Programs and Schedule (updated July 19, 2008)
Meditation and Study Group:
Sitting and Study Group is currently held every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 10:00 AM. Check this page for additional Sunday group sits or weeknight sits, now that we have moved to our new location. As of June, 22, 2008, we meet at 12South Dharma Center (see directions page).
Guests are welcome at any group sit. There is no problem joining in a study session of an ongoing book.
(Yoga stretching, or personal instruction for newcomers begins at 9:30) First-time guests who wish to have personal meditation instruction should email or call in advance to advise us to make sure we are prepared for you.
We begin with sitting meditation, in two segments broken up by a period of walking meditation. This is followed by reading from a text we are studying, passing the book around to everyone who wishes to read a section aloud. Then we have a discussion of the points, plus an opportunity to share experiences on or off the cushion, and to ask questions about experiences or ideas in other books.
All group sessions are currently "open house." That means anyone new to Shamblala is welcome to sit with us. Basic instruction in meditation and explanation of our format will be given to prevent awkwardness that might distract from your meditation practice.
Upcoming Events:
Since we have just moved our location, we will continue with sitting and study groups. We expect to hold a Shambhala Level I weekend in October, 2008, following the Nashville Buddhist Festival on October 4th.
OPEN HOUSE at 12SOUTH DHARMA CENTER,
July 26, 1- 4 PM:
Join us in celebration of the new cooperative facility at 2301 12th Avenue South (12th & Linden), in the 12South District. This is the new home of Shambhala Nashville, Nashville Zen Center, One Dharma, and Alaya Dhyana, four Nashville dharma groups sharing a meditation and study space
This will be an informal gathering of members of all the groups, and visitors. Shambhala will perform a little ceremony inaugurating the use of the space for meditation and dharma study.
Turning the Mind into an Ally
August 9, 10- 5 at 12South Dharma Center
Directed by Chuck Whetsell, founder of Birmingham Shambhala Center
Would you like to have a more stable
mind? One that helps you accomplish your goals, rather than
one that acts like it’s under the influence of a randomly programmed remote
control? For thousands of years people in eastern countries have
stabilized their minds through the practice of calm abiding. In this one
day workshop, all the tools necessary to begin and sustain a meditation practice
in the tradition of calm abiding will be presented.
The curriculum
for this class is drawn from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s best selling book,
“Turning the Mind into an Ally”. In addition to receiving complete and
precise instructions for the practice of mindfulness meditation, participants
will learn methods for dealing with obstacles to meditation that arise during
practice sessions as well as those that prevent us from getting to the
meditation cushion at all. This day long training is suitable for first
time meditators. It is also recommended for more experienced practitioners
who wish to establish a daily practice and to deepen their understanding of
mindfulness practice. Chuck has been teaching meditation for 25 years, and is
himself an ally of Shambhala Nashville.
Saturday, August 9, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The suggested donation is $50, which includes lunch at the center. No one will be turned away for economic reasons. For more information, call Paul or Jill at 615.262-2895.
Nashville Buddhist Festival
Saturday, October 4, 11-5
Shambhala Nashville and four other traditions host this annual event at First Church Unity, 5125 Franklin Road. This year's Theme is Being Present. Check out details being added to the NBF website
http://www.nashvillebuddhistfestival.com/index.html
Shambhala Level I: The Art of Being Human
October (TBA)
This is a weekend course that begins the Shambhala path of meditation. It contains the essence of the entire curriculum. Students are introduced to the practice of shamatha meditation, or calm abiding, in a context of an overview of the nature of mind and the human condition. This is a great opportunity to begin Shambhala study without traveling to other cities. Details later.
ARCHIVE PROGRAM ENTRIES:
WORKING WITH EMOTIONS, a Shambhala Buddhist course, October 28, November 4, 10, and 11, 2007
Confused, wild emotions can dominate us in obvious and subtle ways. Without suppressing feelings or acting them out, Buddhist meditation works with emotions directly. The energy of emotions becomes the basis for developing wisdom and compassion. The ground is experiencing the pain and confusion of emotions, and looking for a way to work with them. The path or process of working with emotions is explored. The fruition leads to further clarity in communication with others.
