I saw an old post here stating that Mingyur Rinpoche sexually abused a person named Dolka, and her husband posted about it some years ago in Facebook. I would like to read more about it, but (unsurprisingly) there's no mention of it on Facebook or elsewhere. Sleuths here are more skilled than I am at hunting down these things. Can anybody find a link?

I was cleaning some of the bats out of my belfry the other day when I happened upon this piece of spin about the Dorje Kasung, Shambhala's paramilitary police force. Don't worry, it doesn't expose any secrets, nor does it contain any smoking guns.

It was handed out to entry-level Kasung recruits at the 1992 Seminary, and while it evidently was written during Chogyam Trungpa's era, it clearly can refer to Sakyong Mipham as well; the title "Makkyi Rapjam" was used to refer to them both. No author or copyright is given, but the voice sounds like that of David Rome, the supreme military commander of Shambhala in those days.

I wanted to bring it up here because it highlights a concept that sometimes gets downplayed here by apologists who want to minimize the more egregiously cultish aspects of Shambhala. Frequently, we hear that the obsequious guru-worship that pervades the Shambhala teachings and liturgy is meant in a metaphorical sense to refer to the "inner guru", and that the Shambhalian adept has complete responsibility and agency over their spiritual path. This short piece challenges that argument.

In this exposition, the goal of Kasungship (at least, the goal that the beginner Kasung should focus on) is how you must give up your personal agency for the greater glory of the Mukpo agenda, even if what you are being commanded to do in any given moment is illogical, pointless, or goes against your better judgement. The teaching here is to train you to lay aside your critical intelligence, so that eventually the things you see in the course of your Kasung service will not alarm you or get in the way of doing your job with efficiency and discretion.

I'd also like to draw your attention to the overall plan of the argument. It begins with an experience that is common to any spiritual path-- the inevitable feeling of "What am I doing here, anyway?"-- and that gets transformed into an opportunity to develop unquestioning faith in the Mukpo family principals: complete loyalty transcending personal ambition. This loyalty then gets transferred to the Kasung hierarchy itself, being driven home at the end by the exhortation to feel gratitude towards the lineage of gentle and fearless warriors who have gone before, thus cementing and sanctifying the legitimacy of your superior officers and their seemingly bizarre commands.

I'll reprint the article in full below, with the warning that some of this language could be triggering to anyone who has only recently disengaged from Shambhala, so proceed with caution. I have highlighted the passages that I think are most significant.

HOW TO REGARD YOUR EXPERIENCE

Being a member of Gesar Division is being in a situation of intensive practice. The Gesar Kasung enters a path whose highlights and purpose are in accord with the dharma: the point is to cut through spiritual materialism and exchange self for others.

As proper dharma practice, the practice of kasungship begins with some confusion: initially we may join in out of a mixture of the desires to be of service and to fulfill personal ambition. There is nothing particularly wrong here -- we are normal human beings with normal human habits.

While we may bring all of our baggage into Gesar Division when we join, we generally find that the combination of boredom and demand which comprise much of our duty begins to shake out our preconceptions quite efficiently. Gesar Division's mandate is a huge responsibility; being in Gesar Division fully and completely involves hard work of body, speech, and mind -- a completely dharmic situation.

Sooner or later, every Gesar Kasung will experience a loss of heart. Typically, it will come at some late hour, sitting alone at a post, while down the hallway the sounds of a party can be heard. “What am I doing here, anyway?" is the usual question. "I'm lonely, tired, hungry, bored half to death, and there's a party going on down the hall. Why am I here? Does anyone care? Does this matter?"

It does matter; moments of this sort are evidence of maturing into genuine warriorship. After the initial fascination has passed, you are left with the raw experience of your own state of mind, your own tender heart. Many people give up at this point and look for something else to do, "something new."

This is unfortunate, because loss of heart is the paint at which we can enter into complete loyalty transcending personal ambition. The challenge is this: are you willing to see things from your teacher's point of view, and become the agent of that vision?

We will attempt a suggestion: kasungship makes sense only in terms of joining your mind to that of the Makkyi Rapjam fully and completely. This is possibly an intimidating challenge, but loss of heart is proof that we cannot be complete and genuine Dorje Kasung by clinging to hopes of entertainment and fears of boredom and discomfort. That logic simply carries no weight in the warrior's life.

Loss of heart is neither an obstacle on the path of the Gesar Kasung, nor is it a reason to abandon that journey. Loss of heart is simply the mark of loss of petty mind, which is nothing less than the beginning of your own entry into the vastness of the warrior's world, the joining of your own potential with the Makkyi Rapjam's mind. Generations of warriors in the distant past have made this realization, and many, many of your fellow Gesar Kasung have done so in the course of their own involvement. It is this realization that has led to the sense of great pride and great humility which is the mark of the seasoned Gesar Kasung, and which manifests as the continuum of heartfelt loyalty into which you have entered. The chance to go further into that continuum exists for you at every moment; it is available to you now if you are willing to join in with your whole heart.

What this all means for you is that when in the wee hours you finally go off duty, you will note that you are tired, you are a bit confused, and a bit lonely. You should note also that your heart beats, your limbs move, your eyes see, your mind cranks along; you have all that you need to connect to the aspirations and attainments of the lineage of gentle and fearless warriors who have gone before, and whose generosity has brought you to be where you are.

This story of my experience in a 3 years retreat (from May 2022 to August 2024) in USA New York at Palpung Thubten Choling (PTC) monastery, ex KTC, is intended to help people understand the situation if they wish to do the retreat at PTC in the future so they know what to expect.

  Even though it's 4-5 pages long, if you are interested in what is happening in a 3 years retreat at KTC/PTC in 2024 or wish to do attend one in the future, I assure you it will be worth reading it.

