Shambhala Mountain Center Blog

Last month, I attended a traditional Chinese Qigong intensive with Qigong master Eva Wong. As Eva demonstrated a movement for the class, I found myself trivializing part of the movement and not giving it my full attention; I had practiced this particular movement many, many times.

But as I watched her gestures flow into one another, I realized how mistaken I was—there was nothing insignificant about it. Opening my mind, I saw how each aspect of the movement was sacred, how each movement was interdependent upon the other.

How often is it in life that we drop out of the present moment, skipping forward, attempting to experience pleasure and avoid pain? Hollywood captured it well in Adam Sandler’s movie Click. And how often do we recognize these habitual impulses, let them be, and choose instead to remain in the freshness of the here and now, not be seduced by the dream of hope and fear?

The Shambhala teachings remind us that when we abandon our hopes and fears—our concepts of the world—we experience basic goodness, and see the world exactly as it is. As Pema Chödrön puts it:

We can stop and take three conscious breaths, and the world has a chance to open up to us in that gap. We can allow space into our state of mind.

This takes discipline and practice. But what better time to engage in this practice than right now, as winter approaches? Opening to the seemingly cold and dead phenomenal world, we find that, in reality, the present moment is totally alive—each moment has a gift to offer us.

We invite you to schedule some time at Shambhala Mountain Center to deepen your practice of returning to the present moment, whether your flavor of practice be meditation, yoga, an ancient wisdom tradition, or simply being in nature through self-directed retreat.

How precious this time is.

Brian

Sakyong expresses support for Ministries and Departments of Peace The Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, has expressed his support for the worldwide initiative to urge countries to establish ministries and departments of peace. He issued the following statement in conjunction with the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica last month:

“Years hence, when every country has a Ministry of Peace, people will look back and ask: ‘What took us so long?’ After all, we have a ministry for almost everything else: health, education and so on. How odd that, of all things, we have no ministries of peace. Peace is the key to accomplishing the rest.

“Peace is the global imperative. The huge challenges we face will not be resolved through aggression. Aggression got us into this global crisis in the first place. Now, even the survival of the biosphere is under threat. We are not going pull back from this catastrophe by using the very same mindset and methods that bought us to this brink. Nor is this a crisis we can resolve through good wishes alone. We need a coordinated global plan which will bring together the brightest minds, the best plans and the most gifted leadership. The backbone of that plan will be the Ministries of Peace.”

At present three countries have established ministries of peace: Costa Rica, Nepal and the Solomon Islands. There are hopes that Canada might be the next nation to do so. The President of Shambhala has written to the leaders of all Canadian parties on the Sakyong’s behalf. The full text of the letter follows.

To the Leaders of All Canadian National Political Parties,

I have the honour to transmit to you the following aspiration from the Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, the supreme head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, headquartered in Canada, in support of the initiative to create a Canadian Department of Peace.

This statement has been issued in conjunction with the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica in September 2009:

“Years hence, when every country has a Ministry of Peace, people will look back and ask: ‘What took us so long?’ After all, we have a ministry for almost everything else: health, education and so on. How odd that, of all things, we have no ministries of peace. Peace is the key to accomplishing the rest.

Peace is the global imperative. The huge challenges we face will not be resolved through aggression. Aggression got us into this global crisis in the first place. Now, even the survival of the biosphere is under threat. We are not going pull back from this catastrophe by using the very same mindset and methods that bought us to this brink. Nor is this a crisis we can resolve through good wishes alone. We need a coordinated global plan which will bring together the brightest minds, the best plans and the most gifted leadership. The backbone of that plan will be the Ministries of Peace.”

РThe Sakyong, Jamg̦n Mipham Rinpoche

I am writing to you now, as the leaders of all the national political parties in Canada, to urge your support for this peace initiative, both on a national and global level. On the global level, this initiative is being spearheaded by the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace and, in Canada, by the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI).

Finding and remaining at peace is the heart aspiration of the great wisdom traditions and noble societies of the world. In common with many others, Shambhala Buddhism believes we can pursue a genuine path to peace by sensing and harnessing the transformative power of our basic human goodness. Such a view is central to Shambhala’s outlook and practices, which are dedicated to disciplines of personal and social transformation. Both are necessary to dissipate prevailing tendencies towards fear and confusion and open the way to cultivating peace in our lives and our world. This is a genuine and practical basis for effective compassionate action, so sorely needed in this time of escalating global uncertainty, change, conflict and alienation.

