The Generous Earth

by Matthew Lyon As the warmth of spring begins to dawn, this is a perfect time to pause and contemplate the abundance of the world around us. In our busy, often stressful daily lives, we are sometimes focused on abundance in terms of the tasks we have to accomplish and the number of responsibilities we … Continue 

A Cheerful Center Clean-up

Seattle Shambhala community members gathered on Sunday, February 23rd, after the open meditation and discussion to clean and uplift our center in preparation for Shambhala Day. We call the day before Shambhala Day “Neutral Day”, and it’s a chance for us to clear up lingering energetic obstacles and clean our spaces for the new year. … Continue 

Right Livelihood Arises from Raising Equestrian Windhorse

by Andrea D’Asaro article updated February 5, 2020 Right livelihood is one of the traditional ethical elements of the Buddhist eightfold path. For Shambhalians who aspire to “create enlightened society” this means sharing our inherent goodness or inner richness through our work.  Livelihood can be more than income, but rather our offering, an act of … Continue 

Power, Privilege, and Protect: A Reflection

by Kaitlyn Hatch On December 13th, 2019, Dr. Shanté Paradigm Smalls flew from New York City to join Dr. Claudelle Glasgow in co-teaching two offerings for the weekend. Privilege, Power & Protection was held the evening of December 13th and all day on the 14th. Open to participants of all identities and embodiments, this was a … Continue 

Winter Shambhala Wedding, a Warm Celebration of Dear Old Friends

by Andrea D’Asaro Shelley Pierce and Mark Helsel strode down their wedding aisle behind flower- scattering grandchildren with a hall full of Shambhalians, friends and family as witnesses. The bride and groom, both long-time Shambhala members, were wed by preceptor Dan Peterson, who charmed listeners with his comments on the sweet strivings of marriage. He … Continue 

Tales of Gesar at Thursday Open House

By Larry Steele Seattle Shambhala welcomes David Shapiro, author of “Gesar of Ling: A Bardic Tale, as a visiting speaker at Thursday Night Open House on January 16th, 2020. The book translates the epic tale of Gesar, whose magic is palpable in Shambhala culture; it was recently reviewed in the Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa. The … Continue 

A Joyful Children’s Day Celebration

An article by Andrea D’Asaro Photos by Andrea D’Asaro and JoAnn Schindler The December solstice eve was greeted with a vibrant intergenerational menagerie of tigers, lions, garudas and dragons on the main shrine room stage. Colorful murals and a chocolate-laden shrine greeted families and friends for the story of Iliana, narrated skillfully by Andy Gordon … Continue 

Kindness to Ourselves

By Matthew Lyon We live in a stressful world in many ways. The demands of our families, our jobs and the complexities of modern life can seem extreme at times. In response to this, we often develop a pattern of pushing ourselves to our limits to accomplish as much as possible in a short time … Continue 

Strive onward with care

By Greg Wolk Just after the Buddha became enlightened, he walked past some people who were very impressed with his presence. Knowing he was special but not knowing why, they asked if he was some sort of angel or god? He said no. They kept asking him questions. Finally, they asked him, “Well, what are … Continue 

Children’s Blessing 2019 with Acharya Richard John

by Stacy Hall de Gomez with photos by Larry Steele and Brad Warren How could our hearts not be opened by the sight of our youngest community members at the October 27th Children’s Blessing Ceremony?  The ceremony, led by visiting Acharya Richard John, is designed to invite wakefulness and appreciation within the children. Each child … Continue