Shambhala Mountain Center Blog

People come to yoga for many reasons: to get or stay in shape, reduce stress, recover from injury, or as part of a spiritual path. Personally, though I’d taken a yoga class in college in the late 1970s for gym credit, I began practicing regularly about 10 years ago because I fell in love with a gorgeous spiritual seeker who practiced yoga. “Joe” was an ex-model and ex-world class runner, i.e. attractive inside and out, who left those worlds abruptly when he had the realization they were leading him nowhere. We spent the summer talking about God, reading Rumi, hiking in the Berkshire hills, dancing freely, sharing our life stories, and practicing yoga. I signed up for a beginning hatha yoga class in town and immediately began to feel more grounded and connected to myself. That same year I discovered Kripalu Yoga and began to attend retreats and trainings to deepen my practice. Eventually I became a yoga teacher and began passing on yoga’s many gifts to others.

Whatever your reasons for starting a yoga practice, you’ll reap numerous benefits. Some of these include:

• Increased strength. Asanas, or yoga poses, strengthen and tone the body both through movement and holding postures for various lengths of time.
• Toned internal organs. The gentle squeezing and releasing of muscles surrounding organs helps them function more efficiently.
• Improved flexibility. Practiced within your comfort zone to avoid strain and injury, over time yoga gradually brings more flexibility to both your body and your mind.
• Increased breath capacity. Yoga practice includes pranayama, or breathing techniques, that open the chest and strengthen the diaphragm (the body’s primary breathing muscle), and other muscles involved with breathing.
• Improved circulation. The contraction and release of muscles improves circulation of both blood and lymph fluid.
• More efficient digestion. Yoga increases blood flow to the digestive tract and stimulates peristalsis—wave-like contractions that move food along the digestive tract—making digestion more efficient. Yoga’s calming effects also result in improved digestion and elimination.
• Reduced stress. Yoga practice, including asana, pranayama, relaxation, (shavasana), and meditation, shifts us from the flight-fight response—sympathetic nervous system—that many of us find ourselves in frequently to the relaxation response—or parasympathetic nervous system. This results in an overall feeling of well-being.
• Promotes better health. Practiced regulary, yoga reaches all aspects of our body/mind, resulting in improved health on all levels—physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Anyone and everyone can reap the benefits of this ancient 5,000-year-old practice. The important thing is to find a class suitable for your age, background, and fitness and flexibility level; pay attention to what your body needs and never push yourself too hard; and practice regularly. In my next post, I’ll explain a few of today’s more popular styles (ultimately, there is only one yoga) to help you choose a practice that is right for you.

Oh, and the guy? Like a moth attracted to a brightly burning flame, I got burned. At the end of the summer “Joe” flitted off to India to continue his free-spirited spiritual path. Fortunately for me—unlike many a moth—I later realized I was only singed. The relationship introduced me to a practice that has transformed my body, mind, relationships, career, and health in ways I am only grateful for

By Lori Batcheller

Lori Batcheller is Shambhala Mountain Center’s senior editor.  A certified 500-hour Kripalu Yoga instructor, she teaches Introduction to Kripalu Yoga workshops at Shambhala Mountain Center.

Shambhala Mountain Center also offers a variety of workshops including:  Anusara Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga,  Lila Yoga,  Yoga for the Emotional Body, and Yoga and Meditation.

© 2009 Shambhala Mountain Center.

While listening to President Obama’s inaugural address I was excited that he was so inclusive when he mentioned  we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers.. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth….

But why did he not mention Buddhist?

Then I heard the following story –

President Obama was sworn in with a khata (white offering scarf) from the Dalai Lama in his pocket, delivered to him by United States Senator Diane Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum, shortly before the ceremony.

Blum wrote - I had a kata at my house that His Holiness had given me. I offered it to President Obama before the ceremony. I said that I could get it delivered to him later. He said, no, that he was going to take it and have it with him; in fact, it was in his pocket when he was sworn-in.

It should be mentioned that Blum is the Chairman and founder of the apolitical American Himalayan Foundation which has given millions of dollars to build hospitals and schools in Tibet and Nepal.

