News from the Sakyong

Mipham the Great: Celebrated Worldwide
Sakyong appoints Director for the Kalapa Centre

News from Shambhala Europe

Update from the Office of Practice & Education
Shambhala Online classes 2009/2010

News from Dechen Choling

Catered Meals for Vajra Garchen Secured!
Arts Day on YouTube
Upcoming programmes
Long-term Staff positions
You can't have too many cooks in the kitchen!

News from Centres

Combining the Wisdom of the Shambhala Dignities with the Traditional Buddhist Teachings
Half Dathün in Poland
Sutrayana Seminary in Ukraine

News from Translation Committees

The Lhasang Ceremony in two editions

Booknotes

Nourishing the Third Jewel

European Programme Schedule

ST LEVELS AND OTHER PROGRAMMES IN EUROPE THIS MONTH

Mipham the Great: Celebrated Worldwide

The life of Mipham the Great was celebrated worldwide  on Sunday 21 June 2009 in Shambhala Centres and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, who was recognized as the rebirth of Mipham the Great by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, continued the practice this year of sponsoring the Mipham Monlam (commemoration ceremony) at Namdröling Monastery in southern India. He asked President Reoch to attend on his behalf. The President sent the following photos and report to the Shambhala Times.

Known as "Lord of the Kingdom of the Dharma", Jamgön Mipham Namgyal Gyatso, lived from 1846 to 1912. He was one of the greatest meditation masters, scholars and teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He was a leader of the Rime (ecumenical movement) that brought together teachings from all the major schools. His life and writings are a heart-treasure of the Nyingma Lineage and his works are studied in virtually all monastic colleges. An ornamental thangka of Mipham was raised high over the main shrine of the vast Golden Temple at Namdröling for the day of commemorative practices and celebration.

A gathering of more than 4,000 people, including tulkus, khenpos, monks, nuns and lay practitioners assembled throughout the day. The main practices were sadhanas devoted to Peaceful Manjushri and Mipham the Great (as practiced at Shambhala Centres), as well as protector chants, dharma talks and debates by senior members of the monastic community. Among the most moving moments was the offering of hundreds of khatas (see picture) lasting more than two hours. The entire day, including the ganachakra, great feast offering, was sponsored by Shambhala on behalf of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo.

The Namdröling complex includes Tsogyal Shedrup Ling Nunnery, which means the "Land of Yeshe Tsogyal for Study and Practice." It houses over 600 nuns. They performed the same sadhanas in their packed shrine room (see picture) throughout the day. The many descriptions of the remarkable qualities of Mipham the Great, include this verse:

His awareness-emptiness transformed into the wisdom of Manjushri,
The eight treasures of knowledge opened to him,
He had dominion over the practical and scriptural understanding of the buddhadharma
To Mipham the Great, I pay homage.

There is an extraordinarily close connection between Mipham the Great and the Kingdom of Shambhala.
Towards the end of his life, Mipham the Great wrote the seed syllable of Manjushri, DHIH, on the tongue of the infant Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche,who was to later to become the supreme head of the Nyingma Lineage and the personal teacher of Sawang Ösel Rangdrol, later to become Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.
One of Mipham's last works was an extensive explanatory transmission of the Kalachakra Tantra, said to have been taught by the Buddha to the first king of Shambhala. Based on his visions of King Gesar of Ling, he composed devotional songs and practices invoking the great Buddhist drala king. Before he entered parinirvana, Mipham the Great revealed that he would be going to Shambhala in the north.
Just over eighty years later, it was His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, the successor to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as supreme head of the Nyingma Lineage, who recognized Sawang Ösel Rangdol as the rebirth of Mipham the Great and crowned him as the King of Shambhala, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in 1995.
A decade later, it was at Namdröling Monastery that the Sakyong and then Semo Tseyang Ripa met for the first time, during the Manjushri empowerment conferred on the Sakyong by His Holiness (see picture with SemoTseyang Ripa leading the Gesar Dance at Namdroling Monastery in 2005). This was followed in 2008 by the Sakyong Wangmo empowerment of Khandro Tseyang in Halifax, the Shambhala capital. It was the last major ceremony conducted by His Holiness in this lifetime.

By President Richard Reoch

Sakyong appoints Director for the Kalapa Centre

The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche, is pleased to announce his appointment of Mr. Steve Baker to the position of Director of the Kalapa Centre.

