Addressing Harm and Community Care in Shambhala

The Shambhala Meditation Center of New York is part of a global community that aspires to awaken kindness, goodness and wisdom within society. This vision is rooted in the principle that every human being has a fundamental nature of basic goodness. 

To honestly hold this vision and aspiration means we cannot ignore the pain, confusion and harm that are also part of our experience. We need to look directly at the ways we maintain traditions, habits, power structures, language patterns, and other forms that perpetuate harm – individually or collectively, consciously or unconsciously.

In 2018, our community experienced upheaval from the reports and findings of a third-party investigator regarding sexual misconduct by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Shambhala’s lineage holder. In response, Sakyong Mipham stepped back from his teaching and administrative responsibilities to focus on self-reflection and to facilitate healing. The international governing body called the Kalapa Council resigned and was replaced by the Shambhala Board of Directors. Further, in March 2022, the international Shambhala organization and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche reached an agreement that he officially will no longer teach or hold administrative responsibilities in the Shambhala organization.

A number of initiatives were put in place by the international organization to address issues of past harm in our community, and to put in place enhanced controls to prevent and deal with future harm. In February 2021, in response to the need for greater safeguards and stricter codes of conduct, particularly for those, such as teachers, in positions of power or authority, the international Shambhala network implemented the Shambhala Code of Conduct.

Here in New York we remain committed to teaching and practicing meditation, and working together as a community to manifest the teachings of our Shambhala and buddhadharma lineages. 

As we proceed in this mission we acknowledge our history and aim to continue to identify areas needing attention. We are committed to transforming our culture to prevent harm as much as possible, acknowledge and stop it whenever it occurs, and bring about justice. We know much more work is also needed to examine how all of these things show up in our own hearts and minds.

We welcome you to join us in this practice, and invite communication related to past or present experience about issues of harm.