Tamalpais Shambhala Center San Rafael

Spark your heart and mind through the practice of meditation

Shambhala Vision tells us that we can experience a natural source of radiance and brilliance in the world, which is the innate wakefulness of human beings. Located in the Heart of Marin County in Northern California, Tamalpais Shambhala is part of an international community of urban meditation and rural retreat centers founded by the late Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and now led by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. In addition to free meditation instruction, offered at each of our public sitting practices, our center offers public meditation, a core curriculum of Buddhist and Shambhala teachings, as well as training in advanced contemplative practices.

What we Offer

Meditation is a natural state of the human mind—at rest, open, alert. The practice of meditation has been taught for over 2,500 years as a vehicle for realizing the beauty and magic of the ordinary world without aggression or manipulation.

The teachings of Shambhala Buddhism emphasize the potential for enlightenment inherent in every situation or state of mind. Through discipline, gentleness and a sense of humor, the practitioner is invited to let go of conflicting emotions and wake up on the spot.

Mindfulness/awareness meditation is the foundation of all that we do at the Shambhala Meditation Center.This ancient practice of self-discovery is rooted in the simple but revolutionary premise that every human being has the ability to cultivate the mind’s inherent stability, clarity and strength in order to be more awake and to develop the compassion and insight necessary to care for oneself and the world genuinely.

About Meditation Instruction

Meditation instruction is available to anyone, free of charge. We offer introductory instruction to newcomers and follow-up instruction to other practitioners on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, as part of our Open House program, and at other times by appointment. Not just for “new” meditators, instruction is also recommended as part of our ongoing practice. You are always welcome to come in and speak to an instructor about your regular practice and you may even ask to form a working relationship with the instructor of your choice.