Friday 31 October to Sunday 2 November

Vipashyana and Union

with Acharya David Hope

 This weekend programme distinguishes shamatha (resting the mind), and vipashyana (clear seeing) meditations in terms of their similarities, differences and relationship.

We will practise the subtly different techniques of shamatha that have been presented at different times by our teachers, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and we will explore analytical vipashyana through contemplations on selflessness and appearance emptiness, two of the fundamental aspects of the Buddhist view of existence.

Finally we will discuss the ultimate merging, or union of shamatha and vipashyana, that develops from the long-term practice of these two  types of meditation.

ACHARYA DAVID HOPE been a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche for the past 25 years. He helped establish the London Shambhala Centre in the 1980's. Since then he has taught widely in Europe and many other places, and was named an Acharya, or senior teacher, in 2005. He now divides his time between Great Britain and Dechen Chöling in France.

The programme begins with a talk on Friday at 7.30pm, and continues on Saturday from approximately 9.30am to 6pm. Sunday starts at 9am and ends with a reception at roughly 6pm.

The weekend is recommended for practitioners who wish to develop a deeper understanding of meditation. A certain experience of sitting meditation is recommended.

To pre-register please send a deposit of £20 payable to 'The London Shambhala Meditation Centre' c/o London Shambhala Meditation Centre, 27 Belmont Close, London, SW4 6AY.

Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November

Shambhala Art Part One

Coming to your senses with Herb Elsky

“The practice of dharma art is a way to use our lives to communicate without confusion the primordial and magical nature of what we see, hear, and touch.” Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.

“First thought is best in art.” William Blake

Art has more to do with perception than talent. Without clarity, all we express is our inability to accurately perceive. The creative process requires that we first perceive our world as it is before we can represent it in an art form or use it as a launching pad for expression. Part One is the exploration of the nature of our perceptions and how our thoughts influence what we perceive. We learn through a meditative discipline the source of creativity and the meaning of pure expression, which transcends the limitations of self-referencing expression. As we learn to rest in “square one” where our mind and body is synchronised, our expression becomes vivid, possessing greater richness and accuracy by being true to things as they are.

HERB ELSKY received his Master of Arts diploma from U.C.L.A. (University of California at Los Angeles) in 1966.

In 1971 he met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche during Rinpoche's first visit to Los Angeles and was a founding member of the Los Angeles Dharmadhatu (the name for our meditation centres before they were called Shambhala Centres).

He worked with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche when the dharma art teachings were first presented and helped him to create two large environmental flower arrangements: at Los Angeles in 1980, and at San Francisco in 1981.

He was the resident director of Shambhala Training in Los Angeles for four and a half years.

At the same time he developed his work as a sculptor and had regular exhibitions of his transparent sculptures in polyester resin.

From 1988-1991 he was the head of practice at the Karme Chöling practice centre in Vermont.

In 1995 he moved to France with his wife Catherine, who is an architect, to renovate the main building at Mas Marvent in order to create the now flourishing Dechen Chöling practice centre. He was the head of practice there for the first two and a half years.

During the past twelve years he has travelled to almost all the countries in Europe to teach Shambhala Art and Shambhala Training.

His art work has evolved to become a combination of sculpture and theatre creating visual and sound compositions using ordinary objects.

Friday 28 to Sunday 30 November

The Art of Being Human

Shambhala Training Level One

'The way of the Great Eastern Sun is based on seeing that there is a natural source of radiance and brilliance in the world, which is the innate wakefulness of human beings.' Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

The Shambhala Training path of study and practice begins with the Heart of Warriorship programme. This consists of five weekend programmes ("levels") which offer meditation instruction and practice, talks on the Shambhala teachings, group discussions and interviews.

Completing the Heart of Warriorship provides the tools you need to establish a personal meditation discipline and take the basic principles of warriorship forward into your daily life. Beginning with a free public talk on the Friday evening, Level One introduces the rich Shambhala tradition, which inspires and encourages us to explore and celebrate what it is to be human. During the weekend we begin to work with the practice of meditation which allows this gentle exploration to take place. Level One offers both a good introduction for complete beginners and a fresh inspiration for those who may already have some experience of meditation within their own spiritual traditions.

To pre-register please send a deposit of £20 payable to: 'The London Shambhala Meditation Centre' c/o London Shambhala Meditation Centre, 27 Belmont Close, London, SW4 6AY 

Community Nyinthün

The Community Nyinthün is held on the first Sunday of the Month.

Sadhana of Mahamudra

The Sadhana of Mahamudra is special practice that sometimes takes place during the community practice evenings on Wednesdays.

The practice involves the meditative recitation (in English) of a sadhana (meditation text) written by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1968. The vivid imagery of the sadhana evokes the qualities of enlightened mind as exemplified by Dorje Tröllo, a manifestation of Padmasambhava, and Karma Pakshi, the second Karmapa.