Become a Part of Our Community of Meditators
Membership
Join our Community
Become a Portland Shambhala Center Member Today
We are a community of meditators inspired by the Shambhala teachings. Whether you are new to meditation or a long time practitioner, you are welcome in our community.
We support one another’s practice through study, formal classes, informal programs, one-on-one meditation instruction, and creative meditative activities including hiking, arts, and poetry.
Come practice with us! There are many ways to deepen your practice and understanding through participating in our community.
About Membership
We are a community
Our members make a commitment to practice. We plan and staff events, donate regularly so we can cover expenses like rent, and work together to create meaningful community. Our members show up for one another.
There are different ways to engage with and support our community. We welcome folks to sit with us. We are grateful for any donations to support our offerings. For those looking to connect more fully, please consider formal membership.
What Membership Includes
We Connect Locally and Globaly
As a Portland Shambhala Center member, you will also gain active membership in our global Shambhala community.
We are part of an international network of meditation practitioners who are dedicated to nurturing compassion, sanity, and human dignity in this world.
We have confidence in the basic goodness and worthiness of humanity—and the power of that goodness to bring positive change. Your membership in Shambhala is an opportunity to participate in our shared work to create good human society.
“As a community we’ve come a long way in understanding how the Shambhala teachings can inform us and guide us toward more patience with and compassion for each other, regardless of the other person’s point of view.”
PORTLAND Shambhala Member
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Membership Benefits
We connect with ourselves, with each other, with Portland, and our world:
Local Community
- In-Person Meditation Community: Become part of our local meditation community, where you can meet new friends, contribute your talents, and find support and companionship on your spiritual path.
Spiritual Deepening
- Meditation Instructor: Connect with an experienced Meditation Instructor locally, who will offer you free ongoing one-to-one support with your meditation practice.
- Shambhala Video Library: Enjoy our regularly updated library of Shambhala and Buddhist teachings and guided meditations.
Your global Shambhala membership has many benefits:
Global Community
- Global Meditation Community: Join our global community of meditators, spiritual practitioners, and teachers.
- Global Community Gatherings: Attend events such as the Shambhala Sunday Gatherings and other seasonal practice offerings.
Connection and Access
- Shambhala Members’ Area: Access member resources such as online training materials and resources in practice and education, governance, leadership, and culture.
- Regular Community Newsletters: subscribe to newsletters with updates, news and opportunities to participate in the Shambhala community.
- Volunteer Opportunities: See volunteer opportunities for community members.
- Access: to the Shambhala Network and other kinds of community connection.
Inspiring words from Our Members, friends, and participants
Center Voices
Discover Our Community
The Portland Shambhala Meditation Center
Serving meditation practitioners in Portland since 1982, the Portland Shambhala Center offers public meditation, spiritual teachings in the Shambhala and Buddhist traditions, and a vibrant community of fellow meditators.
Everyone is welcome in our community. Our purpose is to help people of all traditions discover their innate wisdom, by offering teachings on meditation in accord with our view that human beings are basically good.
Our Membership Tradition
There have been four aspects of formal membership in the Portland Shambhala Center:
THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY/SOCIETY
Shambhala is a community that practices the teachings on basic goodness, and explores and develops a culture within our communities that embodies that profound principle. Membership invites active engagement in contemplating and building a different kind of society altogether.
Volunteer Service
A large majority of Shambhala activities are conducted by volunteers, and there are many ways to help. Members donate time to the local center based on their interests and personal availability.
Meditation Practice
A member of Shambhala makes a connection to mindfulness- awareness practice, and works to integrate that practice into daily life in order to create a foundation for healthy social relationships and an enlightened society.
Financial Support
Shambhala is a registered charity, and our center is sustained through donations and ongoing member support. When you become a member, your financial contributions support the maintenance and growth of our center as well as the global Shambhala community.