So I came in 2022 in Us for the retreat at KTC now PTC to have a 5 months pre retreat and than start in May, also was my first time in a western monastery. Most of the time as a monk when I became in 2018 with H.H. Tai Situpa Rinpoche and before as a lay man from 2015 I spent in Palpung Sherabling Monastery in India where everything is amazing, also some months in Namo Buddha at Thrangu Rinpoche when he was alive were fantastic at his monastery in Nepal.

Many great masters say when you go to a master or before choosing him as your guru, of course he has to also accept you as his disciple, you have to do some research about him, searching reading first the bad opinions about him and after you choose for yourself. This is not intended to write about a guru but about the 3 years retreat for men, how it is and also about the retreat master because is very important. Than people can have a better view and understand for themselves which retreat suits them best, because there are many retreats and in many countries.

When I applied for the retreat on the web page it was written we’ll have a cook, someone to cook in the retreat how all 3 years retreat have, I’m talking about those I know in India, Nepal, Tibet. Because how you’ll see what is happening, the truth in a 3 years retreat in the west at PTC NY is not the same as a retreat in Asia. Maybe 1 week before the start we were told by the abbot that we won’t have a chef or a cook, and we’ll have to cook for ourselves. We started with 7 men the 3 years retreat at PTC (the retreat is named Naroling), where we had to cook in rotation one man each day. Cooking takes a lot of time, for most to prepare lunch for the others was about 2 hours, this taking the time from your practice session or tun, sitting practice. And it is not only about the time spent but also you will be tired after cooking, so it affects your practice for the whole day, maybe some were resting sleeping after cooking. So a lot of time wasted instead of practising, for which the total cost was $29000.

I came in January 2022 doing the pre retreat which in my opinion and others was too much 5 months, after about 2 months from my arrival there a Japanese guy came to me after lunch, and telling me about ticks, also with an ani nun from the monastery. That was a great danger, he was bitten in his retreat that ended 2019, he was very sick barely walking. He was saying he got Lyme disease from a tick bite during retreat and almost died, people were not sure if he will survive. His condition was very bad, very weak, tired, no energy, very cold, etc. This only from a tick bite and getting Lyme. We became very good friends and I tried to show him and others a little Chinese Qigong that I know doing every day with them. His condition became better but still a long way to be like a healthy normal man. During my time in retreat he went a couple of times to my qigong master, and his health became better and better.

The monastery of PTC didn’t tell us anything when we registered about the tick situation that that area where the monastery is, the town, is the worst in the entire US with ticks, 60% of them have Lyme and many people were bitten. In the retreat before I was kicked in August 2024, all the people except the old man were bitten by ticks, including me. Me and others took Lyme disease. This was very bad, last year in 2023, for some months I was very sick, weak, sleeping because of Lyme disease. Also there I was diagnosed with acid reflux with very bad symptoms for more than a year going many times to hospital.

It should have been the duty of PTC to publish on the Internet where you would apply for the 3 years retreat, that there is a big problem with ticks with Lyme disease, people in the past were bitten, etc. Because this Lyme can destroy your entire life, or many many years how was/is for my dear Japanese friend. Also for me, I am still not cured and have Lyme, this year I was very ill in retreat again because of an allergy and Lyme, a doctor came, had blood tests and appeared I still have Lyme from 2023, also I did blood test here in my country and appeared again that I have Lyme.

If I knew only about this ticks with Lyme disease I wouldn’t have come to this retreat, but PTC didn’t say anything, that’s why I told PTC I will put on internet everything and also possible a law suit, before I was kicked. Many others in retreat were ill for many months, taking antibiotics etc. for a long time.

The retreat started with a Vajrakilaya drubchen, there was an American guy in Retreat, that got scared because we couldn’t go outside of the retreat center, as he mentioned, and he left it after around 45 days, so during these days he insisted to go to a heart doctor, which told him he can stay in retreat but do some physical exercise. This guy insisted to go to a Gym which the retreat master lama Tsering Dakpa agreed, he was going 4 times per week to gym. I think it is the first time in the history of 3 years retreats that someone can go to gym during retreat. But than he was going also to supermarkets doing shopping, the retreat caretaker Dechen was driving him. He also bought a tablet with a SIM card for internet, as people told me, he wanted to do a Master during the 3 years retreat, the Retreat Master Lama Tsering didn’t do anything. But after 45 days he left because he didn’t like to be restricted.

Then after some months since the retreat started, I asked Lama Tsering (from now on I’ll name it LT) why are people talking all day from 6AM to 9:30-10PM because in the retreat rules is says only speak during lunch break if it’s very important. Because his English is very poor someone from monastery or other translators were trying to translate for him, he said that people can’t keep this rule so he can’t enforce it, but he didn’t even try to tell them 1 time about this rule. Some of the retreat members were constantly talking not only during brakes, but also during tun, people staying outside, or in the basement talking, or in the kitchen (the kitchen was exactly under my room) disturbing my practice. Again, LT didn’t do anything. When I would complain to the monastery, sometimes he would come and check and that’s it.

Very strange, LT would normally come 2-3 times per month to us at a puja, and not how I’ve seen in retreats in Nepal or India, every day to check on people. Last year I even wrote to him why he doesn’t come every day to check on people he said something that in his retreat the drupon (retreat master) would come 1-2 times per day, but here is not possible. Also, he was saying he can’t come in the rooms to see if people are practising, because US rules don’t allow. But if you want you can open the door see what’s going on. My vajra brother from Germany was doing a retreat in Poland almost at the same time with me. When I told him in my retreat the retreat Master LT would come 1-3 times per month he couldn’t believe, he said in his retreat his retreat master was coming every day, check or give a teaching, etc, and only some few times later in retreat he would come 3-4 times per week.