This course will be taught by Edith Sage, a Shambhala Director from Selmer, TN who is very active in supporting the Nashville Shambhala Group.This will be an introductory class and is open to anyone who has an interest. There is no formal tuition. A commitment to attend all sessions is expected. Make-up lessons in the event of a conflict will be made available.
Books for the class (all by Chogyam Trungpa):
The Myth of Freedom
Cutting Through Spiritual
Materialism
Meditation in Action
(We have several copies of these three books for lending or purchase, and they are available from Shambhala Press and Amazon.com)
All Sunday lesson sessions will begin at 10 AM and go to approximately 2:30 PM. Lessons 1 & 2 will be presented October 28, lesson 3 on November 4, and lessons 4 & 5 on November 11. We will end a bit earlier on November 5.
In addition, since knowledge is assimmilated through conceptual study along with sitting practice, Shambhala courses include a day of sitting practice called a Nyinthun, or one-day retreat. This will occur on Saturday, november 10, from 10:30 AM until 3:30 PM
To register, please contact us by email or phone. As of October21, there are only a few spaces left.
615.262.2895
Shambhala Training, Level I in January, 2008 (postponed)
Formal courses, such as Shambhala Levels, which are given in weekend format, are offered as interest permits, and are directed by certified teachers from the southeast region. Regional Shambhala Directors teach Levels for the Nashville sangha, as well as special one-day or weekend day-retreats and programs
We have had several levels earlier last year Currently, members are traveling to other centers to take Level I and subsequent Levels. A Level I may be offered here this spring. Please check this page for firm dates and details as they develop.
Nashville Buddhist Festival, September 15, 2007
This annual event has been held at First Church Unity since its inception four years ago. It was held, as in the past, in a large tent on the grounds at 5125 Franklin Road. The festival featured speakers from many Buddhist traditions, including Shambhala. This year, we were fortunate to have Acharya David Schneider, former head of Shambhala Europe as our speaker. The festival is associated with National Change Your Mind Day, sponsored by Tricycle, The Buddhist Review, a national Buddhist quarterly. Nashville Shambhala Group co-coordinator Paul Felton is currently president of the Nashville Buddhist Festival board. Please visit the website for more details about the recent festival, our most successful one to date
http://www.nashvillebuddhistfestival.com
Acharya David Schneider, Sunday, September 16
Read Acharya Schneider's bio here
Our Sunday Group was led by our visiting speaker from the Nashville Buddhist Festival. We will held this special event at Scarritt-Bennett College on the Vanderbilt campus. Acharya Schneider presented an overview of the Shambhala program developed by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and spoke about the concept of the Shambhala warrior.His visit gave our group inspiration and energy toward our development as a sangha.
Practice Weekends and Nyinthuns
In addition to formal Shambhala weekends, we sometimes hold Saturday and or Sunday all-day retreats, built around a topic, a video or a teaching by a visiting Shambhala teacher. We also hold Nyinthuns, or one-day practice retreats, without talks. They do have breaks, and lunch, but are primarily for deeper practice rather than conceptual study.
Next Practice Weekend: not yet scheduled
These are held from approximately 9:00 to 4:00 on Saturday and Sunday. A regional Shambhala teacher directs the weekend. In addition to several periods of sitting and waking meditation, there will be a talks by the director and a sometimes a video of at talk by Chogyam Trungpa or Sakyong Mipham, Pema Chodron, or other teacher. Light breakfast and lunch will be served, and there will be oportunities for interviews with the Director for anyone who wishes. There is no tuition for this program, but we encourage donatioins to cover expenses. Anyone with Shambhala experience is welcome to attend all or part of the weekend.
For queries about current topics, changes, or additions to the schedule under consideration, or to be added to our email notification list, contact Jill or Paul at nashville.sangha@comcast.net or call us at (615) 262-2895
Also make sure to visit the web sites of nearby centers for their upcoming programs, many with visiting national figures in Shambhala.
