Shambhala Day

Shambhala Day celebrates the Tibetan New Year that occurs in late February or early March each year. Shambhala is an ancient tradition that is rooted in the longing we all have to be completely authentic and to live in a society that cultivates our true expression as human beings. This longing is the basis of education at Naropa. Shambhala Day is an opportunity for you to reconnect to your aspiration; to reflect upon the goodness of the world; to express joy, humor and tenderness; and to enjoy the community of others who are similarly inspired. It is a school holiday and is celebrated by the Naropa community with a shared meal and a program of performances by students and faculty. All buildngs are closed except for those in use for celebration events.

In Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche puts the matter this way:
"There are seasons in your life in the same way as there are seasons in nature. There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. There are times of flourishing and abundance, when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. And there are times of fruition, when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested before they begin to fade. And finally, of course, there are times that are cold and cutting and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant dream. These rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing, not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are."