What we’re about
All of So. Cal. Shambhala Centers are closed until further notice to help halt the spread of the Corona virus. But our community continues! Sunday morning and Wednesday evening meditation are now online. Take good care. Go to our calendar to find programs and register to receive the zoom link: https://la.shambhala.org/monthly-calendar/
Shambhala Meditation Center Los Angeles in Orange County
The Shambhala Meditation Center Los Angeles (SMCLA), by way of the Orange County Satellite Center, offers meditation instruction every week at the satellite center located at 2750 Harbor Blvd, Suite B03, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626 . The first Sunday group meditation was held on December 6, 2015. We are located in the building immediately north of Coco’s and can be accessed by using walkways at the 2750 Harbor Blvd building leading to the back of the building – the meditation hall faces a street called Peterson Place.
Shambhala group meditation practice are held on: Sunday Mornings from 9am - 12 noon
Wednesday nights from 7pm to 10pm.
• Sunday mornings are conducted in traditional Shambhala style, which includes brief formalized chants that start off the group practice. Individual meditation instruction is provided for first time meditators, as well as anyone wishing to refresh the shamatha meditation instructions.
• Wednesday night group practice are conducted in secular style - as was practiced for years at the former Center for Living Peace at University Center, Irvine, CA. An introductory meditation view talk, as well as group meditation instruction are provided in a "open house", public format.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is an ancient practice of self-discovery, primarily from the Buddhist tradition, that 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 compassionate in everyday life.
Meditation is a way to make the mind more stable and clear. From this point of view, meditation is not purely a Buddhist practice; it's a practice that anyone can do. It doesn't tie in with a particular spiritual tradition. If we want to undo confusion, we're going to have to be responsible for learning what our own mind is and how it works, no matter what beliefs we hold.
The word for meditation in Sanskrit is "shamatha" (shămă tă) in Sanskrit, which means "peaceful abiding." Peaceful abiding describes the mind as it naturally is. The word "peace" tells the whole story. This doesn't mean that we're peacefully ignoring things. It means that the mind is able to be present, without conflicting with natural reality.
In meditation, what we're doing is looking at our experience and at the world intelligently. The Buddha said that this is how we learn to look at any situation and understand its truth. This is what a Buddha does - and we are all capable of being Buddhas, whether or not we are Buddhists. We all have the ability to realize our naturally peaceful minds where there is no confusion. We can use the natural clarity of our mind to focus on anything we want. But first we have to tame our minds through shamatha meditation.
For more information on Shambhala Meditation go to www.la.shambhala.org.
