Shambhala Vision and Teachings

Shambhala vision is rooted in the principle that every human being has basic goodness, the innate qualities of compassion, intelligence and wisdom. This nature can be discovered and developed with the help of meditation and supportive relationships. The more we practice mindfulness in daily life the more this innate goodness begins to radiate out to our family, community and society.

The Shambhala teachings offer a way of proactively working with the speed, aggression and fear so prevalent in our world these days.

The origins of these teachings stem back to the legendary Kingdom of Shambhala, said to have existed in central Asia many centuries ago. Through the influence of Buddhist teachings the culture fostered the kindness, compassion and wisdom of its people and attained a ‘societal enlightenment’.

Shambhala Vision asserts that the innate wakefulness and goodness of human beings is the basis for a good and sane society.

By connecting to our own basic goodness, it is possible to extend out and create what the Shambhala tradition calls ‘enlightened society’. This vision offers possibilities for a radical shift in world view – not a utopia, but a culture in which life’s challenges are met with compassion and courage.

The most extensive public presentation of Shambhala Vision is presented in Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior, by the founder Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

Shambhala teachings are timely and profound, offering both a deep spiritual path of study and meditation practice, as well as a path of serving others and engaging the challenges of modern life with bravery and open heart.

Although the Shambhala tradition is founded on the sanity and gentleness of the Buddhist tradition, at the same time, it has its own independent basis, which is directly cultivating who and what we are as human beings. With the great problems facing human society, it seems increasingly important to find simple and non-sectarian ways to work with ourselves and to share our understanding with others. The Shambhala teachings or “Shambhala vision” as this approach is more broadly called, is one such attempt to encourage a wholesome existence for ourselves and others. – Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, author of Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Rediscovering our Wisdom and Compassion.