By Ken Bowles In the early 1970s at age 29, I was diagnosed with an incurable medical condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa that would result in progressive deterioration of my eyesight and blindness. In 1972, I attended a weekend seminar with...

What to expect at the Visit of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche

In this nine-minute talk, the Loppon explains the significance of this visit for Trungpa Rinpoche’s vajrayana students, those who encountered him during this lifetime, and those who have come along since then.

The Passing of Bernie Flynn

Bernie first came to our Sangha after college and roaming around the country in the usual hippy pursuits of the early 70's. The "VT back to the land" movement was in full swing and he was going to write the "Great American Novel". He found a house in Barnet and as it turned out, it was not...

The Passing of John Baker

The family of John Joseph Baker, 81, of Boulder, Colorado share the news of his passing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at his beautiful mountain home in Boulder, Colorado with his family by his side. He experienced a gentle “fading of my life” over a period of many months. John was born on September 13, 1944,...

Interview with Khenpo Karma Tenkyong

Drala Mountain Center is looking forward to hosting Khenpo Karma Tenkyong, the resident teacher at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, for Open, Spacious, and Free: A Mahamudra Meditation Retreat, August 26th-29th.

Harsh Splendour First Screening

In 1959 Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche led 300 refugees on a nine-month journey across Tibet to India – a journey now seen to rank among the greatest of history’s great escapes. Among those following him was the Washutsong family and their daughter Palya, aged 15. With music composed and performed by India Gailey and Jeff Reilly, narration by Grant MacLean, Harsh Splendour tells Palya’s story. Through HD satellite images and a flight simulator, we follow the route the refugees took, see the towering mountain terrain they crossed, the fearsome weather they faced. It is a journey to inspire us all.

You Are The Masterpiece

Exploring unconditional sacredness: the display of innate goodness, the worthwhileness of everyday life

21 Years of Tributes from the Mahasangha

Contribute your poems, stories and tributes to this ongoing collection

Four Artists Reflect on CTR’s Visual Dharma Teachings

Photo by George Holmes, used by permission A reminiscence from Jack Niland Here's the story. In 1974 at the start of Naropa, Trungpa told me I had to teach a class..."Just tell them everything I've told you" were his only instructions. The first year I assisted others to learn the ropes. Then, starting in 1975, he had me...

Datun Study Program

Buddhism: View and Path: A 7-month study program from Siddhartha's Intent: January - July 2026. The course is being taught by senior instructors and students of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, along with several excellent guest teachers.

The Passing of Lama Yonten

Lama Yonten passed away in Nepal on February 7. Yonten was Trungpa Rinpoche's attendant during their escape from Tibet, 1959-1960. He also attended Trungpa Rinpoche's root guru, Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche. Years later in India, he attended Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Here is a recent passage from Rabjam Rinpoche's Facebook page In Loving Memory of Lama Yonten, Personal Assistant to...

50 Years of Dharma at the Philadelphia Shambhala Center

In December of 2020, during the pandemic, the Philadelphia Shambhala Center hosted a virtual gathering with fourteen of the founding members of Shambhala in Philadelphia.  Coming together from coast to coast, some of them had not seen each other for decades.   They talked about the early days of practice, the sangha house in West Philly, the visits...

The Halifax Shambhala Centre: Who’s in Charge? The Mandala Governance System

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 a while," and "this needs group spirit." The Halifax Shambhala Centre is implementing a new governance model. The...

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...

Bill Douglas’ “I Shall Not Live in Vain”

Long-time sangha member Bill Douglas started the Naropa music program in 1977 where  celebrated thirty years of teaching. Bill has toured extensively as a a bassoonist, pianist, and composer,...

Barbara Bash

Barbara talks about the creative process, her passion for calligraphy, working with discouragement, her connection with Trungpa Rinpoche, and more.

Anne Burchardi

It has been a great honor for me to contribute to Chögyam Trungpa's legacy in some small way, by co-teaching the Tibetan Tradition Course at Naropa University in the...

Interview with Phil Karl

The following conversation between Phil Karl and Walter Fordham took place at the Trident Cafe and Booksellers in Boulder, Colorado on March 16, 2002.

No Party Line

Photo by Rachel Homer   The first time I was a teaching assistant for Trungpa Rinpoche was at Naropa Insitute in the summer of 1974. Before the classes began, I went...

From Now Onward

I was seventeen. July 1973. My brother Neil brought me to hear Rinpoche talk...

On the Porch at Charlemont

Jean Claude's recollections of Trungpa Rinpoche   Charlemont is a town in northwestern Massachusetts. Rinpoche spent a lot of time in a farmhouse near Charlemont, mostly during a long retreat in...

The Architect

I had just finished an interview with Rinpoche, and started to get up to leave...he said "You can stay.....if you want." I sat back down and in was led...

Lunch is served

I was on staff as a cook in the Vidyadhara's household in Los Angeles in 1979. It was a joint ITS (Intensive Training Seminar) and ATS (Advanced Training Seminar)...

Transcript of HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s Saga Dawa (Vishaka Day) talk

Since 2500 yrs. ago Buddha's teachings still exist; tonight I'll be speaking about dharma as taught by the buddha Not only the buddha dharma but all the great religions of...

Guru and Student in the Vajrayana

I have written the following in response to a number of requests, including some from the press, for my take on the present situation in the Rigpa Sangha over Sogyal Rinpoche’s behaviour.

Film: Glimpses of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s Life and Legacy in Tibet

This is a film about Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, yet all of the video and most of the photos are contemporary. Thus, those interviewed are, in effect, speaking about the...

Glimpses of Yarne

"You could say we are just an average bunch of people here — average in terms of our confusion and our wisdom, our inherent goodness and our obstinate little...

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

by Meg FedericoRob and I had not been to a practice program together, (let alone on a vacation) since our first child was born and he's 28 years old...

Cameron Peak Fire Reaches Shambhala Mountain Center

This is a poignant moment for everyone with a heart connection to SMC. We will be updating this post as new information comes to light. 
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