Mut, Would, friendliness
About Shambhala
Shambhala is an international community of meditators, who share the vision, an appreciative one, open, to realize fearless society.
Unsere Gemeinschaft – heute Shambhala genannt – wurde in den 1970ern von Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gegründet und vereint die Lehren der Kagyü- und Nyingma-Schulen des tibetischen Buddhismus mit dem japanischen Zen und anderen kontemplativen Traditionen und Kunstformen in einen umfassenden Studien- und Praxisweg der Achtsamkeits-Gewahrseins-Meditation.
Die Grundlage der Shambhala-Lehren ist, dass jeder Mensch grundlegende Gutheit und Weisheit hat. Diese grundlegende Natur des Menschseins kann durch Meditation wachgerufen und im Alltag sichtbar gemacht werden, so that they are on family, Friends, community and society radiates. Dann können wir positiv zusammenwirken, und ein gutes Miteinander schaffen.
Shambhala brings people of all faiths, Phases of life and social classes together, to learn, to be kind to ourselves and others. We are committed to this, to create a society, that brings out the best in each of us.
The Shambhala Meditation Center Vienna
Das Wiener Zentrum war eines der ersten Shambhala-Zentren in Europa. Es wurde gegründet, als Lady Diana, die aus dem britischen Adel stammende Ehefrau des Shambhala-Gründers, als eine der ersten Frauen an der Spanischen Hofreitschule lernte.
Der gemeinnützige Verein Shambhala Meditationszentrum Wien besteht seit 1986 und ist Mitglied der Österreichischen Buddhistischen Religionsgemeinschaft und des mobilen Hospiz. Die operativen und finanziellen Gebarungen des Vereins sind unabhängig von Shambhala Europe und Global/USA und werden entsprechend dem österreichischen Vereinsrecht auf lokaler Ebene bestimmt.
Das Shambhala Meditationszentrum Wien folgt der Übertragungslinie von Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (CTR) und Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (SMR) in den tibetischen buddhistischen Traditionen der Kagyü und Nyingma-Linie und der Shambhala-Tradition. Zur Praxistradition gehören auch Mudra- und Maitri-Raumgewahrsein, Kyudo und eine Reihe von kontemplativen Künsten wie Ikebana, Miksang-Fotografie und andere. Die meditativen Praktiken von Shamatha/Vipashyana (Achtsamkeit/Gewahrsein) sowie die Anwendung der Meditation im Alltag sind die gemeinsame Basis all dieser Traditionen.
Das Shambhala Zentrum versteht sich auch als ein Teil der Zivilgesellschaft und als ein offener Raum, in dem all den genannten kontemplativen Disziplinen mit gegenseitigem Respekt, Toleranz und Wertschätzung unabhängig voneinander nachgegangen werden kann.
Die Haltung der grundlegenden Gutheit, die Vision der großen östlichen Sonne und die Praxis der erleuchteten Gesellschaft werden als gemeinsame Grundlagen hochgehalten. Unter “Erleuchteter Gesellschaft” verstehen wir ein gutes und wertschätzendes Miteinander, das auf der Grundlage Grundlegender Gutheit aller Lebewesen eine Vielfalt an Anschauungen respektiert.
Die Mitglieder des Shambhala-Zentrums Wien bekennen sich zu einem wachen, rücksichtsvollen, sorgsamen und freundlichen Umgang miteinander und mit allen Personen, die in irgendeiner Weise im Kontakt mit dem Shambhala-Zentrum Wien stehen. Der innerhalb der Organisation von Shambhala entwickelte „Shambhala-Verhaltenskodex“ (Code of Conduct) dient dabei als eine Richtlinie, zu der sich auch das Shambhalazentrum Wien verpflichtet hat.
The most important sources of the Shambhala teachings
Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa (1939–1987) – The visionary behind the Shambhala tradition was an outstanding Tibetan teacher and founder of the Shambhala tradition. As a carrier of the Kagyu- and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, he combined the deepest wisdom of these traditions with a unique skill, to make them accessible to the modern Western world.
