https://shambhala-apology.com/
Apologies to survivors of Shambhala sexual misconduct

https://thewalrus.ca/survivors-of-an-international-buddhist-cult-share-their-stories/
Overview of the history of generational abuse in Shambhala starting with trungpa to mipham

In depth article explaining Pema Chodron's enabling of the dangerous Chogyam Trungpa

In depth article detailing Reggie Ray, a student of Chogyam Trunpga, who carried forward trungpa's abusive culture as he created his own following

CBC covers Shambhala

A referenced and peer reviewed history of Chogyam Trungpa

Karme Choling Shambhala Meditation Center, which is owned by Shambhala USA lnc., sued for the sexual abuse of a 15 year old in 1983.

Sexual Abuse, Whiteness and Patriarchy.  A forum discussion that deeply covers problematic aspects of Shambhala.
A good discussion of how abuse allegations and survivor stories should be handled in Buddhist communities.  English discussion, though subtitled in Spanish, with academics Amy Langenberg and Ann Gleig.
A good article discussing sexual ethics in buddhism.

The Shiloh Podcast - "Would the Buddha have believed you?"
Episode Description
The Abuse in Religious Contexts project looks at the peculiar factors which allow abuse to take place within religious settings.
In this episode Amy Langenberg, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Eckerd college Florida, and Ann Gleig, Associate Professor of Religion and Cultural Studies at University of Central Florida, discuss their work on abuse in convert Buddhist communities.
Shambhala abuse examples used in the discussion.

Another good resource compiled by Amy Langenberg and Ann Gleig

Rachel Montgomery is co-founder of the Heartwood Sangha survivors' program (link below). She is a public health professional, and an eloquent advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. Rachel has filed a civil case for sexual abuse by Choga "Rinpoche" a decade ago when she was a student at his Dzogchen community in Oregon . She is being represented by McAllister Olivarius, which also represented Vikki Han, who alleged she was raped and impregnated by the 17th Karmapa.  https://www.heartwoodcenter.com/meditation/survivors-program/


https://web.archive.org/web/20220213155045/https://entropymag.org/woven-leaving-shambhala/
A very brave personal account of sexual assault and lack of support in shambhala.
Weak forced apologies only after the fact.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/h8o2in/apologies_from_two_acharyas/

https://www.dailycamera.com/2020/03/04/former-boulder-shambhala-member-to-be-sentenced-to-prison-following-guilty-plea/
From the article:  "Smith’s then-girlfriend also told police she heard Smith talking to several other men at a retreat where they discussed how “unfair” it was that laws prevented them from having sex with people younger than 18."
https://www.dailycamera.com/former-boulder-shambhala-member-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-on-child-sex-assault-case
“I heard character witnesses say they knew and didn’t do anything,” she said. “I was a child, and the adults around me failed.”

Toxic culture behind the scenes at a shambhala retreat center

Deconstructing shambhala rhetoric
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hf1pid/open_letter_from_59_dharma_brats_to_sakyong/
A group of people who grew up as children to trungpa's original followers publish a deeply problematic submissive plea
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hiyatq/shambhala_times_publishes_open_letter_from_dharma/
A similarly problematic "resigning" of "senior teachers" called "acharyas" publishing a letter.  Important commentary from survivors in the reddit thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hmetqx/statement_of_resignation_by_acharyas/


"Growing up in this community, I witnessed the birth of a secret society of dharma practitioners who, with Trungpa Rinpoche’s help, created a deadly environment of sexual predation, classism, and blind assent.
I learned the teachings of the dharma and the actions of dharma students were two very different things."
Episode 9 The Garden Party,
chogyam trungpa molests 13 and 11 year old children at garden party in front of his staff and personal guard kusung
Episode 11 devotion to the Guru
trunpga trained meditation instructors and students continue in his footsteps of child sexual predation.

A good essay from a former student of the "sakyong" on potential pitfalls in tibetan buddhist practices.

