Who We Are
Founded in 1971 by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston is home to a community who share a genuine connection to contemplative practice and the aspiration to realize a more wakeful, sane society. Among us are dedicated senior teachers who have walked the Shambhala Buddhist path for many years, and enthusiastic newcomers who are just discovering the teachings on realizing basic goodness. Friends and members of the Shambhala Center are welcome to attend celebrations, practice events, meetings and gatherings of various groups.
Our Mission Statement
The Boston Shambhala Center provides space and support for following a path of meditation. Our mission is to cultivate the worthiness, wisdom and compassion of individuals and society based on the inherent goodness of humanity and the natural world. Our core path is an experiential, progressive path of meditation and study, supported by a community of other practitioners, and extending to the ordinary activities of daily life. The roots of our practices are the Shambhala lineage, the Buddhist lineages of Kagyü and Nyingma, and the earth-based Bön tradition of Central Asia.
We train in meditation to better know our minds and hearts and to cultivate the qualities of openness, bravery and kindness. We view the coming together of people, in any form and at any scale, as a situation with intrinsic sacredness. We aspire to create an environment where all people are welcome and respected, with support to participate as fully as they choose. Respecting that each individual’s journey is their own, we welcome all who are interested in personal, spiritual and societal awakening.
Weekly Practice Events
Our center has a rich array of ongoing offerings open to the public including weekly public sitting meditation hours and dharma talks. No prior meditation experience required to attend. All are welcome. Weekly Events Information
Getting Involved
Our community and center is almost entirely volunteer run. All of our programs are staffed by volunteers, as well as our councils and committees. People from all walks of life dedicate some amount of time to support other people to sit on the cushion and become familiar with their own basic goodness. The vision of a sane and awake society begins with one simple act: Getting Involved.
Family and Children
We welcome families at the Boston Shambhala Center as a vital part of our community. Our aspiration is to have a local Shambhala community in which families gather for practice; feel included and supported. Contact us about bringing your family to the center at: [email protected]
Seasonal Celebrations
Over the years our community has adopted a tradition of celebrating the changes of the seasons. These are called “nyida” days from the Tibetan words nyima (sun) and dawa (moon), and they occur on or near the days of the equinoxes and solstices. Nyida days are family-oriented celebrations and occasions for local Shambhala communities to gather socially. Midsummer Day observes the summer solstice; the Harvest of Peace the autumn equinox; Children’s Day, the winter solstice. Shambhala Day is our annual celebration of “losar” or the new year according to the Tibetan calendar. Since it typically falls in February or March, it takes the place of observing the spring equinox.