End of Year Practices and Shambhala Day
This year, there is a wealth of online throughout the mandala. So, our region has decided to join Shambhala Online for End of Year Practices and Shambhala Day.
However, check with your local centers for possible social and practice gatherings around the New Year.
Shambhala Day marks the beginning of the New Year and represents one of the most important traditions of Shambhala Buddhism. This year, the Year of the Water Tiger, Shambhala Day falls on March 3rd. We have special practices for the 11 days leading up to this celebration.
Mamo Chants
Daily from February 20th through March 2nd
Includes Live Talks from Various Presenters. Free of Charge. Everyone is Welcome to Attend.
Visit this link for a complete timetable and to register.
To dispel the karmic accumulation of personal, social, and environmental chaos at the year’s end, all students are encouraged to practice as much as possible in the period just before Shambhala Day. In particular, students are encouraged to recite the mamo chants together beginning eleven days before Shambhala Day.
The mamo chant is an elaborate protector offering traditionally recited from the twentieth through the twenty-ninth days of the last lunar month of the Tibetan year. By reciting the chant, we tune into the protector principle of awareness and reconnect with sacred outlook.
The day before Shambhala Day is considered neutral and is a traditional time to clean and refresh one’s home and shrines in preparation for the coming year.
Here are three articles to help you learn more about this time of year and protector practice.
Protector Principle by Dorje Loppön Lodrö Dorje
Obstacles and Antidotes by Andrew Sacamano
Finishing One Year, Starting Anew by Walker Blaine
Six Talks on the Protector Principle and Protectors with Walker Blaine
Recordings are available now at this link
Everyone is welcome
This six-class course will explore protector principle and the protector chants. It will focus on understanding the purpose of the different protector chants, the meaning of protector principle, and how it is applicable to everyday life.
The course starts with a separate video of a guided White Tara practice, which can be used for short practice sessions at the beginning of each class. It ends with several video clips containing questions and answers from the live sessions.
Neutral Day
Neutral Day is the day before Shambhala Day. It is considered neutral because traditionally it is a day of rest, the only thing that is recommended to do in this day is to clean and refresh one’s home and shrines in preparation for the coming year. There will be a special Neutral Day talk on Shambhala Online. You will receive the details when you sign up for Mamo Chants.
Shambhala Day 2022—Year of the Water Tiger
Thursday, March 3rd at 10 AM Pacific
Visit Shambhala Online to register for this event.
The theme of the 2022 event is Celebrating Beauty.
In Shambhala, connecting with the five senses is an important tool for developing greater appreciation for the world around us. This year’s broadcast will also incorporate various Contemplative Arts practices that will inspire and uplift, helping us to create more softness and curiosity in our daily life and move beyond limiting beliefs or patterns.
The Tiger embodies the qualities of courage, fortitude, resilience. Within humans, this energy can inspire us to push past limitations, overcome obstacles, and create change in our lives.
The Water element is closely connected to our emotions. Since the Tiger embodies several potent energies, the two can combine to create some strong emotional experiences. Additionally, Water has the powerful qualities of flow and flexibility. This makes it immensely powerful.
