Shambhala Practice and Study Paths, April 11, 2021

I feel there has not been a lot of healing yet. We still need more time to really understand what has happened. When I hear that people felt excluded because as Mahayana practitioners they were treated as lesser, it makes me so sad. We need to acknowledge that practice paths are very individual.

Shambhala and Sangha could be more accessible to new perspectives beyond fixation on one guru principle and one lineage, more free and confident, helping to build together a more open vision, inviting other teachers without isolating the Sakyong.

For me it is okay to have two separate groups, which try to realize their ideas and wishes. Maybe in the future a cross-pollination is possible again.

I would find it difficult to have a split between the Sakyong Shambhala group and another freer Shambhala group. It should be possible in time that both attitudes work on themselves and revive a renewed Shambhala together.

I think it would be good to have two separate paths, one with and one without the Vajrayana-guru-principle. I would be happy to be able to continue to practice in this community without a guru.

A Shambhala center needs the reference to the lineage, the Mukpo lineage. The purpose of a Shambhala center is the battle with ego and what results from it. All practice and study should be directed to the realization of ego; everything else will follow. Without a lineage holder, in the form of a father, friend, guru, ego will take over.

The most interesting thing is actually the process we are going through: do we manage to stay in conversation, and heal the wounds that have occurred?

Thank you very much for the touching meeting!

There has not been a lot of healing yet. But speaking as we do now is so important. There are many groups of people that feel they are not valued.