Resources for Helping our Sangha to Understand Current Events in Shambhala

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your interest in the Shambhala Meditation Centers of Los Angeles. Since June 2018, our worldwide Shambhala community has been going through a lot of upheaval from allegations of sexual misconduct against the Shambhala lineage holder, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. As of February 21, 2019, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has stepped back from all teaching and administrative duties in Shambhala for the foreseeable future due to findings of sexual misconduct and other reports of harm.

We have put together a virtual reading room for our community that contains a statement from the Shambhala Centers of Los Angeles, as well as some links to letters from Shambhala governance and the Sakyong, news articles, helpful blog posts and teachings. We will continue to update this page with new information as it becomes available. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

We offer this with broken hearts as we hold our sangha in kindness. Our intent is to remain in a place of openness and not-knowing, to listen to our community, and to try our best to pass on any information that we receive, even as we come together to work on holding and healing the community. These are confusing, painful, and sorrowful times for everyone.

Thank you for your patience, kindness, and understanding.

Statement by the Shambhala Meditation Centers of Los Angeles 3/7/2019

—2021—

Joint Statement from the Shambhala Board & Sakyong Potrang Board (2) 6/24/2021

Rebuttal of Matthew Remski’s Media Coverage by J. Sagebien 6/6/2021

Update from the Office of Community Care and Conduct 5/7/2021

April Shambhala Board Update 4/02/2021

Joint Statement from the Shambhala Board & Sakyong Potrang Board (1) 2/13/2021

New Code of Conduct Implementation and Recruitment 2/1/2021

—2020—

Letters from the Shambhala Board

December Update from the Board 12/16/2020

Reparative Process: Therapy & Counseling Offering 12/8/2020

Shambhala 2019 Annual Report 10/29/2020

Release of New Code of Conduct Policies 8/4/2020

Applications Open for Community Grants 7/17/2020

Retirement of Acharyas 7/8/2020

Message from the Shambhala Board of Directors 6/9/2020

May Update from the Board of Directors 5/21/2020

COVID-19 – Community Care Message 3/28/2020

Child Protection Policy (CPP) Release 3/22/2020

March Update from the Board 3/17/2020

Finance Update: 2019 Year End Summary and 2020 Budget 2/14/2020

Community Message from the Board 2/2/2020

Letters from the Process Team

April Message from the Shambhala Process Team 4/17/2020

January Update from the Shambhala Process Team 1/20/2020

Letters from the Acharyas

Letter to Community from Shambhala Acharyas 8/16/2020

Acharya Resignation Letter 7/8/2020

Letter from Ani Pema Chödrön 1/16/2020

Letter from Lady Diana Mukpo

Letter to the Sangha from Lady Diana Mukpo 7/16/2020

Letters from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

A Message from the Sakyong Regarding the Fires at SMC 9/29/2020

Upcoming Acharya Retirements 7/6/2020

Letter from the Dharma Brats

Open Letter from 72 Dharma Brats to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche 6/24/2020

 

—2019—

Letters from the Shambhala Board

Communication Regarding Rigden Abhisheka in 2020 at Dechen Chöling 12/29/2019

December Update from the Board 12/7/2019

Financial Report to the Community 11/17/2019

October Update from the Interim Board 10/13/2019

August Update from the Interim Board 8/21/2019

Moving Forward with Sale of Marpa House  7/30/2019

Investigación sobre el Tratamiento de los Casos de Abuso Infantil 7/26/2019

Investigation into Handling of Child Abuse Issues 7/24/2019

Recent Arrests of Former Shambhala Members 7/1/2019

June Update to the Shambhala Community 6/28/2019

Update on Marpa House from the Interim Board 5/16/2019

Further Correction to April Update 5/02/2019

CORRECTION: April Update from the Interim Board  4/26/2019

April Update from the Interim Board 4/25/2019

Financial Report to the Community 3/26/2019

Message from the Interim Board Regarding the Olive Branch Report 3/19/2019

March Update to the Community 3/9/2019

Response from the Interim Board Regarding the Kusung Letter 2/18/2019

Message from the Interim Board Regarding the Wickwire Holm Report 2/3/2019

Financial Update from the Interim Board Regarding Marpa House 2/3/2019 (log in)

