Shambhala Meditation Center of Washington, DC
8719 Colesville Road, Suite 210
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-588-7020
Home page: http://www.dc.shambhala.org/

Shambhala is committed to bringing the simple practice of' meditation to as many people as possible through meditation instruction, classes; and programs. Shambhala's principal teacher is Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, son and spiritual heir to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche -- Tibetan meditation master and author of Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and Shambhala: the Sacred Path of the Warrior. Mipham Rinpoche and Shambhala teachers present meditation in ordinary language and in ways that can help people in their everyday lives.

We offer instruction in this practice free of charge, as well as the opportunity to practice meditation with others, every week at these times:

Tuesdays, 7:00 PM
Thursdays, 7:00 PM
Sundays, 9:00 AM

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Biography

Sakyong Mipham Jarnpal Trinley Dradul Rinpoche, eldest son of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, was born as Osel Rangdrol Mukpo in 1962 in Bodhagaya, India. In 1978, Trungpa Rinpoche performed a ceremony conferring on Osel Rangdrol the title of Sawang, "Earth Lord". The Sawang also received many teachings and empowerments from the great teachers of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, among them His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, the Venerable Tenga Rinpoche, the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, the Venerable Tulku Urgen, and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, supreme head of the Nyingma lineage. The great Nyingma teacher and late head of the Nyingma lineage, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, was like a second father to the Sakyong.

In 1995, the Sawang was formally installed as Sakyong--leader of both the spiritual and secular aspects of Shambhala. The Sakyong Enthronement ceremony, which had previously been conferred on his father, Trungpa Rinpoche, was directed by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. During the ceremony, His Holiness confirmed the Sawang as Mipham Rinpoche, a descendent of the revered 19th century Tibetan meditation master and scholar Mipham Jamyang Namgyal and bestowed upon him the title of Sakyong. The Sakyong, or "Earth Protector," is one who inspires a sense of sacredness, caring for others, and basic goodness in both individuals and society as a whole. The enthronement formalized Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche's lifelong commitment to work with others towards creating an enlightened society.