The Shambhala teachings combine the deepest wisdom from an ancient tradition based in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and psychology, with a completely contemporary body of practices, to bring the deep benefits of meditation into everyday life. These practices include a wide array of sitting meditation techniques, along with transformative tools for being more present and compassionate in all aspects of daily life.
These teachings, available to anyone of any background, can help us work with fear, build confidence, and be more present in relationships, at work, at home, and everywhere else.
The Way of Shambhala program of courses and weekend retreats offers an experiential overview of these practices, teachings, contemplative arts, and physical disciplines rooted in the ancient traditions of Shambhala and Vajrayana Buddhism.You are welcome to participate to the extent you wish. Sample a course or a weekend retreat—or a number of them—at any time. The full program is described below.
The Everyday Life series—five courses, with five weekly classes in each
The Shambhala Training series—five weekend retreats
The Basic Goodness series—three courses, with six weekly classes in each
Everyday Life Series
A complete overview of the path of meditation and spiritual teachings.
Meditation In Everyday Life:
An introduction to basic meditation and how to develop a personal practice.
Contentment in Everyday Life:
Mindful appreciation and gentleness to oneself. Foundational Buddhist teachings.
Joy in Everyday Life:
Compassion, joyous discipline, and healthy energy. Buddhist teachings on aspiring and loving action.
Fearlessness in Everyday Life:
Transforming fear. Buddhist teachings exploring ultimate reality.
Wisdom in Everyday Life:
Playfulness, ordinary magic, and innate wisdom. An introduction to the vajrayana Buddhist teachings.
Shambhala Training
Weekend Retreats Levels I-V:
Shambhala Training is a series of secular meditation workshops, suited for both beginning and experienced meditators. Levels I-V provide a strong foundation in mindfulness-awareness meditation practice. These five workshops include meditation training and practice, talks by senior instructors, personal interviews, and group discussions.
Level I: The Art of Being Human
Level I marks the starting point of the Shambhala path of weekend city retreats. It focuses on the basic technique of mindfulness meditation and the profound discovery of basic goodness in the world and in ourselves.
Level II: Birth of the Warrior
This weekend explores how meditation practice can help us observe and understand the way we create a “cocoon” of habits to mask our fear and anxiety. If this sounds at all familiar, you’re not alone. Prerequisite: Shambhala Training Level I
Level III: Warrior in the World
This weekend poses the question: What would it mean to step beyond our habitual anxieties and dare to relate to the world more directly, free of our habitual filters? Prerequisite: Shambhala Training Level II
Level IV: Awakened Heart
This weekend explores how we give way to our innate inquisitiveness by extending further beyond the boundaries of the “cocoon.” Prerequisite: Shambhala Training Level III
Level V: Open Sky
Sharpening one’s awareness, one finds the open clear sky of mind—a source of wisdom and uplifted energy. Trusting our nature enough to let go into the present moment. Prerequisite: Shambhala Training Level IV
The Basic Goodness Series
The Basic Goodness series of weekly classes introduces the view of Shambhala in an experiential way. The primary practice is Shambhala Meditation. The key difference between the Everyday Life courses and the Basic Goodness courses is that the Everyday Life courses emphasize personal transformation in daily life, whereas the Basic Goodness courses emphasize the experiential study of view and meaning.
Course 1: Who Am I? The Basic Goodness of Being Human
This course asks the question, “Who am I?” and explores the sense of self. It includes teachings on selflessness, the arising of ego, and enlightened-nature. We practice contemplative investigations of the self, based on the foundations of mindfulness.
Course 2: How Can I Help? The Basic Goodness of Society
This course asks the question, “How can I help?” and explores our relationships with others and an aspiration to help our world. We ask what enlightened society may be. The course focuses on transforming four aspects of society: family life (household), professional life, entertainment, and economy. We learn the traditional compassion practice of “sending and taking” (tonglen).
Course 3: What Is Real? The Basic Goodness of Reality
This course asks the question, “What is real?” and focuses on a study of the phenomenal world. It emphasizes core Buddhist teachings, such as impermanence, the process of perception, the “mind,” and emptiness. It is oriented toward the experience of sacred world, the magic of the natural elements. The course also has an ecological emphasis.
Rigden: Unconditional Confidence
The Rigden weekend retreat is the culmination of the Everyday Life, Shambhala Training Levels I-V, and Basic Goodness series. The Rigden is a representation of our enlightened nature and embodies the principle of unconditional confidence. Historically, Rigdens were enlightened rulers— those who could “rule their world” based on their unwavering experience of basic goodness. This retreat is led by a Shambhala master teacher (acharya) and includes a transmission of “windhorse” practice and an opportunity to proclaim a commitment to basic goodness by formally taking the Shambhala Vow.
Prerequisite: Wisdom in Everyday Life, Shambhala Training Level V, and, if possible, The Basic Goodness Series.
The Sacred Path Series
The Sacred Path series is a sequence of advanced Shambhala Training weekend retreats based on the unique inner teachings of Shambhala. You may start the Sacred Path series anytime after completing the Rigden weekend retreat; however, we encourage you to attend Enlightened Society Assembly (ESA) before starting this series. Both the Sacred Path series and ESA are prerequisite for Warrior Assembly.
Weekend Retreat 1: Great Eastern Sun
Great Eastern Sun teaches us how to see the primordial energy and brilliance that is the basis of all that exists, and emphasizes the living context for building a sane society.