Letters from the Process Team

An Update from the Process Team 11/12/2019

A Message from the Process Team Steering Committee 9/05/2019

July Update from the Process Team 7/10/2019

Update from the Process Team 6/03/2019

Update from the Process Team 5/01/2019

Community Update from the Process Team 4/04/2019

Introduction to the Process Team 3/06/2019

Letters from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

A Message from the Sakyong 12/14/2019

A Message from the Sakyong 2/21/2019

A Message from the Sakyong 2/4/2019

Letter from the Acharyas

Letter to the Community from the Acharyas 2/20/2019

Letter from Lady Diana Mukpo

Letter from Lady Diana Mukpo to the Shambhala Community 2/19/2019

Letters from the Transition Task Force

Final Letter from the Transition Task Force 1/27/2019

Process Team Announcement 1/20/2019

News Articles

The Arrest of William Karrelis 2/1/2019

Reports

Olive Branch Report 3/19/2019 (scroll down page)

Wickwire Holm Report 2/3/2019

 

—2018—

Letters from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

A Message from the Sakyong 7/10/2018

A Message from the Office of the Sakyong 7/6/2018

Letter from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to the Shambhala Community 6/25/2018

Letters from the Shambhala Interim Board

Message from the Interim Board about Shambhala Day 12/27/2018

Message from the Interim Board about the Care and Conduct Policy 12/23/2018

Community Letter from the Interim Board 11/26/2018

Introduction Letter from the Shambhala Interim Board 10/31/2018

Announcement from the Shambhala Interim Board 10/11/2018

Letters from the Transition Task Force

Update from the Transition Task Force 12/22/2018

Update from the Transition Task Force 11/2/2018

Letter from the Transition Task Force 9/21/2018

Letter from the Transition Task Force 9/13/2018

Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/30/2018

Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/18/2018

Letter from the Transition Task Force 8/7/2018

Letters from the Kalapa Council

Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 10/15/2018

Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 9/11/2018

Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 8/23/2018

Letter from the outgoing Kalapa Council 8/11/2018

Letter from the Kalapa Council 7/30/2018

Letter from the Kalapa Council 7/20/2018

Letter from the Kalapa Council regarding leadership transition 7/6/2018

Letter from the Kalapa Council 6/29/2018

Letter from the Kalapa Council 6/27/2018

Finance Reports / Communications

Finance Report Update to the Shambhala Community 9/20/2018

Finance Report to the Shambhala Community 8/15/2018

Letter from the Shambhala Director of Finance 7/18/2018

Letters from around the Shambhala mandala

Letter from the Office of Practice and Education 8/19/2018

Letter from the Northern California Leadership 8/1/2018

Letter from Shambhala Mountain Center 7/10/2018

A Letter from the Women Acharyas 7/8/2018

Letters from An Olive Branch

Letter from An Olive Branch 9/10/2018

Letter from An Olive Branch 9/3/2018

Letter from / Introduction to An Olive Branch 7/20/2018

Letter from Ani Pema Chödrön

Letter from Ani Pema Chödrön 9/22/2018

Letters from other Buddhist Communities

A Letter from Kwong-roshi to the NorCal Shambhala Community 8/8/2018

Project Sunshine Reports

Announcement from Project Sunshine  9/28/2018 

Project Sunshine First Report

Project Sunshine Second Report

Project Sunshine Memorandum

Project Sunshine Third Report

Other Resources

Shambhala Care and Conduct Policy 2015

An Olive Branch Website

Kay Pranis: The Art of Holding Circle—on circle practice

Buddhist News & News Articles

Tricycle Article

Lion’s Roar Report alleges sexual misconduct by leader of Shambhala community

New York Times The ‘King’ of Shambhala Buddhism Is Undone by Abuse Report

Helpful writings by Shambhala Teachers

Susan Piver On Shambhala

Ethan Nichtern Reflections on Shambhala

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche When a Buddhist Teacher Crosses the Line

A video message from Llama Rod Owens to the Shambhala Community

A video message from Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo & Lama Tsultrim Allione

Teachings

Meditation in the City with Shanté Small Holding Space, Healing Harm

Pema Chödrön No Right No Wrong

Tricycle Magazine Sex in the Sangha…Again (2013 interview)