Even as a child he was recognized as Tülku - a reincarnated teacher. His training was rigorous and comprehensive: He was considered a scholar, spiritual practitioner, Trained teachers and administrators. Even before his 20. He was abbot of several monasteries and governor of a large region in Tibet.
He fled after the Chinese invasion 1959 from Tibet under dramatic circumstances. Four years later he began an extraordinary mission in the USA: He dedicated his life to the task, to bring the living teachings of meditation and wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to the West.
In the following decades, Trungpa Rinpoche founded over 100 Meditation centers, several retreat centers and Naropa University – the first Buddhist-inspired college in the USA. At the same time he wrote numerous books, in which he understood it masterfully, to translate the timeless essence of Buddhist teachings into a language, inspires people worldwide.
Trungpa Rinpoche was not only a teacher and writer, but also artists. His writings, Artworks and photographs demonstrate a deep understanding of humanity and creativity.
More about his work, You can find out about his art and writings here: [Link to biography].
Sakyong Mipham
Sakyong Mipham became 1962 born in India and spent his early years in a refugee camp with his mother. This is where he started, to study Buddhism. With 7 Years ago he came to the West into the care of his father Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He received teachings and empowerments from great Tibetan teachers. After his father's death he moved 1987 to Nepal, to study with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for several years. In the year 1990 he took over the leadership of Shambhala. In the following years he contributed significantly to the growth of the community and the spread of the teachings. He wrote inspiring works like “Like the wide space: The power of meditation” and “Running with the Mind of Meditation: Lessons for Training Body and Mind”, which have inspired many people worldwide on their spiritual path and shown new perspectives. Sakyong Mipham supports the Kunchok Foundation (named after his Tibetan mother) Schools and orphanages and the construction of a school for monks in Surmang, Tibet.
2018 Sakyong Mipham came under criticism, when allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power from his youth came to light. He publicly apologized and eventually resigned from all administrative and teaching duties within the Shambhala organization and moved to Nepal with his wife and three daughters.
Shambhala is now self-governing, independent community, who maintains and passes on the teachings of the Shambhala path.
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche conducts his work as a teacher from Nepal through his own organization, the Sakyong Potrang, fort.
Pema Chödron
Pema Chödrön is one of the best-known and most popular teachers of meditation and Buddhism. Her teachings have inspired millions of people worldwide - with a clear message: With peace and compassion we can overcome difficult times. Her charming and down-to-earth manner is particularly appreciated, to make Tibetan Buddhist wisdom understandable and accessible to Western people.
In her thirties, Pema traveled to the French Alps, where she met Lama Chime Rinpoche. She studied with him for several years and became 1974 ordained as a novice. She later received her full ordination from His Holiness, dem 16. Karmapa, in Hongkong.
1972 she met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, their most important teacher. At Lama Chime's recommendation, she deepened her practice with him and stayed until his death 1987 his student. Trungpa's teachings deeply shaped Pema's understanding of meditation and compassion.
1984 she moved to rural Nova Scotia, You have, to run Gampo Abbey – the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for Western practitioners.
Pema has authored several inspirational books, u.a.:
- “When everything collapses”
- “Be there, where you are”
- “No time to waste”
- “The places, that scare us”
- “Living with peace in times of war”
More about Pema Chödrön and her teachings:
[website]
Zussammenarbeit
Chögyam Trungpa war ein Pionier des tibetischen Buddhismus im Westen. Er unternahm eine kulturelle Übersetzung der umfangreichen tibetisch-buddhistischen Tradition, um sie in einem westlichen Kontext lebendig zu machen. Während seiner Lehrtätigkeit knüpfte er Beziehungen zu vielen spirituellen Lehrern aus verschiedenen Traditionen, wie Zen, Kyudo und Kado, und Formen aus diesen Traditionen sind heute ein integraler Bestandteil der Shambhala-Gemeinschaft geworden.
