Meet Charlotte – One of Our New Practice Instructors!
Like many of us, Charlotte first discovered Shambhala after being handed a Pema Chodron text. She then received her original instruction and classwork at centres in her home state of Wisconsin, where she taught cooking and gardening to kids and worked for better food in schools and hospitals. She joined the Toronto Shambhala sangha when … Continue
Say Hello to Our New Practice Instructors
To meet our need for more educators at the Centre, we’ve held a program to train Practice Instructors that are able to show newcomers how to do Shamatha – also known as mindfulness – meditation. We’re please to announce that, as a result of this program, we have three new Practice Instructors at the Centre! … Continue
Children’s Day – Art Showcase
In the Shambhala tradition we celebrate Nyida Days four times a year, marking the change of a season. These are special days when the whole community gathers together with family and friends, and everyone enjoys the festivities, special celebratory ceremonies, and delicious food. Winter Nyida Day is celebrated on Winter Solstice, the shortest day of … Continue
Harvest of Peace
On Saturday September 19, we held a Harvest of Peace gathering for the Toronto Shambala sangha. There was considerable hesitation about having a live, in-person event; but in the end we decided we wanted to provide an opportunity for friends to get together and enjoy the nurturing of community, while at the same time making … Continue
New Millennial Practice Group Starting
For many of us, our curiosity with meditation and spirituality was sparked by suffering. We seek an ability to manage the craziness of our minds so that our minds work for us, instead of against us. Western psychiatric medicine and self-help have adopted mindfulness as a go-to intervention for a host of conditions, mental and … Continue
Celebration – Sheree Rasmussen at the Shambhala Centre Gallery
The Toronto Shambhala Centre Community Art Gallery is presently showing “Celebration,” the works of textile artist Sheree Rasmussen. Her beautiful hangings are evocative of the great modernists Chagall, Klimt, Miro, and Basquiat, as well as the folk patterns of the Balkans and Middle East. In Sheree’s own words: “As I layer the fabric pieces, cut … Continue
Janieta Eyre at the Shambhala Gallery
Janieta Eyre “… is one of Canada’s most original, provocative, and internationally acclaimed photographers.” Suzanne Zelazo, in Incarnations It is with great honour that we are presenting some of Janieta Eyre’s artworks at the Shambhala Meditation Centre of Toronto. In this small exhibition you will find four images printed on velvet, from the 2018 … Continue
Highlighting Humanity in a Mindful Society
Several members of the Toronto Shambhala community participated as speakers at the 4th annual A Mindful Society conference this past May. The conference connects professionals in education, healthcare, law, technology, workplace and life with leading thinkers, current research and mindfulness-based programs. It was a rich gathering of several hundred mindfulness practitioners interested in learning on … Continue
We Need to Talk!
A couple weeks ago I was cleaning my office and listening to CBC’s Q. Tom Power was interviewing comedian and podcaster Marc Maron on what makes up a good interview. I wasn’t familiar with Maron but when he spoke about the depth of observations and connection that can arise in a conversation, he had my … Continue
Seeing and Hearing with the Heart
It is Saturday, June 10, 7:45 am and I am walking along Bloor Street towards the Shambhala Centre. Someone is walking purposefully towards me. Oh please let them walk past me. I’m in a hurry. I have a talk to give today and I need to practice. “Can you help me? I’m so hungry. I … Continue