The Kalapa Centre, to be established in Halifax, the Shambhala capital, will be the international centre and beacon for the entire mandala. It will be the seat of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo at the heart of Shambhala, along with the central government and executive. It will provide the long-wished-for drala site for major international Shambhala events, as well as housing the Halifax Shambhala Centre. The huge project will also include a civic cultural space for the city of Halifax so that the intermingling of Shambhala and Nova Scotian society can manifest fully.

"The Kalapa Centre fulfills the cosmic vision of the Druk Sakyong to establish Shambhala on earth," said Steve. "Sakyong Mipham is making this vision real in our lifetimes. For so many of us, it is a miraculous dream come true. Being a part of that, I feel I will have helped realize the outrageous command of both Sakyongs."

Steve has been a student in the Shambhala mandala for 38 years, first under the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and now Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He served as Ambassador to Los Angeles (1978-1983) and then as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Europe (1983-1990). He has taught extensively in Europe and North America.

His broad business background includes work as a creative writer and film producer, as well as part owner and President and Chief Operating Officer of a major international travel services company which was sold in 1999. He has been a practitioner of martial arts for the last decade and started and ran four martial arts schools in Colorado and Vancouver, British Columbia. Steve and his wife Jeanne recently moved to Halifax. They have three grown children, Sabrina, Kate and Winston (all members of the Shambhala community.)

In making this appointment, the Sakyong expressed his appreciation to the Warrior General Marty Janowitz, Sangyum Wendy Friedman, Mrs. Gina Stick, and the Governors of the Council of Warriors who have worked tirelessly over many years to lay the ground for the establishment of the Kalapa Centre and who have supported the Sakyong in bringing the project forward to the point where he was able to make this appointment.

The Sakyong asks that we welcome Steve to this new position in the mandala and support him as he leads this Shambhala effort to establish the Kalapa Centre in fulfillment of the wishes of the Sakyongs.

By the Shambhala News Service

Update from the Office of Practice & Education

2009 Scorpion Seal Assembly (Part 1)
August 24 - September 1, 2009, led by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and acharyas. For more information about prerequisites and application, please visit http://www.shambhala.org/programs/SA/

Shambhala Teachers Academy Dechen Chöling
August 31st - 3 September. The Sakyong will convene an address at the Teachers' Academy gatherings, to be held in conjunction with the Scorpion Seal Assemblies at Dechen Chöling. These gatherings will be an opportunity to come together as advanced teachers, share our experience, learn more of the Sakyong's vision for the path, and explore the possibilities for strengthening education within Shambhala.
Senior teachers are invited to attend, to review the new Way of Shambhala curriculum and to improve their teaching skills in contemplation and experiential exercises. The purpose of these gatherings will be for enrichment and further development of our experienced teachers. The Sakyong will address the teachers on the first of September. The Teachers' Academy gathering will be presided over by an acharya designated by the Dean and the Advisory Council. Please note that arrival day for this programme (if you are not attending the Scorpion Seal Assembly) is the 31st of August. Please register directly at Dechen Chöling: dechencholing@dechencholing.org

More programme information
Please mark your agenda:

* A European Shambhala Art Intensive will take place October 1 - 7, 2009
Cologne, Germany. Directed by Acharya Arawana Hayashi and Herbert Elsky. Please visit http://shambhala-europe.org/calendar.php for more information and registration.

* The MI conference is planned for 20-22 November 2009 in Cologne. The purpose of this MI conference is threefold: to come together as Meditation Instructors in our mandala, to practice together and be a community together and share our experiences and to review the pilot of the new curriculum "The Way of Shambhala". In this, the levels of Shambhala Training alternate with evening classes on the Tiger, Lion, Garuda, Dragon dignities. What do we need to know as MI's, how can we support our instructees. To discuss issues that affect us as MI's, including giving and receiving and feedback, ongoing training, mentoring. Please inform Shambhala Guides and MI's at your centre about this event. For more information and registration visit: http://shambhala-europe.org/calendar.php

* A Ngöndro MI training is planned for 26-29 November 2009 in Amsterdam. If you are interested, please contact Saskia Bröker: saskia_broker@shambhala-europe.org

*  A Shambhala Guide programme is planned for 26-29 November 2009 in Hamburg. For information and application forms, please contact Meta Märtens: meta.maertens@hamburg.de

Shambhala Online classes 2009/2010

The following is a tentative schedule of events for the 2009/2010 year regarding Shambhala Online classes.