Er schloss enge Freundschaften mit Suzuki Roshi, dem Gründer des Zen-Zentrums in San Francisco, sowie mit Kobun Chino Roshi und Jakusho Kwong Roshi in Nordkalifornien, mit Maezumi Roshi, dem Gründer des Zen-Zentrums in Los Angeles, und mit Eido Roshi, dem Abt des New York Zendo. Kyudo-Meister Shibata Sensei wurde ebenfalls ein wichtiger Lehrer für die Gemeinschaft.
Als Gründer des Naropa-Instituts betrachtete er Kunst und Psychologie als weitere Wege zur spirituellen Entwicklung und buddhistischen Erkundung. Daraus haben sich viele Formen, Praktiken und Ableger entwickelt, darunter Kalligrafie, Fotografie, Theater und kreatives Schreiben.
Our teachers in Vienna (alphabetically last name)
Ingrid Hoffellner
Wien
Practiced for almost 30 years in Shambhala. She has been teaching for more than 20 Years of Shambhala training, Shambhala and Buddhist courses and seminars.
Ingrid loves it,
Ikebana (Japanese floral arrangement) and Miksang (contemplative Photographs) to
practice, and the Dralas (awake energy around us) to explore.
This is your particular interest, how we can connect with our reality through direct perception.
Ingrid is an architect (now in retirement) and lives in Vienna. For years she has been working mainly in the study + practice area at the Shambhala Center in Vienna.
Stefan Kapeller-Mercado
Vienna surroundings
has been since 2009 Disciple of the Shambhala lineage and since 2019 Meditation instructor.
In addition to the Shambhala teachings, he is interested in Zen Buddhism, Qi-Gong and body-based mindfulness experience.
He also co-coordinated the Shambhala youth group in Vienna during his student days, was an active Kasung and led the monthly Shambhala Sadhana in Vienna for several years.
Stefan lives in the Vienna area, is married, has a daughter and works as a doctor.
Sabine Kuen-Fillapher
Weissenbach a.d. Triesting
has been practicing meditation in various traditions since her youth. Already in puberty, a time full of questions and uncertainties, began her search for a deeper understanding of life. 1995 she found her way to the Shambhala tradition, which became an integral part of life for her and her family.
Sabine is involved in Shambhala, among other things. for the youth- and family offering and teaches both Shambhala- as well as Buddhist courses and seminars. Your focus is on that, to slow down the mind and consciously experience the carousel of thoughts.
Professionally, she is a teacher and school counselor with a focus on mindful pedagogy and “new authority” and particularly enjoys working with young people and parents.
She lives with her husband in southern Lower Austria and has three adult children.
Gernot Landschein
Wien
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Karin Schenz
Wien & Gampo Abbey
Karin ist seit 2012 at Shambhala Vienna and completed the Hinayana and Mahayana path in Shambhala.
Since 2018 She spends a lot of monastic time in Canada in Gampo Abbey, the only monastery of the Shambhala tradition, under the spiritual direction of Pema Chödron.
Nina Lederer
Wien
Ninas Weg begann mit geführten Meditationen über Apps in den eigenen vier Wänden.
Später interessierte sie sich für die Vipassana-Meditation nach der Tradition von S. N. Goenka.
Während der Corona-Pandemie begegnete sie erstmals der Wiener Shambhala Sangha und den Lehren von Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, die sie sofort tief ansprachen.
Seitdem meditiert sie regelmäßig bei Shambhala, koordiniert Programme und engagiert sich im Team, das die offenen Sitzabende im Amidazentrum an den Montagen organisiert.
Nina ist zudem Teil des Teams der Meditationsunterweiser:innen in Wien.
Beruflich ist sie als Radiologin in einem Wiener Krankenhaus tätig.
Peter Nowak
Wien
Peter met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche 1985 for the first time and attended the last three-month seminar, that he taught Trungpa.
He has three grown children and worked 35 Years in the reform of the health system.
By developing strategic initiatives in close collaboration with the Austrian Ministry of Health, he had a rich training ground for creating an enlightened society – with and without success.
He had many roles in his home Shambhala Center in Vienna, has been since 1986 Meditation instructor, was from 2020 bis 2024 on the board of Shambhala Global and during this time also part of the Shambhala Europe Advisory Board. Only in recent years has he begun to teach more in Shambhala.
Otto Pichlhöfer
Wien
Otto Pichlhöfer schätzt sich glücklich, dass er persönlich mit Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche studieren konnte.
Nach dessen Tod setzte er seine Studien bei verschiedenen Lehrerinnen und Lehrern der Kagyü- und Nyingma-Traditionen fort.
Seine wichtigste spirituelle Verbindung galt immer den buddhistischen und Shambhala-Lehren von Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, zu denen er stets zurückkehrte.
Als Haushalter-Yogi wurde der Shambhala-Weg zu seiner hauptsächlichen Form der „Meditation im Alltag“.
Er hat zwei Töchter, die ebenfalls Buddhismus praktizieren, und lebt in Wien, wo er als Arzt für Allgemeinmedizin tätig ist.
Mathias Pongrácz
Wien & Switzerland
Mathias “stumbles” since almost 40 years along the path of Dharma. In the early 1980s he studied and served with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche 16 As an Acharya for years (Senior teacher) in the Shambhala tradition for his son Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He also dedicated himself to Zen practice under the guidance of Kobun Chino Roshi and works as a teacher in his lineage.
Mathias teaches MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and studied with Jon Kabat-Zinn, even before MBSR became widespread in France.
For many years, Mathias has been leading Zen-, Buddhist and secular meditation retreats in Austria, Belgium, Hungary and France.
He currently leads the Zen Buddhist Felsentor Retreat Center in Switzerland.
Sabine Putze
Wien
Sabine hatte den ersten Kontakt mit Lehren von Chögyam Trungpa 1984 und praktiziert seither die Achtsamkeits-Gewahrseins-Meditation in der Shambhala- and in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.
1986 She attended the three-month retreat program “Seminary” with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and has been since 1987 Meditation instructor. She attended the first Maitri space awareness program
1989 in Germany. 2022 she was a co-teacher for the first time, after years of assistance in Maitri programs and
Co-teacher in Mudra Mandala programs (Connection mudra & Maitri-Praxis) in Poland and France.
She has been since 20 years of teaching Mudra space awareness.
Sabine worked as a doctor and teacher. She has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.
Unsere Administration in Wien (alphabetically last name)
Das Shambhala Meditationszentrum Wien ist ein gemeinnütziger Verein. Geleitet wird er von einem ehrenamtlichen Vorstand, der eine Amtsperiode von zwei Jahren hat und von der Mitgliederversammlung gewählt wird.
Gerhard Blasche
Finanzen
Ingrid Hoffellner
Praxis & Studium
Gerlinde Lunzer
Vereinswesen & Code of Conduct
Franz Nowak
Buchhaltung
Hannah Nowak
Koordination & Kommunikation
“After extensive meditation alone in the living room, I discovered a place called the Shambhala Center, where I learn a lot about meditation and have the opportunity, to share my experiences, and in a very low-threshold way.”
SABINE, 62
Where are we??
Locations
The Shambhala Meditation Center is currently rented at two main locations.
Please pay attention to that “Venue” in the event description!
Meditation for you, Your loved ones and society
Meditation = wegbeamen? No, look!
Shambhala Vienna is a place, where people can grow and practice together,
wie sie in ihrem persönlichen Umfeld und darüber hinaus zu einer besseren Welt beitragen können.
Your support enables us, to reach and inspire many people from all income layers.