Online Programs

This page displays programs in a list. If you wish to see these programs in a calendar view, visit this page. 

Welcome to Shambhala: An Introduction to Meditation
With the Berkeley Shambhala Center
First Saturdays of the Month from 10 to 11:30 AM
With the Berkeley Shambhala Center

An opportunity for newcomers to learn the practice of meditation from one of our senior students. Explore the connection between meditation and everyday life while learning about the core Shambhala principles of basic goodness and creating enlightened society. This is a great way to get a flavor of Shambhala Buddhism and to find out what opportunities there are for practice, study, and community.

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83730725970?pwd=NUJsMmdMcytIb2Z0YnBBdFdVa2dNdz09

Secret Beyond Thought: A Four-Part Series on the Four Karmas
With Acharya Gaylon Ferguson
Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM
February 20th, April 17th, June 12th, and August 7th
NOTE DATE CHANGE to April 17th

With the Berkeley Shambhala Center

Secret Beyond Thought is an edited transcript of a two-talk public seminar the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught in Boston, Massachusetts in February 1971. The second talk offers a unique teaching on the four karmas—or enlightened activities—and how they can either conquer or be perverted by the four maras, our habitual patterns of ego-fixation. These two teachings, among the earliest the Vidyadhara gave in North America, provide a glimpse into the profound trust Chögyam Trungpa had in the possibility that genuine buddhadharma could be successfully transplanted into Western culture.

Learn more and register here
https://berkeley.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=469619

Visit this page if you wish to watch the recording of the first session,

Crazy Wisdom Book Study Class
With Jesse Miller
Nine Thursday evenings, April 15th through June 10th, from 7 to 8:30 PM

With Tamalpais Shambhala

Crazy wisdom is described by Chogyam Trungpa as an innocent state of mind that has the quality of early morning—fresh, sparkling, and completely awake. From this profound point of view, spiritual practice does not provide comfortable answers to pain or confusion. On the contrary, painful emotions can be appreciated as a challenging opportunity for new discovery and meditation as a practical way to uncover one’s own innate wisdom in the midst of everyday life.

Please join us for a collaborative book study of Crazy Wisdom, a collection of Chogyam Trungpa’s early teachings from two seminars given in December of 1972.  We will take our time.

Learn more and register here… https://tamalpais.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=476560

A Morning with Jakusho Kwong-Roshi
Saturday, April 24th from 9:00 to 11 AM

With the Berkeley Shambhala Center

Please join us this Saturday morning for a talk and discussion with Jakusho Kwong-roshi, the founder and Abbot of the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center.

Roshi will speak about Chapter 7, The Goddess, from Robert Thurman’s translation of the Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti, a Mahayana Scripture.

Jakusho Kwong-roshi, founder and residing abbot of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, has taught Zen students in the United States and Europe for over 40 years. He is a successor in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi and author of Breath Sweeps Mind: The Intimate Heart of Zen and No Beginning, No End. He is also a dear decades-long friend to the Shambhala sangha.

Learn more and register here… https://berkeley.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=476846

Working with Emotions—A Special Open House Offering
With Marie Endres and Basha Hirschfeld
Tuesday, April 27th from 7-8:30 PM

With Tamalpais Shambhala

In this 90 minute class, you will learn 4 steps you can do, on the spot, to meet your painful emotions with curious hospitality, and even respect. There will be a hand-out you can use daily. This work is based on Marie’s personal work meeting difficult emotions again and again.

This 4-step process was introduced by Chogyam Trungpa to psychology students at Naropa University. Marie learned it in the Karuna Training certificate program in Contemplative Psychology. These principles permeate Pema Chodron’s teachings. It is similar to the RAIN practice taught by Tara Brach and others.

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87977614260?pwd=VmlCSXUyWWNNQTREZ2VzcVAyOEtOQT09

Waking Up in the Dark Age: May Confusion Dawn as Wisdom with Acharya Richard John
Saturday, May 15th from 10 AM to 1 PM

With Santa Rosa Shambhala

This is the fourth of a 4-part series that explores the Four Dharmas of Gampopa. Each program is sponsored at a different center. Every session will include meditation, a talk, and ample time for questions and conversation.

We are truly experiencing the onset of the dark age, which the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche described as a time of “pollution and interruption,” when “the blessings of spiritual energy are being lost.” For committed practitioners, these times call for dharma teachings of urgent simplicity.

