IMPORTANT: If you have never meditated, do not have a meditation
practice, and have never received meditation instruction, it is
recommended to receive instruction before engaging in practice.
The following text give information about meditation and practice
It is NOT instruction. To receive meditation instruction,
free of charge, come to the open house at the Davis Shambhala Center on Sunday Mornings or Thursday evenings, call the center at (530) 758-1440,
or send us email.
Each Sunday morning and Thursday evening, meditation instruction for newcomers is offered. In addition, further instruction in meditation is offered at the Shambhala Training weekends that are offered periodically during the year. Please visit How To Meditate for additional instruction.
Here is how Chögyam Trungpa describes the practice of meditation:
- Meditation practice begins by sitting down and assuming your seat cross-legged on the ground. You begin to feel that by simply being on the spot, your life can become workable and even wonderful. You realize that you are capable of sitting like a king or queen on a throne. The regalness of that situation shows you the dignity that comes from being still and simple.
- In the practice of meditation, an upright posture is extremely important. Having an upright back is not an artificial posture. It is natural to the human body. When you slouch, that is unusual....
- Then, because your back is upright, you feel no trace of shyness or embarrassment, so you do not hold your head down....Because of that your shoulders become straight automatically, so you develop a good sense of head and shoulders. Then you can allow your legs to rest naturally in a cross-legged position; your knees do not have to touch the ground. You complete your posture by placing your hands lightly, palms down, on your thighs....
- In that posture, you don’t just gaze randomly around. You have a sense that you are there properly; therefore your eyes are open, but your gaze is directed slightly downward, maybe six feet in front of you. In that way, your vision does not wander here and there, but you have a further sense of deliberateness and definiteness....
- Then, in meditation practice, as you sit with a good posture, you pay attention to your breath. When you breathe, you are utterly there, properly there. You go out with the out-breath, your breath dissolves, and then the in-breath happens naturally. Then you go out again. So there is a constant going out with the out-breath. As you breathe out, you dissolve, you diffuse. Then your in-breath occurs naturally; you don’t have to follow it in. You simply come back to your posture, and you are ready for another out-breath.
- Then there will be an inevitable bing!—thought. At that point, you say, "thinking." You don’t say it out loud, you say it mentally: "thinking." Labeling your thoughts gives you tremendous leverage to come back to your breath....
- It really doesn’t matter what thoughts you have. In the sitting practice of meditation, whether you have monstrous thoughts or benevolent thoughts, all of them are regarded purely as thinking. They are neither virtuous nor sinful.... Please don’t be shocked by your thoughts: any thought is just thinking. No thought deserves a gold medal or a reprimand. Just label your thoughts "thinking," then go back to your breath. "Thinking," back to the breath; "thinking," back to the breath.
- From "SHAMBHALA; SACRED PATH of the WARRIOR", Chogyam Trungpa - Shambhala Publications.
The practice of meditation is very precise. It has to be on the dot, right on the dot. It is quite hard work, but if you remember the importance of your posture, that will allow you to synchronize your mind and body.... You have mind working with breath, but you always maintain body as a reference point. You are not working with your mind alone. You are working with your mind and your body, and when the two work together, you never leave reality. (The Path of the Warrior, pp.37-40)
The inspiration of Shambhala and other enlightened societies never completely fades from human memory, but continues to awaken us, even in the midst of aggression, arrogance, and depression. This timeless, fundamentally simple truth provides a path of social action that is beyond the ordinary struggle for survival and domination. It is fearless and gentle, vast and profound. Shambhala vision combines the most profound appreciation of our possibilities as individuals in community with the many, often demanding, practicalities of livelihood, relationships, raising children, in short our life altogether.
The Venerable Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, inspired many students to pursue a spiritual path and to take part in the secular world as part of that path. He provided a number of means, or paths, for students to connect with this fundamental vision. These include the practice and study of Buddhism, Shambhala Training, practicing arts such as calligraphy, poetry, theater and flower arranging, and many more. For over 25 years people have been working together to realize Trungpa Rinpoche’s inspiration.
We are at a time in history when all across the globe traditional cultures and communities on which people have long relied are being extinguished. At such a time, it is especially important to proclaim the Shambhala vision in our own lives and to the world. We welcome into this Shambhala community all who wish to join their spiritual vision with secular activity to create enlightened society.
All practitioners are encouraged to have a shrine in their homes. The shrine should be brilliant and cheerful: a reminder of awakened mind and of the lineage of teachers who have transmitted the teachings to us from the Buddha. It should always be kept spotless.
A home shrine can be very simple. A shelf or a small table covered with nice fabric are fine. Bright yellow, red, blue, orange, or white are suitable colors. When one is seated, the surface of the shrine should be at least as high as your heart center when you are sitting on a gomden and zabuton, preferably higher. It should be large enough to hold offering bowls of water, candles, and a dharma book. the fabric on top should be protected with plate glass.
The dharma book is the main shrine object. It is wrapped in a piece of brocade or nice fabric. No other article, such as a stature of the Buddha, should be placed higher than the text. For this reason, the dharma book is often raised on another small box. A Western dharma book, such as Myth of Freedom, is suitable, as is a Tibetan dharma text.
Five or seven offering bowls of fresh water should be placed on the shrine and changed daily. If you have forgotten to empty the bowls the night before, they should still be emptied and refilled before the next morning’s practice session. The water offering should be tossed outside in a clear and unobstructed place. Since it is basically ungenerous to "offer" empty bowls, the bowls should be replaced on the shrine upside down, with a matchstick under each to help it dry.
Incense may be burned either on the shrine or at its base. Do not use lacquer ware for the incense bowls, as it may burn. Burn incense in sand, not rice. Two candles are traditionally burned while practicing. Flowers may be placed on the rear of the shrine box, or at its base. Note: It is considered disrespectful to blow out candles; snuff them or wave them out with your hand.
Shrine protocol defines what is considered proper and dignified behavior in the context of the shrine room. Shrine protocol is designed to encourage mindfulness and is rooted in the deep respect felt by the student for the teachings. Bowing is a traditional sign of respect in Asian cultures, thus it is customary to bow upon entering and leaving the shrine room, as well as when passing in front of the shrine. In general, a silent practice environment should be maintained in the shrine hall, unless it is being used for a group discussion, etc. It is considered disrespectful to put dharma texts or chants on the floor, it is however, OK to put them on a zabuton (mat). It is not permitted to wear shoes, hats, or to smoke in the shrine hall.
For the morning practice, light the candles and incense and chant the appropriate morning chants. Then do your sitting meditation. End your practice session with a dedication of merit, such as "By this merit..."
For evening practice, light the shrine, do your sitting practice, and close with the appropriate evening chants and dedication of merit. Close the shrine as described above. Clean the shrine if needed.
