Having been on staff at Shambhala Mountain Center when the Rigden Ngondro was first introduced, I immediately felt a schism develop in my heart and in the community around me. This is a ripe time to reintegrate these amputated appendages!
L
Latha Barasch
8 years ago
Please broaden the interim board to include all of the Shambala community.
J
Josephine Schmidt
8 years ago
Sorry, but this is not going to happen. I know two old-dog students of VCTR (one a former director of RMDC, the other a former commander of a division of the Kasung) who witnessed VCTR telling the then Sawang on two different occasions that he should not teach Buddhism, only Shambhala. Of course that was in the context of how VCTR envisioned our future, with there being two traditions -- the buddhadharma (headed by a dharma lineage holder) and Shambhala (headed by SMR), with Shambhala being the societal container (that contains buddhism and other various world wisdom traditions). At this point SMR won't give the buddhadharma practices or any dharma teachers equal footing. With his lack of practice and realization, and his Ratna family neurosis (inferiority complex/poverty mentality and Napoleon Complex/Short Man Syndrome), SMR is afraid of being overshadowed by better teachers who actually have the goods, so he won't allow other traditions or anyone else in. SMR is only interested in establishing his own unique Shambhala Buddhism.
S
Steve McGahee
8 years ago
When I started, Shambhala was an "umbrella" under which practitioners of Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, shamanist, and other traditions could find a home. I think in terms of governance, we need a more democratic approach, we need people around SMR who are not simply yes-people.
J
Joan Whitacre
8 years ago
E ma ho - Humans joining heaven and earth!
G
Gregg Clause
8 years ago
It is time for the family of the
Dorje Dradual to come together again.
B
Brian McCorkle
8 years ago
Please bring our dharma family back together again!
M
Marcelene Celiz
8 years ago
It's time has come. I would also hope that we could also invite the many brilliant Kagyu and Nyingma Rinpoche's that have, in the past, given us so much of their wisdom.
J
Jaynine Nelson
8 years ago
Please elect a council that will include devoted CTR students /senior teachers and fresh new students as well. This is the time to have openness and inclusiveness.
S
Stas Zlobinski
8 years ago
Couldn't agree more.
B
Bart Mendel
8 years ago
Thank you. Protecting the Vidyadhara's dharma legacy is extremely important. The clean up effort should be undertaken with with complete transparency and genuineness, and be free from anyone's agenda.
P
Paulette Graf
8 years ago
It is heartwarming and rending to see all of these names. Like the Vietnam War Memorial, they bring up so much. Love to you all.
N
Nicolas Levac
8 years ago
I agree
Thanks
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
I agree with this. Many of us have experienced the power and efficacy of the Kagyu and Nyingma dharma practices to transform our minds and lives. But I question as to why we'd want to do this within the context of Shambhala Buddhism and dealing with SMR? I say that because SMR has never really been interested in practice. Yes, years ago he finished his Kagyu ngondro and Vajrayogini and Chakrasamvara practices (by the numbers), but i've never seen that he's really interested in attaining enlightenment in one lifetime. I know his students think SMR is enlightened, but anyone who met true enlightened masters like VCTR, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the 16th Karmapa, the previous Dudjom Rinpoche, etc., know that that's a joke. Unfortunately, none of the students of those enlightened masters (us!) have attained the same realization so there is no one we can point to say "SMR should have realization like that." Instead of hunger and dedication to dharma practice, SMR has been dealing all these years with his intense karma family neurosis: first it was the obsession with golf, then with weight-lifting, and now with running. Imagine if he had poured all that energy into real dharma practice! So, why deal with Shambhala Buddhism and SMR? I'm sorry but I have no solution to offer, other than to encourage all of us to practice hard and manifest the dharma as much as possible so the true dharma can be shown and known.
L
Leonid Barenblit
8 years ago
Hear, hear!
R
Richard Peisinger
8 years ago
Give me that old time religion
W
Walter Fordham
8 years ago
Thank you!
N
Nina Jones
8 years ago
“... the heartbreak started many years ago when ties to the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages ... were abandoned.”
