To Grow and Cultivate

“I consider the Shambhala centers to be the cultural genesis of creating good human society. In this light, we are being true to the original intention of the word culture, which comes from the Latin root cultura—’to grow and cultivate.’ In the Classical period, culture was the word used to describe the cultivation of the human heart and mind. The Shambhala principle is the recognition and acknowledgment of the seed of basic goodness. Enlightened society is where that goodness is cultivated. Just as in agriculture, under the right conditions, they can grow to their full potential.” -Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, The Birth of Society