Getting Started
“Our life is an endless journey… The practice of meditation provides a vehicle to travel on that road.”
– Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
At the Fredericton Shambhala Centre, we practice and teach mindfulness-awareness meditation as it has been passed from teacher to student for more than 2,500 years. We provide an environment where each person can engage in the practice of meditation at their own pace. If you want to practice meditation in a group environment, you are welcome to attend any of our twice-monthly open houses where meditation instruction is provided in a welcoming and easy going atmosphere. There is no commitment or requirement to follow a particular course of study. Please feel welcome to drop by. No previous experience required!
Shambhala Open House
We offer free meditation instruction on every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to receive meditation instruction, come to the Center a few minutes before our 7 p.m. start and ask to receive meditation instruction. A meditation guide will be on hand to take you through the basics of the practice. Following a short practice session with fellow meditators, we gather for tea, cookies and an informal conversation until 9pm. You are welcome to come for part of all of the evening.
Some Great Reading to Get Your Started
If you’re looking for some reading on meditation, a great accessible read is the international best-seller Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the leader of the Shambhala Community.
Introductory Programs
Although the essential techniques are written down in many places, meditation remains essentially an oral tradition, and individual personal instruction is important. We offer a variety of programs throughout the year appropriate for people new to meditation. In addition to Learn To Meditate workshops, the following programs have no prerequisites and are geared for newcomers: Shambhala Training Level I, Meditation In Everyday Life, and Contentment In Everyday Life and the Basic Goodness Series. Check our programs listing to learn when these and other classes are being offered.
Resources
For articles about meditation, online teachings and recommended readings, visit Shambhala’s meditation resources page and the Lion’s Roar How to Meditate page.