Lama Tsultrim Allione Discusses the “Sacred Feminine” (VIDEO/AUDIO)

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Shambhala Mountain Center hosts Wisdom Rising: An Exploration of the Divine Feminism in Buddhism, September 25-29, 2015 — click here to learn more

It is a widely-shared sentiment in this day and age that the world is somehow out of balance. In particular, many point to the inequality among genders — that those of the male variety seem to be more often in positions of power, and even treated better than those of other genders who occupy similar positions. All of this seems to be observably true. And yet, there may also a more subtle imbalance in regard to maculine and feminine influence in our modern world that is of equal, if not greater, importance.

Buddhist master Lama Tsultrim Allione devotes much energy to reawakening the “sacred feminine.” When asked to define this phrase though, Lama often experiences a vast gap in conceptual mind, and a verbal answer doesn’t always emerge quickly — which is part of the point. The sacred feminine is mysterious, vast, empty, and yet cognizant. It is related to nature, poetry, and sacred sexuality. It is embodied, rather than somewhere “up and out there” And, according to Lama Tsultrim, it’s influence is painfully lacking in our world today.

To help to remedy this, Lama Tsultrim Allione and a powerful crew of female Buddhist teachers will be leading Wisdom Rising — a five day conference at Shambhala Mountain Center — from September 25-29.

As we are turning our minds, hearts, and intentions towards Wisdom Rising, and this crucial movement to reawaken the sacred feminine, we had the honor of sitting down with Lama Tsultrim for some discussion related to this topic. She has much to offer in this video, including a powerful Green Tara meditation.

We hope you find this to be as inspiring and helpful as we have.

Watch our interview with Lama Tsultrim below, or scroll down to stream/download the audio.

If you’d like to download the audio file, CLICK HERE and find the “Download” button. Otherwise, you can stream the audio below.

Shambhala Mountain Center hosts Wisdom Rising: An Exploration of the Divine Feminism in Buddhism, with Lama Tsultrim and many others, September 25-29, 2015 — click here to learn more

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Lama Tsultrim Allione is a former nun in the Tibetan tradition and one of the first Western Buddhist teachers. Known as a profound and lucid teacher who skillfully combines both psychological and spiritual insights, she has taught internationally since 1982. She is founder of Tara Mandala, an international Vajrayana Buddhist community based in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and the author of Women of Wisdom and Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict. In 2007, Lama Tsultrim was recognized as an emanation of Machig Labdrön at Machig’s monastery in Tibet. In 2009, she was selected as an “Outstanding Woman in Buddhism” by the Outstanding Women in Buddhism Committee’s panel of distinguished Buddhist scholars and practitioners.

Travis Newbill is a writer, musician, and aspirant on the path of meditation. He currently resides at Shambhala Mountain Center, where he serves in the roles of Marketing Associate and Shambhala Guide — a preliminary teaching position. Follow Travis on twitter: @travisnewbill

Floral Notes and Bardo: Bliss in the Thick of It?

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Travis Newbill

By Travis Newbill

Floral Notes and Bardo: The Creative Chronicles of a Shambhala Mountain Resident is a regular feature on the SMC blog in which a member of our staff/community shares his experience of living as part of Shambhala Mountain Center.

Slipped a clean foot, new sock, into a old shoe… which was soaked by last night’s cold rain.

Oh, summer afternoons in the hammock… bits of sweetness…

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The narrative has been: Shambhala Mountain Center is a micro-cosm of the larger world, society, whatever. All the components of modern life are here (except for indoor plumbing in some cases): job, house, spiritual practice, community, romantic partner, money, politics, and all the rest. And the great journey of a long stay at SMC is driven by the question of: how to do it? And, not just that, but:

How to do it well? How to do it fully?

And, I have been asking that big old HOW a lot — in my journal in the morning, on this blog, in my head. And, I’m tired of asking, on some level. Tired of trying to find the material formula: arrange life like this, schedule it like this, or something.

But, on another level, the claustrophobia of overly-full, perhaps overly-ambitious, daily life, has been wearing itself out and opening into a soft nowness, which is humorous, apparent, obvious.

The question: how to really do it?

These teachings, Shambhala, claim to be about actually recognizing the awakened mind, discovering sacredness, in everything — in the muck of modern life, everywhere.

Okay…

The question: is that for real? Can I really, genuinely, have that experience? Can the circumstances of my life, which I often find oppressive (while having some sense that it is my craving for more — time, comfort, etc. — which is actually oppressive) actually open up into joy?

Rather than the teachings being some kind of tranquilizer, which might help me to cope with my dreadful life, full of obligations (that I lay on myself), might the material of my life actually be the teaching which allows me to become liberated from all sense of struggle?

In the thick of it, might I discover buttery gold bliss?

I think so.

That seems to happen.

Okay… and so the journey is: how to get good at that so it can happen with more frequency, stability, and potency.

Shambhala Mountain Center: the contemplative container which provides the opportunity to learn to live in the modern world (without a toilet in the house).

— August 20, 2015

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Floral Notes and Bardo: Occasional Showers

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Travis Newbill

By Travis Newbill

Big old family visit — blood family, mixing with land family. A whole week of eventfulness, with gaps. Such eventfulness these days. So many gaps I refuse, deny, ignore.

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This is Jake. He barks at me ferociously every chance he gets. He and his family live in the walls.

Life here in the cabin: peeing in a cup, carrying water jug up the long hill in the shiny new car — some weird American version of life: undeveloped in ways — such as no toilet, no sink (in the house) and yet, shiny new car. Not carrying jug on my head, not even lugging it up in the back of a junky pick-up. Drinking fine tea in the morning, imported from Taiwan. Here on the computer, typing, looking out at the timeless mountainside. Pardon me, time to pee in my cup and dump it out the window.

Heather pees in a bucket. She hasn’t peed one single time yet today. I’ve probably peed about seven times since waking two and a half hours ago. Doing my best to fit in the rest of my desired life events: practice, tea, writing, brushing my teeth. It becomes, perhaps, a bit more difficult without toilet and sink — because then all normal little life things take longer. We collect dishes in a bin, then I truck them down the hill once a week, wash them in the machine, and then bring them back up. I fill the water jugs a couple of times a week. I won’t go into details about the poop situation.

Now, I have to cart Heather over to the shower. This will be her first one in nine days. Heather is injured — sprained ankle. So, all things a bit more-more difficult. Maybe I’ll tell that story later, and more about the gimp-adventure. Now, time for her to crawl down the stairs. I’ll meet her at the bottom and toast a bagel for her, then she’ll crawl down some mroe stairs and I’ll meet her at the bottom with her crutches. Then, she’ll hobble over to the car and I’ll deliver her to the bathhouse down the road. She’ll hobble over to the women’s side, hobble inside over to the shower, and 45 minutes later I’ll pick her up, drop her back off at the house, and cruise down the hill to work. I might have time for a shower today also.

— August 19, 2015

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Floral Notes and Bardo: Summertime Qqueeze

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Travis Newbill

My room is full of flies, I’m surrounded by strangers, I’ve not showered in two days. I missed breakfast. We’ve been asked to not ask to go into the kitchen to fetch leftovers anymore. I meditated for too long this morning and now I’m stressed out. Gonna be late to work. No shower again. Gotta take the shit out to the shit bucket. Later drive it down the hill.

Decided to hang out last night.

Phish shows in headphones in the forest behind Manjushri house. Surrendering to summer-time craziness on the land. Not a time for introspection. A time for scattered activity and “hanging in there” and/or maybe “hanging out.” Not much pacing or rhythmic progress.

Been reading Ethan’s new book and listening to the Phish shows — Good.

Haven’t been writing the blog because — no time in the morning before heading into the office. I’ve been prioritizing showers — that’s no way to make art at SMC. Sufficient sleep, enough time on the cushion to feel like I’m “doing it.”

Meahwhile, so many books on shelves that I can’t believe I’m neglecting to spend time with. Magical secret books from Trungpa.

Expensive tea in my pot running low. Got a big bag of cheap maté now.

I’ve been slapped around a bit by the forces which won’t allow me to impose my will on the flow of the seasons, of time. My agenda is like a panicking turd in a rushing river of gold. Die.

Michael G. said something like: It’s not about always keeping it together — clean house, practice time, and so on. The important thing is the ability to come back. That’s the strength.

That bit has been echoing in mind ever since he shared it with me, one day on the path, during a brief chat about these sorts of things: struggling to keep it together. Struggling to make it to bed on time. Struggling to wake up early and do ALL of my little things.

Meanwhile, summertime life at SMC rages on. Hundreds of happy-faced volunteers and participants, having important bliss-life-magic experiences. Or else, partying. Meanwhile, disgruntled SMC artist who can’t find the time, can’t find the time, can’t find the time — struggling to make it to 30 hours each week — where does it go? — how? — How to live a good spacious, joyous life? How?

Anyway, that’s been the chatter recently. Last night I went to a BBQ. Good. Been giving up. Good.

Mantra: Sheesh.

Mantra: Whatever.

Sometimes the best I can do. Better than walking around fuming. So it goes, and goes, and goes.

Summertime squeeze.

Bug. It doesn’t matter.

Shall I end on a high, positive note? Like: This is a fortunate situation. I feel that I’m burning through lots of obscuration and becoming more real, more relaxed, more authentic.

It’s true!

Even though it sounds like Radiohead’s modern day human robot lament, it’s still true. And the trick IS to surrender to the flow.

Listening to Phish play, in the forest, in my headphones, grooving — it’s like the most helpful yoga I could do.

— August 5, 2015

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Andrew Holecek Discusses Dream Yoga (VIDEO/AUDIO)

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Shambhala Mountain Center hosts Awaken in Your Dreams: Lucid Dream Yoga, East and West with Stephen LaBerge and Andrew Holecek August 20–25, 2015 — click here to learn more

When was the last time you blacked out? Last night? Is this a regular thing for you? Do you aspire to change? Are you comfortable with missing out on 1/3 of your life? If you are disturbed by the idea of regularly blacking out — some may call it “sleep” — when you could instead be enjoying vivid perception, and even progressing spiritually, you may be interested in hearing about the practices of lucid dreaming and dream yoga.

Andrew Holecek has been exploring and teaching these practices for decades. Beholding his vibrant enthusiasm for the possibilities of what he calls “nocturnal meditations” is enough to shake one from the sleepy opinion that the dark hours in bed constitute “off time,” and that real life happens only when the eyelids are raised.

The teachings of dream yoga challenge our conventional views of both dreams and “waking life.” Our daily experience is not as solid as we may like to think it is, and our dream life does not have to be a fuzzy and random soup of memory. This shift in perspective, and experience, has great implications for how we live… and how we die.

Learning to wake up in our dreams, and to apply spiritual practices to overcome limiting habits of thought and behavior, is incredibly powerful training for living every minute of our lives more wakefully, and for moving through the transition of death in a positive way.

Recently, I had the great honor of discussing the huge topic of dream yoga with Andrew Holecek. What came of the discussion is a wonderful glimpse, taste, introduction, to what may become a “game-changing” practice for some of you.

Watch our interview with Andrew Holecek below, or scroll down to stream/download the audio.

If you’d like to download the audio file, CLICK HERE and find the “Download” button. Otherwise, you can stream the audio below.

Click here to learn more about Andrew Holecek and Stephen LaBerge’s upcoming retreat at SMC — Awaken in Your Dreams: Lucid Dream Yoga, East and West

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Andrew Holecek offers seminars internationally on meditation, dream yoga, and death. He is the author of many books, including Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, and the audio learning course, “Dream Yoga: The Tibetan Path of Awakening Through Lucid Dreaming.” His forthcoming book, “Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep” will be released in 2015. His work has appeared in the Shambhala Sun, Parobla, Tricycle, Light of Consciousness, Utne Reader, and other periodicals.

Flora of SMC Goes Word Wide Web

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Living here at Shambhala Mountain Center, I see thousands of new faces each year — people who are coming to live here, or are else visiting for the day or staying for a retreat. Although it may be impossible to form substantial relationships with all of these people, a good place to start is to exchange names.

“Hello, I’m Travis.”

In my experience, learning someone’s name is an acknowledgement of shared connection that rapidly opens up the possibility of greater familiarization and friendship.

And so it is with the flora of the land, which is why we’re so thrilled with the recent online publishing of an ongoing research project that has been occurring here since 2014 in which Renee Galeano-Popp — a close neighbor of SMC — has been identifying and photographing the myriad plant specimens that live here on the land.

Click here to check out SMC’s page on the Intermountain Region Herbarium Network website.

