Dear Shambhala Sangha, Our community has experienced an incredible loss. We write with heavy hearts to share that Lady Diana Mukpo - wife and widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, mother, grandmother, accomplished equestrian, and steadfast protector of the Shambhala teachings...

Journey to Taktsang 57 Years Ago

The Sadhana of Mahamudra was completed at Taktsang in Bhutan on September 6, 1968. Here, in his own words, is the story of traveling to Taktsang and receiving the sadhana.

Lack of Credentials

Excerpted from The Way of Basic Sanity, A Brief Overview of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Perspective on Sutric Buddhism

Jonathan Barbieri on Meeting our Kagyu and Nyingma relatives for the first time

Jonathan Barbieri has taught Buddhist and Shambhala trainings extensively throughout North America for over 40 years. He served as a Shastri, a senior teacher, in the Shambhala lineage for several years. Jon has been engaged in several livelihood pursuits including 10 years in educational non-profits, consulting with cities and counties on workforce development, creating contemplative co-housing...

Tim Olmsted on Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Pema Chödrön and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

These Sons and Daughters of Noble Family lectures showcase the rich dharma heritage of our extended dharma family. They were originally presented live by Karme Choling and hosted by Julia Sagebien & Karme Choling Co-Directors JT Buck & Vegan Aharonian between April and October 2024. The Chronicles is now in the process of making all sixteen of these lectures available permanently here, adding a new episode to this page every few weeks.

It Was the Memory of His Kindness

I read something recently that recalled the evening I heard Chögyam Trungpa speak in Toronto in the autumn of 1971. My memories of that evening come back to me occasionally, and they surfaced again while I was reading Opening a Mountain: Koans of the Zen Masters. The book is a deeply contextualized collection of stories and...

Joni and Rinpoche

Here is Joni Mitchell in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden after receiving the Gershwin Prize. When asked what themes she might want to explore currently in her songwriting, Joni talked about her connection with Trungpa Rinpoche

Calligraphy Lesson

I loved Trungpa Rinpoche beyond words and admired him more than anyone I had ever met (I was also a little afraid of him).

Father Thomas Keating and Trungpa Rinpoche Talk About Egolessness

This conversation took place during Naropa’s 1983 Christian Buddhist Conference

Stories of Sechen Kongtrül, told by Tulku Urgyen

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's Stories of Shechen Kongtrül, read by Larry Mermelstein.

Myth of Freedom and the Cosmic Joke with Ani Pema Chodron

In this talk, which is presented in three segments, Pema guides us through the beginning chapters of Trungpa Rinpoche's Myth of Freedom.

The Heart of Enlightened Action

Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche teaches on the mahayana at the Berkley Shambhala Center, August 2007. Here are talks One, Two, and Three of the five talk series.

Vajradhatu Seminary Lake Louise

A slideshow of Lake Louise from Charles Marrow

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s Cremation Ceremony

Thirty Eight Years Ago in Karme Choling's upper meadow

Why Now?

Tashi Colman's Review of The Sadhana of Mahamudra, a new title from Shambhala Publications

Announcement from the Mukpo Family

The Mukpo family would like to announce that after many years of living with cancer, Lady Diana has taken the decision to stop treatment and begin the dying process. She is currently with her family and friends resting at home and receiving care. We will continue to send updates as her end-of-life phase progresses. In the...

Devotion & Crazy Wisdom! A Sadhana of Mahamudra Book Launch (in-person & online)

In collaboration with Shambhala Publications and the Chögyam Trungpa Digital Library

When Ice Clogged the Harbour

About 10 days before Rinpoche's passing on April 4, 1987, Halifax harbour began filling up with ice...

Health Comes First; Sickness Is Secondary

According to the Buddhist tradition, people inherently possess buddha nature; that is, they are basically and intrinsically good. From this point of view, health is intrinsic. That is, health comes first; sickness is secondary. Health is. So being healthy is being fundamentally wholesome, with body and mind synchronized in a state of being which is indestructible and good. This intrinsic, basic goodness is always present in any interaction of one human being with another.

— From “Becoming a Full Human Being,” in The Sanity We Are Born With: A Buddhist Approach to Psychology, page 141.

I Trust My Students

"The point is," he said to me, "I trust my students." There is, for me, no greater single statement of the unique quality of Rinpoche's profound teaching than these four words....

Tsoknyi Rinpoche

The conversation revolves around the topics of essence love, and the importance of developing a healthy sense of well being, which Rinpoche talks about in connection with the subtle body.

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

The Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche was one of the most brilliant masters of Tibetan Buddhism in the twentieth century. Throughout his life, he embodied the qualities of dignity, gentleness,...

An Oryoki Moment

It seems that Rinpoche wanted to know who the young lady was who knew all the chants by heart and ate so beautifully.

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi Connections

On the anniversary of his passing

Like a Foreign Country

[Rinpoche] said there would be economic problems and earthquakes, that the weather would become more extreme because the dralas would not be protecting the situation, and that it would be harder and harder to practice genuine dharma because of the level of aggression in the country.

Interview with Jonathan Eric

  Before this interview, Jonathan had made a list of the stories he wanted to talk about, stories that he felt would convey a flavor of the early days of...

Scattered Pearls

Early 1980's: There was an outdoor patio party at the Kalapa Court in Boulder, for the Court staff. I attended, as I was on the kitchen service staff. I...

Called on the Carpet

As the maintenance man at Naropa Institute in the summer of 1980 I shared the job with work-study partner Harold Turner of setting up and taking down for the...

Tributes to Traleg Rinpoche

Dear Friends and Members of Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's centres, It is with deep regret that we inform the Karma Kagyu tradition, the Nyingma tradition and all other schools of Tibetan...

Damage From the Cameron Peak Fire

Michael Gayner shares photos of the damage

His Final Home

To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Chögyam Trungpa's parinirvana, the Chögyam Trungpa Legacy Project mounted an extraordinary exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax.

What if they Gave a Party and Everyone Came?

Bhutan's Gross National Happiness Debuts on the World Stage

Cameron Peak Fire Reaches Shambhala Mountain Center

This is a poignant moment for everyone with a heart connection to SMC. We will be updating this post as new information comes to light. 

Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche in France

The photos below are from Laura Weiss who writes: "Greetings from France, Here are a few photos from the trip so far. Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche has captured our hearts...