Story by Kelly Murphy with photos by Victoria Hagens

On December 17, 2011, we celebrated Children’s Day and the Winter Solstice at the Toronto Shambhala Centre. It was one of the most elegant, cheerful, and inclusive events I have ever attended at the Centre!

Many congratulations are deserved by Ruth, Sangye, Victoria, and John Crone, who created a day in which all the dignities were vividly manifest! First there was joyful and energetic play, then we experienced quiet contentment and friendliness as we listened to and talked about Shambhala teachings together. Then there were some outrageous talent performances, including singing, joke-telling and martial arts.  Perhaps most moving was a candle-lighting ceremony to symbolize our appreciation for the winter light in the sky and the Great Eastern Sun in our hearts. This simple, orderly, and yet profound ceremony (involving twenty lit candles and zero mishaps!) reflected a quality of inscrutability.  To close the ceremony, the children sang a song composed by Tara Slone, who taught it to the Bodhi School about three years ago.

All told, about fifty people – kids and grown ups – took part in the activities, which culminated in a delicious potluck supper and a massive Gingerbread House for dessert (thanks to Ethan, Daniel, Henry, and Arthur for building the Gingerbread house!).

Because I don’t have children myself, I’ve always assumed that Children’s Day is not for me. Not so!! John Crone describes Children’s Day like this:

“It is a reminder in the doldrums of winter that basic goodness of the universe and ourselves never really wanes. It’s a celebration … for everyone … the King and Queen’s talk is aimed at helping children understand the view of our Shambhala community.”

The roles of King and Queen of Shambhala were played by Tom and Jacquie Bell, who are the parents of Victoria Hagens and grandparents of Henry and Arthur.  This was their second time as King and Queen in Toronto; they have also served as King and Queen at Karme Choling in the past, and they have celebrated Children’s Day with their own children for more than thirty years.  They were majestic!

What impressed me most about Children’s Day was the way that they spoke to the children about basic goodness, Great Eastern Sun, and the Shambhala view. The King and Queen were gentle, but their talks were not a bit simplified, or “watered down” for a junior audience. They offered exactly the same messages that adults hear in the Shambhala teachings.  And the children responded with a lot of confidence and curiousity. It was an experience that reminded me that the Shambhala terma matters for everybody, is accessible to everybody, and can inspire everybody. All human beings can connect to it, and through it we can connect to one another.

Here’s a little poem I wrote about Children’s Day 2011:

Tigers’ heartshine.
Wintersun.
Belonging.

An article by Tina Lopes

I was so grateful to learn that Nat Roman and the Shambala Meditation Centre were willing to allow people who are not members of the community to participate in the two-day introductory workshop on Restorative Circles. Everything I had read and heard about this process, which was developed by Dominic Barter in Brazil, made me eager to learn more and there are few opportunities to do so in Ontario.

It was with great excitement that I climbed the stairs up to the third floor and opened the door of the centre on the morning of the first workshop. I was greeted warmly by Brendan who was taking care of registration and book sales; his welcome made for a good start to the day. It was a pleasure to walk into the large room and experience the beauty and positive energy of the space where we would be working; how fitting to be gathered in a Buddhist meditation centre to learn about an approach to resolving conflict that requires participants to cultivate compassion and a willingness to be transformed by the process.

The two days flew by as the group of fourteen people learned about the essential elements of a Restorative Circles system and process. Duke Duchscherer is a skilled facilitator and effective teacher who gave us lots of room to question and explore what Restorative Circles have to offer. Though many of us did not know each other at the beginning, we were soon laughing and sharing ideas, experiences and the energizing experience of learning about something very important.

As its name suggests, Restorative Circles assist communities to restore the relationships that have been damaged, often by giving participants a chance to rediscover each other’s humanity. By the end of this introduction, most of us were anxious to continue the conversation and eager for the next opportunity to learn more. Those who were new to the Shambala Meditation Centre were also glad to have had the wonderful bonus of being introduced to the centre and a few of its members.

Article by Janet Murie with photos by Chris Luginbuhl

The weeks that led up to the week-long retreat at Juniper Hill Retreat Centre between Christmas and New Years were busy with social obligations, eating too much rich food and shopping for family and friends. I was looking forward to the imposed quiet of the week ahead, but having done two previous retreats I knew enough to have some apprehension about the work that was ahead of me.

I had spent a weekend at Juniper Hill in the fall and knew how beautiful it would be. It feels much farther from the city than the two hour drive it takes to get there. The landscape is wild and unmanicured , and the view from the house makes me wonder what it would have felt like to be the first person to stand on that hill and look down in to the valley. It was even wilder in the snow.

