An Eleven Minute Journey — Healing Shamanic Music

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Travis Newbill

We’d like to invite you to lovingly interrupt your current state of being by pushing play on the music box below. Generously give yourself eleven minutes — eyes closed preferably, but while at your desk writing emails is acceptable — to experience the rejuvenating power of this music from Byron Metcalf, an award winning musician, transpersonal psychologist, shamanic practitioner, and healer.

Also, we invite you to lovingly interrupt your current life trajectory by attending the upcoming retreat that Byron Metcalf will be co-leading at SMC May 1-3:

Click here to learn about Shaman’s Heart: The Path of Authentic Power, Purpose & Presence

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Byron Metcalf, PhD, is a transpersonal guide and educator, shamanic practitioner, researcher, and award-winning professional musician. For nearly three decades, he has been intensely involved in consciousness research and spiritual development, specializing in the transformative potential of alternative states of consciousness. As a drummer, percussionist and recording engineer, Byron produces music for deep inner exploration, breathwork, shamanic journeywork, body-oriented therapies, various meditation practices and the healing arts.

As workshop, retreat and ceremonial leader with over 25 years of experience, Byron has facilitated personal growth and healing workshops featuring Holotropic and HoloShamanic Breathwork and The Shaman’s Heart Program/Training throughout the US. He lives in the high-desert mountains of Prescott Valley, Arizona and is the founding director of HoloShamanic Strategies, LLC. Learn more at his website, www.byronmetcalf.com.

The Healing Possibilities of Palo Santo — Sacred Plant Essence and Friend of Humanity

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Shambhala Mountain Center is glad to be hosting David Crow — author, acupuncturist, herbalist, April 3-5 as he leads Contemplative Aromatherapy: Vipassana, Ayurveda, and Plant Essences

The video below offers a taste of his wisdom and what his latest book is about — the sacredness of Palo Santo, and how we may have a beneficial relationship with this and other plants. Just watching the short video may open up a connection with the profound possibilities of plant-human synergy. It has for me.

Enjoy.

SMC host’s Contemplative Aromatherapy: Vipassana, Ayurveda, and Plant Essences, April 3-5 — click here to learn more

David Crow is an acupuncturist and herbalist with 30 years of clinical practice, and the author of numerous books including In Search of the Medicine Buddha. A student of the elder Kalu Rinpoche and the Dharma Master Hsin Tao, he teaches Vipassana meditation with an emphasis on understanding our biological relationship with nature. His work can be found at Floracopeia, (www.floracopeia.com)

Floral Notes and Bardo: Magnanimity, Bhanu, and the Back Nine

Posted on March 12, 2015 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 existing as part of Shambhala Mountain Center.

So sleepy this morning, both of us, and Heather said:

“It’s cute that we have temples, huh? Like, my body is a temple, and my temple is a temple… And my temple is my body!”

At breakfast, Director Gayner — who is in the midst of high-level Shambhala leadership retreat — in which they practice for 20 hours a day — approached Heather and I with a big grin.

“Ahh! Just the two that I was hoping to see. This is very auspicious.”

We nodded, and he went on:

“Magnanimity! Do you know this word?”

He’d like for us to come up with a calligraphed presentation of this word along with its definition from the 1812 Oxford English Dictionary (or something like that) as a gift for Richard Reoch, who is leading the retreat.

We gladly agreed.

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I woke up this morning early and a bit jumpy. Jumbled dreams, especially in the morning. I’ve been restless at work all week, wishing I were able to do something else. In particular, spend time exploring poetry, experimental prose, theory, and things in the writing world that I don’t understand. I have a wish to attend grad school for this sort of thing when I leave SMC. The idea is inspired by a long inclination towards writing, a connection with Allen Ginsberg, who is connected to Trungpa, who founded the school I want to attend, and all of that. And, a very magical meeting with Bhanu Kapil, who is a major teacher at the university. I’ve probably written about that before and will write about it again…

This blog began on the way down from Marpa Point, after I had led Bhanu into the charnel ground and then up to Ginsberg’s memorial reliquary in the Milarepa Poetry Garden. She encouraged me to write a blog, and sang joyfully about how our meeting signified the re-connection of Shambhala Mountain Center and the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics.

Lately, that’s what I’m thinking about most — Bhanu, the word, and the school.

Meanwhile, I have a job to do here, which is feeling more like a job than it used to now that I have the taste of fine arts and academia in my mind.

