In 1975, when Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche was asked how he saw his lineage continuing in America he replied that “the general plan, seemingly, or general intuitive plan, is that some kind of reign of sanghaship would take place for...
The Dawn of Enlightenment
The Star of Bethlehem
Journey to Taktsang 57 Years Ago
The Sadhana of Mahamudra was completed at Taktsang in Bhutan on September 6, 1968. Here, in his own words, is the story of traveling to Taktsang and receiving the sadhana.
Lack of Credentials
Excerpted from The Way of Basic Sanity, A Brief Overview of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Perspective on Sutric Buddhism
Why Now?
Tashi Colman's Review of The Sadhana of Mahamudra, a new title from Shambhala Publications
The Halifax Shambhala Centre Announces the Visit of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
The Halifax Shambhala Centre is pleased to announce that Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche—the grandson and spiritual heir of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of Trungpa Rinpoche’s principal teachers—will be visiting Halifax during the first week of August 2026.
Lady Diana’s Life Story
I’ve been asked by the family of Lady Diana Mukpo to make some remarks today about her life story: who she was, what she did and what her connection is to all of us! It’s difficult to do this for someone of her stature and also for someone who was such a beloved friend of many...
Ringu Tulku on the Sadhana of Mahamudra & the Four Dharma’s of Gampopa
Thank you to Ringu Tulku and his organization, Bodhicharya, for permission to post this talk.
The Passing of Lady Diana Mukpo
Dear Shambhala Sangha,
Our community has experienced an incredible loss. We write with heavy hearts to share that Lady Diana Mukpo - wife and widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, mother, grandmother, accomplished equestrian, and steadfast protector of the Shambhala teachings and vision - passed away surrounded by family and close friends at her home in Florida on...
Jonathan Barbieri on Meeting our Kagyu and Nyingma relatives for the first time
Jonathan Barbieri has taught Buddhist and Shambhala trainings extensively throughout North America for over 40 years. He served as a Shastri, a senior teacher, in the Shambhala lineage for several years. Jon has been engaged in several livelihood pursuits including 10 years in educational non-profits, consulting with cities and counties on workforce development, creating contemplative co-housing...
Tim Olmsted on Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Pema Chödrön and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
These Sons and Daughters of Noble Family lectures showcase the rich dharma heritage of our extended dharma family. They were originally presented live by Karme Choling and hosted by Julia Sagebien & Karme Choling Co-Directors JT Buck & Vegan Aharonian between April and October 2024. The Chronicles is now in the process of making all sixteen of these lectures available permanently here, adding a new episode to this page every few weeks.
It Was the Memory of His Kindness
I read something recently that recalled the evening I heard Chögyam Trungpa speak in Toronto in the autumn of 1971. My memories of that evening come back to me occasionally, and they surfaced again while I was reading Opening a Mountain: Koans of the Zen Masters. The book is a deeply contextualized collection of stories and...
Joni and Rinpoche
Here is Joni Mitchell in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden after receiving the Gershwin Prize. When asked what themes she might want to explore currently in her songwriting, Joni talked about her connection with Trungpa Rinpoche
Calligraphy Lesson
I loved Trungpa Rinpoche beyond words and admired him more than anyone I had ever met (I was also a little afraid of him).
Father Thomas Keating and Trungpa Rinpoche Talk About Egolessness
This conversation took place during Naropa’s 1983 Christian Buddhist Conference
Stories of Sechen Kongtrül, told by Tulku Urgyen
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's Stories of Shechen Kongtrül, read by Larry Mermelstein.
Chronicles/Ocean 2025 Year End Campaign
All new donations doubled
when the thermometer reaches $35,049.
Two days to go!
Dear Friends,
As the Chronicles continues to gather and curate a growing collection of stories, articles, interviews, news, teachings and conversations pertaining to the life and teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Ocean (born 11 years ago) has become home to a vibrant global community engaging in daily practice and dharma classes accessible to all on a unique by-donation model. It has also become a primary access point for a vast trove of Vajrayana practice resources (in particular Vajrayogini, Khodhikali, Avalokiteshvara, Sadhana of Mahamudra, and Ngondro), often available nowhere else online. We love the Ocean community, and continue to prioritize a warm and welcoming home for all who enter our virtual doors.
