Boston Shambhala Center

Vision and Mission

for the upcoming move

In 1996 the Boston Shambhala Center moved from a church building in Newton Corner to our present location at 646 Brookline Avenue. Over the last 13 years, the Boston Shambhala community has grown, our program offerings have developed, and our teachers have matured. We have reached out to thousands of Bostonians to introduce them to meditation and the Shambhala teachings, but we have more to offer.

Our Vision: why we’re moving

In order to attract more of the wakeful energies - the dralas - of Boston and to meet the needs of our growing community we are planning to move the center in the next two years. Our goal is to expand out to a greater audience and become a seed for enlightened society in Boston. Locating our Center and the Shambhala dharma in a drala location will positively affect our local community and the entire Northeastern Mandala. Our aspiration is that Boston will be the seat of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo in the Northeast.

Our current building has many wonderful qualities and is the only meditation center that many of us have known. But it is not in an ideal location, and we will soon outgrow it. In recent years, we have also become more and more aware of the building’s other limitations: it is not handicap accessible nor family-friendly, and there is no soundproofing between the shrine rooms.

Our Shambhala Center should:

• Offer a public space where the Boston community can enter into Shambhala through meditation, non-sectarian programs, community activities and service.
• Provide a powerful container for our own Shambhala community and lineage of practices, including the full path of practice and study in our Shambhala Buddhist and Vajrayana tradition.
• Embody Court principle and be the seat of the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo in the Northeast.

Moving forward

Under the guidance of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and with direction from our Board of Trustees and Director, we have begun the process of relocating the Shambhala Center.

To achieve this goal, two streams of activity will simultaneously take place:

• Community building: Strengthen our community foundation by training all levels of community support (teachers, volunteers, program staff). Develop our base of membership and create more opportunities for practice, study, and community engagement.
• The move: Conduct needs analysis, feasibility studies, research, fundraising and planning for the move.

Community involvement

These two streams of activity are designed to include the community in every aspect of the move.

Here are some ways you can become involved in the upcoming move:

• Connect and share inspirations with fellow community members
• Come to volunteer leadership and staff training programs
• Volunteer to staff, coordinate, assistant direct, and be a meditation instructor
• Step into a leadership position at the Center
• Contribute financially to support the purchase of the new building
• Offer your services by sitting on a move task-force
• Help define community priorities for the new space
• Offer feedback and suggestions on the process of the move

Shambhala International President Richard Reoch recently shared the Sakyong’s view on community involvement:

“The Sakyong asks all members of our Shambhala society, no matter what practice they are undertaking, to consider how best they can offer service – whether it be in their family, local community or more broadly. In this regard, he would like us all to understand very clearly that serving the golden dharma of Shambhala is one of the most profound offerings we can make.”

Click here for pdf VisionMission file.

 

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Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston
646 Brookline Avenue, Brookline,  MA 02445
Tel. 617-734-1498    Email: