What struck me first about Sakyong Mipham was his quiet, stealthful presence. Mipham serves as temporal and spiritual director of Shambhala, a global network of meditation and retreat centers. After waiting for the Sakyong — a ruler, or earth protector, who rules by balancing heaven and earth — to join me for an interview in April…
Ray: Your first book, Turning the Mind Into an Ally, serves as a guide for training the mind with meditation practice. Your second book, Ruling Your World, is more broadly philosophical. At the same time, it seems designed to help people make their practice practical and relevant to day-to-day life. I already am using one…
Ray: Rinpoche, what is your intention for the Shambhala community? Mipham: Right now the main theme is how Shambhala can be relevant in terms of what is going on in the world. A lot of these centers started with people just getting together and meditating. I think Shambhala can be a very strong force as…
Ray: Many people outside the Shambhala community will read your book Ruling Your World. Also, you mention in the book that there are Shambhalian Christians and Shambhalian Jews. When people from other religious or spiritual traditions encounter Shambhala, do they experience any tensions, and, if so, what are they? Mipham: People sometimes don’t like organized situations.…
Ray: Is dabbling in Buddhism a good thing or a concern? Here’s what I mean: Practitioners of some spiritualities, especially indigenous ones such as certain Native American spiritualities, often think people who just read a book or take a workshop — dabblers — are trivializing the spiritual path. They say a book or a class…
Ray: You write about people being leaders in their lives and communities. What are the most important qualities of a good leader? Mipham: I would say courage first; then wisdom, which is a sense of knowledge and confidence; and also the wish and desire to uplift. The underlying notion is “How do I help?”…
Ray: “Upon rising, have a positive and open attitude” is what you write in describing the most helpful instruction in how to be the ruler of your own life. Mipham: Yes, your life really is determined by your intention or view — by your attitude. If you rise with a positive attitude — because everything…
Ray: Please describe Shambhala’s character. What distinguishes Shambhala from other Buddhist traditions? Mipham: The Shambhala teachings are coming from the point of view of integrating spirituality into everyday life, as opposed to being monastic. Shambhala is a Buddhist tradition — in particular, a Vajrayana Buddhist tradition. The first king of Shambhala was taught by the…
