Durham Shambhala Center

Welcome

The Durham Shambhala Center

The Durham Shambhala Center offers meditation instruction, classes and programs for those interested in a secular approach to meditation (Shambhala Training) as well as traditional Buddhist practice and instruction. Group practice and meditation instruction are free.

Buddhism and Shambhala

The Durham Shambhala Center was founded by the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The Center emphasizes the practice of meditation based on both the Buddhist and Shambhala teachings, and the meditation-in-action of Nalanda Arts. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche was a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and author of The Myth of Freedom, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, among many other books. He was one of the most prominent Buddhist teachers of our time, and a pioneer in bringing Buddhism to the West. His son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, who now leads Shambhala International and its affiliated organizations, is a holder of the Kagyü and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and of the Shambhala teachings.

Contemplation Practice
7 - 8 pm, September 3, 2008

We'll practice guided contemplation from 7 - 8 pm. Open to all.

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Sangha Day Out!
10 am - 1 pm, Saturday, September 6, 2008

Come listen to the birds, cicadas and crickets before they fall silent for the winter.

On the 6th of September, join your Shambhala friends for a relaxing trip down the Eno river. River Dave will lead a group of wafts (yes wafts-- 2-seater inflatable kayaks) for a two to three hour paddle. Along the way is the opportunity for a refreshing dip in a beautiful swimming hole. The trip starts at 10 am and we will end about 1pm. We will enjoy a potluck picnic after the paddle: bring sandwiches, drinks or whatever strikes your fancy. Cost: (only) $13 (includes all the gear and wisdom of River Dave)!

The deadline for reserve has passed, but you can still call River Dave personally (919-471-3802) and--if there is still room--he can add you to the group. To RSVP, contact Joanne (fairhurstjm@gmail.com).

Dharma Reading Group Night Out!
7 - 9 pm, September 15, 2008

We'll meet at the Regulator Bookshop in Durham, where Wendy Johnson, author of Gardening at the Dragon's Gate, will give a reading. Afterwards, we'll repair to an undisclosed delicious location for dinner.

Open to all, well-read or not.

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Level I Shambhala Training: The Art of Being Human
September 20 - 21, 2008

NOTE CHANGE IN DATE

Through the practice of meditation, we glimpse unconditional goodness as the ground of our existence.

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Bhuddist Studies: Taming the Mind
September 22 - October 20, 2008

This course, together with its companion course Walking the Bodhisattva Path, introduces a student to the view and practice of hinayana and mahayana.

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Sangha Day Out!
10 am - 3 pm, September 27, 2008

A writing workshop that is designed to deepen our awareness of the world around us. The more we observe, the richer our writing, and our lives, will be. If only we could, as William Blake wrote, "see a world in a grain of sand, a heaven in a wildflower."

In the morning we will explore Duke Gardens and experiment with different ways of seeing. In the afternoon, each of us will create a written work from our impressions.

Open to all. No writing experience necessary.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Elizabeth Brownrigg at egb@mindspring.com.

© 2008 Elizabeth Brownrigg| Photo Credit: Phillip Hartzog