So President Obama, you and your family are always welcome to come visit Shambhala Mountain Center and visit the Great Stupa or attend a monthlong meditation retreat.

Brian Spielmann

Is your everyday life making you stressed? Relieve stress by participating in Qigong. Qigong (pronounced “chee gong”) is an ancient Chinese system of exercise and meditation that will make your mind and spirit calm and serene.

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.

When looking at the increased number of visitors over the last ten years, it has become clear that Buddhist retreats have become a very popular weekend or weeklong getaway. While Buddhist retreats have traditionally attracted devout followers of Eastern religious practices, an increasing number of nonbelievers who seek stress-free, spiritual and often inexpensive breaks from the hecticness of their everyday lives are attending Buddhist retreats.

For the nonbelievers, a Buddhist retreat embodies traits opposite of an urban lifestyle. They offer an uncomplicated way of living that provides the rest and relaxation that so many of their visitors seek. In a way, visitors can experience the antithesis of their lives at home.

While Buddhist retreats have been around for several decades, they have traditionally been visited by practicing Buddhists, serious yoga students or devotees of an ashram’s guru. Today, these spots are attracting clientele who’ve had limited interaction with Eastern religions, yoga or a spiritual guru. In fact, some Buddhist centers are reporting a 100% increase in non-following visitors in the last five years alone. These particular visitors have come to realize that Buddhist centers are places of refuge and that it isn’t necessary to know anything about the guru, yoga or meditation.

While stress is the number one reason visitors choose to take a spiritual getaway, it’s the sparse living style and firm scheduling at these retreats that helps to relieve that stress. Harried urbanites can spend whole days without making a decision or facing a crisis, without trying to find a cab in the rain or worrying about a client. The activities are predetermined and tightly scheduled: meditation, chanting religious verses, doing chores around the property and silent self-contemplation.

While non-believers are finding that these retreats are a wonderful way to relax, they are also discovering that they are a great way to initiate a personal exploration of Buddhism. There are many types of classes that are perfect for new visitors. There are “Intro to Buddhism” weekends, workshop retreats that focus on a Zen art such as haiku or kung fu, retreats for families, retreats into the wilderness; and retreats for silent meditation.

Attending a beginner meditation retreat, like those offered at Shambhala Mountain Center, is an ideal way to begin a personal experience of Buddhism outside of books. Visitors will be in the company of other beginners, and such matters as temple protocols or how to meditate will be explained. Most Buddhist centers that offer retreats will make it clear which retreats are appropriate for beginners and which require prior experience. Contact Shambhala Mountain Center today to learn more about our beginner Buddhist meditation retreats.

Traveling to Asia? If your trip includes a stop in Vietnam or Cambodia, be sure to include these amazing sites on your itinerary.

Perfume Pagoda, Vietnam
Perfume Pagoda, or Chua Huong, is located in Huong Son, Vietnam. Perfume Pagoda is not one temple but a cluster of temples and shrines in the general vicinity of Huong Son. The pagodas are located in My Duc hamlet in the province of Ha Tay.

Perfume Pagoda has a long history in Vietnamese literature and has been a theme of many songs and poems, and used in literary works and paintings. The uniqueness of Perfume Pagoda is that the mountains, river and forest appear like an oasis for Buddhists in the middle of the great plains of northern Vietnam. This location truly incorporates all the elements of beauty that is often used in Eastern philosophy and arts.

Ruins at My Son, Vietnam
My Son, which flourished from the late 400s to the mid 1200s, was a center of Champa culture. Through commercial and religious contacts with India, the Champa kingdom quickly developed a strong affinity for Indian culture, borrowing Hinduism and the Sanskrit alphabet, as well as Indian architectural and artistic tastes. For many centuries the Champa kingdom existed as an independent entity, warring constantly with the Vietnamese to the north and the Khmer to the west. Champa endured until the 17th century when it was absorbed by Vietnam.