As the Sakyong stated when presenting the first Living Peace Award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “Peace is not a choice for some; it is imperative for all. It is the only way forward for humanity and our planet.”

Peace cannot be won in the abstract but is earned through diligent effort that respects the experience of others and from that ground, listens, learns and communicates — a living practice of genuine human engagement. This quest for living peace cannot wait. Now is the time for people and societies of good faith to step forward assertively to place the campaign for peace in the forefront of our thoughts and efforts.

Shambhala wholeheartedly endorses significant advancements to build a culture of peace in our era. The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace is perhaps foremost among them. Shambhala believes we can and should play an active role in this and similar civil society efforts which have so much in common with our vision and mission.

We are also supportive of the efforts of CDPI. The mandate of the Minister of Peace would be to reinvigorate Canada’s role as a peacekeeper and peace builder, advancing nonviolent responses to domestic and international conflict. This would include: the establishment of a civilian peace service in Canada; the development of peace education at all levels, including post-secondary peace and conflict studies; the development of early detection and rapid response processes to deal with emerging conflicts; international leadership to abolish nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, to reduce conventional weapon arsenals, and to ban the weaponization of space as part of a worldwide transition from war-based to peace-based economies.

We are delighted that there was a Canadian delegation to the 4th Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica in mid-September. Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica and Nobel peace laureate himself, hosted the conference in this, the third country to launch a Peace Ministry. We hope that Canada will soon follow.

In anticipation of your supportive response and commitment to action, I send you every good wish,

Richard Reoch

President of Shambhala

(This announcement was from the Shambhala News Service

Whether you write novels, poetry, memoir, personal essays, screenplays, songs, or simply enjoy journaling, most writers struggle with the same issues. Finding time. Finding their unique voice. And most of all, finding confidence. When confidence is present, all the other details: making space in daily life for this precious work, relaxing into authenticity, and finding joy in the delight and the struggle of writing, seem to take care of themselves. You find the sense of flow that all writers long for.

I discovered a way into this flow several years ago when I was on a lengthy meditation retreat. I requested permission to write for several hours a day during the final days of the program because I was on a book deadline. Between fairly lengthy meditation sessions, I returned to my room to work and found that I was in the midst of a writing experience unlike any other. I had no hesitation about how to begin. When I finished expressing one idea, it was like the next one was right there, waiting to be written down. When I returned to my work the next day, it was as if the exact stopping point had been bookmarked in my mind and I was able to pick up precisely where I left off. Most noticeably, I found that the normal problems I had with self-doubt and being overly critical of myself were gone. This was a tremendous discovery. I left the retreat thinking that there was something magical about this combination of meditation and writing practices.

Most people who love writing are also petrified of it. Why, I cannot tell you. I only know that we all experience some form of hesitation when it comes to the blank page. The writers retreats that I lead help to deal with obstacles and blocks and encourage you to trust your voice. We use 4 tools during the writing and creativity retreat.

1. Meditation. The practice of breath-awareness meditation helps gather and quiet the mind. It teaches two precious skills: first, it builds concentration and second, it relaxes the mind. Each day begins with meditation practice (instruction will be offered) and we return to the meditation cushion for a brief session after lunch and again before dinner.

2. Journaling. Sometimes called morning pages or free writing, we’ll follow our morning meditation with 3 pages of long hand, stream of consciousness writing. The purpose of this is to begin to focus your mind on writing, but without any agenda or chance for self-criticism.

3. Personal Writing. You will have two 2-hour periods (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) to devote yourself to your personal writing. You can work on an existing project, dream up a new one, write in your journal, or just sit down at your pad (or computer) and see what happens.

4. Conversation. Each evening, one or two people will have a chance to share their work. The purpose of this is not to offer literary criticism or criticism of any other kind. The purpose is to simply open to and take in the words of a particular writer. We ask ourselves questions like, “What does it feel like to hear this writer’s work?” “How would we describe their voice?” “What was particularly striking and where did we become lost?” “What do we think this writer is really trying to say?” Questions such as these are designed to help the writer (who is silent during the conversation) see what happens when their work has a chance to “breathe” in a friendly, supportive environment. Many participants report that this was the portion of the program that was most frightening, but turned out to be the most inspiring.

