Shambhala School of Buddhist Studies

Shambhala Buddhism is a path of traditional Tibetan Buddhist studies, incorporating teachings and practices of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages. For a detailed explanation of Shambhala Buddhism, it's history and teachers, please read the Buddhist section on Shambhala.org by clicking here.

The Shambhala School of Buddhist Studies is a four-cycle program of practice and study for anyone interested in learning about Shambhala Buddhism and meditation. Students do not need to be, or to become, a Buddhist to take these courses, although that opportunity is provided for those who want to do so.

Each of the four cycles includes:

  • Weekday evening classes as well as weekend intensives
  • Courses from the hinayana, mahayana and vajrayana perspective
  • Teachings of the Sakyong Mipham, Rinpoche and Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche

This four-cycle program is designed so that a student may start at any point. (Ask for the Schedule of Classes & Events to check for current offerings.) However, in order to proceed to Buddhist Seminaries (Sutrayana and Vajrayana) which are offered at the major Shambhala Buddhist practice centers, a student should complete the entire Shambhala Buddhist four-cycle curriculum below.

Introductory Course: Buddha and Universal Monarch (Saturday/Sunday)

First Cycle

  • Taming the Mind (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Shamatha: Nine Stages (weekend intensive)
  • Walking the Bodhisattva Path (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Maitri: Five Wisdom Energies ( weekend intensive)

Second Cycle

  • The Three Jewels (Saturday/Sunday intensive)
  • Bodhisattva Warrior: Six Paramitas (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Vipashyana: Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Weekend intensive)
  • Lineage & Devotion (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)

Third Cycle

  • Karma: Five Skandhas & Twelve Nidanas 5 classes + 1 day intensive)
  • Union of Shamatha-Vipashyana (weekend intensive)
  • Lojong (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Sadhana of Mahamudra ( weekend intensive)

Fourth Cycle

  • Life of Buddha & History of Sangha (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Mahayana & the Bodhisattva Vow (weekend intensive)
  • Emptiness (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)
  • Journey Without Goal (5 classes + 1 day weekend intensive)

Buddhist Weeknight Classes &
Weekend Programs (scroll down)

Questions? Contact us!
Office of Practice and Study
practiceandeducation@atlantashambhalacenter.org
Sue Gilman: sgilman@mindspring.com

Weeknight Classes
Sitting 7:00-8:00 PM
Class 8:05 - 9:30 PM

Journey without Goal Taught by Keith Muse & Anyana Banerjee
Wednesdays Starting January 9 (5 Weeks) 7:00pm-9:30pm
$60 ($50 Members)
Pre-requisite: Two Shambhala Buddhist Classes
An introduction to the path of Vajrayana that provides an overview of the teacher-student relationship. Explore the moment to moment awake quality of the Vajra world and why the guidance of an authentic teacher is central to the Vajrayana journey.

Wisdom of Emotions Taught by Sekayi Stringer
Wednesdays Starting January 9 (5 Weeks) 7:00pm-9:30pm
$60 ($50 Members)
Open to Everyone
When one says that the Buddhist path provides an "end to suffering," we understand this to mean that the emotions which we experience as suffering might be seen in a different light, and appreciated for what they are. This provides a contrast to our habitual approach, which is to try to avoid certain emotional states at all costs, through the use of addictive behaviors, aggressive behaviors, and through willful acts of denial. The teachings of the Buddha give us precise and useful advice for how to unlock this pattern, and truly make friends with our emotions

Golden Sun of the Great East Part II
Thursdays Starting January 17 (4 weeks) 7:00pm-9:30pm
$40
Open to Graduates of Warrior or Kalapa Assembly
This course is designed for people to connect further with the practice of the stroke of Ashe, study more extensively The Golden Sun of the Great East and Auto-Commentary, and extend the sense of society which was introduced at Warrior Assembly further into local communities.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche Video Class
Refuge in Troubled Times and Ground Zero
Wednesdays Starting February 13 (3 Weeks) 7:00pm-9:30pm
$30 ($25 Members)
Open to Everyone
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche points out that the timeless qualities of the Buddha resonate within us all-that they are in fact part of our fundamental nature waiting to be discovered. Through the direct experience of the practice of meditation, we can fully awaken the Buddha within, and begin to move through our life with kindness, compassion, cheerfulness, and courage.

The Three Jewels
Wednesdays Starting March 5 (5 Classes), 7:00pm-9:30pm
$60 ($50 Members)
Open to Everyone
This series of classes explores what it means to take refuge in the three jewels, (the Buddha, the dharma and the Sangha) and become a Buddhist. Strongly recommended for anyone planning to take Refuge Vows on April 6, 2008.

Mahayana and the Bodhisattva Vow
Wednesdays Starting March 5 (5 Classes), 7:00pm-9:30pm
$60 ($50 Members)
Open to Everyone
A five week course exploring what it means to aspire to help all beings, enter the bodhisattva path, and live as a bodhisattva warrior. Strongly recommended for persons who have already taken the Refuge Vow and are considering taking the Bodhisattva vow on April 6, 2008.

WEEKEND PROGRAMS

Connecting the Dots: Our Lineage, our Path, and Life’s Practicalities.
With Acharya Eric Spiegel
April 3-5
Thursday Evening and Saturday 9:30am-5:00pm
Open to Everyone
The lineages we have inherited -- Kagyu and Nyingma Buddhist traditions and the Shambhala Warrior tradition, interface with the stages of the path taught by the Buddha, as well as with our own path, time and place. How do we understand these ancient traditions and how do we realize them in this modern world with technology, aging parents or young children, rent to pay and aspirations of love and security?

This program will connect some of the many dots of lineage, yanas, and our personal journey though talks, practice, and discussion.

Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows and Vow Retreat
With Acharya Eric Spiegel
April 6, Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm
Open to Those Taking the Vows--Pre-registration is Required

Acharya Eric Spiegel has been teaching in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition for over 30 years. In addition to a 22 year career on Wall Street, Eric is known for his work with people with HIV and other life-threatening illnesses, as well as with their friends and families. He is interested in exploring the nature of mind and meditation, not separate from the hard complexities of “real life”: how do we practice work, money, relationships, health, and aging while maintaining our windhorse and a forward vision about our life.