1.    Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche:
There is a mandala- wide event with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche scheduled during the Shambhala Congress on November 8. It is possible that this will include an online component.

2.    Course with Khenpo Gawang:
Khenpo Gawang will teach a course live from his home in Memphis (Tennessee, USA) from October 31st to November 3rd. This will be relevant to anybody who has at least attended Sutrayana Seminary. Details to follow.

3.    Way of Shambhala:
Based on extensive input from centres and groups (mostly in North America), we will offer two sets of online Way of Shambhala courses on week nights: one for Pacific and one for Atlantic time zones. Our plan is to accept registrations from centres and groups who are not offering locally taught courses, and wish to offer the course online, in their centre.  We will also screen registrations from individuals, so that only those without practical access to a local course will participate online. This registration screening will ensure that the online courses do not draw people away from locally taught courses.

Please note that the new names for the courses are:
Meditation in Everyday Life ("MIEL", unchanged)
Contentment in Everyday Life  (formerly called Tiger)
Joy in Everyday Life (formerly called Lion)
Fearlessness in Everyday Life (formerly called Garuda)
Wisdom in Everyday Life (formerly called Dragon).

4.    Ngöndro and Werma classes
These are scheduled on the second weekend of each month, with the exception of November (Congress) and February (Shambhala Day).

The ngöndro and werma classes are offered one after the other, on the same day. The idea is that centres and groups can offer specific talks to both groups of practitioners on the same day, only setting up your equipment once. These talks can provide the study component within a ngöndro and/or werma practice intensive, and thus "count" towards the group practice requirement. If you have two rooms, ngöndro and werma practitioners may practice in one shrine room, and each individual group may go into another room for their online class. Of course, this is only a suggestion-centres and groups may incorporate these classes in any way they wish, or not at all.

5.    Scorpion Seal Assembly follow up classes
We have scheduled a weekend program online with Ashe Acharya John Rockwell in November, and then monthly classes on the third Saturday of each month between February and June at a time suitable for North and South America and Europe.  People may register for individual classes.

6.    Autocommentary Weekend:
This weekend will focus on the Autocommentary text:  Tiger, Lion, Garuda, Dragon Glory. It will be open to graduates of Warrior Assembly.

7.    Book Club
This will be a public course based on a new book. Book and teacher to be announced.

8.    Open House
We have targeted one open house per quarter, cycling through the major continental time zones. The idea here is to support small groups who don't have teachers, who wish to introduce meditation practice to new people, and offer an opportunity for these new people to ask questions of our acharyas. Of course, people from any time zone may participate. We will also publicize these outside of Shambhala.
We will put these events on our website and open them for registration as soon as teachers are confirmed. Please check the Shambhala Online website periodically to register for the events that you would like to offer your groups. www.shambhalaonline.org

By the Shambhala Online team

Catered Meals for Vajra Garchen Secured!

For all who are attending or want to attend the Vajra Garchen at DCL, Michael Leblanc will be catering meals (midday and evening) for the outside participants. The meals will be similar to the meals DCL provides and the price will be the same as what DCL charges. Must have a minimum participation of 12 participants. What a time saver for you, to be able to practice and still enjoy wholesome meals. Please contact Michael directly at micleblanc@yahoo.com or DCL office for additional information.

Arts Day on YouTube

Watch a video on YouTube of a short performance that Herb Elsky did with Fabrice Champion at DCL for Shambhala Arts Day.
Fabrice is confined to a wheel chair and together they created three large abstract calligraphies. The video was filmed by Jean-Francois Louis.
Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3vqElr22Us

Upcoming programmes

Shambhala Vajrayana Seminary *
1 - August 23, 2009
with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Acharya Robert Puts
Vajra Garchen *
8 - August 23, 2009
with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Scorpion Seal Assembly *
August 24 - September 1, 2009
with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Ngöndro Intensive *
August 24 - September 1, 2009

For all programmes, please visit http://programmes.dechencholing.org/english/

Long-term Staff positions

Dechen Chöling is a place of beauty and bliss, the atmosphere is marked by timeless continuity of change and the willingness of everyone to create the space in which we can work with ourselves and others. Three months might feel like three years or vice versa. Working at DCL can be a life changing experience for the right person. The following core-staff positions are open:

• Head of Personnel
• Head Marketing Communications
• Head of Facilities
• Head of Office
• Rusung (open Sept/Oct)

You can't have too many cooks in the kitchen!

