The heart that is broken has been broken open.

- Susan Piver

Practically everyone has an opinion about the healthcare debate currently raging in Congress. Undeniably, it’s a heated issue. But despite all the discussion, it seems that one critical element is consistently overlooked: compassion.

Dr. David R. Shlim, who will be teaching our upcoming Medicine & Compassion retreat, has devoted his life’s work to making compassion a more prevalent focus of Western medicine. In the introduction to Medicine & Compassion: A Tibetan Lama’s Guidance for Caregivers, Dr. Shlim explains:

“It’s ironic that this lack of overt compassion in medicine comes at a time when medicine can do more for a patient than at any time in history. Despite…remarkable achievements, few people seem as happy as they should be with the way medicine is practiced…A piece of the puzzle is missing, and that missing piece may be compassion.”

As a society, we have the technology to perform open-heart surgery but we lack the guidance to open our hearts with strength and empathy. 

Compassion literally means “to suffer with,” implying that we actually extend our experience of ourselves to include the suffering of others. Faced with the immense suffering going on all over the planet, it’s a daunting concept. For most of us, the idea of opening to suffering conjures up fears of overwhelm and emotional exhaustion. But here’s another irony: Studies show that bringing compassion into our daily lives actually makes us more competent, focused, and present.

Millions of years of evolution have taught us to shut down to pain and suffering. Perhaps it’s a necessary defense mechanism but, at a certain point, this defense begins to harm us more than it protects us. And at a time when compassion is crucial, we need support to transcend these habitual responses. As New York Times bestselling author Susan Piver, who will lead our upcoming Wisdom of a Broken Heart retreat, reminds us, it’s a truly courageous step to embrace the dark power of heartbreak as a means to open the heart of compassion.

At Shambhala Mountain Center, this support is available to you. Whichever of our programs feels right for you, we invite you to take advantage of this support – because the world needs us to bring compassion back into the discussion now more than ever.

The Sangha Retreat, hosted by Shambhala Mountain Center during the third week of July, was a rare and powerful opportunity to receive those instructions directly from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, see the effects of these instructions on one of our community’s greatest practitioners, Ani Pema Chodron, and practice the instructions with the guidance one of our community’s most dedicated young teachers, the Kalapa Acharya Adam Lobel.

“It will take ten years,” said Ani Pema Chodron to a participant who described his difficulties with following the instructions for dropping the habitual storylines created by thoughts while he practiced. It didn’t sound very reassuring at the time, but in retrospect, no one ever said the path to enlightenment would be easy, let alone the deceptively simple-sounding instructions of labeling thoughts and following the breath.

Despite the pain that inevitably arises in peoples’ minds and bodies during intensive practice meditation, the teachers created an environment that felt completely nurturing.

Gentleness and Strength

In an interview after the retreat ended, Kalapa Acharya Adam Lobel explained how the Sakyong laid the foundation of that environment in an initial meeting he held with both Acharya Pema Chodron and himself: “Rinpoche told us that the theme of this retreat was strength manifesting as gentleness, producing non-aggression.”

With this theme in mind, the acharyas, meditation instructors, and staff gave practitioners the opportunity to practice the meditation technique in a setting characterized by its friendliness, kindness, and openness.

Barbara Hirschfeld, Director of the Santa Rosa Shambhala Center, said, “I have been to many programs—large programs with lots of participants. Here, I was struck by the gentleness and by how little people complained. The theme of gentleness really permeated.” Most striking to her was the fact that “enlightened society was really experienced by all. And it was due to the Sakyong, to Pema, and to Acharya Lobel and their teachings.”

Acharya Lobel also was struck by the environment cultivated by the program. In reflecting back on the program, he appeared genuinely pleased to note, “Everyone seemed really genuine and engaged and connected with the practice as well as the global context of Shambhala vision.”

Summer Steeped in Richness

The Sangha Retreat program occurred in the midst of a summer steeped in the richness of the historical introduction of the Scorpion Seal Assembly for advanced-Vajrayana practitioners– teachings that represent a “powerful shift in our inner practices,” in the words of Acharya Lobel.The idea that the Sangha Retreat would be merely “introductory” seemed to place it in sharp contrast with the advanced teachings the Sakyong would present during the rest of the summer.

However, according to Acharya Lobel, the contrast between the two types of programs proved to be less sharp than he would have expected: “Many of us were very excited about this summer because of the opening of the Scorpion Seal Assemblies,” he explained. “But it turns out that the inner shift really has an energetic effect on our whole sangha, and that was very evident here at the Sangha Retreat.”

