Everyday Life, which ended in March.

Many members also know Trinley from the December 2016 Cultural Humility diversity training with Shastri Charlene Leung, Chairperson of the Diversity Working Group. This program opened the way for the inspiring “Can We Talk” spring program with Shastri Ben Hines. Trinley will continue leading Cultural Humility weekends in centers in North America.