I learned that this is a bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia) by looking it up in the online guide.

So far, Galeano-Popp has documented 305 species from 62 different plant families. For people who have spent some time here, some entries may be more familiar than others. In the online handbook you’ll find summertime floral favorites like the Rocky Mountain iris and spreadfruit goldenbanner, big friends like the douglas fir, as well as some more obscure (and oddly named) specimens like the starry false lily of the valley, the beautiful fleabane, and… scrambled eggs!

Of course, the binomial name is listed alongside the common name (when available) for each entry, as well as alternate names, photos, and a wealth of additional information.

We hope that SMC regulars as well as those who plan to visit the land someday will find this guide to be useful, and that it may allow you to make lots of friends while you’re here — whether you encounter other humans or not.

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Floral Notes and Bardo: How?

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Travis Newbill

How?

Writing in the office now, after asking permission from my fellows to turn off the flickering overhead fluorescent lights. Now, going to put on headphones to at least discourage folks from interrupting me. If the people on the other side of the room begin talking loudly, or at all, I’ll turn on the brown noise.

Ideally, I’d write at home.

Activating brown noise now.

Oh, rhythm of computerized brown noise. Soothing, on some level. To the extent that it drowns out the chatter in English language that attacks me. On another level, it sucks.

Anyway… Ideally I’d write at home, but I’m finding it difficult to do it all — morning offerings, cleaning body, tea, journaling, pillow time with Heather, full practice session, dharma study, breakfast — and also make it down to work at a decent hour. Coming in at 10:30 already feels quite luxurious. Adding the half hour, or even 15 minutes of writing… how?

How?

Man… I don’t want to cut any of it out. It’s all important. I want to work less hours in the office and still be paid the same.

On my way into the office today, a friend, a guy who arrived recently, who is younger — asked if I could meet with him some time — a student-teacher meditation/dharma meeting. Of course I have to accommodate that. And, I also have to wash dishes for an hour and a half this week, like every week. And, what else?

Same old story — life is full. So full.

Meanwhile trying to really turn myself towards poetics, approaching Naropa grad program — beginning in just a little over a year.

I guess writing in this office isn’t so bad. But, it’s not ideal. No, no, no. I want to do my art in my own space, just after practicing.

Cursing to myself beneath my breath these days. Embarrassing. Lousy states of mind.

How though? How to arrange life so that it’s not too much, and so that I’m doing the things I feel inspired to do?

I really just feel inspired to live a good life. How?

Shambhala Mountain Center: is providing an intense training ground. An opportunity for me to dig into this a bit. To experiment. To learn a bit about: how.

— July 20, 2015

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Floral Notes and Bardo: Everything is High

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Travis Newbill

The hum, cranking mechanics of this lumpy old computer is so loud, it’s difficult to hear the voice. It’s a wounded beast in the choir. Holy jalopy.

Anyway…

All of these dreams…

Walking in the woods one day during retreat, singing, it occurred to me — All of These Dreams — that lovely little song may be heard as an ode to the terma phenomena.

Saga Dawa — long ago now. At dawn I walked through the woods, across the land to the Stupa — made offerings, prayers, prostrations. Hung a large Gesar flag up in the tress on the hill to the east. Back to the nest, hung more flags all around the yard with Heather. She made a few, which are wonderful. A pink breezy pony flag hanging beside my blue windhorse flag. Our distinct iconographies, minds, complimenting one another. The union… 1+1=3.

Golden Key — blissful days with Cynthia Kneen. Received profound poetry, liquid realization. Merged with phenomena in deeper ways. Having acquired new, reliable tools for connecting in ways that I always have (sometimes).

Warrior Assembly — Dipping deeper and deeper into the mystical aspects of Shambhala. Poisoned by splendor. Delicious.

Meanwhile, a heartbreakingly wonderful friendship, partnership, companionship — more and more real — Heather and I. Honest. Blood and guts, bones, emotion. Heart, inexplicable circumstance, practicality. A good deal.

Immediately following two weeks of intensive program, retreat, assembly — a full day of assisting Sensei, a day of email-a-thon catch up in the office, and then another day — 11 hours — assisting Sensei again. Assisting Sensei in taking down the Warrior Assembly arrangements and creating the Ikebana environment for Scorpion Seal Garchen.