Role Models for Warriorship

The Sakyong’s talks touched upon matters close to his heart, and no doubt they were influenced by the enormous energy he has put into presenting his father’s Scorpion Seal teachings and by his mandate to help us establish enlightened society by way of the Shambhala teachings.

In his second talk to retreatants, he described the hardships of the teachers and lamas of the previous generation, many of whom “lost their entire families” and suffered untold brutalities as a result of the Chinese invasion of Tibet. In their struggle, the Sakyong explained, and in their continued and unwavering goal of perpetuating the message of compassion and virtue, these teachers embodied the striking power of genuine warriorship when it is infused with gentleness.

His father, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, was an example of the strength of these past teachers. “He walked to India!” the Sakyong exclaimed during his talk. But what the Sakyong really impressed upon the retreatants was not just the extensive physical and emotional hardship endured by this past generation of refugees, but the fact that when they arrived in safety, despite their suffering, their message was still one of compassion, not aggression.

During the question and answer period that followed the Sakyong’s second talk, he assured SMC staff member Bobby Elbers that, indeed, Shambhalians do not need to hide in caves and suffer deprivations in order to accrue the benefits of practice and attain the discipline and wisdom of the lineage holders of the past. He reaffirmed that we will benefit greatly from their example by simply taking this same view of compassion and training ourselves to apply this view wherever we go when we leave the protective container of the shrine tent.

Meditation: A Magnifying Mirror

Acharya Chodron has been practicing long enough to witness at least one generation to grow up and benefit from these teachings on compassion. What’s more, she made it obvious that these teachings work through her repeated and loving references to the instructions she received from her first teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, her gentleness towards the students who voiced the most personal of questions in front of 380 pairs of eyes, and her humorous candor that can only be the result of having made friends with herself despite the unbearable self-scrutiny of years of practice.

Acharya Chodron did not try to make meditation practice out to be something more pleasant than it is, however. “This is actually sounding like a pep-talk for not practicing,” she laughed when talking to the gathered community. She likened sitting for extensive periods of time and following the instructions faithfully to the act of staring at one’s own face in one of those magnifying-mirrors: things might look interesting, but “it doesn’t look pretty,” she warned. It takes a certain amount of bravery and mettle to sit on the cushion, but the act of mustering that honesty and rousing that bravery is the opportunity for participants to practice that very gentleness that the Sakyong had in mind when he set the tone for the week.

On the concluding day of the program, the Sakyong asked the hundreds of people gathered in the tent if they should “do it again.” The answer from the group was a resounding “Yes!”

Tears Accompany a Gesar Song

In that same spirit of celebration, the Sakyong requested that the Sakyong Wangmo, Khandro Tseyang, treat the participants with a song drawn from her family’s lineage-connection to the Epic of Gesar of Ling. For many, it was the very first time they had heard the Sakyong Wangmo sing. “I cried,” said Ian Bascetta of the New York City sangha. “I literally had not cried during the whole retreat, even though I probably should have. And then she started singing and I finally burst.”

Many expressed similar reactions to her performance, proving it to be one of the most moving moments of the week. Her simple act of reminding us of the heroics of Gesar and his fellow warriors became a moment of contextualizing the entire retreat: we are a part of an extensive historical and familial tradition in which the paradoxical contrast between warriorship and gentleness no longer exists; conventional wisdom separates the two, but in skillful combination, these qualities can conquer the obstacles of a dark age.

Power, Relevance, Immediacy

“There was a feeling of the power and relevance and immediacy of the Shamabhala teachings,” said Acharya Lobel, noting that the teachings of that week reached out “way beyond just advanced practitioners towards newer practitioners going forward on the path.”

We can only hope that this Sangha Retreat was the first in what will be a series of opportunities for practitioners to reconnect with the Shambhala teachings and practice establishing enlightened society.

My personal aspiration, I hasten to mention, is that the future dance parties held after the final banquets of these retreats can also live up to the enormously fun precedent set by the participants of this first one. After all, it’s not often that one can dance the night away with a few hundred fellow warriors

By Alexandra Milsom

Photo Credits: Brian Spielmann, Barbara Hirschfeld, and Christoph Schoenherr

But then I thought more carefully. Maybe he was on to something. In the world of doing we are constantly bombarded, day in and day out, with people, places and things literally fighting for our attention. There is a sort of war going on, and it is a war for your consciousness.

We all know the drill. We wake to alarms, scurry to get ready, chug down some Joe and we are out the door to accomplish our myriad missions for the day. There is a barrage of information, sights and sounds that come at us and vie for our attention: Family, Friends, Bosses, Co-Workers, other drivers, the garbage, the laundry, the cooking, the yard, the shopping, the environment, the news, commercials…

And if we are very, very lucky, there is also a small chair or cushion that asks us to finally place our attention inward, to take a 15 minute break from it all and push the reset button before we collapse into bed.

