Purpose
The Sakyong’s Advisory Panel on Shambhala Environments has been created to foster a deeper understanding within our community of the nature of genuine Shambhala environments, and to strengthen our ability as a society, to manifest those environments. It advises the Sakyong and assists the community as a whole by reviewing land and architectural purchases as well as development plans within the Shambhala mandala, offering guidance, directive and support as needed. The Panel works in conjunction with Centres and their development, planning or design team, along with the Kalapa Council, the Kalapa Executive, or when necessary, the Sakyong or the Sakyong Wangmo themselves. The Panel is advisory in capacity, but its advice and recommendations should be seen as reflecting the intentions of the Sakyong and his Councils. Beyond the Panel however, final decision-making authority always rests with the Sakyong, his Councils and the Centre itself.
Process
The Panel was established based on the wishes of the Sakyong, and it’s mandate is to assist the community as a whole, by reviewing all projects of any substantial scale, throughout the Shambhala mandala within the City, Practice, Retreat and Land Centers. Advisory Panel review of those projects is required, but the process is collaborative, emphasizing the empowerment and authority of the local team. The Panel is available for review and advice at various specific points in a project’s path, depending on the scale and complexity of the project, from first envisioning through complete development. Please see The Panel Review Process on this site for more details.
The Panel can be viewed as having concentric circles of involvement and authority radiating out from the centre. At the centre are the Sakyong and Sakyong Wangmo, the ultimate authorities on what makes a genuine Shambhala environment, and the Kalapa Court, which is the essential manifestation and expression of that possibility altogether.
Extending out from there are the Senior Panel Members, who will be engaged in some capacity, either through advisory review or direct consultation, with all projects. Currently, as appointed by the Sakyong, these are Stephen Vosper and Eva Wong, with Mr. Vosper as the Panel Chair. The Panel Chair has a standing invitation to attend all meetings of the Kalapa Executive.
Next are the Associate Panel Members, who will be involved with specific projects by invitation from the Chair or the initiating Centre, based on the complexity and scale of those projects, and the particular skills and experience of the individual members, or their prior associations with the project. The current Associate Panel Members are: Wendy Friedman, Gina Stick, Peter van der Molen, Adrian Sopher and Mary Sweet.
The final circle are the Affiliate Panel Members, who are essentially Shambhala professionals willing to be involved in an advisory capacity, or as hired professionals, with regard to specific aspects of a project, again by invitation from the Chair or the initiating Centre. Please let us know if you would like to recommend someone within your Centre’s membership, to become an Affiliate Panel Member.
It should be noted that any Panel Member may be hired independently as a consultant to a project at the discretion of the local team. For more details see Professional Design Services.
As this Advisory Panel and our Shambhala culture develops, it is our aspiration to gather together and make available, both specific recommendations and general guidelines, as well as broad educational materials, that express and explore the Sakyong’s vision and our community’s understanding of what makes a genuine and powerful Shambhala environment. We encourage your feedback.
