FAQ

Where should I start?
Check out our Getting Started page.

How do I get to your center?
Please visit our Contact and Location page for details about our location, transportation, parking, accommodations and more.

What should I wear?
Wear something comfortable for you to sit on a cushion on the floor or in a chair. While the pandemic continues, we also encourage everyone to bring and wear a mask. There are times when students will dress nicely as a practice of respect and to reflect the uplifted nature of our minds. Please feel free to be yourself.

What is the etiquette in the shrine rooms?
We ask that you remove your shoes before you enter the shrine room. Closed water bottles are fine to bring in – we ask that you do not bring in any open containers (we have white carpets!). Please turn your cell phone off or leave it outside of the shrine room in silent mode.

Is there chanting?
Chanting is done as a practice at some programs and events. Nyinthun (our Sunday morning meditation) begins and ends with five to ten minutes of chanting in English. You are welcome to join in or just listen.

I have practiced meditation in another tradition, can I use that technique instead?
Practitioners from all backgrounds are welcome. We encourage everyone who practices with us to learn the basic meditation technique we teach so that you have a complete experience of this practice. Once you have experience with different techniques, you are welcome to choose whichever is most helpful for you. Learn more about What We Offer

Do I have to be Buddhist to practice meditation or come to the Shambhala Center?
Absolutely not! Everyone is welcome at the Shambhala Center from any tradition, belief or non-belief. We aspire to awaken the profound kindness inherent in human society and although our lineage is Buddhist we believe that everyone can sit and become familiar with their own mind.

What kind of Buddhism is this?
At the heart of our spiritual path are the Shambhala teachings first offered by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a meditation master in the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The Shambhala teachings draw from these, as well as the pre-Buddhist, earth-based Bön, and other wisdom traditions. If you want to learn more about different schools or traditions of Tibet, Shambhala Publications has a page on their website about some of the different Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

Should I bring anything to a weekend program?
Some helpful items to bring are a notebook, closed water bottle, and a shawl, light sweater, or long sleeved shirt in case the shrine room is on the cooler side.

What is Membership?
Check out our Membership Page.

What do donations, program fees and member dues pay for?
Our center and our programs are available because of the generosity of our community members, and those who attend our programs. Program fees first pay for all expenses related to the program, including program food and supplies. The rest of the income from program fees, and all the income from donations and membership dues, are used to pay the operating costs of this center. Operating costs include building expenses (mortgage, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc.), office expenses, shrine & practice expenses, payroll for 1 full-time employee and 1 part-time employee, and our center’s contributions to the international Shambhala community

I want to take a program but I can’t afford it, what are my options?
We strive to make all programs as affordable as possible, and we are fortunate enough to be able to offer our Generosity Policy to individuals who wish to attend programs but cannot afford the supporting level tier of pricing. Learn about our Pricing Policy.

Are there accommodations available?
There are no accommodations at the center, but there are a variety of hotels within the Brookline/Boston area. Please check out our Local Accommodations page for more information.

Are you Wheelchair Accessible?
Unfortunately we are not at this time. As a community, we are committed to making the teachings as accessible as possible. Our lack of accessibility has been an ongoing concern, and one of the reasons we are continually looking to open an ancillary space. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be informed when we are offering programs in an accessible space in the near future.

Do you Rent your space?
Yes! Check out our Rental Information.