Next week I will be going into solitary retreat. I’m now half way through my stay at SMC, feeling my way into the back 9.

Just now, Heather spoke to me from the ground, up through our second story window. She told me that I am being summoned to give a Stupa tour to a high school class on a field trip. So, I will do that now.

— March 12, 2015

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Travis Newbill is a curious dude on the path of artistry, meditation, and social engagement who is very glad to be residing at Shambhala Mountain Center. His roles within the organization include Marketing Associate and Shambhala Guide — a preliminary teaching position. Follow Travis on twitter: @travisnewbill

Floral Notes and Bardo: Recently, and A Bit About Demons

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Travis Newbill

In the woods, on the hill, among scatterred ashes
A restless demon, lustful for validation

In the chair, in the polite room, among polite people
A restless demon, lustful for stimulation

On the floor, in the quiet room, among sacred symbols
A devoured body, calm, gently thumping heart

Recently:

A five day meditation retreat in which I received a powerful treasure text from the Vidyadhara, sat on the cushion for seven hours a day, and questioned relentlessly the adequacy of the teacher to bring such subtle truths to life.

A day on the land being cooked by the sun, filming Richard Reoch — who is a real bodhisattva — jolly-wise-pappy. He listens until the wisdom reveals itself, through whomever he is engaging with. He knows that the environment is alive with truth. He is delighted and deeply touched. He is devoted so fully that his joy is all pervasive.

A full day in bed with Heather, for the heck of it. We responded to requests for songs with a seven minute Spaghetti Medley, enjoyed snacks, played games with friends, and even had room service — dinner delivered. Our mantra: “Whatever the heck we want,” which we wrote on a poster. The next morning we got out of bed and took the poster down. We want to play more.

— March 11, 2015

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The No-Selfie: Miksang Contemplative Photography

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Travis Newbill

All photos in this article by Julie DuBose

Discover how to see the world in a fresh way and express your full and complete experience through your camera. Miksang Contemplative Photography as developed by Michael Wood and Julie DuBose teaches us how to recognize the experience of direct visual perception — direct in this case means without the filters of our habitual ways of seeing and experiencing. In the interview below, Julie DuBose offers some wisdom related to this beautiful discipline.

Click here to learn about our upcoming weekend workshop: Opening the Good Eye: Miksang Photography, April 2-5, 2015 — This is Not Just A Photography Class

Watch our interview with Julie DuBose below, or scroll down to stream/download the audio, and to see more Miksang images.

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 about Julie DuBose’s upcoming retreat at SMC: Opening the Good Eye: Miksang Photography, April 2-5, 2015

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Julie DuBose began her study of Miksang with Michael Wood in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1998. She has been traveling and teaching with Michael since 2000 and is a teacher of all Miksang levels. She founded the Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography in 2009 in Boulder, Colorado and Miksang Publications in 2012. Julie lives in Lafayette, Colorado.

Her first book, Effortless Beauty: Photography as an Expression of Eye, Mind, and Heart, was released in March 2013.

Relationship as Spiritual Path: Couples Retreat Master Ben Cohen

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Intimate relationships are both an opportunity and a challenge to our capacity for love and vulnerability. Once we get past the romantic love stage, we often find ourselves surprised by these challenges. Drawing from the work of Harville Hendrix, PhD, (Imago) Ben Cohen works with couples in exploring the essential principles and practices of conscious relationships — both in his private practice and as a leader of couples’ retreats.

Click here to learn about our upcoming weekend retreat: Relationship as a Spiritual Path: Getting the Love You Want (A Couples Workshop), April 24-26

Watch our interview 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 about Ben Cohen’s upcoming retreat at SMC: Relationship as a Spiritual Path: Getting the Love You Want (A Couples Workshop)

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Ben Cohen, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice in Boulder and Denver specializing in relationship counseling. He has also had an active meditation practice for over 25 years and integrates Eastern and Western traditions in his teaching and practice.

His departed mom told him to help me…

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Travis Newbill

By Sue Frederick

Shambhala Mountain Center hosts Bridges to Heaven: A Grief Healing Workshop, led by Sue Frederick, June 5-7, 2015

Saturday night I went to do online check-in for my flight home after teaching a Bridges to Heaven: Talking to Loved Ones on the Other Side grief workshop and discovered that when United put me on a different flight to San Fran because of weather that it cancelled my entire ticket. I had no flight reservation home to Colorado.

I called United and spent 45 minutes on the phone with an extraordinarily sweet agent who fixed everything and got me back on the same flight with no extra fees.

He told me at the end of the call that he put extra energy into helping me because his departed mother whispered to him to help me out. He had no idea what I do for a living or that I’d just spent two days teaching a Talking to Loved Ones on the Other Side – grief workshop.

So we spent another ten minutes connecting with his mom and discussing his future great work. He was crying with happiness at the end of the call.

Amazing thing is that almost everyone in our workshop today was grieving their mom. (Each group usually has a distinct theme). We laughingly called our group the dead moms club. I kept telling my students that the room was filled with loving mother energy. You could feel it in the air.

I got to finish the day with this amazing conversation with another soul who was grieving his mom.

I’m so blessed to do what I do in the world.

And Divine Order blows me away. Always.

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Sue Frederick is the author of Bridges to Heaven: True Stories of Loved Ones on the Other Side; I See Your Soul Mate and I See Your Dream Job. An intuitive since childhood, Sue has trained more than 200 intuitive coaches around the world. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, CNN.com and Yoga Journal, among others.

Floral Notes and Bardo: Met My Chest Like a Wedge

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Travis Newbill

Stark solidity, tender impermanence — an orange flower. The perception met my chest like a wedge — heart so sore and radiant.

Last night I dreamt of a hologram Ginsberg as a teacher in a classroom. His words, display, energy, was so inspiring and brilliant — in ways that I often wish for in dharma teachers.

I said to someone near me that I’d do anything to get close to a teacher like that. I wish to attend JKS when I leave SMC. This is the second truly strong dream that has pointed in that direction so clearly.

Heather and I spent the weekend down in Boulder — with our friends Kitty, Matty, and baby Benny; and the Sheffield crew, who I used to travel to the Northeast to see, but now most of us live here in Colorado.

Yesterday they came up to SMC for the day and we took a nice walk around the land. I showed them that cabin that Heather and I hope to move into in the spring, we sung in the Stupa, hugged the Grandfather Tree, and made it down to the shrine room in time for Mamo chants. We’re officially into Dön Season now, so we’re doing extended protection rituals.

Last night I woke in the middle of the night with a sore back — hit by a dön — recalling sore dreams.

— February 10, 2015

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Is Today a Good Day to Die? How Meditation and Yoga Can Liberate You From Fear

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Travis Newbill

I hope, as you read this, that you are well and free from any indications that your life will be cut short. At the same time, I invite you to take a moment today to contemplate death.

Personally, I tend to skate by much of the time without reflecting too deeply on this inevitable aspect of life. When I do contemplate impermanence though, the beauty and preciousness of my experience of living becomes illuminated. So, it seems to me like something worth doing, perhaps more regularly. Maybe you feel the same way.

In this video, Elysabeth Williamson offers some guidance for living in moment-to-moment, day-to-day relationship with our own death. As she goes on to say later in the interview, the result can be incredibly liberating and joyful.

Watch the three minute clip below.

Click here to learn about our upcoming weekend retreat: Savasana: Exploring Our Death to Liberate Our Lives, March 13-15

If you feel inspired to deepen into this practice of contemplating impermanence and the preciousness of life, please click here to learn about the upcoming retreat that Elysabeth will be leading.

Hear more of what Elysabeth has to say by checking out our full interview with her below. Watch the video 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.

Please click here to learn about this retreat on our beautiful land in the Colorado Rockies — Savasana: Exploring Death to Liberate Our Lives

Thank you for being connected with us — sharing this good life.

Wishing you longevity and much joy,
Travis Newbill

P.S. Here’s a photo I took of the full moon rising up from behind the eastern ridge of the SMC valley. It’s sort of on theme with that “dead snag” in the foreground…

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Floral Notes and Bardo: Sand, Soda Ash, and Limestone

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Travis Newbill

I’m drinking
water from a glass–which is not
sand, soda ash, and limestone

I’m questioning its clarity
in hopes that my own bones and blemishes
may be revealed to be clear

Up late studying the dharma, dialoging with Heather, and celebrating Goundhog Day.

Therefore, woke up late in the morning — did my things swiftly — write, shit, shower, vows, Qigong, kiss and sing to Heather. Then shoveled granola, grapefruit and tea into my face and raced down the stairs so as not to miss opening gong.

Sitting on the cushion, my stomach dealing with all of the stuff I bombed it with, I felt sad and confused — how to conduct a life that is smooth, not self-centered, productive… productive?

Joy: How?

That’s the question.

Peace: How?

Bliss: How?

— February 3, 2015

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