Lama Tsering Dakpa was behaving like the vajra master (or lopon) of the PTC monastery, going there to pujas etc, and not doing his job as a retreat master as he was sent by H.H. Tai Situpa Rinpoche. After some months from starting the retreat I told the Monastery Samzang, Jamdron many times to translate for him many things, what is happening there in Naroling Retreat at PTC. Lama Tsering came to us and told us with a translator that everyone should be his own retreat master here. Can you imagine that, he is appointed to be the Retreat Master of man and women retreat, but he tells us that we have to be our own Retreat Master. After I told this to PTC, when I say PTC I am referring to Samzang Denise Lordi and to Jamdron Susan Skolnik because they are the Manager Secretary and the Vice President also Board Members of PTC. After saying this after some months, LT came to us and told us that we are are own discipline master, changing retreat master with discipline master, because he wouldn’t put any rule in the retreat, anyone doing what they want.

Then after 2-3 months from retreat start, I told LT that a Hungarian retreat member has a laptop, the caretaker Dechen brought it to him, LT and monastery didn’t want to do anything. Also, the caretaker who was bringing food, started to hang with people using her phone with internet in the Retreat Gate House, also during Tuns, not in the lunch break. Before entering the retreat we had to sign a contract where it says all electronics laptops phones etc. with WIFI are strictly Prohibited, and Monastery PTC said people will be kicked if someone will use those electronics. After the contract we wrote our names on a paper, first was the retreat master Tsering Dakpa, second mine, and than the other lay people, because monastery didn’t give monk vows for them before retreat. And after the names we signed what we’ll respect the contract the rules. But for the entire time when I was in retreat LT and Monastery didn’t do anything to change the caretaker to put someone else to stop this with this internet phones etc., people going in the Gate House staying there with her, disturbing the others practice by making noise.

Some people, because I reported them about them staying in the gate house with the caretaker, made like a team against me, then started to lie about me that I do this and that, that I scream at them etc., so after 3-4 months from beginning I told everyone I won’t speak in the retreat any more, fist for some months, and after for the entire time.

Then I got very sick in the first months, I went to doctors in 2022 more than 13 times, doctors didn’t know what I have, I had big pain in the throat, coughing a lot, and after many investigations which were more than $15000, I was diagnosed with Acid Reflux, and doc gave me some medicine but didn’t work, so I went to another doctor he changed the medicine. But for more than 22 days the caretaker Dechen didn’t want to go to pharmacy to pick them up, she was evil, because I told about her staying in the Gate House with people during tun with phone. So my health became worst, now I started to have big stomach ackee not only pain in throat and also poop with blood. So, when I saw this, I told her she is lying to me that she went to pharmacy and we should go to hospital. When I told her she lies she started to record me with the phone. So, I was thinking she will show to the monastery so I was speaking loud and clear to the phone telling the entire story how she lied fore more than 22 days, didn’t get my medicine, she was only saying something that pharmacy want to put the name of my medicine to generic to be cheaper. Which was a lie, after I went with her to hospital, we stopped at the Pharmacy, and they told me the Insurance Company doesn’t want to pay for the new medicine, but after contacting my family doctor I was able to get the needed medicine. It took 1-2 days because I went to pharmacy to ask to check about the medicine, which the Caretaker didn’t do, and all this time my health became worse and worse, for 22 day as I said. So, I wrote all of this to the monastery including LT.

But surprise, they didn’t change the caretaker Dechen after harming my life willingly. What happened? Next day LT comes with a translator and with Dechen the caretaker telling me is not a long time 22 days if Dechen doesn’t bring my medicine, she has things to do, also including driving him. I tell him I have to take the medicine 2 times per day, otherwise is very bad and he says is no problem if I don’t get for more than 3 weeks. Then he insists I look good, why do I go to doctors. After I receive a letter from Samzang/Jamdron (when I say Monastery I’m meaning both of them) that LT came and he said was a good discussion, everything is fine. I wrote them what the stupid things LT was telling me, with no problem with medicine, that she doesn’t have time (she goes minimum 3-4 times to city every week but can’t stop 5 min to take med for someone very ill). Then at a teaching practice next days, LT was very angry telling me to leave (probably because everyone at the monastery found out what he told me) plus during the road to hospital/pharmacy Dechen gave me her phone so I wrote some messages to my parents that I’m very sick with symptoms to ask doctors in my country, also about medicine.

Last year and also in 2022 some the retreat members gang that formed against me (the Hungarian and John Keefer, an older American guy) were coming to my face like a bull with their head cursing me etc. I wrote to John one time that he is lying about me to the monastery, he started to shout more swear word and other verbal abuse towards me, trying to intimidate me by approaching with the head in my face, I turned my back and went to do cora, even though he is almost 70 he was running after me swearing, cursing etc. LT and Monastery didn’t say to them anything, did nothing. This with him being the bully, coming aggressive in my face with his head happened 3 times, Tsering Dakpa the retreat master and PTC didn’t say anything to him/ them.

Again, last year Lehel the Hungarian, put internet on the retreat laptops, we had 2, one in the basement with a printer for files and one in the shrine for Zoom. Both were blocked from internet access, only zoom in the shrine. So, he unlocked the laptops, I started to see people in breaks when I went to kitchen they were connecting to the laptop with a cable from the Switch. I made some print screens that there is internet, Windows updating from December 2022, now was April 2023, also print screens with browse history stocks etc. Again, Monastery didn’t do anything for many months. During tun, when I was going to the toilet, I saw many times people were at the laptop, and again LT didn’t do anything. End of June he says he has to leave for India for 2 months, and he heard there is internet, people started to lie that there is no internet, they can guarantee. Again, nothing from him. After some months I’ve let the internet working on the laptop in the basement so that everyone couldn’t say there is no internet here. They wrote oohh Odzer is right we have internet, the cable is safe John the American was saying, none can access now, even though they were connecting the cable to the laptop, again no word about this from the monastery, but after this event they sent someone to block the laptops.