We currently have several volunteer (unpaid) opportunities for Lead Cooks and Kitchen Assistants for the month of August.

Reporting to the Head of Kitchen, the Lead Cook is responsible for: planning and preparing balanced and quality meals (typically lunch and dinner) for program participants, DCL staff and volunteers; food, material and supply ordering and maintaining records as necessary; providing direction and general supervision to Kitchen Assistants regarding food preparation methods and standards; other related duties as assigned.

Lead cooks must have prior experience in cooking for large groups of people (100+) /banquet setting/commercial food preparation; possess strong communication and organization skills; and ability to work under tight timeframes and fast-paced setting. In addition, lead cooks must be able to quickly establish cooperative working relationships with persons contacted in the course of performing assigned duties.

Kitchen Assistants take direction from the shift Lead Cook and are responsible for: gathering and preparing ingredients according to menu plan; following recipes, written and verbal instructions; stocking and organizing kitchen pantry; cleaning up the kitchen after each shift; performing other related duties as required. Successful applicant has some prior cooking experience or related experience (coffee baristas welcome!), possesses ability to multitask, work well under tight timeframes, flexible and strong organization and time management skills.

Volunteers can come to Dechen Chöling in August and stay for at least one month. Accommodation in shared tents or dorms, as well as three meals a day are provided. In addition, volunteers are expected to join in the daily community meditation practice (meditation instruction available upon request) as well as participate in talks/classes at DCL.

Interested applicants should complete a summer volunteer application at www.dechencholing.org.

Combining the Wisdom of the Shambhala Dignities with the Traditional Buddhist Teachings

Come to enjoy rich practice enviroment in the Czech mountains. It is possible to attend only 1 week as there are two independent programmes. The picture shows the view from the entrance of the building at sunset.

First week: Summer Family Programme (July 24th -August 1st), with teacher Sophie Maclaren (USA)
Second week: Summer Sutrayana Programme (August 1st-8th), Combining the Wisdom of the Shambhala Dignities with the Traditional Buddhist Teachings with teacher Arnd Riester (Germany)

This intensive practice and study seminar will focus on the Shambhala teachings of the Tiger and Lion Dignities and its corresponding Buddhist teachings on Mindfulness, Loving kindness and Compassion.

In the rich practice environment in Czech mountains, we will practice shamatha, or calm abiding meditation, which settles the mind and allows vipashyana, or insight, to emerge. This insight provides the clarity to discover our innate bodhichita or awakened heart. We will bring its natural radiation of maitri (Loving kindness) and Ninjye (Compassion) through study and contemplation in our experience.

Each day will include periods of sitting and walking meditation and a short work session. The retreat includes talks, group meditation instruction, and regular individual meetings with a qualified meditation instructor. Meals are served oryoki-style, from the Zen monastic tradition, and periods of silence will be observed. This group meditation retreat is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners.

Arnd Riester began practising meditation in 1991, under the direction of his teacher Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He teaches since 1997 in the Shambhala mandala and has already taught a dathün - month-long meditation retreat in the Czech Republic in 2004. He lives in Cologne with his wife and two kids and works in his own company as a goldsmith.

For more information and registration: www.shambhala.cz. Please contact Jitka Holubcova holubcovaj@yahoo.com, tel +420 602 560 813

Half Dathün in Poland

From September 19th to October 4th there is a half-dathün scheduled in Gadom, with Lojong teachings (Mind Training), led by Sarah Coleman.

Gadom (Poland) is 250 km. from Berlin. Please click here for more information and registration. You can also contact Shambhala Poland at sp@shambhala.info +48 660 16 20 60

Sutrayana Seminary in Ukraine

This is a very special programme, not only because it is one of the core programs in our lineage but also because it is the first time Sutrayana Seminary will take place in Eastern Europe. It's scheduled October 3-25, 2009, with Acharya David Hope and Senior Teachers Jane Hope and Bill Brauer.

The three-week Seminary includes in-depth training in the hinayana and mahayana teachings, as well as meditation. It will be an extraordinary opportunity to expand our view and practice of Shambhala Buddhism.  
 
Those who have completed a dathün, an intermediate level of Buddhist classes and Shambhala Training Level 5 are invited.

