Guidelines for Relocating a Shambhala Center
Steps in the process of choosing a new location for a Shambhala Center
Step 1: Identify the drala patterns in the land and locate the center within the areas fed by the main land dralas.
Centers located in drala-rich areas will attract blessings from the dralas, spiritually and financially.
For advice in this area, you can send Google Earth images of the city and surrounding areas to:
- Eva Wong (USA)
- Gina Stick (Canada)
- Peter van der Molen (Europe)
For more information regarding land dralas and the fengshui techniques for identifying them, go to the Further Study section on this website and to www.shambhala.com/fengshui (Eva Wong’s fengshui website)
Step 2: Evaluating the lungta of the neighborhood after you have selected the areas where the land dralas are strongest.
Neighborhoods with strong lungta will magnetize people to your center. The lungta of a neighborhood is determined by street cleanliness, curb appeal of properties, the types of business whose energy will support or are at least compatible with Shambhala vision. Supportive businesses include health-oriented retail or food markets, cafes, bookstores, health clinics. Compatible business include restaurants, clothing and accessories retail, movie theaters, schools, banks and financial institutions. Examples of incompatible businesses are butcher shops, smoke shops, pawn shops, liquor stores.
For more information on how lungta of a neighborhood is evaluated, go to the Further Study section in this website and/or consult with Eva Wong’s text – A Master Course in Fengshui.
Step 3: Evaluating the building and architecture.
Make sure that the architecture and facade of the building is not aggressive. Ideally, you want a building that is on street level, along a street that is not too busy. If the facade is unique compared to other buildings, this is a bonus.
For more information on this topic, go to the Further Study section on this website and to www.shambhala.com/fengshui (Eva Wong’s fengshui website).
Step 4: Evaluating road patterns and structures in the immediate area around building.
Make sure that no roads run straight toward the building. Aggressive architecture, large electrical transformers, should not be visible from the building. The building should be at least 3 blocks from train tracks, highways, trolley tracks etc.
Fore more information, go to RESOURCES page in this website and Eva Wong’s book A Master Course in Fengshui.
Step 5: Check on zoning requirements, parking availability, accessibility by public transportation.
Make sure that the building is zoned appropriately for religious use, and is up to date on safety and accessibility requirements. Also in particular, make sure that the site has adequate parking based on your city’s guidelines. These issues will often require a preliminary meeting with a City planning official.
Step 6: Determining the size of space
A Shambhala Center is designed around the Court Principle. Some simple guidelines regarding the types of rooms needed are list below:
a. The community room, kitchen and bathrooms – this is the Outer Zone. The community space will determine how well you can magnetize people into your center at open houses and public programs. Generally the largest space in the Centre will be the Main Shrine Room, but the Community Room should be of a similar scale. If there is a resident center director, if possible the director’s office should be located in the outer zone. This office can be shared by all three pillar representatives (Governance, Practice & Study, and the Rusung).
b. The main shrine room, with the PMH and MI rooms – this is the Inner Zone. Typically the main shrine room will be the largest room in the Centre. The size of the room can be roughly calculated by your membership. Typically, the seating capacity in the shrine room should be ½ of your membership. Thus for example, for a membership of 100, your shrine room should be able to seat 50 people. For a comfortable arrangement, each “seat” is defined by 3×3 ft as the minimal and 4×4 as maximum. Obviously, there will be standing room only situations where you can put more people in the room. In either case, along with shrines and traffic patterns, this room should be carefully laid out to confirm that the space is adequate.
c. For centers with a sizable group of tantric practitioners, the tantric shrine room forms the secret zone.
d. All Shambhala Center should have a Kasung post.
For more information regarding space planning and general decor, go to Architectural Guidelines and Shambhala Centre Decor Guidelines. For specific advice regarding space planning, contact the chair of the Panel, Stephen Vosper: [email protected].
For shrine details, go the Shambhala Shrine page in this website, or contact Panel member Mary Sweet: [email protected].
Step 7: Financial considerations
Balance your financial commitment to renovating the space with the amount of time you plan to be there. Plan your projected growth and determine how long you will be in the rental space. Before you sign a lease or decide to purchase a space, remember to contact Shambhala International for final approval.
