Ruth Wallen is an artist, professor and long time member of the Shambhala community. Her art is focused on engendering dialogue about social justice and ecological well being. For the last decade her work has centered around a project “Walking with Trees,” staying present, holding gratitude and grief, in the face of increasing losses due to the urbanization, globalization, in the form of invasive species, climate change and fire. In her day job she is core faculty in the MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program at Goddard College and occasional lecturer at the University of California, San Diego. Last spring she pursued this work as a Lenz fellow at Naropa University. She has been a senior teacher and served as a shastri (senior teacher) for the San Diego Shambhala Center for many years. She is particularly interested in teaching classes or leading weektuns around ecodharma as well as the arts. She has taught a wide range of Buddhist courses, all levels of Shambhala training except Golden Key and Shambhala art. For her art and writing see ruthwallen.net.