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Shambhala Meditation Center

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Basic information
Address:
2030 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA
Sectarian affiliation(s):
  • Modern or Non-traditional
Cultural, linguistic, ethnic representation:
  • Caucasian
Geographic origins of institution, founder, or network:
  • Tibet or Himalayan Region
  • USA
Best time to visit:

See website for current schedule.

Date last visited: November 23, 2016
Currently active?: As of the last time it was visited by our research team, this location was open.
Other Basic Information:

Est. 1974, affiliated with Shambhala tradition founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

Local setting, neighborhood, demographics

Located near Rittenhouse Square, one of the most high-rent districts in Center City Philadelphia. The language spoken is English, and the attendees are predominantly Caucasian. There are several different rooms that each have their own shrines. Visitors have access to a lounge area and kitchen.

Connections with medicine, healing, wellness

The interviewee told us that all of the center’s practices are considered healing from the point of view of "basic sanity" and "well-being." The teachings at this center focus on śamatha and vipaśyanā (or vipassana) meditation to discover one’s "basic goodness" or "primordial purity," which can "synchronize mind and body." The center also teaches tonglen mediation to release difficulties, pain, and suffering and to bring peace, goodness, and health to a specific person or community. The meditation center offers a support group called Heart of Recovery for people working to overcome addiction. There is also a group focused on health and wellbeing for individual members of the community who are experiencing difficulties.