The Shambhala Friendship Society of the Maritimes

Contact:

Hudson Shotwell bookfolk@hfx.eastlink.ca

July 27, 2000

The following is the introduction to the website under construction for the Shambhala Friendship Society of the Maritimes. We have been requested to post it with the collaboration material. If you would like further information about this Society, contact Hudson Shotwell at bookfolk@hfx.eastlink.ca.

Introduction:

The ten governing intentions of the Shambhala Friendship Society of the Maritimes:
To acknowledge the inherent goodness of all people
To practice non-aggression in all ways
To protect the environment and promote respect for all forms of life
To value contentment, simplicity and community over excessive materialism
To promote diversity and an open-minded approach
To transcend partisanship, discrimination and cliquishness
To promote a culture of resourcefulness, initiative and co-operative effort
To link innovation with the wisdom and richness of our local traditions
To make it possible for youth to remain and prosper in the Maritimes
To maintain flexibility and a sense of humour in the pursuit of these goals

Welcome to the Shambhala Friendship Society of the Maritimes (SFSM). The Society is registered with the province of Nova Scotia as a not-for-profit corporation. Its bylaws are available on request.

The inspiration for the Society arose in January of 1999 at a meeting of several members of the Shambhala Buddhist community in the Maritimes. The Society was never intended to be exclusively for Shambhalian Buddhists, however. It hopes to bind together people and organisations, Shambhalian Buddhist or not, who can naturally adhere to its ten constitutional intentions. The idea is to create resource networks that assist in and stimulate compassionate activity. Any person or organisation who connects with these ten principles is welcome to join. The ten intentions appeal to peoples' inherent sense of basic goodness. They also provide rallying or focal points for compassionate activity that furthers good human society.

So the Shambhala Friendship Society is a grass-roots umbrella organisation with a sense of humour, and there are three ways you can be a member in good standing.

First, you can join, accept the ten intentions as guiding principles, by taking the oath, and then continue to pursue whatever activities you are already engaged in that reflect the Friendship Society’s goals. Your dues are supporting the Society and you have a voice at regular and Annual General Meetings. You are a member in good standing, but perhaps, like many of us, you are presently too busy to be involved in extra extra-curricular activities.

The second way to be a member is to become part of whatever networks arise among members who have similar interests, such as education, scholarships, promotion of the arts, protection of the environment, voluntary simplicity and so forth. The networking of people with like minds is a powerful key to fulfilling the goals of the Society. Networks might create spin-off projects that could happen in the name of the Society, or they may simply be a great resource to further the ten intentions independently, or to further enrich your own particular activity.

The third way to be a member is that the Society itself may promote, institute and administer distinct projects of its own on behalf of all the members. The process of deciding what these projects shall be is a more formal one, as outlined in the bylaws: annual general meetings; submitted agenda items; facilitated discussion and consensus. The Society’s first action of this kind, in May of 2000, was the creation of the Shambhala Friendship Society Karen Lavin Award for Compassionate Activity. You may follow the links for more information on this project.