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Shambhala Path
A basic truth of the Shambhala teachings is that we all want to lead sane, dignified lives, and that this is possible. If we look directly at our own experience, we can discover a continuity of wakeful dignity underlying all changing conditions. This wholesome, wakeful presence is referred to in the Way of Shambhala as "basic goodness". The Shambhala teachings recognize that this truth of innate human wisdom and basic goodness does not belong to any one religion or doctrine. The Way of Shambhala is inspired by the ancient legend of the Kingdom of Shambhala, said to be a society which drew its gentle and fearless sense of social responsibility from the practice of meditation. The legend of the Kingdom of Shambhala has been a guiding vision for many centuries in Asian culture and has parallels in Western traditions. Shambhala represents the ideal of secular enlightenment, a view that all aspects of civilization-family, commerce, education, science, the arts, religion-can be permeated with a natural sense of sacredness. . . . . . . . . . .
"In essence, the emphasis of the Buddhist path is to help us attain enlightenment, and the emphasis of the Shambhala path is help us create and maintain a good society. When we put these two together, we have the Shambhalian Buddhist view of enlightened society." . . . . . . . . . .
Shambhala vision is rooted in the contemplative teachings of Buddhism, yet is a fresh expression of the spiritual journey for our time; it is available to practitioners of any tradition. Our lineage draws on the wisdom of the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism as inherited by founder of Shambhala, Chögyam Trungpa, and his son and spiritual heir, Sakyong Mipham. In the mid-1970s Chögyam Trungpa began to introduce teachings on Shambhala vision, based on his encounter with the Western world, and on the specific wisdom imparted from the Buddha to King Dawa Sangpo, the first sovereign of the legendary kingdom of Shambhala. This tradition teaches how to live in the secular world with courage and compassion. Buddhism offers methods to clarify our mind, open our heart, and face the realities of human life, while the Shambhala teachings offer practices for rousing our life force and connecting with the natural power and energy of the phenomenal world. The combination of these wisdom traditions offers a contemporary, effective spiritual path. Following it, we can reclaim our natural birthright of wisdom and compassion, and work with others to bring about the best in human society. . . . . . . . . . .
Shambhala Offers an extensive structured path of training in authentic meditation practices and teachings for people who are interested in pursuing such a path. The name of this path is The Way of Shambhala. If you would like a simple introduction, you may choose to sample a workshop, a course or a weekend—or several, at any time. The following is an overview of the full Way of Shambhala program. For more information, please refer to:
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Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org
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