 Meanwhile during this months with internet access on the laptops in the retreat, I wrote to Samzang Denise Lordi and Jamdron Susan Skolnick that I want to tell Tai Situpa Rinpoche about this situation, if Jamdron can send him my letter about internet what's happening in the retreat, but she cut all communications on this subject, didn't want to reply me like always. I asked them both a couple of times, but no reply. Also I wrote to lama Tsering, Samzang, Jamdron, and the monastery's abbot lama Norgyal to deal with the internet problem in the retreat and to apply the contract, if not, I will take legal actions against the monastery. How is this possible in a 3 years retreat. Big surprise nothing happened maybe because also John Keefer was involved using the internet, a big supporter of the monastery and a deciple of lama Norlha.

 Also the hungarian bought an inflatable pool and most of the people started to stay in it, one after the other, filled with cold water for some time, like Wim Hof exercise. This in brakes or  during tuns practice. of course LT saw it but like always didn't take any measure for the 3 years retreat.

 Even though Lama Tsering knew for a long time he will leave for India he didn’t teach us the Vajrayoghini inner practice, before he left he told us to read the commentary which we would do for 4 months. Most of his practice explanations are just reading the pecia the text and say where to play the bell and dhamaru. AT the last practice before I had to leave the retreat LT explaind Chakrasamvara for 3 hours, outer inner basically reading the practice text and where to play the bell and dhamaru. Also we didn’t do even one time together the Chakaramsavara practice to have like an example to know how to do. He was saying in the past you read the commentaries that you have in English. We didn’t have the Tibetan translated commentaries but the commentary of commentaries from KTD and Nalanda which we bought. These are his explanations about practice, only where to play the instruments, that’s why I say he is not a retreat master, he doesn’t know or he can’t teach. We had 4-5 translators of teachings during this time, all of them were asking if to read the text, because he is basically reading the text in Tibetan that’s all. But we were fortunate because during the end of last retreat when someone asked about Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s books explanations (which they received almost at the end of their retreat), we had bought the books of KKR explanations for the practices, which I think are the best, he was such a great teacher. Much better also than the Nalanda ones, which for the 6 Yogas Vajrayoghini and Chakrasamvara we bought. So, he left to India, but in August a lama who did the 3years retreat with LT at Sherabling came from his centre in Canda to us, for 2 weeks. He knew English very well, and every day for 2 weeks morning and evening he was coming giving teachings, speaking in private to each of us, answering questions. I liked him very much, how a retreat master should be. In the day he left I thanked him for coming to us, he said he had to, here people are confused. Of course I told him LT left without teaching Dorje Pagmo, so he thought it.

Than LT comes from India, he still doesn’t want to teach the secret Vajrayoghini practice. But thanks to that lama from Canada that explained me in private some parts of the secret practise plus the book from K. Karthar Rinpoche, I could do it. I insisted again to LT to teach the secret practice, he insisted also that everything was thought.

People were still meeting with Dechen caretaker with her phone in the gatehouse, making barbeques outside even during tuns, sometimes drinking alcohol. Than they started directly to steal the food which the caretaker was bringing in the Gate house. Of course she should have brought the food everything only during lunch break, but she was bringing food during tuns, people going there and stealing what they want bringing to their rooms. I had a special diet because of my acid reflux. We had to cook every day in rotation and because I reported the about internet access issue, etc, the team formed against me was stealing the entire food, depositing in their rooms in big garbage bags. For more than 2 weeks the fridge was almost empty, first I thought Dechen the caretaker doesn’t buy food, but than I saw when the others were cooking had a lot of things to cook and eat. I wasn’t eating the others food, couldn’t eat with oil, spices, fried, many food types etc, this would give me a big stomach pain. I was paying 750 USD per moth and did not have what to eat for almost a month.

So again I wrote to the monastery, what is happening, they started to buy a lot of food so people in retreat couldn’t deposit all in their rooms, in bags and started to put also in the fridge. But no word from  Tsering Dakpa or Monastery about addressing the food stealing and no one was sanctioned for this. Eventually the problem mostly got resolved due to the fact that the food was spoiling in their rooms, they put it back in the fridge.

 Ringu Tulku Rinpoche comes, and after some days, the Hungarian leaves the retreat. During all this time, 2023 and 2024 most people stopped coming to pujas and only 1-2 attending regularly. I told LT but nothing, he came also a few times and saw. Also in the morning nobody was waking up at 4 (as required by the rules) except an American and me. Also he was most of the times the only one from the others that participated to pujas with me. People sleeping. Also only him from the others in retreat was doing chod in the night (as required). Otherwise no one. Also Troy Suben was burning a lot of incense before puja making a cloud of smoke in the shrine for me not to go (smoke would give me pain in the throat from acid reflux, a lot of coughing). I told LT about this he didn’t do anything. One time he was in his room in retreat and I wrote him that again big smoke in the Shrine, he said I told them but people don’t listen. So for him if they don’t listen he can’t do anything. Also people accused one American of taking drugs, having internet, electronics in his room. What the retreat master said? Only if he is caught with drugs on him when he is out of his room he can do something. I don’t think that guy was taking drugs, but what were the teachings LT was giving to us, the meaning, you can do anything here only I can something if you are cought outside of your room, but of course for example with the internet in the basement and shrine laptop, he didn’t do anything.