The ruins at My Son represent a series of constructions over a period of many centuries. The monuments bear a strong resemblance to Khmer structures found in present-day Cambodia and eastern Thailand. My Son was far enough south that it was sheltered from Chinese artistic tastes that saturated northern Vietnam. Instead, the cosmopolitan city of My Son did a brisk trade with India to the west and Java to the south. Today, the beauty of My Son would be more complete if not for widespread American bombing during the Vietnam War.

Temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Hundreds of years ago, this temple complex in the middle of the jungle was the heart of a sprawling empire. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ever since its re-discovery by European explorers in the mid-19th Century, Angkor Wat’s sheer massiveness and breathtaking beauty have awed generations of tourists.

The temples were built between 1130 and 1150 AD by King Suryavarman II, and consist of an enormous temple pyramid covering an area measuring 4,250 by 5,000 feet, surrounded by a moat over 600 feet wide. Enormous doesn’t do it justice.  You only have to stand by the gates to be overwhelmed by the complex’s massive scale.

Angkor Wat is intended to symbolize the universe, as the Hindu Khmer understood it.  The moat stands for the oceans around the earth and  the concentric galleries represent the mountain ranges surrounding the divine Mount Meru, the Hindu home of the gods. The walls are covered with carvings depicting the god Vishnu, to whom Angkor was principally dedicated, as well as other scenes from Hindu mythology.

Join Shambhala Mountain Center as it takes a spiritual journey to Vietnam and Cambodia. On February 12, 2009 Susan Piver and Dana Strong will lead a once-in-a-lifetime adventure through these majestic Asian countries. The trip includes stops at the Perfume Pagoda, the Ruin a My Son and the Temples of Angkor Wat. Learn more about this amazing trip today!

The Shambhala Mountain Center is honored to include B. Alan Wallace in its portfolio of talented instructors who share a passion for personal well-being. As author, translator, teacher, researcher, interpreter and Buddhist practitioner, Wallace’s interests focus on the combined effects of consciousness studies and psychology. He is most famously known as a teacher of Shamatha, a style of Buddhist meditation designed to enhance sustained voluntary attention, culminating in an attention that can be sustained effortlessly and for hours on end.  This March, at the Shambhala Mountain Center, Wallace will lead the retreat, The Way of Shamatha: Soothing the Body, Settling the Mind, and Illuminating Awareness, where participants will discover the power of Shamatha and its ability to calm the body and sooth the mind.

B. Alan Wallace and Shamatha
Recent studies show that meditation practices have a positive result on stress management and emotional stability. B. Alan Wallace has been working with neuroscientists and psychologists in a long-term-study that measures the effects of intensive meditation on attention, cognitive performance, emotion regulation and health. His studies have helped him to develop training methods that include deep, intensive meditation that fosters attentional vividness and stability as well as compassion, loving-kindness, empathetic joy and equanimity.

Experience the teachings of B. Alan Wallace at the Shambhala Mountain Center, where he will be leading the weeklong retreat, The Way of Shamatha: Soothing the Body, Settling the Mind and Illuminating Awareness. During the retreat you will explore the power of Shamatha which will lead to active engagement in loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity.

About B. Alan Wallace
Wallace has been teaching Buddhism, philosophy and meditation in Asia, Europe, North and South America and Australia since 1976. He has served as interpreter for many Buddhist contemplatives and scholars, including the Dalai Lama, and has written dozens of books and essays. His education and training started in 1971 when he left college to pursue a passion for Tibetan Buddhism. He has since studied at the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives in Dharamsala, India, the Institute of Buddhist Dialects, The Tibet Institute in Switzerland and the Center for Higher Tibetan Studies in Mt. Pelerin, Switzerland. After completing his BA in 1984 as an Independent Scholar in Physics, Philosophy and Sanskrit, he enrolled in the graduate program in religious studies at Stanford University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1995. During these years at Stanford, he continued his studies of the philosophy of science and of the mind. His main research centered on integrating Buddhism with Western science and philosophy with the aim of achieving a more comprehensive understanding of consciousness.

In 1997, he joined the faculty of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he taught courses on Tibetan Buddhism, language, and culture, as well as the interface between science and religion. In 2003, Alan established the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, a non-profit institution concerned with synthesizing scientific and contemplative inquiry into the nature and potentials of consciousness.