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...

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...

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

THANK YOU


In just over two weeks, our Ocean and Chronicles communities donated *almost* $60,000 to support our year-end campaign. We do not take this lightly! With so much going on in the world, and so many organizations vying for our attention, we’re consistently floored by the generosity of our members, teachers, contributors, and friends.

Thank you. We’re looking forward to expanding our offerings in 2026! Stay tuned for updates.

If you missed our campaign, and would like to support this work, it's never too late to



Check out the donor comments

Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche was among the first Tibetan meditation masters to come to the West, and among the few to understand the western mind. The qualities he possessed, manifested,...

A Conversation with Shari Vogler

Shari Vogler served as the head cook to the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and his family from 1977 until his death in 1987.

It’s Much More Interesting Than That

During the 1985 Seminary at RMDC, now Shambhala Mountain Center, the Vidyadhara was hosting a number of guests at Prajna for cocktails, followed by a dinner. I was on...

Interview with Jonathan Eric

  Before this interview, Jonathan had made a list of the stories he wanted to talk about, stories that he felt would convey a flavor of the early days of...

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...

Laughter and Relief

At the 1981 Seminary at Lake Louise, as the physician I was called to see Rinpoche one morning. The staff were alarmed because he had vomited several times. As...

Training: Pema Part Two

That's when he made the famous comment which I've repeated many times: "The monks and nuns should always be horny." He said, "We want real energetic juicy monks and nuns but they should keep their vows impeccably."

A Lover Not a Fighter

It was 1976 and I was attending a public seminar at Karme Choling conducted by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.  A close friend and I first met Rinpoche in 1971 and my...

Tribute to Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

His Holiness Dungtse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche died in New York today at the age of 80. The son of Dudjom Rinpoche and the father of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche,...

Jim Lowrey Reads from Taming Untameable Beings

https://soundcloud.com/trungpachronicles/jim-lowrey-reading-from-untameable-1   Taming Untameable Beings is available in paperback and Kindle e-book at: amazon.com and www.amazon.ca Facebook: Taming Untameable Beings

Crazy Wisdom

Review by Grant MacLean People who were around Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for years, day in and day out and often around the clock, confess that they had no idea who...

The Way of Basic Sanity

In this essay I attempt to provide a synopsis of Trungpa Rinpoche’s unique perspective on Buddhist hinayana and mahayana practices.

Dön Season Retreat

As the  year of the Water Tiger draws to a close, Ocean will host daily Vajrakilaya and Mamo session