About Us
The Milwaukee Shambhala Center is part of a global community which aspires to awaken kindness and wisdom in society. This vision is rooted in the principle that human beings are by their nature worthy and fundamentally complete. This vision and aspiration includes acknowledging that pain, confusion and harm are also part of our experience. We need to look directly at the ways we maintain traditions, power structures, language patterns, and other forms that perpetuate this – individually or collectively, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Our community experienced uncertainty and upheaval from reports of sexual misconduct by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Shambhala’s lineage holder. The Sakyong has stepped back from his teaching and administrative responsibilities to focus on self-reflection and to facilitate healing. A number of initiatives have been put in place by the international organization which you can read more about here. The international governing body at that time resigned and was replaced by an interim board which you can read more about here.
The Milwaukee Shambhala Community remains committed to teaching and practicing meditation, and to work together as a community towards collective liberation. We aspire to create a supportive and healing environment for those who come seeking to ease their suffering. We aspire to improve communications and are working to offer more space for the practice and support of particular vulnerable groups.
The links to documents of the chronological communication events are below:
August 2022: Individual to Societal Liberation Resource Guide published; community presentations
May 2021 – ongoing: Community Presentations of the Code of Conduct Policies and Process
July 2022: Shambhala Board publishes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
April 2022: The Shambhala Board reviewed the recommendations that were received from An Olive Branch and put together a comprehensive update on all activities responding to these recommendations. You can click here to read the full report.
—2022—
December 2021: Board Statement on Harm published; Board and leader conversations
December 2021: Trauma informed Facilitation training offered by Peoples Counselling Clinic
October 2021: A Guest Presenter Guidelines document is distributed to Centre leadership
September 2021: Restorative Justice/Active Peace Circle training for community facilitators
May 2021: Ahimsa organization was contracted to support organizational accountability
April 2021 and ongoing: A Therapy and Counselling Offering for Europe is announced.
March 2021: Scholarships offered for Right Use of Power Teacher Training & RUP Manual developed
February 2021: A “Gender Dynamics” and “Right Use of Power” training course is offered to the Shambhala Community.
Shambhala Day 2021: the new Code of Conduct policy and process are in effect.
January – December 2021: The community invited to give feedback on the new Code of Conduct process; a community engagement process begins.
—2021—
December 2020: Announcement of Diversity and Inclusivity Community Grant Projects.
December 2020: Child Protection Policy working group launches resource: “Implementing the Shambhala CPP with a View Toward Preventing Abuse.”
December 2020 and ongoing: Therapy and Counselling offering to support community members through the Peoples’ Counselling Clinic.
September 2020: Creation of Heart of Recovery Coordinator Group and HoR webpage.
August 2020: The new Code of Conduct Policies were released to the community and a Code of Conduct Hub website was launched. Translated policies released in November 2020.
August 2020: Three community grants awarded in the area of Care and Conduct.
July 2020: Announced the Right Use of Power Training and invited Shambhala leaders to be early adopters of Right Use of Power skills.
August 19, 2020 Update from the Board with links to letters from pilgrimage organizers, Lady Diana Mukpo, Process Team (with survey results), Dharma Brats, Acharyas resigning, and Acharyas remaining active
Release of New Code of Conduct Policies 8/4/20
Child Protection Policy, 3/22/2020
Letter from the Shambhala Board of Directors 2/2/20
Update from the Shambhala Process Team 1/20/20
Letter from Ani Pema Chodron 1/16/20
—2019—
Letters from the Shambhala Board
December Update from the Board 12/7/2019
Financial Report to the Community 11/17/2019
October Update from the Interim Board 10/13/2019
August Update from the Interim Board 8/21/2019
Moving Forward with Sale of Marpa House 7/30/2019
Investigación sobre el Tratamiento de los Casos de Abuso Infantil 7/26/2019
Investigation into Handling of Child Abuse Issues 7/24/2019
Recent Arrests of Former Shambhala Members 7/1/2019
June Update to the Shambhala Community 6/28/2019
