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Friday, January 27, 2006

To see the Shambhala aspriations, articals and minutes from the Diversity Working Group click here.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

The transcript (PDF) of the Q&A with the Sakyong at the 2005 Congress is now complete.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

A few more question/answers have been added to the transcript (PDF) of the Q&A with the Sakyong at the 2005 Congress.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Two more question/answers have been added to the transcript (PDF) of the Q&A with the Sakyong at the 2005 Congress.

Monday, March 14, 2005

Two of the question/answers (PDF) from the February 15 Q&A session with the Sakyong at the 2005 Congress have been published:

Q: Seemingly the path for non-Buddhists to practice Werma was eliminated. Will there be a path for non-Buddhists to practice Werma...?

Q: Shambhala Buddhism in a sense has swallowed Shambhala... But I still feel that need for a Shambhala that can speak to people on its own... with [its] own vocabulary...

Thursday, March 3, 2005

The Implementation Kit brings all the key documents of the 2005 Shambhala Congress and its working groups together with an implemenation plan and follow-up worksheets.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Minutes (PDF) of the February 10, 2005 meeting of the Social Engagement Advisory Group.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

A Provisional Report (PDF) from the just concluded 2005 Shambhala Congress has been released:

The Second Shambhala Congress continued the mandala building begun at the first congress and turned to the need for developing a spirit of inclusiveness capable of holding our diverse traditions, teachers, generations and cultures. It also devoted time to the challenges we face in accommodating change, growth and differences. Read more...

Friday, February 11, 2005

Details on the February 13-17 Halifax Congress meeting are available, including What to Bring, Schedule (PDF), Workshops (PDF), and lists of attendees (PDF), by name, by center, and by country. In addition, an area for sangha-contributed documents is now open.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Reports on Town Hall meetings (PDF) and other Center gatherings on congress-related issues have been posted. Further reports, amplification, and comments may be added to the Sangha Town Halls forum.

Saturday, February 5, 2005

Questions for the Q&A with the Sakyong (PDF), collected from the sangha, have now been posted. Questions can still be mailed in, if they have not already been covered. Latest version can always be found in the Key Documents section.

Thursday, February 3, 2005

The Question of Engaged Buddhism: An Exploration of the Shambhala Tradition (includes interview with Richard Reoch)

A Vajra Dawn voice (Tally Briggs) presents an introductory inquiry to this issue to one of the leading academics in the field at Harvard.  Most schools of thought that call for moral or ethical living engage in positive social change to some degree. The question is how outwardly directed or how passive that action is. …The question actively on the minds of many Shambhala practitioners, teachers, and future leaders today is: “How can we as Buddhists manifest our beliefs in action?” What is our responsibility, beyond practicing compassion, to actively work to change the structural causes of suffering? As we move into the 21st century with war, genocide, and starvation still very much a part of our world condition, we must actively and intensely explore our options to effect positive social change as we progress along the Buddhist path.”

Thursday, January 20, 2005

The final version of the Community Care and Conduct (PDF) report commissioned by the board of directors has been posted, along with an introductory letter (PDF):

This will tell you how we aim to deal with conflicts that arise between individuals within the mandala, and the role of the Shambhala leadership at all levels in  helping with this.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Notes on Diversity and Accessibility (PDF) (revised 2005/01/09)

Sunday, January 09, 2005

A section for Key Documents has been started - top menu item at left - and will be updated periodically to point to the most important Congress documents. Read this if you can't read everything. It now includes:

Statement of the Mandala Governing Council - The Ground of Openness and Trust

New Shambhala Governing Structure - Summary (PDF)

Working Group Proposals - Summary [Web] [PDF]

Calling a Talking Circle in Shambhala - 2-page summary (PDF)

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

New Shambhala Governing Structure: Summary (PDF)   Full Text (PDF)

A new governing structure for Shambhala will come into effect on Shambhala Day 2005. Based on mandala principle, the structure establishes a new balance between hierarchy and genuine participation through the mandala. It will be in effect for two years, giving time for further development.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Résumé des propositions de réformes examinées par le Conseil du Gouvernement du Mandala: French version of Boston Mandala Governing Council meeting summary.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Mandala Governance and Structure Report: Tenets of Shambhala Governance

This paper on the Tenets of Shambhala Governance was prepared in order to highlight and encourage dialogue on key tenets that seem particularly  important as we develop this new community plan. It is not intended to be a complete or final list, but to offer wording for central, overarching tenets. It is a collaborative paper which we expect will evolve along with our vision of  governance.

The Tenets are first set out as simple statements. Following that, the rationale for  each one is individually presented. 

Read more...

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Sommario delle proposte di riforma discusse dal Comitato di governo del mandala (PDF) : Italian version of Boston Mandala Governing Council meeting summary.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Communications Working Group minutes of December 19 meeting: translations into multiple languages of the Boston MGC summary, plus discussion of organizing talking-circle style checkins as part of community town halls about Congress issues.

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Zusammenfassung der Reformvorschläge Nach der Diskussion des Mandala Governing Council (PDF) - summary of  December Mandala Governing Council meeting, in German.

Saturday, December 18, 2004

The Membership Policy Working Group releases the final draft of its Membership Policy Recommendations (PDF).

Sunday, December 12, 2004

The Community Care Working Group presents minutes of its November 16 conference call [PDF version], which included preparation for the December Mandala Governing Council meeting, and discussion of questions submitted about the nature of the community being served.

Friday, December 10, 2004

Resumen de las propuestas de reforma tratadas por el Consejo de gobierno del mándala  - Spanish version of the Mandala Governing Council summary of reform proposals (thanks to Luz Rodriguez and Traducciones Nalanda/España).

