Awakening to the Stages of Life: Rites of Passage

A new weekend retreat program designed by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche offered for the first time in the Pacific Northwest.

Co-sponsored by Portland Shambhala's Aging in Enlightened Society and Young Meditators groups

Read Ann Cason's blog here

"Every ten to twenty years, we can participate in a ceremony that awakens us to the fact that we are progressing through life. These rites of passage act as a reminder. If we are not occasionally reminded to stop and look around, it is difficult to tell what direction we have taken in life. Therefore, the rites of passage are not only a public ceremony marking our journey through life, but also a time of self-reflection and orientation."          --Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Rites of Passage at age eight and sixteen have been an integral part of our community for many years.  We are honored and delighted to introduce you to an important addition to Shambhala culture: Adult Rites of Passage.

At the request of his students, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, during his year-long retreat in 2010, wrote two texts that provide new teachings regarding how the experiences of different stages of adult life can be incorporated in the Shambhala path of awakening, as well as guidelines for a weekend program culminating in a formal Rite of Passage Ceremony for adults.

The weekend program, called “Awakening to the Stages of Life”, includes contemplations and practices that bring forth the experiences of participants and connect them with the Shambhala vision.  The program concludes on Sunday afternoon with a formal Rite of Passage Ceremony and celebration to which participants can invite family and friends.

The program is open to anyone with a strong connection to the Shambhala teachings, and we hope to have participation from adults of all ages so that we can share our perspectives on adult life from both ends and the middle.

Please note: 

Friday evening:  program will occur off-site; details to follow.

Saturday:  program runs tilll 9PM.  Bring a sack lunch for Saturday.  For supper you'll have the option of purchasing food we'll bring in or bringing your meal for the evening.

Sunday:  9-noon program continues.  Noon to 4 PM:  Potluck, public ceremony and celebration to which participant family and friends are invited.

Heidi Mecklenburg lives in Boulder Colorado, where she works for Shambhala International as the Dorje Kasung Executive Officer. She was raised in Shambhala, and has been very involved with the Dorje Kasung and Shambhala Sun Summer Camp. She also has a BS in Computer Engineering and a love of latin dance. Heidi co-taught with Acharya Levy the very first Rites of Passage: Awakening to the Stage of Life program at KCL in 2012, and has been active in the program’s development since its inception.

Dan Peterson started meditation practice in 1978 and is a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He currently is the Desung Officer on the International Care and Conduct panel and as a result has recently cultivated an interest in the topic of virtue.