Hartford Shambhala Meditation Group
Meditation Hall Etiquette
and Other Basic Information

Evening Meditation:

To begin and end the practice session a timekeeper, seated at the front of the room, rings the gong. Meditation practice begins with the recitation of a few Buddhist chants, which are proclamations of the teachings. Everyone is invited to participate or simply to listen. Practice ends with the recitation of a chant called "Dedication of Merit," in which the practitioner offers whatever realization she/he has achieved, for the benefit of others. The chants are distributed at the start of the meeting. If you arrive after chanting has already begun, you should wait until the chant is complete before taking a seat.

Saturday Morning Meditation:

The procedure is similar to that for the evening meditation sessions, except that the timekeeper will initiate periods of walking meditation near the end of each hour by ringing the gong. If you arrive after the start of practice, there will be a person at the entry to the meditation hall who will indicate when you should enter the room to take a seat.

Meditation Instruction:

Free meditation instruction is offered on the first and third Wednesdays of the month via prior arrangement with the coordinator of the HSMG. For more information or to arrange for instruction: Email Hartford Shambhala Info, or call (860) 571-3766. "Refresher" meditation instruction is also available as needed by arrangement with one of the meditation instructors. All meditation instruction is provided by senior students authorized by Shambhala International.

Classes, Workshops, and Study Opportunities:

At present HSMG offers Introductory Workshops on Meditation at various times throughout the year and a variety of classes on basic Buddhist teachings, primarily from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective. Workshops by visiting teachers, as well as Shambhala Training Weekends, are also planned. Shambhala Training offers a non-religious spiritual path of meditation practice and study based on the teachings presented by its founder, Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. In the Shambhala Tradition, a "warrior" is "one who is brave and fearless in overcoming aggression." Because HSMG is still a small center in the process of establishing itself, students may be referred to larger centers in the Pioneer Valley (Amherst/Northampton), Boston, New York, and Vermont, where many more extensive programs are offered.