Thursday, December 9, 2004

More reports and recommendations from the Boston Mandala Governing Council meeting of Dec. 4-7:

Three more reports will follow in the next two weeks.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

From the Mandala Governing Council meeting held in Boston, December 4-7:

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Richard Reoch, the President of Shambhala, will host a series of community-wide telephone conference calls to update Shambhalians on proposals for the future of the mandala. Check the Shambhala News Service message  for details on these calls, which will be held December 8, 11, and 12.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

The Communication Working Group talks about using the web forums, telephone conference calls, and town hall meetings to help "facilitate the discovery process mandala-wide... to encourage  questions so we can help surface the truth in all areas of concern".

Sunday, November 7, 2004

The Membership Policy group releases minutes of its November 2 meeting, devoted to final revisions of its recommendations document, to be published after the December Mandala Governing Council meeting.

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Full details on the Shambhala Congress 2005, to be held February 13-17, 2005, in Halifax, are now out, as well as the congress registration and the Pema Karpo program registration pages.

Friday, October 22, 2004

Spanish and French translations of the guidelines for Shambhala Ngondro Practice and Study for the Coming Year are now posted on the Congress Bulletin Board (scroll down to see Spanish and French versions).

Monday, October 18, 2004

The Outreach working group's taskforces report, on adverstising and marketing, gateway classes and community support, and tracking before, during, and after gateway programs.

Thursday, October 14, 2004

The Practitioner Survey / Encuesta para Practicantes /  Sondage auprès des Pratiquants has been extended until November 15 - take it now!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

The Leadership Development and Succession Planning group met September 30th, setting individual projects on court principle and leadership development, community consultation and member development, leadership curriculum, role of center directors in Mandala Governing Council, etc.

The Communications Working Group, in its phone conference of October 10, notes the lack of participation in the Congress review-group mailing lists and, so far, the Congress discussion forums, and considers how to promote dialog both before and after the upcoming early-December Mandala Governing Council meeting.

Friday, October 08, 2004

The Membership Policy working group posts minutes of its October 5 meeting.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

The Social Engagement Advisory Group posts a report on Social Engagement at Vajra Dawn.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Spanish and French versions of the Diversity and Accessibility working group's Practitioner Survey:

Thursday, September 30, 2004

The Diversity and Accessibility working group provides a link to results of the upcoming survey of Mandala Governing Council members. Meanwhile, an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is starting to develop on the New Shambhala Buddhist Practices Congress forum. Please contribute your own questions and comments.

Friday, September 24, 2004

Leadership and Succession working group meeting of September 16th.

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Thursday, September 23, 2004

The Diversity and Accessibility group's Center Director Survey.

Friday, September 17, 2004



The Congress Bulletin Boards are now on-line, with a forum for each of the working and advisory groups. This is a great way to contribute your own reflections and contemplations. Also, check out the information on the Congress 2005 and Pema Karpo programs.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Meeting 7 and Meeting 8 of the Diversity and Accessibility working group.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Membership Policy Working Group minutes of September 7.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Take the Practitioner Survey (now open till November 15th), to find out how Shambhala practitioners experience diversity and accessibility in the Shambhala mandala. Read the Communications Working Group minutes of September 8th.

Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Meeting 6 of Diversity and Accessibility working group, and Meeting 9 of the Membership Policy working group.

Saturday, August 28, 2004

Objectives of the Social Engagement Advisory Group.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Transformation Bulletin #3: this has links to interim reports by all the working groups, providing a view of their thinking as of the mid-summer Mandala Governing Council meeting at SMC.

Also, Communications Working Group meeting minutes of August 24.

Saturday, August 14, 2004

Social Engagement Advisory Group: Core Topic Working Group Report:  Shambhala Path of Social Action; Dechen Chöling Report on Shambhala Path of Social Action Program (May 2004); minutes of meetings at Dorje Denma Ling, 26 June 2004   and 23 June 2004.

Thursday, August 12, 2004

Minutes of August 10 meeting of the Membership Policy Working Group.

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Revised document on the Talking Circles Initiative [Web/HTML] [PDF]. Findings [Web/HTML] [PDF] by the Membership Working Group.

Monday, August 9, 2004

From Diversity and Accessibility: Working Group meetings of July 4 and July 18, and Review Group meeting of July 18, as well as Notes on Diversity and Accessibility and Testimonies.

Sunday, August 8, 2004

The Mandala Governing Council, at its just-completed meeting at SMC,  agreed to post this document, prepared by Mary Whetsell, chairperson of the Membership Working Group: Community as Practice: Contemplating Shambhala Buddhist Culture [Web/HTML] [PDF]

Thursday, August 5, 2004

New Economic Model Review Group notes of July 18 and 25.

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Notes from Leadership and Succession Review Group meetings of May 23 and June 19.

Sunday, July 18, 2004

Started section on Advisory Groups, adding material on the Talking Circles advisory group.

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Governance & Structure working group: minutes of May 23, June 6, June 13, June 27, and July 3.

Monday, July 12,2004

Community Care working group: Report on Caring Community in Action (July 8), and meetings of June 22 and July 6, 2004.

Sunday, July 11, 2004

Three Membership Policy review group meetings: May 8, May 22, and June 05 2004.

Friday, July 9, 2004

Communications working group meeting of June 15, 2004.

Monday, July 5, 2004

Site re-organization, to provide working and communication areas for members of working groups, review groups, and for Shambhala citizenry/sangha. Resources for advisory groups coming soon.

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Membership Policy working group meeting #7.

Friday, June 25, 2004

Leadership and Succession Planning working group meeting of June 21, 2004.

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Diversity and Accessibility working group meeting of June 20, 2004.

New Economic Model working group meeting of June 2, 2004

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2005/03/29 | congressadmin@shambhala.org