Former Acharya reveals being "groped, among other things" by the "sakyong" during discussion on "Leadership, Power, and Empowerment".  Caution, the series is promoted by the Rama cult - Lenz Foundation.  https://culteducation.com/group/1024-zen-master-rama/12640-diving-into-conscience-bay.html
Compelling documentary on the fraud Frederick Lenz with lots of parallels to shambhala

Current shambhala teacher Greg Heffron excuses a long history of flagrant clerical sexual assaults as crazy wisdom to be celebrated

https://www.ldmletter.com/
A schism developing between "sakyong" and "Lady Diana" (trungpa's widow) developing.
Commentary on reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hs8k3p/letter_from_lady_diana_freeing_the_texts/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SFE3shQTNXGcj1hj8AbYtJ05wFoimOeJ/view
Larimer Country Shambhala Investigation, Public Release - Sexual Assault
Reddit discussion of the above report:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/gdxj18/public_larimer_county_sheriff/

https://radiofreeshambhala.org/2019/04/shambhala-ownership-and-control/
Shambhala legal ownership and control structure.  All roads lead to Osel Mukpo "Sakyong".
https://shambhala-process-team.org/legal-structure-of-shambhala/
Shambhala's inner circle professes "Shambhala’s articles of incorporation, which state that the purpose of the organization is to support and facilitate the teachings of the Sakyong lineage of Shambhala under the leadership of the Sakyong."
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/gkheu6/a_letter_to_students_of_sakyong_mipham_rinpoche/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/jmzc0a/everyone_is_groomed_in_shambhala/
A descriptive post in reddit's ShambhalaBuddhism subreddit describing the grooming in Shambhala

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/bzt7a8/former_shambhala_teacher_caroline_contillo/
Shambhala trained meditation instructor renouncing the rape culture they endured

https://youtu.be/NAyO0detH5k
Student group to Shambhala Mountain Center experience sexual harrassment and minimizing.  Commentary on this report, https://www.patheos.com/blogs/americanbuddhist/2020/01/shambhala-buddhist-community-faces-new-allegations-in-chapman-student-investigation.html

Anonymous reviews of working conditions at Drala Mountain Center, previously called Shambhala Mountain Center 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/i98v3e/whistleblowing_crosspost_discussion_in_shambhala/
Code of Conduct Process Team member lends support to man encouraging acceptance of "romantic relationships" between men and boys.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/eo7vb5/strange_negative_experiences_at_smcrequest_for/fehvkyy
First hand recollections of what it was like to grow up in Shambhala and experience Shambhala Mountain Center and other Shambhala Land Centers.

Another brave sharing of abuse growing up in Shambhala

https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/the-lightness/amp/
Two women authors discuss their novel based on troubling experiences growing up in Shambhala
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hk402t/more_than_little_dakinis_growing_up_shambhala/

http://openbuddhism.org/tibetan-buddhism-enters-the-21st-century-trouble-in-shangri-la/
In depth review of Tibetan Buddhism in the West

Grassroots Efforts in Response to Sexual Abuse in American Buddhist Communities, Professorial research and panel discussion
A playlist of panel discussions surrounding sexual abuse in American Buddhism

https://www.dailycamera.com/ci_32516473/shambhala-international-may-sell-marpa-house-citing-debt
Shambhala sold an apartment complex that was bought with community funds and evicted 40 residents to cover the losses incurred by the "sakyong's" sexual assaults loss of memberships.  Though owning multiple million dollar properties, "sakyong" hasn't covered anything for the financial harm.
https://boulderbeat.news/2020/05/08/boulder-landmarks-marpa-house-over-objections-of-alleged-abuse-survivors/

https://www.dailycamera.com/2019/09/24/justin-rezzonico-shambhala-boulder-mipham

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/07/what-is-shambhala-buddhism/

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/07/shambhala-sexual-abuse/

https://www.cjr.org/the_profile/shambhala-buddhist-project-sunshine.php
Overview of Project Sunshine, an independent investigation into abuses in Shambhala

https://www.lionsroar.com/pema-chodron-apologizes-for-dismissing-allegation-of-sexual-assault-from-young-woman/
Pema Chodron cruelly denied a woman's rape experience telling the victim,  “I don’t believe you” and “If it’s true I suspect that you were into it.”
https://shambhalatimes.org/2020/01/16/letter-from-ani-pema-chodron/
Pema Chodron resigns as a Shambhala Acharya due to lack of action.  Background on Pema's enabling and bystanding.  https://www.facebook.com/matthew.remski/posts/10162976946810602
contemporary of Pema during trungpa's time calling out hypocrisy and bystanding

https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/shambhala-kusung-letter
Sakyong's personal staff share the abuses they endured https://tricycle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/An-Open-Letter-Statements-16-Feb-2019.pdf

http://www.dailycamera.com/opinion-darryl-collette-enough-of-the-lies-about-naropa-and-shambhala
Naropa university has a problematic history
https://boulderbeat.news/2020/06/12/opinion-naropa-needs-to-face-the-skeleton-in-the-closet/

http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_31992200/naropa-university-removes-shambhala-international-leader-board

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/10/shambhala-mountain-center-apologizes-misconduct/

https://bbooks.info/book/the-mahasiddha-and-his-idiot-servant
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL8585128M/The_Mahasiddha_and_His_Idiot_Servant
trungpa's butler shares their experiences together.  See page 60 for animal abuse https://imgur.com/a/RpxnbQi
An excerpt from trungpa's butler's book describing trungpa's drunken drug fuelled harassment on an airplane https://www.celticbuddhism.org/potowski-av
Another story where trungpa harasses a waitress to the point of being thrown out of a bar

Link to excerpt from trungpa's child wife's book Dragon Thunder, "When we were first married, Rinpoche told me that it was normal for Tibetan men to beat their wives. ... he tried - not very convincingly - to slap me a couple times when we were arguing."

Link to excerpt from trungpa's child wife's book Dragon Thunder, " Rinpoche went into Akong's bedroom upstairs and completely destroyed Akong's personal shrine with his walking stick. Then he went and urinated all over the top of the stairwell, after which he lay down and passed out at the top of the stairs."

 https://imgur.com/gallery/iwvc6s0
trungpa supports public floggings and hundred year imprisonment.  Excerpt from Vajradhatu's Court Vision and Practice.  Also the cutting off of thumbs, https://imgur.com/gallery/DUovWgq

https://imgur.com/gallery/vj4lebS
trungpa discusses the "Rape Principle" at the 1983 Vajrayogini Talks.  More rape culture from trungpa:  https://imgur.com/gallery/6BtDThe

https://amoraobscura.wordpress.com/2018/04/28/crazy-wisdom-uncomfortable-questions/
trungpa orders his willing followers to assault a couple
https://boulderbuddhistscam.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/the-party.pdf
Interview with Brigit Meier describing being assaulted by trungpa at the infamous party

Interview with candid attendee of the violent drunken "retreat"/party run by trungpa

Podcast covering trungpa and the halloween party assaults, interview with participants

http://www.strippingthegurus.com/stgsamplechapters/trungpa.html
A critical review of trungpa's history

http://american-buddha.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=117
trungpa's much vaunted history of being an Oxford student called into question.

Trungpa did not write his own books

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/dmq0tn/wish_i_could_figure_out_how_to_post_photos_but/
trungpa describes as the sexual desire ideal as a 16 year old girl

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/dnf9wy/some_meandering_thoughts_about_ct_and_glorifying/
trunpga's teaching on drinking

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/dmhy42/be_aware_of_shambhala_vajrayana_secret_sexual/
Ex Shambhala Vajrayana students share disturbing sexual visualizations taught by abusers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qvbm9G1HKo
A Tibetan Buddhist Nun documents sexual assaults in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries

Adele Tomlin (an independent writer, scholar/translator, practitioner and student of Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhism) describes how a Tibetan Buddhist "master" lied, manipulated, and misused Tantric "teachings" to assault her.

HH Penor who identified the sakyong as the reincarnation of Mipham also made identified these dangerous people as reincarnations

https://sleepyburrito.com/shambhala-crisis-timeline
A previous documenting of Shambhala abuses and institutional response over a timeline.  Last entry as of 2019-03-19

https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2018/06/30/links-relevant-to-the-current-crisis-in-shambhala-international-regarding-sakyong-mipham-rinpoches-conduct-with-women/
Another summary of articles detailing the crisis in Shambhala

https://shambhala.report/in-the-news/
Another another summary of Shambhala International related links and news articles, maintained by a Shambhala member.

http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/i-learned-yoga-buddhism-through-an-abusive-group-now-i-teach-it-what-do-i-do/
A good discussion of how to cope with learning through an abusive spiritual group.  Also contains a listing of abusive yoga and buddhist organizations.

