Who We Are

Founded in 1971, the Burlington Shambhala Center is home to a community who shares a genuine connection to meditation practice and the aspiration to realize a more wakeful, sane society. We aspire to create an environment where all people are welcome and respected, with support to participate as they choose.

Our mission is to cultivate the worthiness, wisdom and compassion of individuals and society based on the inherent goodness of humanity and the natural world. Our core path is a personal, experiential path of meditation and study, supported by a community of other practitioners. The roots of our practices are the Shambhala lineage and the Buddhist lineages of Kagyü and Nyingma, as originally presented in the west by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. We train in meditation to better know our minds and hearts and to cultivate the qualities of openness, bravery, kindness and compassion, with the intention of extending these qualities into life and society in general. Respecting that each individual’s journey is their own, we welcome all who are interested in personal, spiritual and societal awakening.


Addressing harm in the Shambhala community


 

New to Shambhala?

Shambhala is an international community of urban meditation and rural retreat centers founded by the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and now led by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Learn about our vision, lineage & community. More →

Ongoing Offerings

Our centre offers a rich array of ongoing offerings free to the public including weekly public sitting meditation hours and dharma talks. No prior meditation experience required to attend.  All are welcome. More →

Featured Programs

MidWeek Dharma

November 8th—August 14th

WEEKLY WEDNESDAYS (except Jan 31 & Feb 7)) Revitalize yourself with a drop-in community of meditation practitioners - new and old! Meditation practice, instruction and dharma presentation followed by discussion. Continue »

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

with Daniel Brown

February 19th—March 18th

The Buddha taught the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as the essential first meditation practice on the path. Basic to all streams of Buddhism, these methods are essential for developing awareness of one’s inner and outer reality: body, speech, and mind. Continue »

Shambhala Morning

March 9th—December 13th (2025)

Café and Meditation Instruction Every Second Saturday of the month 9:30 - 11 Join us for lively discussion and practice Continue »

Taming the Mind

March 25th—April 22nd

Meditation practice makes sense as we learn, in a personally meaningful way, the value of becoming increasingly familiar with, and friendly towards, ourselves. Continue »

Karma and the 12 Nidanas

with Charlotte Brodie

April 29th—May 27th

Liberation from the Cycle of Suffering; Buddhist Teachings on Karma and the 12 Nidanas. This series of classes will explore these fundamental teachings of Buddhism and how to incorporate them in our lives. Continue »