SMCLA News Magazine

Walking Meditation In Nature

April 30th, 2009 by George Gomez

Saturday, May 9, 2009
8:30am - 9:45am
Open To All
Inclusive & non-sectarian. Please feel free to invite friends & family.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
1500 North College Ave, Claremont, CA 91711

“Luminosity is the sense of celebration that comes with the sense of humor. Humor and celebration are indivisible at this point: celebrations means sense of humor. Celebration means a sense of delightfulness, an uplifting quality. We could use all sorts of jargon, but fundamentally speaking, celebration is a sense of earth, actually celebrating the earth, and a sense of earth and space making love together. Humor comes from space, or sky, and earth is the celebration. When the earth begins to celebrate, space begins to make love to the earth — that’s the meeting point of earth and space…. Earth blossoms and sky begins to pay attention to it. Sky begins to shine all kinds of light over the earth and accommodate it with its space to grow flowers or trees, to maintain rocks, waterfalls, skyscrapers, and highways — whatever we have on this earth. We don’t have to be particularly romantic about it. We’re not just talking about nature, we’re talking about reality.”

– Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, From “Light-Heartedness,” in GLIMPSES OF REALIZATION: THE THREE BODIES OF ENLIGHTENMENT pages 45-46. Edited by Judith Lief. Published by Vajradhatu Publications.
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Film Series on Women of Tibet

April 27th, 2009 by George Gomez

Hello kind California Shambhala centers,

My parents helped found the Wisdom’s Goldenrod center in Ithaca, NY - I’m a Dharma Brat and feel very lucky to have been brought up with Tibetan Buddhism. I’m writing to you today because I thought you would find interest in a series of three films about the women of Tibet.

The first two films in the series are Women of Tibet: Gyalyum Chemo: The Great Mother and Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution. These unique one-hour documentaries explore stories of the Tibetan struggle for peace, freedom, justice and human rights and the dynamic power off women within the political, social, and spiritual realms. The first film, Women of Tibet: Gyalyum Chemo – The Great Mother, tells the compelling life story of Dekyi Tsering, the mother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, also known as the Great Mother of Tibet. A fascinating exploration of the Great Mother archetype, the film has aired repeatedly on PBS stations nationwide since its television premiere in April 2006.
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Shambhala Arts Festival Call for Entry

April 21st, 2009 by George Gomez

SMCLA joyfully announces its 4th annual Shambhala Arts Festival – a manifestation and community celebration of Shambhala Art/Dharma Art principles based on the teachings of the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. The Festival will be held on Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14, 2009 at the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles in Eagle Rock.

Procedure for Entry

Application deadline: May 15, 2009.

Any art form based on Shambhala Art/Dharma Art principles can be submitted for entry. Please send an email to smcla.artfest@gmail.com by May 10, 2009 that includes the following:
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Kyudo: The Way of the Bow

April 1st, 2009 by George Gomez

Training in the Art of Zen Archery

presented by
Kyudo Master Kanjuro Shibata Sensei XX
Bowmaker to the Emperor of Japan

April 11-12, 2009
Gekko Kyudojo, Ojai, CA
Saturday & Sunday 9:30am to 5pm
Cost: $175
To register contact: Mark Garrabrant (805) 415-9003
space is limited ~ pre-registration required

Kyudo, an ancient form of Zen Archery, is moving meditation. The practice of Kyudo is deceptively simple. Students will receive instruction in the basic form, shichido, or seven coordinations, during this weekend intensive.

Working with the precision of the form, a natural process gradually unfolds through which the practitioner has the opportunity to see the mind more clearly. The target becomes a mirror which reflects the qualities of heart and mind at the moment of the arrow’s release. This distinguishes Kyudo from archery, where simply hitting the target is the goal. Kyudo is meditation, and as such, is a true contemplative art.

This weekend is open to all ages and backgrounds. No experience is necessary, and strength is not an issue.
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Walking Meditation In Nature

April 1st, 2009 by George Gomez

“When human beings lose their connection to nature, to heaven and earth, then they do not know how to nurture their environment or how to rule their world… healing our society goes hand in hand with healing our personal, elemental connection with the phenomenal world.” - Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
1500 North College Ave, Claremont, CA 91711. map
Saturday, April 11, 2009
New Time: 8:30am - 9:45am

Open To All
Inclusive & non-sectarian. Please feel free to invite friends & family.

Fee - NEW
A daily ADMISSION FEE will be in effect starting March 29th, 2009.
$8 Adults, $6 Students w/ valid ID, $6 Seniors (65+),
$4 children aged 3-12, Free admission for Members and children under 3
FREE Admission to all current Members with membership card.
Memberships always available for purchase at the gate!
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