Juniper Hill is on acres of forested stillness, far away from the concrete solidity of Toronto. Madeline and Louis welcomed us warmly; and their house smelled of soup and wood. I settled into my comfy upstairs room along with my roommate and new friend Sarah. After lunch we found our cushions in the meditation hall and began the week’s work.

The schedule left little time for us to think about anything other than our own practice. We were up at 6:30 and in to the meditation hall at 7. Silent breakfast at 8, and sitting, walking meditation and shamatha yoga from 9 to noon. Lunch and reading until 2. Sitting and walking until 4:30, then tea and a small snack. Then contemplative reading and more sitting until a wonderful meal at 7. Evening was sometimes sitting, sometimes a video presentation, and occasionally discussion. Wrapped up at 9, lights out and 10. Repeat for seven days.

It’s amazing how deeply you can delve into your practice when the need to plan what to do next is taken away. That, and there is no place to run. The first day felt like a relief, the second day felt like a bit more effort, and the third day I started thinking up reasons to run away home. The big pay offs started after that.

Madeline is a terrific cook, not only organizing food for eleven people three times a day but also accommodating a variety of dietary restrictions. And I would be remiss not to mention Louis’ amazing French Canadian crepe breakfast.

I was deeply surprised at how closely I could feel connected to ten other people with so little speaking, but the week felt deeply intimate, warm and close. The silence was a beautiful challenge and left a lot of room to experience other people as who they really are; full of basic goodness.

It was a wonderful week – demanding, challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, satisfying, confusing, and ultimately full of contentment, peace and quiet cheerfulness. I look forward to the next part of my dathun, and continue to be grateful for the shift this week created in my daily life and practice.

Photos by Chris Luginbuhl from the Art of Being Human, Shambhala Training, Level 1 with Henry Chapin.

An article by Rachel Lipton

For those who have made the decision to redirect their earth-bound lifetime towards a spiritual path, I feel a common point of origin may be shared. We awaken to our new-found spiritual aspirations, we delight in their discovery, and we begin our journey by fantasizing of a life of deep and profound meditation in the woods somewhere, surrounded by spiritual comrades, and perhaps, just maybe, shaving our head and walking around barefoot all the time. Or perhaps that was just me?

And though we all arrive at the start of a spiritual path for our own reasons, and the journey we take is authentically constructed by each of us who walk it, we are all beautifully bound together by a common hope: we are all seeking to transcend the limits of our current self.

That community of path-walkers is a very powerful and dynamic environment, and it was that very energy I had the opportunity to be a part of the September Simplicity Retreat at Juniper Hill Buddhist Retreat Centre. Under the never-faltering hosting prowess of Madeline Conacher and Louis Allen, a group of people from novice to nearly-pro had the noble opportunity to sit, breathe, and just simply be together. To just be. In a culture of all-consuming doing, doing, doing, that really is quite something.

As a definite novice to the art of meditation, the weekend was, as the classic phrase goes, “not too tight and not too lose.” Amidst the wafting incense and the seeming calm of the shrine room sitting periods, I was a pile of aches and pains. Each sitting, which was only thirty minutes, was more of a struggle than enjoyable. But I wasn’t alone. We were all working at our own speeds and in our own ways. We all tried our best and would come back and try again – perhaps with another cushion under our seat this time!

The sitting was interspersed with walking meditation around the lovely property (a key ingredient to retreat experience, I have learned), yoga lessons on the lawn, and of course, tasty eats. As a committed eater in this life, food is an essential piece of the puzzle, and I was not let down in the slightest. Organic and local veggies at every meal, wonderful soups, and always dessert. Fantastic!

At Juniper Hill, there are bedrooms and cabins for sleeping. I got to sleep in the actual shrine room. How cool is that? Answer: so cool. As well as opening their home, Louis and Madeline also offer up their well-endowed library to their visitors with comfy sofas or scenic outside seats to compliment the literature.

My favorite part of the weekend was the group discussions. Although sharing a physical and spiritual space with others has its own delights, the verbal communion is always a favorite of mine. Hearing other people’s questions and/or experiences intermingled with one’s own process has such value. I felt comfortable asking questions of my comrades and the teachers there and of commenting on other people’s queries. And me, just a novice!

This year we will celebrate the Harvest of Peace with our FIRST ANNUAL SHAMBHALA FALL FAIR. Just like a fair there will be potluck food, entertainment and prizes! We will also have a Silent Auction. Everyone is invited to donate something — an item, a service, an experience — such as (but by no means limited to) ….