 Than this year we start 6 yogas, trulkor in January. I hear will be a meeting with LT, I am thinking again people want to complain about me lying etc. I told LT I won’t come again they want to lie about food so the meeting is cancelled. After mahakala practice another meeting was put, also Samzang and a doctor John Fallon from the Monastery Board came. LT came to my room telling me that I have to come to the meeting. There was a translator on the phone. I asked him why, he said that 3 people John, Troy Suben and Dechen the caretaker are complaining saying I was aggressive and other things. I told him these are lies, and he can see the past (he showed me he can see 2-3 times) that can look that I didn’t do this things. He laughed and said yes there is no proof, but you come to say they are lying, otherwise next time I have to leave the retreat. So I go but for my surprise the verdict was already taken, LT didn’t let me to talk, only one time I could say it’s a lie, John saying I was bully with Dechen, which even she said she didn’t say this, she said she doesn’t feel safe (of course many times I wrote about her or caught here with people in the guest house, so if I would have to break the rules I wouldn’t feel safe if someone catches me, etc.), and than the other American Troy Suben saying that my energy goes to others and this makes them become angry saying bad things. Of course if you don’t practice there is no internal energy building, but why am I guilty about this. LT said next time if it happens you have to leave. I couldn’t believe what I am hearing, and I told him I’ll write him a letter because I see he doesn’t let me to speak. He told me to write to the Board of PTC not to him. So next days I wrote to the board , what happened, to tell me in writing what I have done wrong, for what I am guilty, to understand and for next time not to happen, for others not to come again with these, because what was spoken at the meeting doesn’t stand a chance in a law suit, that someone complains about my energy which goes to him making him angry or John that I was bully with Dechen when even she said she didn’t say this. After about 1 month Board of PTC answer that LT is the retreat master and he is in charge of this and not them. Than I wrote again to Board of PTC telling them that LT told me to write to them this meaning he is not in charge. Again they wrote that LT and officers of monastery are in charge with the situation. I write to Samzang to write me what I’ve done wrong, no answer. I write again than she writes that people are complaining for a long time so they had to do something. I told her is one thing if people complain, but other thing for her and LT to come to me with lies. After I was kicked from the retreat I spoke with a man staying at PTC he told me that this were politics about what happened in January with Samzang and J.Fallon coming to tell me next time you are out. Also I didn’t receive any specific answer about what I did wrong, because there was no proof. Also John Keefer the American in retreat had no family, no children, he worked in movie industry, people were saying he is reach, he was giving much money to the monastery, from 2016 after he retired he stayed at the monastery and wanted to do a 3yr retreat for him to remain after retreat at the monastery. He was an old disciple of Lama Norlha. He didn’t do Vajrayoghini, 6 yogas, etc, even LT asked him before VY, he said he won’t do, he want to do Lha Ji, shangpa practice, which LT agreed. When LT came from India he asked him if he’ll do 6 yogas , John said no. LT didn’t do or say anything after.

In the end I never received an answer with what I did wrong.

Last year we received a message from the monastery that PTC has a law suit from 3 women. After I was out of retreat I checked and I could find the law suit details and document on reddit that those 3 women were sexually abused, raped by lama Norlha in the past. And that the people to whom they were complaining about lama Norlha are still in the leadership position like Samzang, Jamdron, Rogner. Those 3 women were telling them of the sexual abusement of lama Norlha, in the KTC Monastery and also in inside the retreat he was coming sexually abusing them, and Samzand or Jamdron were saying that is good what they do for Norlha, to continue, didn’t do anything to stop. This is very very bad.

Here is the link of the law suit also with the doc: https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/17zv1b7/kagyu_leadership_named_in_sextrafficking_lawsuit/

During retreat Shedron Sarina Straussner (a pretend nun from PTC) and one of the ex-girlfriends of lama Norlha, who is in the ladies 3 years retreat, some time ago sent laptops phones to people here (I and others before retreat gave her to keep them during retreat) some even have Wi-Fi signal from the Monastery in their rooms. Also in the contract it is written that use of laptops phone is prohibited etc, and what someone from Monastery does, she send these electronics to people in a retreat braking the contract. Monastery braking the contract with these, also the caretaker with the phone etc, and that I will sue them not having a retreat here, I pay thousands of USD and here is not a retreat that I’ll put also on internet for everyone to see how is a retreat in US at PTC. And to not forget that last year I was bitten by a tick and gave me Lyme disease also all people here except John were bitten by ticks and got lime, for 2-3 months I was sick and was the responsibility of the Monastery when we applied to write on the web site, that here is a very dangerous area with Lyme ticks, the most dangerous in all America.

 Again this year I became very sick also had a very bad allergy. My eyes itching very red, also had pus in one eye. I've put a letter for the doctor in a Monday for Dechen to photo and to send it to the him, she took it on Tuesday but the doctor came on Saturday, 4 days later, because Dechen didn't take the picture of the letter to send it to the doc.  During this days my allergy was going worse and worse, and if I wouldn't have tried many eye drops some also with antibiotics, I would have to signal the alarm to go at Emergency. All this because Dechen didn't do her job right, didn't inform the doc J. Fallon. I wrote to LT and to monastery to change the caretaker Dechen, to put someone else, because she harmed my health again, and if they don't change her that I will sue the Monastery. Of course they didn't do anything like usual.

 In the end they came up with a reason to kick me out of the retreat by miss-interpreting some wording in one of my complaints letters about food steeling and opening my private letters. After I saw so many times John Keefer and Troy Suben stealing food and many other stuff for many months without monastery taking any measure, one day I saw Suben also reading one of my private letters that I received, which was private, sealed with tape and my name on it. Because I wasn't speaking in retreat I wrote him a short letter, and in the title I named him rabbai thief of the retreat. Not because I have something with jews, but because he was looking like a rabi. John  Keefer was telling monastery for some time that if I won't be kicked he will leave the retreat, also Suben was complaining and wanted me kicked for more than a year, so he started to say that I am racist and the monastery to take measures. As until this letter monastery didn't have any proof to kick me, even though they wanted for some time how I said at the beginning of 2024. At end of July beginning of August Samzang and a doctor from board of PTC came and said that next day, first of August I have to leave the retreat.

 Before leaving USA I asked Samzang why they kicked me, she said because I threatened monastery that I'll sue them and put also on internet and that Suben started to accuse me that I was racist calling him in that way in the letter so KTC/PTC had to kick me.

  So this is the story of my experience in a three years retreat at KTC/PTC New York USA 2024. In my view is very important for future retreatants to know what they can expect from a retreat here at PTC, for them to choose the right place, because are may retreats available.