In addition to our regular scheduled programming, we’re thrilled to announce a new slate of teachers and classes in 2026, including the teachers-in-training under Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s guidance in his ten-year Milinda Program, which will be offering workshops on a myriad of topics. It’s an exciting moment. An epic voyage. A jolly good time! More on our new offerings will be announced over the next few weeks and into the new year.
Please consider becoming a regular member of Ocean/Chronicles by making a monthly donation. If you’re already a member, consider upping your monthly donation by a few bucks if you can. And one-time gifts to support our 2026 operations and expanded offerings are so very helpful. You can make a one-time or monthly donations through the DONATE button above.
Yours on the high seas,
The Ocean/Chronicles Team
Contemplating the Parinirvana of the Vidyadhara
April 4th approaches. On this day in 1987 Chögyam Trungpa passed into nirvana. (For those not familiar with this expression, it is the day he died.) It is a...
A Conversation With Clarke Warren
In this three-part conversation, Clarke Warren talks about the Ri-me Society, challenges faced by Tibetan communities in exile, and how sanghas in the West might gain inspiration from their example.
What he has brought …
On Trungpa Rinpoche and The Rain Of Wisdom, Talk One of Four, May/June 2013, Halifax
As if by Accident
An Excerpt from Ellen's upcoming memoir: Buried Rivers: A Spiritual Journey into the Holocaust
Elocution Lessons with Chögyam Trungpa, Part One: Recognizing the Power of Speech
Part One: Recognizing the Power of Speech
At the Redneck Bar
Out in the parking lot ... a man approached from out of the gloom with a rifle in his hand that he trained on Rinpoche
We’re Going to Test Your Realization
During the time just prior to the cremation of H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa I was fortunate to meet Trungpa Rinpoche at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. As an American...
An Unexpected Reply
Fifty years ago, Trungpa Rinpoche gave a community talk in the shrine room of the Boulder center at 1111 Pearl Street (now the Boulder Book Store). In the question...
Called on the Carpet
As the maintenance man at Naropa Institute in the summer of 1980 I shared the job with work-study partner Harold Turner of setting up and taking down for the...
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse on the Passing of his Father, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Thank you for your sympathy and best wishes at this time.
We live in a world of our own making, a world built by our own unique perceptions which we...
What We Learned from Yönten
Part One: A Costly Delay at yak Monastery
May 26, 2013
In the late winter of 1959, after discovering that Surmang had been overrun by Chinese troops, Trungpa Rinpoche visited Khamtrül...
The CTR Digital Library is Here!
It's official, the Chogyam Trungpa Digital Library is Live
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche Celebrates Chögyam Trungpa and the Kagyu Lineage
Photo by Marvin Moore
Khyentse Rinpoche's Teachings in Halifax
During his talks on the foreword to The Rain of Wisdom, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche marveled at Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's guru devotion,...
Andrew Quintman’s 2022 Milarepa Day Talk
https://vimeo.com/688923723
Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s Visit to Halifax, June 2012
The shrine room was packed for the long awaited visit of Tsoknyi Rinpoche to Halifax in June 2012.
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Mahamudra Elixir II: Identifying & Sustaining the Nature of the Dynamic Mindby Elizabeth Callahan
LISTEN TO THE EIGHT RECORDED SESSIONS OF ELIXIR PART I Mahamudra Elixir II Starts October 1 This five-part series will focus on […]
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Buddhist Rebirth III: Modern Takesby Roger Jackson
Rebirth, or reincarnation, was assumed by most premodern Buddhists – and is believed by many modern Buddhists – to be “the […]
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The Key Points of Trekchö with Gerardo Abboudby Gerardo Abboud
In person at the Halifax Shambhala Centre, and here on Ocean We are very pleased to welcome Gerardo Abboud to the Halifax […]
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Samsara, Nirvana, and the Pathby Jakob Leschly
Samsara represents the painful cycle of dysfunction and suffering, whereas nirvana epitomizes the liberation inherent in our true […]
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The Kagyu Lineageby Jonathan Barbieri
Lineage is the unbroken transmission of wisdom and skillful means that is passed down directly from teacher to student – from […]