One of the most elegant pith instructions describing the dynamic process of the buddhist path is well known as the Four Dharmas of Gampopa. A mainstay of the “practice lineages,” they are attributed to Gampopa, the main disciple of Milarepa and guru to the first Karmapa.

Each of the Four Dharmas contains practice advice that is accessible and free of intellectual speculation, and immediately relevant for all of us in this day and age.

Learn more and register here… https://santarosa.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=465612

The Path To Enlightenment: 10 Pictures and 6 Stanzas with Lou Braun
Saturday, May 1st from 9 AM to 12 PM

With the Sonoma Shambhala Center

The path to enlightenment was long ago summarized in simple yet profoundly meaningful teachings by great teachers.  In this class, we will look at two of them, The Ten Oxherding Pictures and The Supplication to the Takpo Kagyu.

In Zen, a herdboy’s search for his lost oxen was illustrated in a parable of 10 pictures by the 12th century Zen master, Guoan Shiyuan. Marvelously beautiful verses accompany each illustration and poetically describe the key stages of the herdboy’s journey to transcendence and ultimate return to society.

We will then compare the Zen teaching with the Supplication to the Takpo Kagyü, which was composed in the 15th century by the lineage holder Pengar Jampal Sangpo at the end of 18 years of retreat. While extraordinarily profound, the text is quite accessible and expresses the key stages of the Vajrayana path to liberation in a very concise way. What it points out can be put into action and applied immediately.

In our time together, we will look at how these paths of inner transformation resonate (or don’t resonate) with our own personal journeys.

Learn more and register here… https://sonoma.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=477756

Save the Date! Summer Mediation Retreat
With John Rockwell and Charlotte Linde

July 10th through 16th, 2021

This year’s summer retreat will embrace all levels of practitioners to come home to rest our body, speech, and mind on the meditation cushion and join together as an online community to deepen our study and practice connections. Let’s enjoy this week to practice and share wisdom together.

More information will be available soon… https://berkeley.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=478385

Online Meditation Practice Sessions and Study Groups

Sunday Morning Meditation and Open Houses

Berkeley
Every Sunday from 10 AM to 11:30 PM
Sitting meditation followed by a community discussion. 

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86425804380?pwd=U2U1SmIwUkJ1Z2dLZFFuQlZMOWNKQT09

San Francisco
The first two Sundays of every month.
Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/635708320?pwd=Z0tVeVNqNFhENXZiSVc0N0J1UXl6dz09

Davis
Every Sunday from 9 to 10 AM
An hour of practice followed by a time for community to connect.

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/315629482?pwd=K0tkVmpTbDJRZnVEd09xYVhRQjNiQT09

Berkeley

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86425804380?pwd=U2U1SmIwUkJ1Z2dLZFFuQlZMOWNKQT09

Sonoma
Every Sunday from 9 AM to 10:15
Followed by tea and conversation (BYO tea!)

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/143723466

Morning Meditation
Weekdays Plus Saturday
With Shastri Joanne Martin-Braun in Sonoma

From 7:30 to 8:15 AM

Sitting is a great way to start your day when things are so groundless! We will sit together for a half-hour from 7:30 to 8 AM. Then, if you would like to stay, we will have a few minutes for a short dharma discussion until 8:15.

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/383409932?pwd=K3lJTGl5anlWZEZwT3lOOVJ0YVROQT09

Weekday Morning Meditation
With Davis Shambhala
From 7 to 8 AM
Includes opening chants and meditation followed by conversation.

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/961827423?pwd=MnJvN202cmRJVnVkZjJDdVRkelNxUT09

Monday Night Meditation
With the Berkeley Shambhala Center

Tuesday Evening Open House
With Tamalpais Shambhala
From 7 to 9 PM

Meditation instruction, sitting meditation practice, readings and discussions. (BYO tea and cookies).

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87977614260?pwd=VmlCSXUyWWNNQTREZ2VzcVAyOEtOQT09

Wednesday Lunchtime Meditation

Friday Night Meditation
With the Berkeley Shambhala Center
From 7 to 8 PM

Each sitting consists of two sessions of approximately 25 minutes of sitting, divided by a 10-minute session of walking meditation.

Practices for the Time of the Pandemic

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has given us practice advice and instructions for the time of the pandemic. This Friday morning session is for all levels of practice and includes the Seven-Line Supplication to Padmakara, a Green Tara Supplication, and the Medicine Buddha mantra.  To obtain a copy of the instructions (which include the Green Tara Supplication, and the Medicine Buddha mantra), please send an email to [email protected].

