Shambhala Centers around the world are implementing innovative practices in Governance, Practice and Education, Community Involvement and other areas to strengthen the presentation of the teachings and support community participation. At the beginning of 2022, a small group of Process Team members (Barbara Wolkowitz, Sarah Canfield, and Adam Hart) began contacting individual Shambhala Centers, Land Centers and Shambhala Groups to gather information about innovations in Governance, Practice and Education, Social Justice, and Communications being implemented at the local level. The Process Team group summarized the information provided and secured the provider’s approval of the text.
Following are the summaries completed thus far. We are seeking information from additional Shambhala organizations about innovative structures and practices that you are working with. We can all learn from each other! Please contact Barbara Wolkowitz, barbarawolkowitz@gmail.gov to discuss any information you would like to share. See below for the general format used to collect and present the information.
————
Philadelphia Shambhala Center
philadelphia.shambhala.org/
Type of Innovations: Governance (Circles Model); Practice and Education (teaching methods and format for classes, teacher mentoring); Social Justice (Engaged Dharma group), Care, Conduct and Protection (Death and Dying Manual)
Sky Lake
skylake.shambhala.org/
Type of Innovations: Governance (Collective Leadership Model), Community Communications
Boston Shambhala Center
boston.shambhala.org/
Type of Innovations: Practice and Education (Shambhala Training, Shrineroom, Trauma Training, Open Houses), Social Justice
Cologne (Germany) Shambhala Center
shambhala-koeln.de/
Governance / Practice and Education (Working with Trauma Issues, Accommodating Diverse Practice Paths, Accountable Governance)