Update on Marpa House from the Interim Board 5/16/2019
Further Correction to April Update 5/02/2019
CORRECTION: April Update from the Interim Board 4/26/2019
April Update from the Interim Board 4/25/2019
Financial Report to the Community 3/26/2019
Message from the Interim Board Regarding the Olive Branch Report 3/19/2019
March Update to the Community 3/9/2019
Response from the Interim Board Regarding the Kusung Letter 2/18/2019
Message from the Interim Board Regarding the Wickwire Holm Report 2/3/2019
Financial Update from the Interim Board Regarding Marpa House 2/3/2019 (log in)
Letters from the Process Team
An Update from the Process Team 11/12/2019
A Message from the Process Team Steering Committee 9/05/2019
July Update from the Process Team 7/10/2019
Update from the Process Team 6/03/2019
Update from the Process Team 5/01/2019
Community Update from the Process Team 4/04/2019
Introduction to the Process Team 3/06/2019
Letters from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Letter from the Sakyong 12/14/19
A Message from the Sakyong 2/21/2019
A Message from the Sakyong 2/4/2019
Letter from the Acharyas
Letter to the Community from the Acharyas 2/20/2019
Letter from Lady Diana Mukpo
Letter from Lady Diana Mukpo to the Shambhala Community 2/19/2019
Letters from the Transition Task Force
Final Letter from the Transition Task Force 1/27/2019
Process Team Announcement 1/20/2019
News Articles
The Arrest of William Karrelis 2/1/2019
Reports
Olive Branch Report 3/19/2019 (scroll down page)
—2018—
Letters from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
A Message from the Sakyong 7/10/2018
A Message from the Office of the Sakyong 7/6/2018
Letter from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to the Shambhala Community 6/25/2018
Letters from the Shambhala Interim Board
Message from the Interim Board about Shambhala Day 12/27/2018
Message from the Interim Board about the Care and Conduct Policy 12/23/2018
Community Letter from the Interim Board 11/26/2018
Introduction Letter from the Shambhala Interim Board 10/31/2018
Announcement from the Shambhala Interim Board 10/11/2018
Letters from the Transition Task Force
Update from the Transition Task Force 12/22/2018
Update from the Transition Task Force 11/2/2018
Letter from the Transition Task Force 9/21/2018
Letter from the Transition Task Force 9/13/2018
Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/30/2018
Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/18/2018
Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/7/2018
Letters from the Kalapa Council
Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 10/15/2018
Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 9/11/2018
Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 8/23/2018
Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 8/11/2018
Letter from the Kalapa Council 7/30/2018
Letter from the Kalapa Council 7/20/2018
Letter from the Kalapa Council regarding leadership transition 7/6/2018
Letter from the Kalapa Council 6/29/2018
Letter from the Kalapa Council 6/27/2018
Finance Reports / Communications
Finance Report Update to the Shambhala Community 9/20/2018
Finance Report to the Shambhala Community 8/15/2018
Letter from the Shambhala Director of Finance 7/18/2018
Letters from around the Shambhala mandala
Letter from the Office of Practice and Education 8/19/2018
Letter from the Northern California Leadership 8/1/2018
Letter from Shambhala Mountain Center 7/10/2018
A Letter from the Women Acharyas 7/8/2018
Letters from An Olive Branch
Letter from An Olive Branch 9/10/2018
Letter from An Olive Branch 9/3/2018
Letter from / Introduction to An Olive Branch 7/20/2018
Letter from Ani Pema Chödrön
Letter from Ani Pema Chödrön 9/22/2018
Letters from other Buddhist Communities
A Letter from Kwong-roshi to the NorCal Shambhala Community 8/8/2018
Project Sunshine Reports
Announcement from Project Sunshine 9/28/2018
Project Sunshine Second Report
Project Sunshine Third Report
Other Resources
Shambhala Care and Conduct Policy 2015
Kay Pranis: The Art of Holding Circle—on circle practice
Buddhist News & News Articles
Lion’s Roar Report alleges sexual misconduct by leader of Shambhala community
New York Times The ‘King’ of Shambhala Buddhism Is Undone by Abuse Report
Helpful writings by Shambhala Teachers
Susan Piver On Shambhala
Ethan Nichtern Reflections on Shambhala
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche When a Buddhist Teacher Crosses the Line
A video message from Llama Rod Owens to the Shambhala Community
A video message from Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo & Lama Tsultrim Allione
Teachings
Meditation in the City with Shanté Small Holding Space, Healing Harm
Pema Chödrön No Right No Wrong
Tricycle Magazine Sex in the Sangha…Again (2013 interview)