What we’re about
Go to la.shambhala.org/programs - look for online as well as in-person meditation sessions... All are welcome!
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.
Please take a look at our ongoing calendar for upcoming meetups.
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 in-person 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:
(1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays, 2:30 - 5:30pm)
Quaker Meeting House
1440 Harvard St
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(Every Sunday, 10:00am - 12:30 pm)
Shambhala Meditation Center
4200 W Burbank Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505
There is ample street parking.
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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.
Join us for this one-day meditation retreat exploring the Four Thoughts that Turn our Mind to the Dharma - fundamental Buddhist teachings that can inspire us to appreciate our life more and to be more present to our everyday experience.
Participants can attend in person and online (hybrid).
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE & REGISTER
The Four Thoughts, or Four Reminders, are fundamental Buddhist teachings that invite us to contemplate having a Dharmic view of the preciousness of our lives, the impermanence of everything, how suffering is impossible to avoid, and how we are all subject to karma. Contemplating these truths can actually inspire us to appreciate our life more and to be more present to our everyday experience. Relating directly with these foundational Buddhist truths can bring to our lives deep appreciation, purpose and joy.
Day Breakdown:
This one-day program will provide an introduction to these Four Thoughts that Turn our Mind to the Dharma as well as give tools for participants to go deeper on their own.
Through talks, meditation sessions, contemplation practice, and sharing how these teachings relate to each of us personally, we will learn how to integrate these Four Thoughts into our daily lives and our meditation practice.
This program is open to all. You don't need any prior experience in meditation or Buddhism to participate. Participants can attend both in-person or online via zoom (hybrid).
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.
- Network event4 attendees from 3 groups hostingFour Buddhist Thoughts: a "How To" for Fully Appreciating Our LivesShambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, Burbank, CA
Join us for this one-day meditation retreat exploring the Four Thoughts that Turn our Mind to the Dharma - fundamental Buddhist teachings that can inspire us to appreciate our life more and to be more present to our everyday experience.
Participants can attend in person and online (hybrid).
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE & REGISTER
The Four Thoughts, or Four Reminders, are fundamental Buddhist teachings that invite us to contemplate having a Dharmic view of the preciousness of our lives, the impermanence of everything, how suffering is impossible to avoid, and how we are all subject to karma. Contemplating these truths can actually inspire us to appreciate our life more and to be more present to our everyday experience. Relating directly with these foundational Buddhist truths can bring to our lives deep appreciation, purpose and joy.
Day Breakdown:
This one-day program will provide an introduction to these Four Thoughts that Turn our Mind to the Dharma as well as give tools for participants to go deeper on their own.Through talks, meditation sessions, contemplation practice, and sharing how these teachings relate to each of us personally, we will learn how to integrate these Four Thoughts into our daily lives and our meditation practice.
This program is open to all. You don't need any prior experience in meditation or Buddhism to participate. Participants can attend both in-person or online via zoom (hybrid).
- 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.
