What we’re about
Welcome to Shambhala! We are a community of meditators all across the greater Los Angeles area. We gather throughout the week to practice meditation, offer instruction to beginners, discuss and contemplate the practice, and celebrate the natural, awake sanity within us.
Go to la.shambhala.org to see all of our current groups, classes and offerings... All are welcome!
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
Meditation is a practice that anyone can do. It is based on the radical idea that the natural state of the mind is not scattered, nervous, and confused, but rather calm, creative, and clear. Practicing regularly provides a way to settle into this natural state more often. At the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, we begin by training in shamatha or mindfulness meditation. This foundational technique allows you to tune into the present moment, at home, at work, or wherever you go in your day to day life.
"We have to know what we mean by meditation at all. Sometimes we use the word to mean emptying out or letting go. Sometimes we mean relaxation. However, the point of meditation practice is actually to rediscover our hidden neurosis and our hidden sanity at the same time." ― Chögyam Trungpa
ABOUT OUR CENTERS
Shambhala Meditation Center is a non-profit global organization with an open door policy. All are welcome to come and go as you wish. Meditation instruction is provided free of charge by our trained meditation instructors. Please visit us at our new locations during Open Meditation times, or online during our online programs.
See our website for more info! http://la.shambhala.org
We are currently meeting in-person at two locations for Meditation, open to the public:
(Every Sunday, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm)
Shambhala Meditation Center
4200 W Burbank Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505
There is ample street parking.
and,
(1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays, 2:30 - 5:30pm)
Quaker Meeting House
1440 Harvard St · Santa Monica, CA
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Established in 1971, the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles is part of a global community of meditation and retreat centers founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- The Essential Pema Chödrön Study GroupLink visible for attendees
Join us as we practice and study the teachings of the world-renowned American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön together! We meet every Wednesday evening for a lively online discussion of the dharma using The Essential Pema as our guide.
Sessions will open with a short period of meditation with brief guided instruction. Each meeting will highlight a different Buddhist teaching using selections from Pema Chödrön’s books that will be screen-shared and read aloud. There is no need to purchase a book or read ahead—unless you would like to do this. The reading will be followed by an opportunity to contemplate and reflect on how these teachings might apply to our everyday lives.
- The Heart of Recovery (Buddhism & The 12 Steps)Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, Burbank, CA
The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group that combines mindfulness meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery to integrate the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We warmly welcome all who wish to share in these common interests.
THE GROUP FORMAT IS AS FOLLOWS:
– Welcome each other
– Guided mindfulness meditation
– Dharma reading/teachings
– Group sharing & discussion
– Close with a Loving-Kindness meditation practice.ALL ARE WELCOME!
You do not need to have experience with meditation, Buddhism, or be affiliated with a 12-step program. We welcome Buddhist practitioners from all traditions and/or Twelve Step practitioners from all programs.
VISIT OUR GROUP'S WEBPAGE FOR MORE INFO
"Sobriety is finding a new way of living that involves engagement where there was withdrawal; generosity where there was self-centeredness; community where there was isolation; joy where there was bitterness; trust where there was cynicism."
— Kevin Griffin
One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps
