Northern California Shambhala is a community of meditation centers and study groups located in Berkeley, Davis, San Francisco, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Sonora, Silicon Valley and Grass Valley. To locate a center near you, click here.

We are part of Shambhala International, a community of meditation centers founded in 1973 by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master, artist, author, and poet. Today, the Shambhala tradition is led by Trungpa Rinpoche's son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Along with a number of senior dharma teachers such as Acharya Pema Chodron, these timely teachings are being offered at Shambhala Centers worldwide.

It is the Shabhala view that every human being has a fundamental nature of goodness, warmth and intelligence.  This nature can be cultivated through meditation, following ancient principles, and it can be further developed in daily life, so that it radiates out to family, friends, community and society.  Shambhala vision is rooted in the contemplative teachings of Buddhism, yet is a fresh expression of the spiritual journey for our time.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche coming to Northern California

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will teach the Rigden Weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 2-4. The Friday night talk, Creating Enlightened Society, is open to the public, and will be held at majestic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. The Rigden Weekend will be held at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. You'll find links to program information in the right column on this page, as well as transportation and hospitality resources that have been gathered to make your visit flow smoothly.

As the spiritual leader of Shambhala, the Sakyong, or "Earth Protector," directs a community of meditation practitioners committed to realizing the inherent goodness in humanity. His work benefits an array of causes and institutions worldwide, and the global network of Shambhala meditation and retreat centers is dedicated to promoting the vision of an enlightened world.

You'll find a more detailed biography of the Sakyong by clicking here, and on his website here. Videos of the Sakyong teaching can be found here. Watch the trailer for the upcoming film about Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche entitled "An Uncommon King" by clicking on this video link: 

            

Acharya Pema Chodron is a well-known teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. Her root teacher was the Sakyong's father, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The Sakyong and Pema recently taught a program together called Being Brave,Transforming Our World. A DVD of that presentation is available by clicking here.

   Photo by Alan Goldstein

 

Pema Chodron teaches us to Smile at Fear

Recently, Acharya Pema Chodron taught a program with Mrs. Carolyn Gimian called Smile at Fear that was attended by 3,000 people at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California, across the bay from San Francisco. An additional 2,000 people from thirty different countries participated in the program via live video stream. This tremendously powerful event brought together individuals from many different walks of life and wisdom traditions, all committed to working with fear and anxiety through the practice of meditation. With the spirit of gentleness and inquisitiveness, Ani Pema Chodron taught us how to befriend our fear to help us find peace in our lives.

Click here to view the Smile at Fear Photo Gallery

 

Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is the foundation of all that we do at the Shambhala Meditation Center. Originating from Shakyamuni Buddha, this 2,500 year-old practice of self-discovery is rooted in the simple, but revolutionary premise that every human being has the ability to cultivate the mind's inherent stability, clarity and strength in order to be more awake and compassionate in everyday life.

All Northern California Shambhala meditation centers offer free meditation instruction, classes, a comprehensive curriculum in Buddhist studies, and Shambhala Training - a progressive series of weekend secular workshops that help students establish a personal meditation practice in order to engage more fully and compassionately in the world. Check with your local center for its schedule of events. Northern California Shambhala welcomes people of any spiritual tradition or none at all who would like to learn more about the everyday benefits of meditation. Learn more about meditation by clicking here.

Creating Enlightened Society: An Evening with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (Public Talk)

March 2nd, 2012 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California from 7 to 9 pm.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will show us how to connect with our fundamental dignity and use it as a life force to shape the future of the world. More

Rigden Weekend with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

March 2nd, 2012 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, March 3rd and 4th at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will give a Public Talk and teach the culmination of the Way of Shambhala educational path - the "Rigden Weekend"! More

Transportation and Lodging

Options have been developed to help make your visit flow smoothly.

Click here for complete information on lodging and transportation.   

If you are a Northern California Shambhala sangha member who wishes to help with lodging or in some other aspect, please click here.