While the Shambhala Sun is always in the East, the West Coast Shambhalian certainly knows how to enjoy a good setting sun once in a while. Especially those of us who live on the West Side of Los Angeles, a good 25 miles (that’s L.A. miles, folks!) from our main center over in Eagle Rock.

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Although the hard core amongst us will brave three or four highways through Hollywood and other exotic locale to visit our East Side brethren for a good talk or a Werma Feast or our routine check-ins with acharya and mentor Allyn Lyon, most people visiting the West Side Shambhala group for the first time have trouble believing that we actually drive all the way to Eagle Rock for programs. In fact, most West Siders (myself included!) are reluctant to go east of the 405 very often.

Because of the increased amount of foot traffic at the West Side Shambhala events - Sunday evening sittings (4-6pm), Thursday evening talks about Shambhala Arts, “The Way of Shambhala” courses, Shambhala Levels, free meditation instruction, and so forth - the L.A. sangha is rallying to find a larger, permanent home for the West Siders.

Most significantly, this year’s Shambhala Ball (February 20 at the Eagle Rock Center) will dedicate its proceeds to the West Side Shambhala group and its building search. West Siders have been assigned with the task of planning this year’s party. They have been practicing for this task for months, organizing occasional forays into local dance clubs to sample of the DJs.

Being a West Side Shambhalian is not just party-planning and sunsets over the beach, however. A few dedicated sitters make up the “West Side Steering Committee.” This group meets regularly, discusses administrative and financial matters, and cultivates leadership amongst its ranks. I hasten to add that these meetings often mitigate any fatigue they might engender by featuring delicious cookies and chocolates! This is the sort of committee I can commit to!

And no discussion about the West Side Shambhala group is complete without mentioning the fearless duo that has lead it fearlessly for four years:

Stanley Weiser and Tom Gottlieb, both deeply devoted students of the Sakyong and his father, attend nearly every sitting session, maintain the financial stability of the burgeoning organization, and even make sure all the doors are locked when we leave the Santa Monica Zen Center on Sunday evenings.

So, West Siders, don’t despair! While the trek to the East Side might be long and hard on your gas mileage, and though that trek is usually worth it, you can look forward to a future in which some of those East Siders might venture West. And they’ll probably want to see the setting sun while they’re at it.

Marcia Sibata practicing Kadö at the L.A. Shambhala Center. Photo by Anne Saitzyk.

Marcia Shibata brought the elegant vision of Kadö, the “Way of Flowers,” to the Los Angeles Shambhala center in two workshops in August. Shibata has studied Ikebana extensively in Japan and had received instruction from the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, on the contemplative aspect of flower arranging. It is a practice rich with an appreciation for the natural world. As Shibata explained to her students, even the word “Ikebana” reflects the Japanese school’s empathy with the life and death of flowers: it is derived from the words “Ikeru” - to keep alive - and “Hana” - flowers.

The “Way of Flowers” is a tradition that goes back thousands of years in Japan and China, but in recent times has evolved into more of a decorative art. Shibata’s vision is to return Kadö to a meditative practice of subject and object. Flower arrangements become a reflection of the mind of their creator. During practice, the room in which Ikebana is done becomes the kado-jo, or practice hall in which the Way of Flowers can be explored. The journey of creating the flower arrangement is as important as the final result. The ultimate outcome is an Ikebana that mirrors a harmonious and balanced world.

Ms. Shibata lives in Vermont but will return to Los Angeles in January of 2010 to conduct another series of workshops on the way of flowers.

And go to the L.A. Shambhala Center’s Flickr Page to look at the full array of photos by L.A.’s own Anne Saitzyk from the weekend!

*Blume

by Guy Blume

His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche, father of the Sakyong Wangmo Khandro Tseyang and head of the Rigon Thupten Mindrolling monastery in India and the Rigon Tashi Choling monastery in Tibet, made his fourth visit in four years to the Los Angeles Shambhala Center in July. His weekend of teachings started with a Purification and Healing Ceremony and followed with a Chenrezig Empowerment and teachings. Chenrezig–or “Avalokiteshvara” in Sanskrit–is the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

His Eminence recounted the tale of how Chenrezig worked tirelessly to free all beings from suffering. He emptied samsara three times, liberating beings from suffering each time. But Chenrezig looked into the hell realm and saw the limitless number of beings that were still there. He became despondent with grief and fell to the ground, were his head shattered into thousands of pieces. Amitabha Buddha put the body back together, but when he did so, he gave Chenrezig eleven faces and a thousand arms so he could work with myriad beings at the same time.

A contemporary of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, His Eminence escaped from Tibet at roughly the same time. However unlike the Vidyadhara, who adopted English and western fashion, Namkha Drimed remains rooted in the traditions of Tibetan language, dress and culture. His teachings are a direct link to a rapidly disappearing body of knowledge. In person, he is warm and friendly and has the kindest eyes that you will ever encounter. He speaks little English, but seems to understand everything. It is a blessing just to be in his presence.

Nearly a 130 people squeezed into the Eagle Rock shrine room for the healing ceremony and around 60 people attended the weekend teachings and empowerment. It was a very rich and heady weekend for all that attended.

Photo by Alexandra Milsom, Dechen Chöling 2008