About Victoria Shambhala

The Victoria Shambhala Centre is part of a global Shambhala community which aspires, through meditation practice and creating a more contemplative community, to awaken kindness, goodness and wisdom in individuals and societies. Every human being has a fundamental nature which is basically good. Yet we cannot ignore pain and confusion which are part of our experience. In our personal meditation and contemplative practices and within our community we try to look directly at our patterns of behaviour, those that perpetuate grace and gentleness, along with those that perpetuate harm. Reflecting in this way we can develop greater kindness to ourselves and others, and do less harm.

The Shambhala community has faced significant upheaval as allegations of Clergy Abuse have been  made against some Shambhala leaders, volunteers, senior teachers and lineage holders. These reports have been investigated by and reported on by multiple individuals, legal teams, organizations and media outlets. The community’s response to harm, and the organizational structure of global Shambhala and many local Shambhala Centres and their leadership structures and practices have changed as a result of these investigations.

Information on these changes is available.

We are committed to teaching and practising meditation, and working together as a community toward a more sane and kind community. We aspire to create a supportive and healing environment for those who come seeking to ease their suffering. Meditation is not a replacement for psychotherapy or therapeutic healing of trauma. Individuals will make mistakes; intending to do no harm does not mean no harm will be caused. We work kindly with ourselves and others, with an allegiance to basic goodness and with what arises on our journey, toward a culture of understanding and compassion.