Community "Sangha" is the Sanskrit term for "community of practitioners" - one of the three jewels of Buddhism. This Shambhala Meditation Center is home to a wonderfully diverse community who share a genuine connection to contemplative practice and the aspiration to realize a more wakeful, sane society. Friends and members of the Shambhala Center are welcome to attend celebrations, practice events, meetings and gatherings of special interest groups. The Shambhala Meditation Center is part of an international community of 165 meditation centers founded by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and led by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. The Shambhala Buddhist path, unique in the world of Western Buddhism, combines the teachings of the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism with the Shambhala view of living an uplifted life, fully engaged with the world. Programs in Buddhist teachings, meditation and other contemplative disciplines are offered as well as free individual meditation instruction.
Community Poetry and Images
 From Katherine Goff: Here's something I wrote in a playful mood. It goes to the tune of Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.
Preschool Dharma
Five little Buddhas, sittin’ on the ground.
They just sit. Don’t make a sound.
First one thinks, To the sangha I am bound.
Jumps on the wheel, goes around and around.
That’s what you get for sittin’ on the ground.
Four little Buddhas, sittin’ on the ground.
They just sit. Don’t make a sound.
Second one thinks, Dharma will abound.
Jumps on the wheel, goes around and around.
That’s what you get for sittin’ on the ground.
Three little Buddhas, sittin’ on the ground.
They just sit. Don’t make a sound.
Third one thinks, Ego will be drowned.
Jumps on the wheel, goes around and around.
That’s what you get for sittin’ on the ground.
Two little Buddhas, sittin’ on the ground.
They just sit. Don’t make a sound.
Fourth one thinks, Padmakara’s been crowned.
Jumps on the wheel, goes around and around.
That’s what you get for sittin’ on the ground.
One little Buddha, sittin’ on the ground.
She just sits. Doesn’t make a sound.
Suddenly says, Me just can’t be found!
Gets up to dance and HUMs a loud sound.
That’s what you get for sittin’ on the ground! |
From Vince Cavallo
Summer Morning
The earth is turning toward the sun
Communication, a resonance
The long thin clouds on the horizon
Soften the appearance
Is wisdom here
Is it in space
Is it like the sun
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Hey-ho, the happy poet!
A poetry page on our web site. I'm psyched:
The sun is like a big yellow dot
It makes me happy when I'm not.
The birds are singing in the trees
Oh happy day for you and me
The moon is like a florescent light
Shining brightly in the night
The bats go round in their wobbly flight
It gets too dark to fly a kite
Hmm ... Well, it's not Allen Ginsberg, but not too bad for a computer nerd.
To replace this feeble composition with a real poem, send it to me, Vince Cavallo at webmaster@shambhaladenver.org
Bill Johnson writes: "This is from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das. It was written by a 16th century poet. It is what helps me start my weekend, and keeps the day in balance, no matter what".
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all,
even if they're a crowd of sorrows
who violently sweep your house empty of furniture
Still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
For some new delight
The dark thought, the shame, the malice
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
From Robert Denison
Where to Go with Ego
In the moment I stumbled again
I gave up to “idiot ego”
I knew better, ego wanted its way
I’d battled ego at lunch and won
Not trusting a slightly intoxicated ego
The day evolved and was delightful
We talked and explored and trusted
I wondered how our Spirits could be so close
I questioned why I couldn’t touch you
Were you that afraid of me?
And I wondered how that could be?
I was holding so much love for you
I knew you weren’t ready
And wondered how scary was that for you?
How could you not believe in me?
How could our Spirits be so intertwined?
Was it my ego?
I didn’t think so – the writings said differently
Was it my ego?
I didn’t think so – I’d looked at checks and balances
Was it my ego?
I didn’t think so – I’d dated others
Was it my ego?
I didn’t think so – I thought I was beyond that
Was it my ego?
It must have been –
Was it my ego?
If I couldn’t trust the time – was that my ego?
If I didn’t have the patience – was that my ego?
If I wanted to hold you – was that my ego?
If I wanted to love you – was that my ego?
If I couldn’t hear you – was that my ego?
Perhaps it comes down to ego?
How could that be?
I’d done workshops of ego taming
I’d done hours of meditation with ego taming
What was it then?
It was ego.
Can we always beat ego?
If we can’t beat ego, can we trust?
If we can’t beat ego, can we honor?
If we can’t beat ego, how true is our love?
And I wonder – can I beat ego?
I close my eyes and reach into my teachings
When I trust – I can beat ego
Robert Feb 7, 06
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From Gary Snider
Open Path
Open Minds
Open Hearts
Open Mouths
Open EyesOpen Ears
Open Wallets
Open Books
Open Seating
Open Sky
Abandon All Hope of Fruition
Tonglen
Taking and sending
Hot raw irritation - coming at me.
Let it rest
Let it go
Soothing soft relief
Out into the world.
No Fault Lojong
Not my fault
You cannot take the blame.
All your fault
You think I am wrong.
No fault Lojong
Drive all blames elsewhere.
From Robert Denison
IN THE SILENCE
In the silence I hear a thousand voices
Voices of my ego calling out
Voices of a year ago on a beach
Of a shattered dream and love
Of denial and tears
Of not trusting in the moment
Of not holding the truth
The same voices of years ago
Of loves and dreams as they once were
Of silent moments of holding hands
Of embracing kisses
Voices of the morning sun awaking us
Of adventures and promises
Of holding that moment in the truth
Silent voices almost deafening
Too many voices to be listened to
Too many promises and wishes
Too many unspoken promises
Was there too much hope?
Was there too much denial?
Was there too much ego?
I grab the moment of today
I let the voices go
I let go the ego
I hear the silence in the silence
I hold the moment of now
I center on the moment of now
The silence becomes the moment
Can I hold the moment of trust?
Can I hold the moment of truth?
And everything is the moment of now
In this moment of truth I am what I am
I am holding this moment of trust
I let go of my ego
And accept the moment as is
This moment of truth, is what it is
This moment of trust is the universal moment
Who am I to doubt this moment?
My Trust is in the Oneness of the teachings
My Truth is in the Oneness of the teachings
I let go and Trust in this
The Truth cannot be nothing but the Truth
Robert December 27, 2005
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