The programme will take place in the beautiful, rural environment of the Carpathian mountains where the magical landscape and way of life of the local people has not changed for generations.

The gathering place will be Lviv, a wonderful historical city in Western Ukraine near the Polish border, from which the bus will bring us to the location, a modern small hotel with all facilities.  

Traveling to Lviv: there are inexpensive airlines http://wizzair.com from London and Dortmund. Other ways and details we will provide personally. For further information, please contact: shambhala-lviv@ukr.net

Registration on http://www.shambhala.org/programs/SS/

The Lhasang Ceremony in two editions

The Tibetan lhasang ceremony is a means to dispel obstacles and increase good qualities in ourselves and the environment. Introduced to us by the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, we continue this tradition of enlightened warriorship today. The picture shows Karme Senge Rinpoche and Lhunpo Rinpoche at the lhasang for the wedding of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Khandro Tseyang. The Nalanda Translation Committee is pleased to announce a new publication in two editions:

THE LHASANG CEREMONY. Similar in size to most of our other short practice liturgies, this new booklet edition includes all six lhasang chants we've translated: three familiar ones, all by Ju Mipham, as well as two additional chants by Mipham never published before, plus a very special lhasang text written by the Vidyadhara for the Investiture of the Sawang in 1979. We translated all these with the Vidyadhara in 1979. An explanatory introduction and complete practice instructions are included.

THE LHASANG CEREMONY, new pocket edition, easy to take anywhere, containing the three most often-used lhasang texts.

SPECIAL PRICE:
Delivered cost, including shipping/handling via letter airmail:
International: both editions US $32.00 (includes $10.00 s/h)
International: pocket edition only US $12.00 (includes $7.00 s/h)
For shipments beyond the US and Canada, payment must be made by Visa or MasterCard, so we will charge the actual shipping/handling fees as required.
Please write at: nalandatranslation@gmail.com. You're welcome to pay with Visa or MasterCard, though we do pass along the bank fees for that.

Our website has been recently updated and improved with photos, graphics, and easier clearer navigation, particularly within the Publication pages. Please visit us at www.shambhala.org/ntc/publications/public-shambhala.htm for a complete listing of all our translations and publications.

Picture by Michael Wood

Nourishing the Third Jewel

The Shambhala Times is delighted to present "Nourishing the Third Jewel." The guest editors, Mary Whetsell, Chair of the Community Care Council, and Debbie Coats, Commander of the Desung Arm of the Dorje Kasung, introduce the theme as follows:

When we take refuge in the sangha, or the third jewel, we enter a path of companionship in order to support each other's development as practitioners and care for each other's well-being. In reading this theme, we hope you'll be inspired by accounts of some of the community enriching initiatives that are currently underway at both the local Shambhala Centers and also at the Center of the Mandala.
Acknowledging Death, by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
The Activities of a Shambhala Center, by Acharya Adam Lobel
The New Community Care Council
Interview with Debbie Coats, Desung Arm Commander
Making Shambhala Accessible
Growing Old in Shambhala

There are other articles in this theme, including Shambhala Community Survey: Why It Matters, Hamish Maclaren's report on "Opening Doors for Shambhalians Living with Disabilities," Irene Vliegenthart's perspective article on the "Care and Conduct" policy, and Ann Cason's personal account of "Being Old in the 21st Century."

Mary Whetsell and Debbie Coats continue, "Beyond simply informing you about the many community well-being projects that are happening, we hope you'll be encouraged to contemplate the notion of community altogether. Why is sangha one of the three jewels, and therefore necessary for the attainment of enlightenment? How can we develop Shambhala communities that encourage us to step outside of our cocoons rather than themselves becoming another iteration of cocoon? What would a society look like that fosters the development of bodhicitta and provides a container in which we can discover and rest in our true nature?" Read more.

The Shambhala Times would like to encourage any and all community members to add your perspective in the comment box at the end of these articles.

ST LEVELS AND OTHER PROGRAMMES IN EUROPE THIS MONTH

Please check http://shambhala-training.eu/calendar.php
For further information please get in contact with +49 221 310 24 17
info@shambhala-training.de
For other programmes please check the Shambhala Europe calendar website at http://shambhala-europe.org/calendar.php

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Please send news from your centres and groups to Luz Rodriguez luzrdep@elmanso.net
by the 20th of the month. Please keep your written contributions limited to 200 words, as much as possible.