Belonging in Shambhala, February 23, 2021

Wisdom-energy guides the path and the guru is within. This is what I want to keep in mind.

Belonging is what we are doing right now, in this moment, with open hearts and open minds, sharing our fears, concerns, vulnerabilities.

The culture was made by us. We thought we were “better” (than others) but we are as messed up as the rest of the world. We need a true compassionate culture in Shambhala. We need to make it.

Are we going to have real integration? Or more crushing lids and rules?

I have experienced both iterations of Shambhala. I find version two not very compassionate. We have left people behind.

I don’t do well when loyalty is demanded. Loyalty also needs to be earned.

It is important that the Sakyong continues to teach. Such teachings are rarer and rarer in our materialistic world and they are needed. They need to be protected.

It was not just one person—it was a culture. That’s why we need programs like Right Use of Power and Gender Dynamics: to create a culture that we want it to be.

How can we keep that spark alive without a single teacher that is coalescing that? I think it’s possible, but I’m not sure how.

Make efforts to have these conversations with an open heart with as many Shambhalians as we can. Offer inclusion to each other, even in disagreement and personal pain.

We all have personal life experiences which have a huge impact on our sense of belonging, our capacity to hold pain, to forgive. What our sangha is going through is an important process in being able to be clear about the path that we each are on.

Listening to what is going on moment by moment: that’s how society can become more human.

Appreciate the opportunity to hear other people’s perspectives.  It’s great for me, and also for the organization to engage in.

This is a wonderful container for both speaking and listening.

This is a great process, thank you! Dzigar Kongtrul’s mom once told him to have a heart “Big enough to hold a horse race,” and that feels like what we’re doing here.