Our mind is silently begging “Retreat!” as our bodies keep pushing forward on the front lines of the world of illusion, answering “No Retreat!”

A respite from the madness sometimes takes more than a quick session of stillness. The constant fires we have to put out pull our consciousness away from the spiritual retreat we quietly long for. Soon we begin to sense that the only real way to quench the deep thirst for the still waters of pure spirit is to disconnect from the world, leave town and head for a more conducive space to balance out the world of doing.

A retreat center may be found in most cities, but a mountain retreat has a special quality all its own. Traveling to such a place starts the retreat from “the war”. As the miles pass beneath the tires of the car, you can literally feel the war for your consciousness wane. You can begin to Re-Treat yourself to who you really are.

A meditation retreat is like a spa retreat for your soul. It is a space to cleanse yourself from the dust and crud of the attacks of life. Having this type of country retreat brings your inner world back in alignment. Instead of handling the destructive forces of the world, you have a chance to tend to your inner sanctum as if a master gardener on a garden retreat.

Shambhala Mountain Center is such a place. However it is more than just a Buddhist Retreat. It is many retreats in one. What are you looking to treat yourself to? Are you looking for a couples retreat or a health healing retreat? A women’s retreat or a yoga retreat? A Shambhala Training retreat or a silent retreat?

Whatever type you are looking for, this Colorado retreat center can help you achieve the peace of mind you deserve. Just imagine whole days filled with diving deep into the silence, lighting up from the inside and being buoyed by the grace of love within. Ahhh, you are healed once again…

So next time you are fatigued by the battle for your consciousness, DO something for your well BEING. Think of Shambhala Mountain Center and sign up to Re-Treat yourself…to your true Self.

Tiffany Weller

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.

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.

In the course of our lives, this goodness, warmth and intelligence can easily become covered over by doubt, fear and egotism. We tend to fall into a kind of sleep or stupor, believing in the conditioning we have as the ultimate truth, and coming under the sway of fear. The journey of becoming fully human means seeing through fear and egotism, and waking up to our natural intelligence. It takes kindness—to ourselves and others—and courage, to wake up in this world.

The journey of awakening is known as the path of the warrior, as it requires the simple bravery to look directly at one’s own mind and heart. The essential tool for doing this is mindfulness meditation. As we continue on the Shambhala path, we learn many other practices, to help us break through the ancient crust of ego and awaken to the joy of fully living in this world. Awakening and opening, we discover the world to be naturally sacred—pure and full of beauty. We begin to see clearly the goodness and wisdom of others, and to feel compassion to help them in myriad ways.

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.

1. Start with the basics. Slowly inhale through each breath and feel the positive energy entering your body; and as you exhale, imagine the stress leaving your body.
2. Try to practice in a quiet corner with little distractions, so you can focus your energy.
3. You can learn more about reducing stress through Tai Chi by joining a Tai Chi class or Tai Chi retreat like those offered by Shambhala Mountain Center.
4. Take it easy. Practice in a way that makes you feel comfortable and helps you feel relaxed.
5. Finally, try to do these exercises in the morning and the night, because it’s a great way to begin and end your day on a positive note.

Ready for the next step? Come join Larry Welsh as he leads Meditation & Tai Chi: Finding Stillness Within Movement. In this weekend-long retreat join together the wisdom of Tai Chi and sitting meditation. Contact Shambhala Mountain Center today to learn more.

Like yoga and meditation, Tai Chi is an excellent way to relieve stress. In fact, Tai Chi has become increasingly popular as it has been clinically proven to reduce blood pressure and stress levels. Unlike other forms of exercise that might put unnecessary strain on joints and muscles, the gentle movements in tai chi are safe for people of all ages and levels of fitness.

Aside from reduced stress, Tai Chi can help:

• Increase flexibility
• Improve muscle strength and definition
• Increase energy
• Reduce anxiety and depression
• Improve balance
• Improve sleep quality

Want to give Tai Chi a try? Come partake in our weekend-long Tai Chi and meditation retreat. In this Tai Chi retreat, led by Larry Welsh, beginning practitioners will learn the basics of sitting meditation and Tai Chi. Advanced practitioners will focus on integrating these two wisdom traditions. Contact Shambhala Mountain Center to learn about Meditation & Tai Chi: Finding Stillness Within Movement with Larry Welsh

If you’re young and physically fit, more vigorous styles like Bikram, Asthanga, and Power Yoga will better suite your higher energy. If you’re dealing with an injury or chronic illness or are in your later years, restorative classes or yoga therapy might be more appropriate. Yoga classes specifically for depression and anxiety have been developed by such renowned teachers as Amy Weintraub and Bo Forbes, and some styles, such as Kripalu and Anusara, were developed for transformation and spiritual awakening. If you’re a stickler for detail, Iyengar Yoga might appeal to you. You’ll find that all styles incorporate hatha yoga, or the physical poses we’re most familiar with, along with varying amounts of pranayama (breathing techniques), shavasana (relaxation) meditation, and perhaps yantra (symbols) and mantra (hand gestures).