 The all knowing 16th Gyalwang Karmapa told before he passed into paranirvana to lama Norlha that on that place there will be ten 3 years retreats. The one I entered was exactly the tenth, the last one according to H.H. Karmapa's prophecy. This remains to be seen.

monk karma shenphen odzer dorje

Dearest Naropa Community,

I received a communication from Nathan Stone, a lawyer for Naropa, who demands that I "(4) both recant your tortious statements and apologize to Naropa and Mr. Lief, publicly and in writing, to all of the forums in which you made defamatory, tortious statements, including but not limited to Facebook and Reddit, and to all Naropa students (and their family members), faculty, trustees, community partners, clinic directors, and anyone else you contacted regarding this matter."

So I recant all my statements. I am sorry for writing about my experience and saying bad things about Charles Lief and Naropa.

It is clear that Mr. Lief is a superb leader.

All the best.

Shambhala grifters. It has been reported that Chuck Lief the President of Naropa has been receiving the following compensation at the same time that Naropa has been selling off assets including plans to sell their main campus. The level of compensation of a tiny non-profit, for an incompetent leader driving the organization into the ground due to poor leadership and management, is astounding. It has also been reported that the head of Shambhala Mountain Center, currently known as Drala Mountain Center a run-down, barely functioning non-profit known for poor working conditions and low pay for most workers, received similar outrageous compensation - $200,000 per year to Michael Gaynor while he ran SMC/DMC into the ground, paying poverty wages to staff.

Shambhala touts and has proclaimed for years that they are "creating enlightened society". What a joke. It seems what they did was to draw on many of the worst aspects of society such as feudalism (creating a society whereby there is an elite class and everyone else is treated as worthless peasants), the Catholic Church (the infallibility of the Pope, rampant sexual abuse), capitalism and inequality (outrageous pay for leaders, poverty pay for workers). Below is Chuck Lief's pay over the years of running Naropa into the ground. It has been reported that the head of Shambhala/Drala Mountain Center received similar pay while leading a failing organization paying poverty wages to others.

Chuck Lief's reported compensation. Does he pay himself the proceeds every time he sells off another building? What will he pay himself when the main campus is sold off in 2027 as planned?

$238,740.00 2013

$237,194.00 2014

$236,208.00 2015

$235,147.00 2016

$236,586.00 2017

$266,999.00 2018

$257,792.00 2019

$261,483.00 2020

$300,000.00 2021

$513,770.00 2022

I just stumbled across the new Shambhala Page regarding their history, which - I think - was not discussed here already. What do you think of it?

https://shambhala.org/about/our-story/

I've heard through completely reliable sources that his background and past actions are quite shady including run-ins with the law. He was removed from the Governing Council of DDL due to inappropriate relations with a junior staff, but kept on as the Managing Director. How can Shambhala organizations continue to hire such men! He has barely any meditation experience but I guess nepotism wins. His mother and her partner are longterm shambhalans...

Hi

I am a member of another reddit. I was adviced to check on this subreddit in order to get information regarding Shambala Buddhism and Pema Chödrön.

I was a member of SGI during 12 years and left after I realized its cultish nature and found its teachings empty an non- Buddhist. I have been listening to Pema Chödrön talks and found them wonderful, until someone shared this with me:

https://www.gurumag.com/pema-chodron-shambhala-cult/

It really freaked me out. I thought she was against sexual abuse and harrassment. After what I have been through with SGI, I do not want to fall prey to a rotten cult.

Can you please give me some info?

Interesting conference occurring soon. Curious if the talks will be recorded and posted online.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NaropaUniversity/s/jar8J7NQU4

https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/boulder/city-of-boulder-immediately-shuts-down-building-on-university-hill-due-to-safety-violations?fbclid=IwY2xjawFb_dtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSscgkHL_fSGeb2e10hwIhKBOom-snSAY4uISw09ixwl1l4O5qtUGNvtFg_aem_rKol6qyA0It88RlkT2NC-Q

I just got an email from an organization called Shambhala Global Services with an Aurora, Colorado PO address. Does anyone know what this organization is? They were offering online courses, taped from old seminars. One was Thrangu Rinpoche's Vivid AWareness seminar which he gave in Halifax in 2011. There were two other courses offered one with Dilgo Khysentse Rinpoche (Primordial Purity) and the other with John Rockwell. Interestingly the first two courses were $79 and John Rockwell's was $149. Is this group split from the Sakyong? Or funding him? How do they have these tapes?

Occasionally I think, was leaving SMR too rash? He is a good teacher (he actually is), shouldn't I stay for that reason? Why did I do it? So I made a list.

Anxious, cowed students. The true believers close to the center of things are especially scary.

Super fancy gold and brocade.

Poorly-written practices; one of them actually teaches a dualistic concept!

There's nobody to go to with questions or to provide practice support, like an acharya... And he doesn't take questions.

Scary Wangmo: SMR says she looks at everyone who's there on Zoom and she can tell who's practicing (like Santa Claus, she's "making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice...").

TWO flowery supplications before teaching consisting of a recap of the wonderful things he did or taught last time, plus a genuinely alarming amount of praise and compliments and more praise, delivered by European women with rictus smiles and pleading eyes.

He can't teach Shambhala because Diana holds the copyrights. So he is now teaching the path to Amitayus, a Vajrayana version of Amitabha. Amitabha is a version of the B-Dog beloved throughout the world, so fine. But this is a Ripa thang. I can't relate to Amitayus (although I respect them) and I don't want to go there. I'm also uneasy about the politics.

I can't relate to Gesar. I can barely relate to Padmasambhava. I figured, maybe I just need to know more about them. So I read The Epic of Gesar with some SMR students. (Yeeks: 6 pages describing the muscles of a horse? Not much to do in medieval Tibet, I guess.) I pointed out that those two do horrible s#t and manipulate people in terrible ways. Got blank looks except for one Very Important Student who was NOT AMUSED. Sheesh.

A lot of this is JUST LIKE THAT CHRISTIAN GOD! The ultimate Abusive Parent.