My sincere hope is that each writer (whether or not you call yourself one!) will leave feeling inspired by his or her own story and confident in their unique voice.

Susan is offering both a weekend Writing and Creativity retreat October 23-25 and a more intensive writing retreat October 23-29.

Susan Piver is the New York Times bestselling author of four books and a frequent contributor to the Shambhala Sun and Body+Soul magazine. Her next book, The Wisdom of a Broken Heart is due out in January, 2010. She has been authorized to teach meditation in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage since 2006.

A few years ago the Sakyong, the spiritual leader of Shambhala, married Khandro Tseyang. Since then, it has been interesting to watch their relationship manifest as an example of a marriage rooted in wisdom and compassion.

“Relationship is the training ground for practice,” reflects the Sakyong,”and it’s also the place where your practice is tested. If you’re trying to practice compassion, a relationship will show you how well you’re dealing with your own mind. Outside, you can pretend you’re practicing compassion, but when you’re trying to practice compassion with the people who are close to you, you see how theoretical it is.”

This is true of any intimate relationship, whether it be between lovers, friends, or parents and children. It becomes obvious whether we’re being authentic, whether our hearts are truly open. We learn to remain steadfast even when the impetus to deny or indulge our emotions becomes overwhelming.

It seems fitting that so many of our upcoming programs center around this theme. This month, Kate and Joel Feldman will lead our couples retreat, exploring how to deepen commitment to the path of loving partnership. We are hosting Pamela Wilson for an Advaita retreat in which each thought and feeling is welcomed as an opportunity to discover our true nature. In November, Dr. David Shlim will teach a Medicine & Compassion weekend on how to cultivate compassion even in the midst of the immense pressures placed on caregivers in our society. And it’s no accident that we call our upcoming winter dathün retreat “Practicing Fearlessness in Difficult Times.”

Please join us this fall for whichever retreat matches your own practice and needs.

As the seasons shift, Shambhala Mountain Center offers a gentle reminder that every interaction – every moment – is a chance to deepen our practice and to remember what is truly precious.

Brian Spielmann

Pema Chödrön on four ways that meditation helps us deal with difficulty

Meditation takes us just as we are, with our confusion and our sanity. This complete acceptance of ourselves as we are is a simple, direct relationship with our being. We call this maitri, loving-kindness toward ourselves and others. There are four qualities of maitri that are cultivated when we meditate:

1. Steadfastness. When we practice meditation we are strengthening our ability to be steadfast with ourselves, in body as well as mind.

2. Clear seeing. This is another way of saying that we have less self-deception. Through the process of practicing the technique day in and day out, year after year, we begin to be very honest with ourselves.

3. Experiencing our emotional distress. We practice dropping whatever story we are telling ourselves and leaning into the emotions and the fear. We stay with the emotion, experience it, and leave it as it is, without proliferating. Thus we train in opening the fearful heart to the restlessness of our own energy. We learn to abide with the experience of our emotions.

4. Attention to the present moment. We make the choice, moment by moment, to be fully here. Attending to our present-moment mind and body is a way of being tender toward self, toward others, and toward the world. This quality of attention is inherent in our ability to love. These four factors not only apply to sitting meditation, but are essential to all the bodhichitta (awakened heart) practices and for relating with difficult situations in our daily lives. By cultivating them we discover for ourselves that it is bodhichitta, not confusion, that is basic.

From the September 2009 issue of the Shambhala Sun

Dathün is one of the foundational programs of Shambhala. And there is more than meets the eye to this month-long meditation intensive, which can be done in weekly segments. It is an ordinary experience, almost beyond ordinary, that can have a profound impact on your journey and give your mind the strength to handle these challenging times.
 
If you’re not familiar with the experience, its brilliance is demonstrated in its simplicity. You get up each morning, and you go to the shrine room and sit. You have a small break and then you sit again and again. No elaborate meditation techniques, no promises of rainbows, just you being with you. And somehow in the midst of what can seem like dreadful boredom, magic happens. Boredom is no longer a problem, the person breathing heavily in front  is no longer a problem, and you are no longer a problem. You realize your own basic goodness on the spot and can finally smile for no reason.
 
Who knew doing nothing (properly) could be so life changing?
 
