Getting Started
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 Albany, we begin by training in Shamatha/Vipassana or Mindfulness/Awareness 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 welcome anyone new to meditation to check out these ongoing introductory classes & programs.
Learn to Meditate
On the first Wednesday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
Check calendar for the next scheduled program
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.
Taught by our qualified instructors, this basic meditation class and introduction to the center is for beginners, as well as anyone who would like to refresh their understanding of the technique
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Open Sitting
Wednesdays
6:00-7:00pm
If you are already familiar with meditation, join us for sitting meditation practice. Free.
The session will also include walking meditation. The evening may include a brief reading from the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche or Pema Chodron. You do not need to present for the entire session and are welcome to come for as much of the session as your schedule allows. The center provides a variety of cushions and meditation benches as well as chairs.
If you are not familiar with sitting meditation practice, or need a refresher, please come to our monthly Learn to Meditate program, held the first Wednesday each month at 7 PM or one of the other introductory courses or programs. Shambhala Meditation Center of Albany is wheelchair accessible.
Sunday Healing Service – The Awakened Essence (online)
Sundays
10:00-11:30 am
This program will begin promptly at 10 am. Please arrive a few minutes early to make sure that you get in.
What do we do when bad things happen to decent people – to family, friends, co-workers, pets? When illness, accident, break-ups, getting old and so on, mess up the lives of those we care for? What do we do when we have no real control over others’ situations?
And regarding the bigger picture – crime, war, shootings, pandemics, climate change … political polarization that turns friends and family against each other. How can we fix things when everything seems so big and complicated, so far beyond our reach?
The Buddhist answer for the past 2600 years has been, start with your own mind. We may not be able to fix the world but we can work with our own minds and emotions so as to not worsen the mess, create more problems because of our pain. We can touch into the innate wisdom, wholeness and caring that is who we truly are and allow that to heal us. Having done so, we can then extend that innate warmth and goodness to others.
On Sunday mornings we come together (in Zoom) for an hour of guided meditations aimed at connecting with the wholeness and healing present in our hearts. We do a bit of Buddhist chanting to add some power to the mix. And as a final step we work with sending-and- taking practice to send healing out to those who are suffering from illness, accident or personal tragedies; or due to war, oppression and hatred. When we change our minds we change our world.
After the first hour, for those who choose to stay, we have a discussion (about half-an-hour) on whatever came up earlier. Please join us. When we change our hearts, we change our world. Use the following link to enter our Zoom session on Sunday morning: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82660310463
The healing service is led by Ryu Yoshida, meditation instructor and long time student of Buddhism and Buddhist practice.
Meditation in Everyday Life
Check calendar for the next scheduled program
This is the first course in our core program, the Way of Shambhala which provides a strong foundation in mindfulness-awareness meditation. This series is designed to be applied to the complexity of our daily lives and to develop courage and sanity in these troubled times of uncertainty.
Shambhala Training – Level 1 – Art of Being Human
Check calendar for the next weekend
The beginning of the Way of Shambhala path is a series of weekend retreats and companion classes that are an effective way for students of any tradition to learn to meditate.
