Shambhala Times Feature Stories

In A Three-year Retreat for Our Mandala, Acharya Larry Mermelstein describes the early history of the retreat and tells tales of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche and their youthful encounters with the legendary Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo.


As Lelia Calder shows in Following a Path of Practice, a three-year retreat may be the next step--however surprising or daunting it may seem. She shares how she arrived at the retreat, abided during her time there, and describes what it is like to return.


Shastri Chuck Whetsell describes his experience of Discovering Enlightened Society, slogan by slogan, during his three-year retreat at Sopa Choling.


In Life, Death & Three-year Retreat Sharon Keegan shares how personal experiences of impermanence led her into a three-year retreat, and guided her activity in the world when she emerged.


In the photographic essay Visualizing Sopa Choling, Laura Kaufman offers images she selected from vast participant libraries. These photographs celebrate Sopa Choling and highlight the place, with its changing moods throughout the seasons, and some of the people–both teachers and retreatants–who have been at the heart of the retreat throughout the years.