The following is a brief description of a few yoga styles. When choosing a class, try to sample a few styles—and teachers—then settle into the one that feels right to you. As you grow and change, you might decide that another style would be more appropriate. Always listen to your body first, and never strain or struggle in a yoga class.

Anusara Yoga is an integrated approach which blends precise physical biomechanics and spiritual elements. It is both physically transformative and therapeutically effective. This upbeat practice creates an attitude of opening to grace, integrates awareness of the entire body, and involves practicing postures as an artistic expression of the heart.

Ashtanga Yoga is a fast-paced demanding practice involving a progressive series of postures synchronized with the breath. Designed to produce intense internal heat and profuse, purifying sweat, this practice detoxifies muscles and organs, and is great for building strength and flexibility.

Kripalu Yoga uses classical hatha yoga postures and breathing techniques to help students enter a state of “meditation in motion.” The practice includes three stages: postural alignment and breath; longer posture holding and meditation; and spontaneous posture flows. This practice serves as a catalyst for physical healing, psychological and emotional development, and spiritual awakening.

Integrative Yoga Therapeutics™ combines the classical elements of yoga—therapeutic vinyasa, restorative yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises—with the latest advances in mind-body medicine to address issues such as anxiety, insomnia, depression, chronic pain disorders, fertility, and more.

Lîla Yoga™, known as a “philosophy in motion,” combines creative sequencing of postures (vinyasas) and complimentary yoga postures (asanas) into powerful patterns of movement to warm the body, focus the mind, and awaken a deeper sense of presence. The practice focuses on the power of the mind, energy patterns, trusting the intuitive, and living with more agility and grace.

© 2009 Shambhala Mountain Center.

Lori Batcheller is Shambhala Mountain Center’s senior editor. A certified 500-hour Kripalu Yoga instructor, she teaches yoga classes in Boulder, Colorado, and Introduction to Kripalu Yoga at Shambhala Mountain Center.

Qigong has the power to improve your  health, enhance well-being and expand life. Developed by ancient Chinese shamans, Taoists and Buddhists, Qigong is a spiritual discipline that brings harmony and peace into your life.

Aside from achieving a calm state of mind and reducing stress, Qigong has many other health benefits, such as treating cancer and heart disease. Following are some of Qigong’s remarkable health benefits.

Well-being and improved health
Qigong works with your entire body, affecting all health aspects. While Qigong has been said to cure specific illnesses, the primary reason for practice is not just to add years to your life, but life to your years.

Clear and tranquil mind
Key to reducing stress is getting your mind at peace. A peaceful mind leads to a peaceful universe in which you can heal and transform others just through your presence. When you achieve a peaceful mind you will make better decisions and have the skill to know when to act and when to be still.

Deeper, more restorative sleep
Qigong will help you find the deep relaxation and mental quiet necessary for sleep.

Increased energy, including sexual vitality and fertility
People who practice Qigong have more energy. Consistent practice can increase energy and restore youthfulness.

Comfortable warmth
Qigong is great for cold hands and feet. Your circulation will improve causing your body to generate more internal warmth when it’s cold.

Clear skin
The skin, like the intestines, is an organ of elimination. According to Chinese medicine, as your Qigong improves, your body eliminates toxins, and the skin becomes clear.

Happy attitude
There is an old Tibetan saying, “You can tell a Yogi by his or her laugh.” Correct and moderate Qigong practice usually creates an optimistic and joyous disposition.

More efficient metabolism
Practice Qigong and you’ll experience improved digestion and increased growth in your hair and nails.

Greater physiological control
This means that aspects of the body that were imbalanced or out of control begin to normalize, for example, breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure, hormone levels, and states of chronic inflammation or depletion.

Spiritual effects
Advancement in Qigong is often accompanied by a variety of spiritual experiences. When the ‘Qi’ is abundant, clear and flowing, the senses perceive and are permeated by sweetness.

Want to try Qigong? Shambhala Mountain Center is offering a beginner and intermediate Qigong retreat. Practice with renowned instructor Eva Wong and learn to cultivate strength of body and calmness of mind. Contact Shambhala Mountain Center to learn more about its upcoming retreat,  Traditional Chinese Qigong: Levels I & II with Eva Wong.