During Warrior Assembly, my job was to help with flowers the whole way through. Mmm! A lot of work. Art work. At one point I brought this question to the assembly: “Is the contribution of the artist valued in this mandala? If so, why does there seem to be so much more emphasis and validation for the military?”

I was in the trenches with Sensei. 11pm, 10 hours into the work, sawing branches. Joshua was there too, helping out. I was terribly cranky, but keeping quiet. Sensei asked me to report on my current experience. I told her.

She said: “And if that crankiness could speak, what would it say?”

Me: “I want to go home. I want a break!”

She was nearly 20 hours into her work for that day. She probably worked nearly as many hours the day before — creating art. Bringing the environment to life for the assembly, for the practitioner, for the guru to share wakeful mind.

I looked her in the eyes — her eyes are always devastatingly kind, accommodating, friendly — I said:

“I want to be able to offer like you do. I don’t know how you do it. I want to be able to offer joyfully, tirelessly, like that.”

She assured me that I shouldn’t be hard on myself, and that I am on a path. She encouraged me to go home so that I don’t burn out or form a negative association with Ikebana.

I went home laughing about how I simply cannot keep up with that woman twice my age. Unbelievable. Promising.

Saturday, the next day — day of rest. Wonderful. Cartoons and cereal with Heather, a couple hours of practice, picnic lunch, a hike — then, sweating, back at the house, laying in the grass, feeling cool breeze, sky-gazing, opened a cold bottle of beer, in the shade, delicious, melted into the land, the sky, the air, the tall, fragrant, grass, the south facing slope across the valley which I had just hiked, wrote some poetry, laid, bliss.

Sunday, a full day of connecting with Heather — our seasonal relationship celebration/strengthening, check-in. Yummy watermelon popsicles on the porch of the gift store (The HUM Depot), friendship-bracelet-weaving, lovely stroll, enchanted aspen grove ceremony, and in the evening, a community solstice celebration event — we all contributed art, words, aspirations to a large prayer flag that will be hung, on an auspicious day, on the hill near the Stupa.

Now, the end of a week of busy-ness. Much driving — dropping off Heather, who is now in California, arranging for the car-hit-tree damage to be repaired — a million things at work, and arranging for Ethan Nichtern to hold an audience with the SMC Staff.

Meanwhile, we are in a sea of high practitioners, Rinpoche is on the land, and everything is high.

Now I must go to eat!

— June 26, 2015

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Floral Notes and Bardo: New Morning

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Swam through, grew gills, sang songs into darkness
witnessed flowers of all sorts
all before breakfast, all wrapped up in dawn

Last night I cherished the sight
of her sleeping peacefully on her back,
purple pony under her arm,
hands folded.

Out my window now — vast. Sky is blue, finally — two weeks of heavy mist, rain, snow — like an incubator. Me in the bardo — left home, time in Boulder running the conference, enjoying time at Marpa House. Saw Lady Konchuk — got dizzy, nauseous, had to get up from sadhana practice to shit. Put-put with the crew — Beyond Mindfulness. Good. 10 hour days of work, hysterical team chemistry. We reached 28,000 people from 135 countries. Brought in a bunch of money for SMC. Good.

Got home, got sick. Crashed the new car into a tree.

Moved all belongings into palatial upstairs Manjushri — new nest. Nubble Nest 3.0. Oh — good! So good. Fresh. This morning, feeling my grasping at it. Possessive. It’s fleeting.

House and a car.

This is new phase of human-life-education. Householder. Living in society, in a house. Relating to community from here, my seat. Jeremy lives downstairs — good. My new homie — dharma, poetry, life.

I had a heartful farewell with Avalokiteshvara — yurt. Juniper smoke, song, prayer, thanks.

Here I am now. How… SMC magic unfolding. Learning how to live life. I practiced at my home shrine this morning. Now, writing from my desk, just beside the shrine, sitting on zafu still, desk is low, sipping tea from my new tea pot — beautiful, high quality, fragile — like all of this.

Next week, back into retreat — three weeks. Now, settling into the new situation, the new phase. Considering folks in Nepal, considering mother in Florida, the flooded folks in Texas. These are the pebbles in my shoe. Remember. No God Realm vacation.

Vidyadhara said something like: “King without a broken heart is a paper tiger.”

— May 26, 2015

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