• home-made items – preserves, baking, crafts or produce from your garden….
• services – leaf raking, a massage, design a flyer for someone’s business….
• art – a photograph, poetry, painting, portrait, Ikebana arrangement….
• entertainment – a home cooked meal at your home, storytelling, or stand up comic routine….
• educational – teach a private yoga class, a cooking lesson, a calligraphy lesson, a guided bird watching hike
• your inspiration here…. ___________________

Proceeds from the Shambhala Fall Fair will go towards projects to uplift our space and support our ability to host a visit by the Sakyong or Sakyong Wangmo [hopefully not so far in the future].

Our planning group is just getting off the ground. If you are interested in joining the group to make this a great day please contact the Harvest of Peace Coordinator c/o toronto@shambhala.org.

In the meantime, start to think about what talent, skill, interest, or inspiration you would like to share.

An article by Nick Butler with photos by Chris Luginbuhl

The idea of attending a weekend meditation retreat sounded like a pretty idyllic escape from the beginning. But I must confess that, on the drive to Juniper Hill Retreat Centre, I found myself wondering what I was really getting myself into. After all, I had never sat in meditation for any extreme length of time, or adhered to any sort of strict meditation schedule. Like many beginners, my approach to sitting had always tended toward the forgiving side…I would tell myself: “five minutes on the cushion? Good enough! At least I tried”.

The first thing I noticed upon arriving was the incredible warmth with which Madeline Conacher, Louis Allen and Mabinti Dennis welcomed the eclectic group of around ten into our new, weekend home. Their open-armed approach to hosting set a wonderful tone from the start. It’s as if their welcoming attitude gave us all permission to be open and receptive to one another, ridding any sense of shyness or trepidation among the group. It felt safe and nonjudgemental.

The second thing that struck me was the breathtaking view offered by their sprawling property. The rolling hills seem to go on forever, uninterrupted and untouched. As we were treated to a delicious and healthy abundance of food outdoors, it’s safe to say that we had all begun to feel relaxed, and the meditating hadn’t even started.

Over the course of the next two days, we were guided along an incredible path of practice that combined sitting meditation, walking meditation, Shamatha Yoga, useful talks by by Madeline, Louis, and Mabinti, as well as a great video of a talk by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche from the 2009 Sangha Retreat at Shambhala Mountain centre. The schedule was an ideal fit for a beginner since it offered a satisfying challenge without pushing too far or feeling too strenuous.

But the group was comprised of people with all levels of experience and it became clear that, no matter what stage each one of us was at, we were all finding value in sharing our practice with like-minded people in this secluded oasis, far removed from every day distractions.

Madeline, Louis and Mabinti offered clear, practical and detailed instructions and also encouraged discussions. It was incredibly comforting to hear about the challenges others faced and to realize that none of us were truly alone on our path. We had all been dealing with the same questions, obstacles and experiencing the same breakthroughs, yet so rarely do we have the opportunity to share these moments with others. There was tremendous benefit to the sense of community that emerged even over such a short period of time, as it helped forge a feeling of companionship and unity.

I think we all left Juniper Hill with a renewed commitment to the practice and a mysterious sense of inner peace that had definitely not been there on the drive up.

To view a slide show of Chris’s photo’s go to our Flickr website.

A message from the Steering Committee for Families and Children in Toronto Shambhala

“May the heart of our community be warmed by the laughter of children, energized by the passion of teenagers, inspired by the pure vision of young adults, enriched by the generosity of parents, strengthened by the discipline of adults, stabilized by the wisdom of the elders and altogether held and guided by the lineage.” – Family and Children Working Group, Shambhala

The Steering Committee for Families and Children in Toronto Shambhala is delighted to share with you our new structure and programming for the coming year, 2010-2011.

OVERVIEW

Parenting as Path: A week-night course will take place September/October for individuals interested in delving into the Shambhala Buddhist teachings as they relate to working with the path of parenting. This course will be followed by a one-day program. Teachers, topics, and dates to be announced in August.

Children’s Programming: New monthly children’s programs will take place January through May 2011 and will include programming for “Tigers” (age 0-4), “Lions and Garudas” (age 5-8), “Dragons” (age 9-12 and up). The classes will take place on Saturday mornings. A group planning day will take place in the fall; all are invited to come and contribute to the development of this program.

Community celebrations and Sangha Days: Children’s programming will be included in the Harvest of Peace event and other community celebrations. In addition, community building family outings will be organized throughout the year.

