Our Community (Sangha)

"Sangha" is a word from Sanskrit that means "community of practitioners" - one of the three jewels of Buddhism.

The Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta community is a wonderfully diverse group of people sharing a deep connection to contemplative practice and the aspiration to realize a more wakeful, sane society. Our community is called a "sangha", the Sanskrit word for a community of practitioners who support each other on their personal path or journey.A great way to learn about our community is to attend our open houses, public meditation sessions, programs, and celebrations.

Families & Children

We aspire to support families with children at our Center. On Sundays, during the morning public meditation session, we have childcare available from 10:30 am to 12:15 pm. Please call the Center to get details before bringing children for the first time. In time, we hope to offer more programs designed specifically for children.

What is membership? Being a member of the Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta is a commitment to the path of awakening and participation in a community of practioners who aspire to relate to each other with openness, warmth, and genuiness. Members have a connection to meditation and contemplative practices and support the Center financially and through volunteer activities.

As a member at the Atlanta Shambhala Center, we are part of the global community of practioners in urban and rural retreat centers. The worldwide Shambhala community is dedicated to creating an enlightened society, one based on human dignity, compassion, and authenticity.

Why is membership important?
Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta is supported entirely by members' dues, program fees, and volunteers. Supporting the Center supports our practice and creates an environment of goodness and spaciousness for others.

The Benefits of Membership
Besides knowing they support a worth cause, members of the Atlanta Shambhala Center receive the following benefits:

For more information about membership and its benefits call 404-370-9650, email us at info@atlantashambhalacenter.org . Or, print out our membership form, and mail it to Shambhala Center of Atlanta, 1447 Church Street, Decatur, GA 30030

There are many ways to contribute as a volunteer at the Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta. Working together is a great way to get to know one another and become more familiar with the Center. Our members serve on our Board, help with the Web site, staff programs, answer telephones, maintain our buildings and grounds, help in the administrative offices and more.

We train volunteers for shrine-keeping, timekeeping (umdze practice), chanting, and staffing our programs and open houses.

If you would like to volunteer, please call the center, 404-370-9650.

The Shambhala community comes together in many ways – to practice, to learn, to serve others, and to celebrate. By joining spiritual practice with the practicalities, challenges, and joys of everyday life, we aspire to create a society that expresses the dignity of human experience. Some of our celebratory events are described below.
See the schedule for Community Events here.

Shambhala Day
Shambhala Day marks the beginning of the Tibetan New Year and is the most important Shambhala holiday and celebration of the year. Based on the traditional Tibetan new year's celebration of Losar, the day is calculated astrologically according to the Tibetan lunar calendar and changes every year to coincide with the annual lunar cycles.

Shambhala Day is a time for us to express the wealth and richness of our spiritual and cultural heritage through feasting, conviviality, and elegance. Each year, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche addresses the worldwide Shambhala community through a telephone hook-up with centers and groups in more than 25 countries.

Milarepa Day
Milarepa Day celebrates the enlightenment and life example of Milarepa, the great yogi of Tibet. The celebration involves a day of practice, which includes chanting the Milarepa sadhana and reading the songs of the lineage teachers in The Rain of Wisdom.

Seasonal Celebrations
Our community has adopted a tradition of celebrating the changes of the seasons. These are called nyida days from the Tibetan words nyima (sun) and dawa (moon), and they occur on or near the days of the equinoxes and solstices. Nyida days are family-oriented celebrations and occasions for local Shambhala communities to gather socially.

Midsummer Day
Midsummer Day is an opportunity for families and friends in Shambhala to enjoy summer fun together. The day might include picnics, swimming and boating, outdoor sports, and music and dance performances. It begins with a lhasang (a traditional offering of juniper smoke) that purifies the environment and empowers the space, the objects, and the beings within it by invoking awakened energy. Everyone is welcome to join in.

Harvest of Peace
Harvest of Peace, held around the time of the autumn equinox, is an opportunity for local communities to gather, hear teachings by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and celebrate the riches of our local cultures and heritage. The Sakyong addresses the international community through a live telephone hook-up with Shambhala centers around the world.

Children's Day
Celebration of the winter solstice has its roots in many different cultures. The Shambhala community has drawn on the many traditions associated with this time of year to create a rich celebration of our own. Children's Day provides a special opportunity to express appreciation for and with our children.

The Shambhala Commmunity basis is built on practicing together. Some are special practices that are open to everyone. Other practices are restricted and require prior approval and/or pre-requisities. Read more about Special Practices here.
Contact the center office for further information.

In support of health of the Shambhala Community, we offer independent classes taught by qualified instructors. These classes are in harmony with our meditation practice and teachings.

Current offerings include Iyengar Yoga and Qi Gong. The offerings change from time to time, depending on demand.

Shambhala Commmunity also supports addiction recovery by offering an AA-based practice group, called One Breath At A Time.

Read more about Yoga, Body, Health here.

Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org

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Shambhala Meditation Center of Atlanta
1447 Church Street, Decatur,  GA 30030
Tel. (404) 370 9650    Email: info@atlantashambhalacenter.org