About Us

Established in 1974, the Kootenay Shambhala Meditation Centre is a nonprofit, volunteer-run part of Shambhala, an international community of more than 200 meditation centres and groups founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and now led by his son and lineage holder Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.

At our community's core is the Shambhala Buddhist path. Unique in the world of Western Buddhism, this path combines the teachings of the Kagyü and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism with the Shambhala tradition of living an uplifted life, fully engaged with the world.

Our centre, located on the top floor of a heritage building in the heart of downtown Nelson, is home to a wonderfully diverse and vibrant group of about 40 members. We share a commitment to the path of awakening and the inspiration to create a society where people appreciate their innate goodness (which is personified as the Primordial Rigden, shown above right) and aspire to express it in every aspect of their lives.

Our offerings include:

• Free introductory and ongoing meditation instruction
• Weekly public meditation practice sessions
• The Way of Shambhala, an integrated Shambhala Buddhist curriculum of practice and study
• Online courses
• A range of community activities
• Our own retreat land
• Two annual one-week group meditation retreats—a public retreat each summer and a vajrayana retreat each fall
• Program participation through an accommodating Generosity Policy
• Opportunities to extend and deepen practice through volunteering
• An atmosphere of wakefulness, protected by the Dorje Kasung
• Membership in a global community dedicated to realizing the world's potential
• A welcoming place to be what you are!

We invite and value everyone’s presence. Come and see for yourself!

You can contact us through our Who Does What page.

For more about Shambhala, go to the About Shambhala page on Shambhala's central website.

Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org

Read more about meditation and buddhism at shambhalatimes.org

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Kootenay Shambhala Meditation Centre
3rd Floor - 444 Baker Street, PO Box 136, Nelson,  BC V1L 5P7
Tel. 250-352-5560    Email: