On Shambhala

I became steeped in meditation and the sacred world view through Shambhala Training. Shambhala Training is a somewhat secular version of Tibetan Buddhism. Upon completion, many students "graduate" to a more traditional Vajrayana path. It took me 10 years to complete.

Shambhala Training opened my eyes to something that I kind of already knew. That underneath it all, the nature of ourselves and our world is basically good. There's a mystical aspect to it - that of the world giving us feedback if we're on the right path. Deep, incredible, life-changing coincidences occurred in my life alongside many of the teachings - something that the scientific & rational part of me struggled to reconcile. From a longtime interest in physics - the magical world of quantum physics - answers began to emerge. It turns out that there is solid science behind auspicious coincidence when interpreted in the right way. And this interpretation could lead to new insight into the problems vexing science today.

In any case, I felt a sense of completion upon finishing Shambhala Training. I had no desire to enter the Vajrayana path. While I identified strongly with the sacred-world view, the guru worshiping stuff never made sense. And, as it turns out, was ultimately very damaging. To me, the challenge of spiritual traditions is separating the genuine, profound wisdom accumulated over thousands of years from the nonsense. The more that takes place, the greater the unity between true science and true spirituality, and the greater its "windhorse" - the uplifted quality that makes an impact on the world.