Editorial (Autumn ’17)

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to London and the UK. I trust you enjoyed your summers and whatever activities may have been on your agenda. I spent part of my summer at our European land centre, Dechen Chöling, and am feeling inspired and refreshed for a new annual cycle.

This newsletter contains a record-breaking 15 articles or contributions. All Pillars – Government, Dorje Kasung, Practice & Education, and – through the topic of working with money, also Economy –  are represented, and the same applies to the Office of Culture & Decorum and our young meditators from the Ziji Collective. In the spirit of “turn the flower outwards,” I am also happy to include articles about working with local schools and a refugee project. Furthermore, we can learn more about recent developments at our Centre and in the wider Shambhala Mandala. This rich offering of Shambhala culture strikes me as a lovely continuation of the Harvest of Peace celebration. I hope you find it helpful and informative.

On a personal note, I would like to thank all of you for supporting the newsletter and blog on our website. I have enjoyed my time as membership secretary and editor tremendously. The most important aspect for me was connecting with others in our community, and helping others connect with each other. If our Centres are to shine as beacons and embassies of basic goodness, it seems de rigueur to nurture and strengthen our own local and regional Sangha. Please continue to share and inspire each other. This is my last newsletter as editor, but I hope others will continue this work. My new sphere of activity is Practice & Education – I  spent last week at the Centre to develop a sense of what is needed and important, and am joining Council for my first meeting on 25th October. Our Director Lee Howson just received news of my official appointment through the Office of P&E as we are putting the finishing touches to this newsletter. I look forward to supporting the Centre in this new function, and hope to see you soon.

 

Yours in the Vision of the Great Eastern Sun,

Paul Gerstmayr

 

 

Paul Gerstmayr is the new Director of Practice and Education at the London Shambhala Meditation Centre. He studies and teaches Sanskrit, Pali, and Yoga.