Spark wisdom this spring
In early August 2011 I spent a week in Halifax at a retreat called “Being Brave: Transforming Your World.” I remember seeing ads for the retreat on the sides of city buses. Shambhala in Halifax was as big in the bus ad world as musicals are in Toronto! The teachers were Sakyong Mipham, Pema Chödrön, … Continue
Renovations: Next round in August!
Over the last couple of years we have gradually been working to uplift the Toronto Shambhala Centre. (scroll through the blog for some history). Here’s how Heather Alinsangan, our centre director, described the work: On Tuesday, August 2 we will begin the next phase of much-needed renovations to uplift the room we use for meditation … Continue
Meditation Instructors: Do you have one?
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche describes how important it is to receive personal instruction from teachers. Like many Buddhist teachers, he uses the analogy of learning how to bake bread to describe meditation instruction. As he says in the film An Uncommon King, you might have your grandmother’s recipe for bread but you’ll never make bread as … Continue
Lodro Rinzler coming to town—asks what kind of person we’d like to be when we grow up?
Lodro Rinzler’s first book, The Buddha Walks into a Bar . . . (published a couple years ago and written while Rinzler was in his twenties), has sold over 40,000 copies and continues to sell several hundred copies a week. Much of the book’s success is due to Rinzler’s frank and popular advice column that appears in … Continue
Children’s Day Celebration
In the Shambhala tradition we celebrate Nyida Days four times a year, as they mark the change of a season. These are special days when the whole community gathers at the Shambhala centres, with family and friends, and everyone enjoys the festivities, special celebratory ceremonies, and delicious food. Winter Nyida Day is celebrated on Winter … Continue
Kado: Being Quiet and Doing Something!
More than knowing a thing or two about flowers, Marcia Wang Shibata knows her own mind—but then, she’s been following the way of flowers for a long time. Ms. Shibata, a Master Shambhala Kado Instructor, was in Toronto last weekend to work with a dozen or so students in an introductory practice. Kado is an … Continue
Free Online Program: Awake in the World
The details aren’t all worked out yet but there is an amazing event taking shape for the third week of October. Shambhala Mountain Center will be hosting a free five-day online event called Awake in the World to explore mindfulness in our health, work, and relationships as a path to personal and social transformation. It … Continue
A Rigden King Is Born
I am not entirely sure what leads a person to the path of the Buddha. I suppose we all have our own journey and experiences that lead us here. I have spent a lot of time suffering—worrying about how I look, what I should say, what I did say, what to do, what not to … Continue
It’s happening! Changes to the Centre
Our renovation is underway, and what a difference we are seeing already! After months of listening, discussion, and testing ideas we have a fresh understanding of how our space can express Shambhala society and nurture our community. Now we are physically creating the space—the frame within which we can deepen our connection with each other. … Continue
Renovations start next week! (And centre will be closed for two weeks)
After seven months of discussion, sharing ideas, and planning we are ready to refresh and revitalize the community spaces at the Toronto Centre. Throughout our planning we were guided by the Sakyong’s vision to make our centre more like a village and less like school — welcoming, kinder, and supportive of society. So what … Continue