Because of the importance of Dathün to your spiritual journey, we offer it at the lowest cost possible. You can attend for as low as $55 per day, which includes your meals and lodging. For those wanting to experience the fullness, strength of mind and joy of intensive meditation, we invite you to make your practice a priority and join us. 

Brian Spielmann

Have a glimpse of scenic Shambhala Mountain Center everyday. We are now offering monthly desktop calendar of our favorite photos of Shambhala Mountain Center. 

Easy to download and free.  And let us know what you think.

Kyudo practice includes the idea of moral and spiritual development. Today many archers practice kyudo as a sport, with marksmanship being paramount. However, the goal most devotees of kyudo seek is “correct shooting and correct hitting”.

There are many different types of kyudo schools, some of which descend from military shooting and others that descend from ceremonial or contemplative practice. Within the different schools, emphasis varies from aesthetics to efficiency.

The ultimate goal of kyudo can vary also. Some believe that the goal is to attain the state of “truth-goodness-beauty”. This means that an archer with a virtuous spirit and attitude toward all persons and things will shoot beautifully.

In kyudo the unique action of expansion that results in a natural release is sought. When the technique of the shooting is correct the result is that the arrow hits the target. To give oneself completely to the shooting is the spiritual goal, achieved by perfection of both the spirit and shooting technique leading to “no thoughts, no illusions”.

Join Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei and deepen your practice in the Way of the Bow in six day intensive kyudo retreat. The emphasis will be on practice, practice, practice. Join fellow students from around the world as Sensei offers teachings on kyudo mind, manners, and dignity, and shares his incomparable knowledge of kyudo equipment. Contact Shambhala Mountain Center today to learn more.

Kyudo is a form of archery that originated in Japan, where it was pre-historically used for hunting and then later developed for use in warfare. Soon, the ceremonial use of the bow was adopted from China and continued in Japan after it ended in China.

When the samurai took power, archery education become a requirement in Japan. This led to the development of archery schools and a growth in archers’ participation in warfare. In fact, while Japan was consumed by civil war in the 15th and 16th centuries, the popularity of archery and its many schools grew exponentially. However, the use of bow as a weapon came to an end when the first Europeans arrived in Japan in 1542.

1603 – 1868 was an era of peace in Japan, where archery became a “voluntary” skill, practiced partly in the court in ceremonial form and partly in different forms of competition. Traditionally trained as fighters, during this peaceful time the samurai adopted Zen Buddhism, which was introduced to them by Chinese monks. They took their archery skills, combined it with this new philosophy and created a new concept – kyudo.

Practice kyudo with the best! Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei will be leading two kyudo retreats this summer at the Shambhala Mountain Center. Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei, is a 20th-generation Kyudo master and 3rd-generation bowmaker to the Emperor of Japan. He is cofounder, with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, of kyudojos (practice halls) in North America and Europe under the auspices of Zenko International. Having trained in Kyudo since childhood, Shibata Sensei, now in his 80s, is the preeminent teacher in the Way of the Bow. Contact the Shambhala Mountain Center to learn more.

While many businesses are currently struggling to stay afloat, yoga retreat centers are experiencing an increase in visitors, especially among the unemployed, the soon-to-be unemployed and the fearing-to-be-unemployed.

While a yoga retreat may be considered an unnecessary expense in such hard times, visitors argue that the emotional and physical benefits that come from a yoga retreat far outweigh any associated cost.

Yoga retreats have become more than a place for the experienced yogi to flex their muscles. They have become healing vacations, a place where people can seek rejuvenation from the stresses of their everyday lives. Additionally, with yoga retreats typically being all-inclusive, the stress that comes from planning activities, meals and transportation is non-existent.

With the pressure of losing your job and a dwindling savings account, many people feel guilty about lying on the beach and drinking a cocktail. Whereas with a yoga retreat, you can’t help but feel that despite paying for your stay, you’re doing something good for yourself, making the expense worthwhile. You are, essentially, on a learning vacation, developing healthy habits that will be beneficial for the rest of your life.

Join one of Shambhala Mountain Centers many yoga retreats. Situated in the beautiful Colorado mountains, Shambhala Mountain Center is a premier meditation and yoga center offering the best in instruction, accommodation and cuisine. Visit the Shambhala Mountain Center to learn more.