Fridays from 8:30 to 9:30 AM With Northern California Shambhala

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87882511499?pwd=enlENi9RQWxWcTNlUXp1REJnNEd0QT09

Sundays from 8:15 to 9 AM with Sonoma Shambhala
Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89321614243

Saturday Morning Sitting Practice
With Silicon Valley Shambhala
2nd and 4th Saturdays
From 10:15 to 12 noon

Session includes a check-in, sitting meditation, and dharma discussion.

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/248414203?pwd=MFh2RDAvaWxvSXF5cFR5Y0NxZjRQdz09

Online Sadhana Practice Sessions

White Tara Practice
With Davis Shambhala
Thursdays from 7:30 to 8 AM

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/163181278?pwd=YldrZWRTY1Z3RGdSR0Q0SlhFSWlsUT09

Peaceful White Tara is said to witness the suffering of beings through her seven eyes, and she soothes their fear, calms their anguish, heals their suffering, restores their health—both individual and communal—and extends their lives. This is a lineage practice particularly relied upon in times of domestic and community turmoil and disharmony, or in the midst of attacks on health and longevity.

Sadhana of Mahamudra
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche offered this text to everyone regardless of level of practice, because he saw great urgency in the need for it. This is part of what makes the Sadhana of Mahamudra so special. All levels of students are warmly invited to participate.

The Sadhana of Mahamudra is only offered in group settings and lasts about an hour. It involves chanting, visualization, and silent meditation. The text will be provided in the online sessions.

Santa Rosa
Friday, March 12th from 5 to 6 PM

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83744790867?pwd=NlBsakt6YnhUNkFaeE1aREdGMThaZz09

Silicon Valley
Every 4th Thursday Evening from 7 to 8:45 PM

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/755575205?pwd=cG4xZVVDTDhLQnZpakJYYVVoS2lSdz09

San Francisco
Thursday, February 11th from 7 to 8 PM—Cancelled
Sunday, March 14th from 7 to 8 PM

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/92635075073?pwd=U0lhSXo1cXZ3VFJRSjRucEJHU1lGUT09

Berkeley
Fourth Saturdays from 9 to 10 AM
CANCELLED FOR APRIL please join A Morning with Jakusho Kwong-Roshi

Join URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84036364501?pwd=dmlqdlB1UmNXeWFIaUpxSzZxcHpVZz09

Shambhala Sadhana Online
With Davis Shambhala
Every Tuesday Morning from 7 to 8 AM

Join URL https://zoom.us/j/185369045?pwd=d2dXMEMwTVZGWXlORFd4LzRVTk5Fdz09

~and~

With Margaret in San Francisco
Thursday, January 28th from 6:30 to 7:30 PM
Friday, February 26th from 6:30 to 7:30 PM
Friday, March 26th from 6:30 to 7:30 PM

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/94312748103?pwd=WC9od0VMdTdYZVlYVWg0MkdYU0RyUT09

A time for our community to come together to practice the Shambhala Sadhana. All are welcome—and encouraged—to join, no matter what your level of experience.

The Shambhala Sadhana is powerful in its direct approach to basic goodness. It is a profound yet simple chanting and visualization practice that deepens our personal and societal connection with Basic Goodness. We gather as a community to engage in this profound practice so we can connect more fully with our hearts, each other and the world.

Sadhana of Kindness
With Irv Kirschbaum and Susie Cook in Sonoma
Every Third Saturday at 9 AM

The Sadhana of Kindness is a short liturgy invoking the moon of kindness in our heart as the basis for establishing enlightened society. This practice is short, delightful, and a primary avenue into Mahayana practice within the Shambhala tradition.

Join URL: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/887041763?pwd=bXNUMlhZL0NLUnpGTHdrSkhPaXdWQT09

About Zoom
These sessions are all through the Zoom platform. It is available for computers, smart phones, and tablets. You will need to download the free app on your device before joining the session. Once it is loaded, all you need to do is click the link and follow the prompts to join the session.

It is best to join 5 minutes in advance so that you are set up when the session begins.

And, make certain that your mic is muted when you join to avoid background noises which are multiplied with many participants.

Learn more about Zoom here: https://zoom.us

You can find is a list of Zoom FAQs at this link.