October 2023 reflections and commitments
At a member’s gathering on Sunday October 15, we looked at ourselves, our community and our intentions going forward. This blog post summarizes what we discussed and how we are going forward.
We don’t have the energy or staff to support a “full-scale” space at this time. We will not pursue the Ford Building or other locations for the time being.
We have a small group that supports our Center’s administration. They work too hard and eventually need others to step in. Two people stepped up during the meeting to take on additional duties.
Laura is leaving her post as Office Manager by the end of the year (after 4 years on the job). We are going to hire a replacement office manager, consider incentives and how to make the job attractive. What parts of the job could be done by volunteers? We expect to hire by mid November and complete training by mid December.
There was almost no end of ideas about doing more! Somehow thinking through how to do less (in accordance with current community resources) was much harder.
We decided that we should focus on the basic activities that are most beneficial to current and future membership.
- Tuesday night sitting will continue, and we’re seeking more folks to support that practice offering.
- The third Saturday of the month is open to all students for whatever practice they wish to do in silence. We will organize a pot-luck lunch at a member’s house afterwards. We’d like to offer meditation meetings on that Saturday in addition to Learn to Meditate programs and open sitting, space providing.
- We will train more people as greeters, umdzes, discussion-group leaders.
- We look forward to a Winter Retreat with Holly Gayley between Christmas and New Years.
We were facing a $1,100 deficit for the year, but now must cover a substantial additional increase in Shambhala’s liability insurance (because insurance premiums are going up everywhere and because Shambhala has a new insurance carrier). We need to work on increasing our dues income as a result.
We all committed to not guilt-tripping anyone for only offering what energy and money they are willing or able to offer.
Here are the considerations and reflections related to our ambition to lease a new and more expensive physical space:
Our Strengths:
- Financial reserves – husbanded carefully
- Shared meditation tradition with deep roots
- Resilience over the decades
- Affection for one another
- Diversity of understanding of path, loyalty, purpose
Our Weaknesses:
- Very small group of active volunteers
- Small number of members
- Because of this we find it a challenge to offer our programs
- We undervalue many of our strengths, including our diversity
The opportunities we see:
- Being open to new participants, members, and ways of showing up and offering the Dharma
- Shambhala online programs (as we figure out how to combine the online and in-person experience), particularly teacher and MI training
- New view of governance in Shambhala that focuses on needs, is less hierarchical
- The turmoil in our world calls for Shambhala teachings
The threats that we see:
- Society’s changing view of “membership” as something that you just buy is not suited for a member-driven community
- Rents go up and up
- Shambhala teachings not understood as unique or relevant
- Damaged reputation
Additional considerations regarding practice and study:
- Portland Shambhala has several self-organizing practice, study, and social groups that are alive and well but are not necessarily visible to each other. (For example, an aging group, a men’s group, Drala hikes, Vajrayana practice groups, White Tara, online meditation practice sessions, etc.) Some of those groups have closed membership and some are only loosely affiliated with Shambhala, so their contribution to community spirit varies greatly.
- Portland Shambhala program offerings are constrained in the short run by our small teacher and volunteer cohort. The revitalization of the Shambhala offerings that’s taking place globally is deep and thorough but also slow.