Hear hear.
O
Odessa Spore
8 years ago
Thank you for this initiative! so needed.
L
Layth Matthews
8 years ago
Shambhala Training is a path that complements any genuine contemplative tradition. The Vidyadhara gave us ways for westerners to connect with the heart of the Buddhist path and lineage wisdom as well, which is something we can bring to Shambhala. The combination is powerful and wonderful.
Having been on staff at Shambhala Mountain Center when the Rigden Ngondro was first introduced, I immediately felt a schism develop in my heart and in the community around me. This is a ripe time to reintegrate these amputated appendages!
Please broaden the interim board to include all of the Shambala community.
Sorry, but this is not going to happen. I know two old-dog students of VCTR (one a former director of RMDC, the other a former commander of a division of the Kasung) who witnessed VCTR telling the then Sawang on two different occasions that he should not teach Buddhism, only Shambhala. Of course that was in the context of how VCTR envisioned our future, with there being two traditions -- the buddhadharma (headed by a dharma lineage holder) and Shambhala (headed by SMR), with Shambhala being the societal container (that contains buddhism and other various world wisdom traditions). At this point SMR won't give the buddhadharma practices or any dharma teachers equal footing. With his lack of practice and realization, and his Ratna family neurosis (inferiority complex/poverty mentality and Napoleon Complex/Short Man Syndrome), SMR is afraid of being overshadowed by better teachers who actually have the goods, so he won't allow other traditions or anyone else in. SMR is only interested in establishing his own unique Shambhala Buddhism.
When I started, Shambhala was an "umbrella" under which practitioners of Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, shamanist, and other traditions could find a home. I think in terms of governance, we need a more democratic approach, we need people around SMR who are not simply yes-people.
E ma ho - Humans joining heaven and earth!
It is time for the family of the Dorje Dradual to come together again.
Please bring our dharma family back together again!
It's time has come. I would also hope that we could also invite the many brilliant Kagyu and Nyingma Rinpoche's that have, in the past, given us so much of their wisdom.
Please elect a council that will include devoted CTR students /senior teachers and fresh new students as well. This is the time to have openness and inclusiveness.
Couldn't agree more.
Thank you. Protecting the Vidyadhara's dharma legacy is extremely important. The clean up effort should be undertaken with with complete transparency and genuineness, and be free from anyone's agenda.
It is heartwarming and rending to see all of these names. Like the Vietnam War Memorial, they bring up so much. Love to you all.
I agree Thanks
I agree with this. Many of us have experienced the power and efficacy of the Kagyu and Nyingma dharma practices to transform our minds and lives. But I question as to why we'd want to do this within the context of Shambhala Buddhism and dealing with SMR? I say that because SMR has never really been interested in practice. Yes, years ago he finished his Kagyu ngondro and Vajrayogini and Chakrasamvara practices (by the numbers), but i've never seen that he's really interested in attaining enlightenment in one lifetime. I know his students think SMR is enlightened, but anyone who met true enlightened masters like VCTR, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the 16th Karmapa, the previous Dudjom Rinpoche, etc., know that that's a joke. Unfortunately, none of the students of those enlightened masters (us!) have attained the same realization so there is no one we can point to say "SMR should have realization like that." Instead of hunger and dedication to dharma practice, SMR has been dealing all these years with his intense karma family neurosis: first it was the obsession with golf, then with weight-lifting, and now with running. Imagine if he had poured all that energy into real dharma practice! So, why deal with Shambhala Buddhism and SMR? I'm sorry but I have no solution to offer, other than to encourage all of us to practice hard and manifest the dharma as much as possible so the true dharma can be shown and known.
Hear, hear!
Give me that old time religion
Thank you!
“... the heartbreak started many years ago when ties to the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages ... were abandoned.” Hear hear.
Thank you for this initiative! so needed.
Shambhala Training is a path that complements any genuine contemplative tradition. The Vidyadhara gave us ways for westerners to connect with the heart of the Buddhist path and lineage wisdom as well, which is something we can bring to Shambhala. The combination is powerful and wonderful.