Children’s Day Performance: In November/December, children will be invited to join 2 or 3 sessions to plan and rehearse for the annual Children’s Day celebration.

The Steering Committee will be led this year by Victoria Hagens, Toronto sangha member and mother of Henry and Arthur. Victoria was raised in Boulder and Nova Scotia by Shambhalians Tom and Jacquie Bell, and she also serves on the Sakyong’s Council for Shambhala. The committee wishes to express appreciation on behalf of the entire community to Harald Dienes, who has led the committee for the past three years. Harald spearheaded the development of the Bodhi School program, and will continue to serve on the committee as a coordinator for Parenting as Path.

Committee members:

• Victoria Hagens: chair
• Jil Amadio: vice-chair and teacher
• John Crone: database administrator and teacher
• Harald Dienes: Parenting as Path
• Wendy Baks: committee member
• Shawna Campbell: committee member

We are currently recruiting additional teachers and coordinators for the fall/winter programming. If you are interested in joining the Steering Committee and/or working on any of the initiatives described for the coming year, please contact Victoria via toronto@shambhala.org.

We look forward to seeing you (and your children) in the fall!

Article by Peggy Stockdale and photos by Chris Luginbuhl

Our weekend of practice at Juniper Hill Retreat Centre began the moment four of us set out on the traffic-crawling trek out of Toronto, a sense of relaxed friendliness that would carry through the entire retreat. If we could stay patient in pre-long weekend traffic , then anything was possible.

As we finally drove freely east, then north through winding country hills, I was happy just to see open fields, cows, a tractor on the road – to get out of the city and be reminded of fresh air and space.

If you’re not familiar with Juniper Hill, Louis Allen and Madeline Conacher have created a nurturing atmosphere of comfort and warmth. Their wooden-beamed house sits on top of the hill, with a spectacular view of fields and forest. We nine participants, plus Laurel Lewey who staffed the weekend, felt immediately at home.

Most of our time was spent up in the lovely shrine room Louis built over the garage, with windows on either side bringing fresh air and nature into our meditation. Sessions were broken by walks around the yard and shamatha yoga barefoot on the grass, as well as instruction from Louis and Madeline. We were all at different stages in our practice, from beginners to some who had meditated for years. That diversity somehow offered support and encouragement to all, even in the silence of sitting.

Not to say that it was silent. City traffic was replaced by constant birdcalls, crickets, frogs croaking away in the pond, and coyotes that woke a few of us in the night. It was a reminder of how accustomed we often become of city sounds, and how distant nature is in our daily lives.

View slide show.

The rest of our time was spent mostly in the kitchen or on the patio. In the mornings we sat silently with coffee and some reading, or simply stretched out on the grass. The afternoons and evenings brought conversation and laughter. We were extremely well fed, spoilt really, with chilli, trout, some amazing quiche, grilled cheese and Louis’ crepes. Rhubarb from their garden. Real cream. Needless to say, there were very few leftovers.

The weather, which had been threatening rain, was extremely cooperative. Louis took us on a walk around the property, which holds several fields, the aforementioned pond of frogs, a patch of woods where a cabin is hidden away from sight, for solitary retreats. Saturday evening, we settled into the shrine room to watch a talk by Pema Chodron, which was an entertaining and insightful extension of our practice.

Two days is a very short time, but I think we would all agree that our practice and understanding was deepened in the process. While I would have loved to stay in that wonderful space for as long as possible, I know we carried the benefits of our experience back with us to our daily lives.

On behalf of the participants of the Spring Simplicity Retreat 2010, I gratefully thank Madeline and Louis for offering their home, their hearts, and their guidance; to Laurel Lewey for helping keep us fed and happy, and to the weather for being such a good sport. Juniper Hill will have a special place in our hearts from now on, and I’m sure we’ll be back as soon as time permits.

Miksang Contemplative Photography is featured in the April edition of PhotoLife. PhotoLife is one of Canada’s premier photography magazines. The April issue is now available in bookstores.

On Sunday April 18, John McQuade will be conducting a one day Miksang Introductory workshop, Looking and Seeing, at the Toronto Shambhala Centre.

As well, this spring both founders of Miksang contemplative photography, John McQuade and Michael Wood, will be conducting Miksang programs at Shambhala land centers.

Michael Wood
Opening the Good Eye – Miksang Level One
Shambhala Mountain Center
May 28-31

John McQuade
The Way of Seeing and the Way of Nature
Dorje Denma Ling
June 11-13

For further information about Miksang visit www.miksang.org and www.miksang.com.