All posts filed under: Relationships

The Power of Peacemaking: Interrupting Aggression in Challenging Times

Published by smcblog

By Greg Heffron // Many of us today are paying close attention to the aggression that’s arising in our world. Beyond US politics, we see similar fires breaking out in other nations. Scanning the news sets off alarm bells of anxiety. A return to various forms of fundamentalism and “tribalism” (in the negative sense) are gaining fuel and momentum. The Us vs. Them mentality leads us further into situations where conflict driven by hatred seems inevitable. Once we’ve created our “enemy,” winning by any means necessary is not only tolerable, but promoted. In the Mindful Communication work of Susan Chapman, we call this collapse “The Red Light,” and call a culture which promotes it a “Red Light Culture.” In the midst of such a rise in aggression, we can come to feel demoralized and even depressed. What can a single individual do when faced with global situations that stretch beyond even one’s own nation? The good news within the approach of Mindful Communication is that we are far from helpless. You. Yes you. You, sitting …

Losing a Loved One, Discovering the Highest Self

Published by smcblog

By Sue Frederick ~~~ It’s the morning of July 14, 1980. I awaken to the sounds of a mourning dove outside my window and a view of Boulder’s sacred limestone slabs reaching into the clouds; these front range Rocky Mountain slopes are where my husband and I once spent happy afternoons climbing, hiking and feeling invincible. Yesterday, this elegant and strong young man died from cancer at the age of 34. His death ended a year of unforgettable suffering for both of us. My ego tells me this is a deplorable soul-sucking tragedy. Paul was the most loving man I’d ever known and did not deserve to suffer and die before his life could unfold – before we could have our future. No one will ever love me like that again, says the ego mind. I’m alone, grief-stricken, and sick with heartbreak. I’m scarred for life – just as he was at the end. But I’m still here and he is not. This voice in my head crushes and flattens me, pushes me back into …

Watch: Lama Tsultrim Allione on the Divine Feminine

Published by smcblog

Lama Tsultrim Allione is on the advisory council for Shambhala Mountain Center’s upcoming Wisdom Rising, August 17-21, which will explore the feminine principle in depth. Click here to learn more about Wisdom Rising!

Watch: Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel on Emptiness

Published by Travis Newbill

People with some interest in Buddhist philosophy and practice may be familiar with terms like emptiness, interdependence, and wisdom. And, most of us appreciate a teacher who can bring forth the meaning of these relationship between these mystifying words. Recently, we were fortunate to get Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyal on the line for what turned out to be quite an illuminating conversation! Elizabeth is one of the most well renowned teachers on the aforementioned topics and how they relate to what is known as the feminine principle. You may find that beginning to explore these notions can open up your journey quite a bit. And so, we invite you to have a look at the pithy clip below. Elizabeth will be teaching on this subject at Shambhala Mountain Center during Wisdom Rising, August 17-21. Click here to learn more about Wisdom Rising. About the Authors Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel has studied and practiced the Buddhadharma for thirty years under the guidance of her teacher and husband Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. Elizabeth is known for her willingness to question the entire path in …

Relax and Wake Up! Buddhist Teachers Reflect on the Wisdom of the Emotions

Published by smcblog

By James Schnebly with Jenny Bondurant & Kay Peterson ~~~ Our emotions can lock us in habitual struggle with ourselves and our relationships, yet they are also doorways to our intrinsic wisdom. Out of this understanding, helpful practices have emerged within the tradition of Buddhist tantra. These practices are based on the understanding that emotional energy falls into five archetypal patterns, or buddha families, which contain different perspectives and relationship styles that can manifest in either a confused or sane way. Jenny Bondurant and Kay Peterson have been working with these teachings and practices for decades, and now lead retreats which provide others with the opportunity to explore the energy of their own emotions, and learn the skills needed to befriend and welcome all states of mind, just as they are. Recently, I spoke with Jenny and Kay about how their personal relationships to the five buddha families and a bit about the upcoming retreat they’ll be leading at Shambhala Mountain Center. They had much to say about how engaging with these teachings and practices allow us …

What does it mean to be in a secure-functioning relationship? And why should it matter to me?

Published by smcblog

By Stan Tatkin and Tracey Boldemann-Tatkin ~~~ Secure functioning refers to an interpersonal system based on principles of true mutuality, collaboration, justice, fairness, and sensitivity. It means that you and your partner are in a foxhole together, protecting each other from the outside world… and from each other. Secure functioning assumes you and your partner have different minds, with different interests, drives, and histories. Secure-functioning partners are fully interdependent in the sense that each happily accepts the other as a burden, and both agree they are in each other’s care. In this kind of two-person system, you and your partner form a couple bubble, which you can think of as a protective boundary that protects your resources and sense of ongoing safety and security. Think of a couple bubble as an ecosystem or terrarium that provides you and your partner with the sustenance you need to carry out your daily tasks, deal with fears and anxiety, handle difficult situations and people, and undergo personal growth. In a secure-functioning relationship, you and your partner assure each …

Celebrating the Garden Project

Published by Rachel Becker

We spent this past snowy May Day morning celebrating an incredible act of generosity that has made a real impact on our community culture here at Shambhala Mountain Center — the sponsorship of the SMC Garden Project by the Aida & Mike Feldman Philanthropic Trust & the Feldman Family. This grant allowed us to build a geodesic dome greenhouse last September, which has provided over 2,000 pounds of food (mostly greens), and also allowed us to purchase a bright red Massey Ferguson tractor, which has helped our land & forestry crews immensely. We gathered with Sonia Feldman (granddaughter of Aida and Mike) and Larry Rich from the foundation, along with members of the SMC community and governing council for brunch festivities: beautiful foods prepared with the microgreens grown in the greenhouse, speeches & toasts to the shared experience, and a tour of the greenhouse. Watch the slideshow below to see how this project came together! Our deep gratitude goes out to the Feldman Family Foundation for giving our aspirations the chance to become physical reality, and for supporting our …

Relationship as Spiritual Path: Couples Retreat Master Ben Cohen

Published by smcblog

Intimate relationships are both an opportunity and a challenge to our capacity for love and vulnerability. Once we get past the romantic love stage, we often find ourselves surprised by these challenges. Drawing from the work of Harville Hendrix, PhD, (Imago) Ben Cohen works with couples in exploring the essential principles and practices of conscious relationships — both in his private practice and as a leader of couples’ retreats. Click here to learn about our upcoming weekend retreat: Relationship as a Spiritual Path: Getting the Love You Want (A Couples Workshop), May 20-22 Watch our interview below, or scroll down to stream/download the audio. If you’d like to download the audio file, CLICK HERE and find the “Download” button. Otherwise, you can stream the audio below. Click here to learn about Ben Cohen’s upcoming retreat at SMC: Relationship as a Spiritual Path: Getting the Love You Want (A Couples Workshop) ~~~ Ben Cohen, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice in Boulder and Denver specializing in relationship counseling. He has also had an active meditation practice for over 25 years …