How some people got there
Or, how do people get to programs at a land center? I hear many people say they can’t see a way to attend week-long or a 10 day program outside of Portland because of family obligations, lack of time off from jobs, lack of tuition money. They feel that the programs are priced out of reach, they take too much time, or the travel costs are prohibitive.
And yet, some people in similar situations do manage to go. How do they do it? I spoke to several people about how they did it, or are proposing to do it, and here’s what they said. First, they were encouraged by others – their friends, their MI’s, people who had already gone and their families. And second, others helped them to go by giving or loaning them money.
Here are a few stories about getting there.
Our founder, Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche raising funds for Rocky Mountain Dharma Center (now Shambhala Mountain Center)
- First of course would be that of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, who later founded Shambhala, told his story in Born in Tibet about his audacious trip over the Himalayas to get here, thus provoking certain amount of hand-wringing on our end about how to travel a mere 1,200 miles to get to the Shambhala Mountain Center.
- I got a second job when I was trying to get to the Vajradhatu Seminary in 1981; borrowing money was not an option.
- My wife told me that she sold many of her possessions (including her car, which was a very big deal for someone living in Los Angeles) to get to the Seminary in 1984.
- I asked Nora Nichols how it was that she made it to Dechen Chöling for Sacred World Assembly. She told me her story in the hopes it would encourage others to go. Her bottom line comment was, “Never don’t go because of the money.” Getting there involved a lot of emails with the staff at Dechen Chöling. She said, “I told them how much money I had, and that even with some help from the Portland Shambhala Center’s Irene Lundquist Scholarship fund, I wouldn’t have enough for tuition.” They offered me a discount and then we came up with a payment plan so I could pay over some months after. They said, “Just come and it will all work out,” and it did! Actually, after she got back, she got extra jobs to put money back into the scholarship fund so other people could go, too.
- I also caught up with Lesa Ricci who is working to get to a program for which the cost seems daunting. (Lesa was one of the people who encouraged and inspired Nora along her path.) Since leaving Portland 2 years ago, she’s been an almost full-time caregiver for her mother who has advancing Parkinson’s Disease, and for an aging aunt who is experiencing dementia. Lesa has managed to hold down a part-time job at the same time she provides care. All of that adds up to a financial challenge.
Anyway, Lesa is aiming to go to Scorpion Seal IV at Shambhala Mountain Center. She said, “You have to proceed as if you’re going to go. It may be humbling, but you have pull out all the stops and ask for people’s support. Talk with people about it and explain what your goal is, why it’s meaningful to you and why it’s so important. Use email, Facebook, and Sangha Announce. Make it easy for them to help you by using a site like the Offering Bowl. Explain all the things you’re doing in order to get there.”
 Lesa Ricci, more than 2 years ago, when she was the Portland Center Director. |
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So the recommendations are – use all the resources at hand. Even though it’s hard to ask for help, do it. Use social media, tell your various communities that you need their help, share your story, accept the encouragement of others, ask for the time off, and then offer to give extra help to the people who help you.
None of these things may get you there this year, but remember there is a program next summer, or the winter after that when it may be a better time for you, or after you’ve saved up some money. If you want to go, don’t give up.
As encouragement, travel by web to one of our Practice and Retreat centers. These centers host programs lasting a week or more for our community, providing not only teachings, but housing and meals. The atmosphere is a container that’s conducive to settling in to the experience of practicing meditation and hearing the teachings.
— John David Smith
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When I went to Vajradhatu Seminary, I worked at cleaning houses, selling jewelry I had been given, and other odd jobs. I never asked or borrowed funds. This was a 3 month program in a hotel! I see how many programs today are very expensive, perhaps we should ask the question, “Why are some of these programs so expensive”? Perhaps we need to look at the pricing, and come up with sliding scales for people based on what they can afford?