Reading my list/screed helps to put me back there, desperate for some connection with, well, Something. Reminds me of how I wanted to run screaming from the room, how I wanted to find other SMR students who were experiencing the airless Tupperware container. I found this list, which is The Place. And while I don't always feel the degree of pain that others do, I do get it, and I respect it.

This missive from Shambhala was in my email inbox today. Doesn't specify what Shambhala entity it's from.

"Dear Friends,

The Next Buddha Project invites you to the sixth conversation in the series, Gender Dynamics and Patriarchy, with Holly Gayley and Aarti Tejuja, Saturday, September 21st, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Pacific time. Here's the link to our conversation calendar. You can register there.

In this session, there will be use of movement, journaling, and dialogue for an embodied exploration of how gender conditioning shapes us and how we can empower our unique self-expression beyond imposed norms. This is an important step to enacting social and cultural change from the inside out.

We hope you will join us and help us bring benefit to our community and our world.

We would also appreciate it if you would send this on to any and all your contacts, lists, friends and centers. This is a grassroots endeavor, so word of mouth is our marketing tool.

With much appreciation,

Frederick Meyer, Janet Ryvlin, and Denise Blanc The Next Buddha Project team"

Janet Ryvlin has been the Shambhala Social Justice Warrior for many years, cultivating diversity in Shambhala by leading embodied self-fruitional exercises in a safe space that facilitate self-awareness of racism and deeply ingrained sexual, gender-related, and socioeconomic biases that perpetuate the white cis-gender heterosexual ultra processed artificially flavored bezene-free glacier socialist revolutionary revolving planet poop. There will be an oral exam.

Can somebody please post a link to the pilgrims letter?

I am a survivor and new here today and have been reading all the posts with joy. I am faily stupid-- I am in therapy trying to figure ot why I am drawn to cults. which is very embarrassing and trying t develop insight so I don't F up again. Thanks for the Amanda Montell book it was really REALLY helpful.Nothing yet to add. Maybe I will just be quiet and learn from you for a while.Respect to all of you.

Secrets of Shambhala: In Pema Chodron's Shadow. Top secret texts reveal the cult-like inner workings of Shambhala Buddhism.

https://www.gurumag.com/pema-chodron-shambhala-cult/

Cultish (2021) helped me understand my summers at SMC nearly 20 years ago reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/1digr2a/reflecting_on_7_months_at_shambhala_mountain/

Montell earned a linguistics degree from NYU. Her first book is the bestseller, The Age of Magical Overthinking. She hosts the Sounds Like a Cult & the Magical Overthinkers podcast. Cultish is a great resource for anyone who wants to sharpen their BS detector. She analyzes the Jonestown cult and Scientology, and examines the use of language and persuasion in fitness guru groups (e.g. Soul Cycle, Cross Fit), corporations (e.g. Amazon), and multilevel marketing schemes (MLMs). Unfortunately, there are only six pages about Shambhala. Montell’s father was part of the Syanon cult. Montell recalls her distressing experience with a Scientology recruiter when she was 19.

“A common belief is that cult indoctrinators look for individuals who have ‘psychological problems’ because they are easier to deceive. But former cult recruiters say their ideal candidates were actually good-natured, service-minded, and sharp…Steve Hassan [a therapist specializing in exit counseling for cult members, and former member of ‘The Moonies’] explains he recruited those who were strong, caring, and motivated….Because it took so much time and money to enlist a new member, they avoided wasting resources on someone who seemed liable to break down right away…Eileen’s Barker’s studies of the Moonies confirmed that their most obedient members were intelligent…[often] the children of activists, educators, and public servants…They were raised to see the good in people. It’s not desperation or mental illness that consistently suckers people into exploitative groups—instead, it’s an overabundance of optimism. [While] cultish environments can appeal to individuals facing emotional turmoil [vulnerable to ‘love-bombing’]….the attraction is often more complex than ego or desperation…” (pgs. 97-98)

Most people who join cults leave eventually. Montell explains that some people remain in cults for “the same reasons you might put off a necessary breakup: denial, listlessness, social stresses, fear they might seek revenge, lack of money, lack of outside support, doubt you’ll be able to find something better, and the…hope that your current situation will…go back to how it was at the start—if only you hold on a few more months….” (98)

Montell describes “the behavioral economic theory of loss aversion says that human beings generally feel losses (of time, money, pride, etc.) much more acutely than gains…we’re willing to do a lot of work to avoid looking defeats in the eye…We tend to stay in negative situations, from crappy relationships to lousy investments…telling ourselves that a win is just around the corner [instead of cutting] our losses. [This phenomenon is called] the sunk cost fallacy…people’s tendency to think that resources already spent justify spending even more.. We’ve been in this so long, we might as well keep going.” (98)

To Shambhala followers who are harassing survivors in this group:

Montell's book can give you some insights. I hope that you can move towards living in accordance with your values and your life before Shambhala. Every moment in fresh and new. Every moment is an opportunity to move away from people who are committed to using religion to blind you to systematic abuse, manipulation, and exploitation.

Whatever insights Shambhala leaders have about life—that does not justify the harm they have caused, and continue to cause, to thousands of people. It's possible to reconcile your positive experiences in Shambhala with acceptance of the systematic abuse and exploitation in Buddhist/Shambhala communities around the world. Accepting that some leaders engaed in misconduct and perpetuate abuse does not erase your positive experiences. Harrassing survivors is not an expression of basic goodness or Buddha-nature.

I would appreciate recommendations on books, podcasts, and documentaries about Shambhala and other high demand groups. I’ve read many articles, Combatting Mind Control, and American Buddhism (too scholarly). I watched ‘Buddhism: The Law of Silence,’ the short documentary featuring the Sakyong’s brother, and Jonestown documentaries. I listened to the Uncoverage podcast. I plan on listening to Montell’s podcasts & rewatching Aftermath.

