Some of the action items we’re working on…. 1) Identifying and retaining the services of a Realtor who has experience in commercial properties. 2) Identifying a bank to work with us on a mortgage. We are currently exploring a relationship with Beneficial State Bank (formerly Albina Community Bank, a local financial organization). 3) Working with … Continue →

At our meeting on January 29, the relocation team reached broad agreement to not pursue our current location for purchase. Initially we identified some significant benefits in purchasing the building which include the following: The building is a historic property. Built by the Carnegie foundation as a public library, it comes with special tax exemptions … Continue →

Greetings Sangha Members,   It has been a very busy year for your council.  The following notes show the continuation of efforts being made to: support the relocation of the center, address the ever-pressing issues of balancing budget losses and gains, bolstering: volunteering, program attendance, and membership support, implementing changes to the centers administrative and … Continue →

Reflections on queer identity and its expression within Shambhala: part three of a three-part series By Eugene Castillo, The main question I wanted to address in this series of articles for the Shambhala Times is: “why?” Why have a meditation group for LGBTQI people? Isn’t that another form of “other-ing?” Haven’t we already been “othered” enough? … Continue →

by Eugene Castillo   Pride, Basic Goodness and Good Society: part two of a three-part series Celebrating our identities as gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trans, intersex, questioning, and gender-queer individuals is both an individual process and a communal activity, though it may seem odd at times to the rest of society. Why do men have to … Continue →

by Eugene Castillo “We can use our interconnectedness to cultivate human dignity – the bedrock of all diversity.” (Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, The Shambhala Principle) The first time I walked into our center in Eagle Rock, California, I wasn’t thinking about my queer identity. I was in physical pain and needed formal meditation instruction to cope after two … Continue →

Hello Sangha, What follows are all the notes from January 2017 to date. Thank you for your patience with the distribution process. These notes would still be tucked away in the corners of Google Drive without the patient help our Communications Coordinator David Engelbrecht. I hope to see you at HoP, Wendy Griffin (Council Secretary) … Continue →

by Michaela McCormick   Our Shambhala Center’s Listening Team, led by Mark Douglass, met recently to review the latest round of its interviews of a wide variety of our past and present members to learn the ways in which they participate in the Center’s activities and what encourages and discourages them to do so.  Our … Continue →