Membership

Membership is not a requirement for participation in almost any of our programs. Instead, membership is an expression of support and appreciation for what is offered here, so that it may continue to be available to all those who need it. Joining as a member of the center marks a shift in one’s relationship to practice and to the community.

Membership Button

Current members, update your membership contributions here

Why become a member of the Boston Shambhala Center?

Membership is a tangible way to express your support and commitment to a culture of kindness. Shambhala members hold the vision of a society rooted in the principle that every human being has a fundamental nature of basic goodness. As Shambhalians we pledge to create a culture that fosters this inherent goodness in all people so that it radiates out to family, friends, community and society at large.

Although membership is not required to participate in much of what the Center has to offer, it is the members who have made a personal commitment to practice, service and generosity which allows a profound tradition of meditation to survive and flourish.

If you value the community and vision of Shambhala, please join us as a member of the Boston Shambhala Center.


Members support and are supported by a community of people committed to integrating contemplative practice into their daily lives. Members have:

    1. The opportunity to work with a Meditation Instructor
    2. Automatic membership in Shambhala’s world-wide network and access to member resources at www.shambhala.org
    3. Prerequisite for Advanced Meditation programs and Teacher Training programs
    4. Membership Pin!

As members, we make a commitment to creating good human society through:

    1. Meditation Practice
    2. Volunteer Service
    3. Financial Contributions

 


 

Meditation Practice

The primary practice we can offer both to ourselves and to those around us is to cultivate the inherent mindfulness, awareness and compassion of our own minds. Cultivating these qualities offers us the insight of broader perspective when we are inclined to act out of line with our values, and helps us maintain our balance when we encounter life’s ups and downs.

Establishing a regular connection to mindfulness-awareness meditation and contemplative practice, and integrating this practice into daily life is the essential way for members to support themselves, our community and our world.

To support and deepen their meditation practice, Members are eligible to work with a Meditation Instructor as an ongoing support for their mediation practice. Members are also encouraged to attend classes, ongoing practice and affinity groups and continue on the path of Shambhala Training.

 

Volunteer Service

Service is how we put the kindness and compassion we cultivate in our practice into action.

The work of the Boston Shambhala Center depends on volunteer efforts. Offering our time and talents is a vital form of support and viewed as part of members’ practice. Volunteering puts our meditation into action and makes our programs and events possible.

Service can take many forms. Many members are regulars at a recurring practice or affinity group – such as Heart of Recovery, Nyinthun or Open House – and staff that program as part of their commitment to serve to community. Some members (who have completed least Level III) enjoy staffing the weekend training programs as a way to hear the teachings again at a new point on their practice path, and also put those teachings into practice immediately while helping others.

If program staffing doesn’t work for you, there are many other ways to offer your service to the community. There are groups who are trained to tend the shrines, or create flower arrangements for events, and those who just come in and help clean or organize. We are also looking for people who have experience in construction and facilities maintenance, program management, finance management, nonprofit management, training and organizing volunteers, community organizing and engagement, A/V and media systems, and more. Please let us know if you have skills you’d like to offer.

 

Financial Contributions

Dating back to the historical Buddha, generosity has been cultivated as a means to support the sangha of practitioners and as a virtue to develop unto itself.

Generosity comes in many forms, but financial generosity is vital to keep the center open and welcoming. Making a monthly financial commitment is a clear acknowledgement of the value that you feel Shambhala has in your life and in the world. This gesture of support is a very important step along the Shambhala path.

Member contributions cover over half of the center’s operating expenses throughout the year. Regular monthly contributions provide the Shambhala Center with a stable stream of revenue, allowing us to create an operating budget to maintain this unique place and programming throughout the year.

As a practice, generosity looks different for people in different situations. We offer some recommended contribution amounts as guidelines, but simply ask that you consider your situation and give as generously as you can – knowing that others benefit greatly from your generosity.

Recommended Financial Contributions

Tiger $25/mo Beginning Level (Students/Seniors/Low-Income)
Lion $60/mo Supporting Level (Suggested for Individuals)
Garuda $100/mo Sustaining Level (Couples / Families)
Dragon $200+/mo Patron Level

The center also needs other things to operate, so if you have an item or service you’d like to donate, please contact our Executive Director Max Roberts-Zirker at [email protected]

 

Membership Button

 

“With the great problems facing human society, it seems increasingly important to find simple and non-sectarian ways to work with ourselves and to share our understanding with others. The Shambhala teachings or “Shambhala vision” as this approach is more broadly called, is one such attempt to encourage a wholesome existence for ourselves and others.”
– Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, author of Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior