Shambhala Meditation Center

It's rare in NYC to find a moment or place where you can sit - just sit - and think of nothing. But, last night I went to the Shambhala Meditation Center, where people practice doing just that.

They describe themselves as part of an international community of 165 meditation centers founded by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and led by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. The Shambhala Buddhist path, unique in the world of Western Buddhism, combines the teachings of the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism with the Shambhala principles of living an uplifted life, fully engaged with the world.

My good friend Merril brought me to a Dharma Gathering, where practicioners go to explore the teachings of Buddhism.

They start with a 20-minute meditation period to help you refocus after a hard day's work. For those of us new to the center, or anyone needing a refresher, a teacher takes you to a side room to lead you through the meditation. I found this helpful considering I've only tried meditating a handful of times (and from a book).

I was lucky enough to go on a night when Joseph Mauricio was speaking giving a talk called Uncovering the Heart Of Wisdom: Seeing The Spectrum of Compassion.

Mr. Mauricio made for an entertaining teacher, sprinkling his talk with jokes about his love life and love of Heavy Metal. The conversation traveled through many points but seemed to come boil down to the human connection. Mr. Mauricio argued that if people just stop, look around, and realize that the fellow human next to them has similar experiences, they will connect.

To that end, he had the audience turn to one another and simply appreciate them. Merril and I had a hard time keeping eye contact and saying much to one another without laughing. Which makes Mr. Mauricio's point more real. We are so disconnected, especially in a city like this, that we can hardly connect and appreciate a friend without feeling even the slightest discomfort.

It was refreshing to go to the Shambhala Meditation Center on a Tuesday night and made me feel energized, mentally and physically for the remainder of the week. I look forward to returning to the Center to meditate and think deeply of all things human. And of nothing.

And yes, Merril, I appreciate you a lot.