Meet the Sangha – Stuart Rice

The next entry in our Meet the Sangha column comes from Stuart Rice. I plan to collect several more of these introductions, but will probably alternate them with upcoming posts from our Council on various subjects. – Michelle Welch, blog editor

Stuart Rice

In 2013, I had a realization: I wanted to learn to meditate. I had been a yoga practitioner and teacher for 12 years, but I realized that I was still very unsure about how to practice meditation. While I had received instruction in meditation, and taught basic contemplation and mindfulness, I realized that I needed teachings and a teacher. One day I typed “Meditation Centers” into Google and the Phoenix Shambhala center popped up. I recognized the term “Shambhala” from the audio programs of Pema Chödrön that I owned, and I saw that they were having a Level 1 training in September. Sight unseen, and with a kind of blind courage and confidence, I signed up for the program. That program began a journey that has fundamentally transformed the way that I work with my life and my world.

One gift of my Shambhala training is that I’ve learned to connect to my creativity in a non-judgmental way.  My path has included programs in Shambhala Art, calligraphy, flower arranging, and photography; all of these have become ways for me to let go of self-criticism, to accept things as they are, and to more fully enjoy the world. I’ve made powerful connections to teachers and helpers, including my meditation instructor, Mark Curtin. Mark acts as a sounding board for my experiences during meditation — and in life — and helps to draw out my inherent wisdom and clarify confusion. I came to Shambhala looking for meditation instruction; what I found is a community, a path, and a view that has enhanced and expanded my life!

Previous Meet the Sangha posts:
LaDawn Haglund