A listing of problematic buddhist teachers and groups
A blog for problematic buddhist articles
https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism
Public discussion of Shambhala International and its history

https://communitycare.shambhala.org
Contains links to download the Wickwire Holm report and three reports from An Olive Branch, and past community announcements
https://communitycare.shambhala.org/#olivebranch
https://shambhala.org/files/2019/02/2-3-19-WH-Report-Final-Package.pdf

https://sleepyburrito.com/shambhala-crisis-timeline/2019/2/5/reflections-on-the-wickwire-holm-report-a-message-from-carol-merchasin

http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/
Provides analysis of Shambhala, use Shambhala or other key words in the search
A helpful overview of cult definitions, techniques, warning signs.  Lots here applicable to shambhala and chogyam trungpa.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/americanbuddhist/2019/01/anonymous-redditor-shares-troubling-experience-in-shambhala-buddhism.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chögyam_Trungpa
Read of trungpa's death via alcoholism and the incident of trungpa ordering his personal guard to strip naked a couple against their will.

https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/encounter-shadow-buddhist-america/
Tricycle article from 1990 centering on tom rich spreading AIDS to students and trungpa's troubled past
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/igkbvn/regent_anniversary/
Nancy Steinbeck quotes from her book describing tom rich's, trungpa's chosen successor, rape and abuse.
Another account of tom rich's clerical sexual abuse this time with an impact towards suicide for the victim.
Dangerous advice given to Shambhala/Vajradhatu following Tom Rich's death and how the community should understand harmful behaviour from the leader.
Dangerous advice on how a student should follow a guru given by Tom Rich with trungpa's approval.
"As students of the seminary and of the vajrayana, you should know quite directly that without the vajra master there is no dharma. And without the vajra master there is no hope whatsoever for anyone sitting in this room to attain enlightenment. Devotion is not a theoretical affair and not something in a notebook. Devotion is simply being completely and totally in love with the vajra master—and this includes everyone. But the question is [laughs] one's doubt and hesitation.
The point is that in devotion, in the feeling of devotion, you have vast space,because there's no concern for yourself, quite literally. When that occurs, then there is a complete environment for precision. In my relationship with Rinpoche, that's how it works. I'm being quite up front with you, so please listen. Because of my intense longing for him—and ”him” is just a reference point, okay?—there's nothing in my mind when I'm there. Whatever he says are the words of, the feeling of, the act of wisdom—of teaching. That's how you should be. From nothing at all comes something, comes teaching. Teachings are literal and real, and there is no such thing as self. How to realizethat? Through devotion and intense longing for the vajra master, which is the same as enlightened mind. Because of that, some transmission can occur."

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lADczvoEQogpwUd1VYJtcVUgoMeLdCH2/view?usp=sharing
Independent journalist for Harper's Magazine takes a deep dive into Chogyam Trungpa's group in 1979

http://andreamwinn.com/offerings/bps-welcome-page/
Project sunshine, Carol Merchasin's review of survivor experiences is hard but essential reading

https://medium.com/@isabellemahy/this-is-a-copy-from-an-original-post-which-has-been-deleted-by-the-administrators-of-the-fb-pages-8bf8e582ea5d
Transcript of teleconference for leadership following survivor testimonials of "sakyong's" abuses.  In it there are admissions of knowingly hiding the "sakyong's" abusive history and behavior from membership and students taking oaths to him.

https://thinkprogress.org/?s=shambhala&orderby=date
Think Progress's reporting on Shambhala

https://board.shambhala.org/
Interim board for Shambhala International.  Contains links to previous announcements to the community.

https://shambhala-process-team.org/
Process Team tasked with creating processes for improving Shambhala Interational.  Contains links to Steering Committee updates, Working Group updates and announcements to the community.

http://www.trimondi.de/SDLE/Part-1-03.htm
Trigger warning.  A review of Tibetan Buddhism tantric sex practices with ages between 8 and 40.
Large tantric sexual statues inside the Shambhala Stupa:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5Bq_vPm3UM

https://yogainternational.com/article/view/how-to-respond-to-sexual-abuse-within-a-yoga-or-spiritual-community
Karen Rain and Jubilee Cooke's excellent article on how organisations should respond to sexual abuse.  Karen Rain discusses problematic reporting and language around sexual assualt.
https://medium.com/an-injustice/understanding-sexual-violence-in-context-2b8dc5453ded

Faith Trust Institute - Responding to Spiritual Leader Misconduct
A useful handbook that discusses at depth ethical abuses of spiritual leaders.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YGeweth7zkG2TAe64HGYZKs7HUPwq0wx/view
An open letter on abuse in Dharma Ocean, group led by former trungpa student and Shambhala Acharya, Reggie Ray's.  Analysis of Reggie Ray's manipulative "apology":  http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/reggie-ray-flips-his-own-abuse-crisis-into-his-own-ultimate-dharma-teaching/
Analysis of Reggie Ray's trauma bond with trungpa:
http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/reggie-ray-spiritualizes-the-terror-of-disorganized-attachment-in-relation-to-trungpa/
A site compiling resources to support those leaving dharma ocean.
https://leavingdharmaocean.com/
Another Reggie Ray student expressing abuse
Longtime Dharma Ocean senior teacher Neil Mckinlay speaks about recovery after leaving Dharma Ocean

https://abuseintibetanbuddhism.blogspot.com/?m=1
Links to abuses across Tibetan Buddhism

http://beyondthetemple.com/reginal-ray-transmitting-trungpas-lineage-of-abuse/
Cut the lineage here, now. No matter how wise they might sound, do not quote abusers or teachers who were once their students unless that person has made a public statement denouncing their teacher’s abuse and vowing not to continue it. To stop lineages of abuse from taking deeper root in the West, we have to stop seeing having Trungpa as a teacher as some kind of respected qualification.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rthqxj8vpsgdvow/Letter%20July%202019.pdf?dl=0
Jessica Bizub has resigned as center director of Milwaukee. She has just made public her letter to the IB from earlier this year.  Jessica's betrayal in Shambhala has been woven into course material for Harvard religion course. https://pluralism.org/meditation-on-misconduct.  Her story is told in these two PDFs, A Case https://drive.google.com/file/d/161gmOG_j8rdDuZRU3zZUztUrwFk6-C0w/view?usp=sharing, B Case https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mZPWZ2eGjt4-wkQ0VMk7pLY0l0EYeVPw/view?usp=sharing
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/woman-marriage-relationship-buddhist-1.6031624
shambhala attributes the Kagyu as one of its Tibetan Buddhist lineage streams. Here the current leader of the Kagyu stream is facing accusations of corruption.
https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/karmapa-lawsuit/
https://engagedharma.net/2021/05/23/the-lama-and-the-pimp/
Speaking into the Silence Surrounding the Allegations of Abuse by the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

https://engagedharma.net/2015/03/19/sociopathic-buddhism-contemporary-western-buddhism-as-a-moral-failure/
A criticism of unengaged passive individualistic privileged buddhist practice

IndoctriNation - Two part podcast on the limitations of meditation as a mental health cure all
Throughout this first half of their two-part conversation, Rachel and Willoughby find common ground discussing where their specialties intersect and help each other fill in the gaps of knowledge in their respective fields. Dr. Britton shares about her personal relationship with meditation, how it relates to her work, and the surprising results of her comprehensive study on the adverse effects of meditation. Rachel helps Dr. Britton unpack the cult dynamics and the societal structure that may explain the panic and very unscientific response of the meditation and science communities as a result of Dr. Britton's studies.

Part II of the two part podcast
In this second half of their two-part conversation, Dr. Britton provides more details about the resistance she came up against in the science and meditation communities after publishing data that contradicted their narratives of meditation as an infallibly positive pursuit. Rachel provides insight into the reactive nature of those who are unable to recognize any imperfection in the spiritual practices they pursue and the cult-like devotion that follows.

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/10/11/622/htm
Silencing and Oblivion of Psychological Trauma, Its Unconscious Aspects, and Their Impact on the Inflation of Vajrayāna. An Analysis of Cross-Group Dynamics and Recent Developments in Buddhist Groups Based on Qualitative Data, by Anne Iris Miriam Anders
"Sakyong"'s central non-profit tax exempt "charity", the "Sakyong Potrang".
https://bostonzen.org/resilient-sangha/resources/
American incorporation: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-sakyong-foundation,204832237/
Canadian incorporation: https://www.charitydata.ca/charity/the-sakyong-potrang-canada/828964882RR0001/
Shambhala's own survey captures lots of significant complaints:  https://shambhala-process-team.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sense-of-Shambhala-Survey-Part-4-Qualitative-Findings-Accesible-format.pdf
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShambhalaBuddhism/comments/hsht83/shambhala_survey_results/
Some shambhala demographics, largely only appealing to the older generation, not appealing to the younger generation:
Age: The responses to this survey suggest that we are an ageing community. Over 90% of respondents are over 40; 60% of members (and 55% of all respondents) are over 60. Youth are barely represented here: hardly any respondents are under 25, and fewer than 10% are under 40. (see Table 1.3.)
Size of Shambhala membership as of 2019-05