UPDATE: After reading Be Scofield's expose articles on Shambhala, I read her 'critical review' of Cultish: gurumag.com/a-critical-review-of-amanda-montells-cultish/. Montell's casual Gen Z communication style isn't everyone's 'cup of tea.' While Scolfield makes some excellent points, I think Montell's book opens up important conversations about high demand groups and the role of language, and encourages healthy skepticism. Since young adults are more vulnerable to high demand groups, Montell's Gen Z status comes in handy. As the cover suggests, it's not a scholarly work.

Now that I've learned more about CTR's appalling behavior, and changed my assessment of him altogether, I have a dilemma.

I still love the Sadhana of Mahamudra. It speaks to me in a deep way.

How can someone so dysfunctional create this (IMHO) magical beautiful thing?

I went to a weekend program about it. The teacher was a respected Shambhala VIP. As he led it, the atmosphere became golden and somehow the room became numinous. I swear. I'm not woo but that happened.

Later he was frighteningly inappropriate with my friend with whom he was staying.

So again, what do you do when you experience wonderful and terrible with the same person?

My only thought about this is that you can hold both, that there's some gray area, that no one is 100% bad. What do you think?

September 4th, 2024 Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. Drala Mountain Center announced today that it has received restricted gifts from three major donors led by the Pema Chodron Foundation in the total amount of $700,000. At the direction of the donors, the funds have already been used to reduce DMC’s senior secured indebtedness to Red Hills Holdings, LLC. Using the proceeds of the restricted gifts, an amount of $500,000 has been applied to prepay principal due on the Maturity Date which will also (i) result in a waiver of an additional $100,000 of principal by the lender and (ii) will automatically extend the Maturity Date to September 26, 2030. An amount of $200,000 has been applied to prepay quarterly principal payments due on October 1, 2024, January 1, 2025, April 1, 2025, July 1, 2025, October 1, 2025, January 1, 2026, April 1, 2026, and July 1, 2026. The reduction in the outstanding principal balance of the senior debt has also resulted in a substantial reduction of DMC’s required monthly interest payments on the debt.

On behalf of the DMC Governing Council, Clifford Neuman, Chairman, stated “We want to thank the generosity and support of our donors and community for this important milestone to ensure our long-term financial stability.”

Publicly shamed?

Sent into solitary retreat as punishment to think about your actions during a group retreat?

Brainwashed to never ever doubt him?

Did he threaten your job, MI status, teaching roles, or sangha membership if you didn't stay in line?

Did he tell you the protectors would kill you?

Did he make you re-do your ngondro or go back to the beginning of the practices because you said something that was displeasing to him and therefore you needed to "be more in your body"?

Did he spread lies about you around the sangha?

Ask for huge donations?

Tell you you were not Vajrayana enough?

Create fear of leaving Dharma Ocean by telling stories about the terrible things that would happen to you spiritually if you left?

Discourage, punish, or hold you back from retreats if he found you were studying with another teacher?

Threaten your teaching or employment if you didn't take the 3 Samayas Vow saying you would never criticize him?

Encourage you to spy on other sangha members and report to him?

Teach you to never listen to your own thoughts, especially any that might tell you to doubt the teacher or get the fuck out?

Teach that all mind states are welcome, but publicly shame you if you have an emotion he doesn't like?

Did he tell you that being miserable and in constant distress is a sign that the practices are working?

Say you couldn't be his student if you asked him to use your correct gender pronouns?

What else?

Another novella.

Some of you have followed my story about leaving SMR's world. It's been at least a couple weeks now. Why am I not over it? Sure I was with him for 25 years, but c'mon. Pathetic .Anyway... I'm just the tiniest bit tortured:

Vajrayana I thought I loved the Vajrayana. It's the only spiritual technology that works for me: merging what I know about quantum physics with my quasi-analog experience of reality and some profound experiences I have had--something I've always wanted to realize/cultivate. I think Dzogchen, in particular, is da bomb. And now I do NOT want to practice. Or meditate. Guilt! Fear! What if I'm destroying my spiritual whatever? What if I'm damned? Was I pretending all this time?

Stories All the stories and etc. about bad behavior by all the members of the lineage: A lot of the stories here were eye-opening and motivated me to finally leave. But what if they're made up? Or exaggerated? What if I'm poisoning my mind with negativity? Do I trust the people here? (Obviously, 90% of me does or I wouldn't be writing this! Respect!)

"Work with it" This is important. I think this is a BIG reason people stayed with SMR.

I've always been told to work with bad behavior by the teacher. Every time there's a scandal this gets hammered in HARD. Like, there's some teaching in it that I will "get" if I work with it: contemplate, study, meditate. Somebody in Halifax once told me that Trungpa must have had a Vajrayana reason for torturing the cat that we just don't see. ! That "work with the guru's negative behavior" is also in some of the traditional commentaries, and Dzongsar says the same thing. (I used to like him before I read his comments on sex with teachers.) So by that logic, I am violating samaya by leaving. But I can't see how the abuses are teachings. That means I'm failing to trust the guru. That is death.

Dorje Kasung You've read my post about being in the Dorje Kasung. It was the only place in Shambhala where I fit in, here I was welcomed and appreciated. I loved taking care of people, knowing where all the fire extinguishers and evacuation routes were, I loved drill. I had never camped and MPE was my favorite place to be. I swear, I never saw anything bad. (I wasn't Kusung.) Now I feel like maybe I was part of something evil, corrupt...is that true? And how come I didn't see that?

Death in Tupperware I have always practiced, and lately especially, to prepare for death. The Sakyong's world is very focused on a long-life practice now, which in a funny way is also about death. His world feels like a tightly sealed container where only practice and grandchildren matter. We can't help the outside world now-- it will have to wait until I'm enlightened.

I'm abandoning the only place I've belonged. I'm condemning myself to spiritual hell. I'm a failure. Have I wasted the last 25 years?

https://gofund.me/41a6519d

Does anyone in this sub know Melissa McKay? Please dm me if you know her.