Midwest Dharma

Video higlights from HH Dalai Lama's visit to SMC

September marks the one year anniversary of the visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Great Stupa  of Dharmakaya at Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado.  Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, holder of the Shambhala Buddhist Lineage, presented His Holiness with the first Living Peace Award.

2500+ guests joined Sakyong Mipham, His Holiness, Queen Noor and Rabbi Irwin Kula as they gathered in the cold Colorado Rockies to honor His Holiness and celebrate the pursuit of compassion.

Click here for a video of the occasion.

Mipham video on You Tube

Chewyguru directed a video "What About Me" of spoken word artist Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. 

Click here to check it out!

Maitri: Five Wisdom Energies

Acharya Richard John will teach Maitri: Five Wisdom Energies at the
Chicago Shambhala Center, Fri, March 9, 7pm-9pm; Sat March 10, 9am-8:30pm;
and Sun, March 11 9am-6pm

This weekend presents the unique meditation practice created by Chögyam
Trungpa Rinpoche based on the traditional principles of the five buddha
families. Maitri practice tunes us directly into our different
psychological styles or energies, allowing us to clearly see and
experience how we embody and relate to them in either a sane or neurotic
fashion. As we embrace these energies in ourselves and our world with
friendliness, we can transform the frozen energy of self-centeredness into
the flowing creativity of compassionate wisdom.

Members $125 ($115 for early registration by March 4).
Nonmembers $145 ($135 for early registration by March 4).
$15 fee for rental of practice materials, for those who do not have them. 

For more information or to register on line, visit www.chicagoshambhala.org or call 773-743-8147.

A Weekend Program with Dr. Robin Kornman

The Milwaukee Shambhala Center Invites You To Enlightened Society, Shambhala, and the Kalachakra Tantra.

A Weekend Program with Dr. Robin Kornman
February 9, 10, and 11, 2007

Enlightened society is a term Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche coined to describe the culture that manifests in society around the path of meditation. The individual seeking enlightenment is trained to be a culturally well-rounded person who is engaged in the arts, contemplation, politics, the sciences of heaven and earth, and the bodhisattva path of devotion to the benefit of others as ways to manifest an enlightened world in everyday life. In this weekend program, Dr. Kornman will examine the scriptural origins of these Shambhala teachings, particularly in the Kalachakra Tantra and other Asian Buddhist traditions. Robin Kornman, Ph.D., is a professor of comparative literature, specializing in Eastern and Western epics. He is currently translating the Tibetan Gesar of Ling Epic into English, and is one of the original students of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

            Costs: $125; $100 for members, seniors & students.
            Pre-registration is advised, call Steven at 414-481-2604 for registration and more info.

            Schedule: Fri., Feb. 9, 7:00 pm on-site registration followed
            by Talk; Sat. and Sun., Feb. 10 & 11, 8:30 am continental
            breakfast, 9 am-5 pm: Talks interspersed with meditation, tea
            breaks and discussion groups.  Sunday closing reception.

      Location: The Milwaukee Shambhala Center is at 2344 N. Oakland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211

Please join us for what promises to be a wonderful weekend of immersion in the living vision of Trungpa Rinpoche!

Teachings by Khen Rinpoche in Minneapolis

SATURDAY MORNING CLASSES
10:15 to 12:00  Location: Khenpo's Residence

    * The Fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation - the Practice of Ngöndro
      Saturday mornings, January 20th to March 10th

      The preliminary practices of Ngöndro are common to all sects and lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. These practices contain an outer phase, in which one contemplates topics such as impermanence and karma, and an inner phase. In this series of teachings, Khen Rinpoche will introduce the inner preliminary practices. These profound meditations are comprised of five steps that lead the practitioner to increasingly pure and subtle experiences of the awakened mind. These teachings are open to all. Drop-ins welcome.

      Suggested donation: $20/class or $120 for the entire series (8 classes)

      The classes in this series are as follows:

• January 20th - Entering the spiritual path and the practice of taking refuge
• January 27th - Cultivating compassion and the Bodhicitta prayer
• February 3th & 10th - Creating the right conditions for spiritual practice through the mandala offering
• February 17th & 24th - Purifying obstacles and negativity with the visualization and mantra of Vajrasattva
• March 3rd & 10th - Connecting directly with the enlightened state and the practice of guru yoga

Details available at the Rime website.

Teachings by Khen Rinpoche in Minneapolis

WEDNESDAY EVENING CLASSES
7:15 to 9:00 – Location: Shambhala Center

    * Peace of Mind - The Fundamental Practice of Tranquility Meditation
      – Wednesday evenings, Jan. 17th to Feb. 7th

      The practice of shamatha, or tranquility meditation, is designed to still the mind and bring about a profound state of peace and relaxation. Once this state is achieved, the practitioner will be well-equipped to begin more advanced forms of practice that aim to cultivate wisdom and connect directly with the nature of mind. In this series of teachings, Khen Rinpoche will explain the subtleties of this practice, bringing his own extensive experience as a meditator to bear on the topic. All are invited to attend. Drop-ins welcome.

      Suggested donation: $20 per class or $60 for the 4 class series

Details available at the Rime website.

NOTE: Check it out...I went to the first class - Rinpoche is a very accessible and knowledgeable teacher.  The translating is top-notch and Rinpoche's good grasp of English makes the students feel very "understood." - Debe 

Bill Karelis in Chicago

Bill Karelis will speak on various topics during his 10 day stay in Chicago.  Please see the attached flyer for details.

Download karelis_word_flyer112rev1.pdf

Great new Google search engine for Shambhala searches

A fellow sangha member created a Shambhala Google Custom Search Engine for all things Shambhalian. 

It searches over the following sites:

www.thebuddhadharma.com
www.shambhalasun.com
www.shambhala.org.uk/*
www.shambhalashop.com
www.dorjedenmaling.com
shambhala.pl
la.shambhala.org
ny.shambhala.org
www.karmecholing.org
mipham.com
http://www.shambhala.org/*
www.dechencholing.org/*
shambhala-europe.org/
gampoabbey.org/*
www.shambhalamountain.org/*
www.shambhala.com/html/learn/features/ctr/email-quotes.cfm
www.chogyamtrungpa.com/*
vienna.shambhala-europe.org/*
www.shambhala.org/*
shambhala.si/*

Check it out!!

Interview with Lady Diana Mukpo

The Chronicles Project, an oral history project gathering the recollections of people who knew Vidyadhara the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, will feature an oral interview with Lady Diana Mukpo on November 23.  Just click on Chronicles Radio...

Thanks to Gail Gaebe for the info!

Teaching with Irini Rockwell

Emotional Wisdom: Maitri, the Five Wisdom Energies at Karme Choling with Irini Rockwell December 3-10.  Click here for details.