About the Course

In this six-week course Adam Lobel leads participants on a journey of contemplative inquiry focused on the timeless question, “Who am I?” Course participants will learn:

• Buddhist teachings on how our sense of self arises moment by moment to provide a reference point.
• Meditation practice is used as a way to contact and express the mind of basic goodness.
• Join a virtual community for discussion, contemplation and dialogue exercises.

The Way of Shambhala courses are designed for those who don’t live near a Shambhala Center, or who need a particular course in order to continue on the path. Each course in the series features a senior Shambhala teacher, an online community of participants, and facilitation by an experienced course leader. Course participants view recorded teachings, then contemplate and engage in exercises aimed at deepening their understanding.

This course is open to all. No previous experience with meditation is required.

When Does the Class Meet?

The course is asynchronous. You may view the recorded talks at your convenience. The recommended schedule is to view one talk each week and complete the associated readings and exercises in the module. There are 6 talks.

How Much Time Does it Take?

Most participants spend 1 to 2 hours per week on the course. The talks average 45 minutes in length. Allow yourself time to do the readings, meditation practices and other assignments. It’s a good idea to schedule the time on your calendar as you would for a face-to-face class.

About the Teacher

Adam Lobel, PhD, Harvard University, is a Buddhist minister and a scholar of philosophy and religion and served as an Acharya in the Shambhala tradition from 2005-2018. His research focuses on Great Perfection (Dzogchen) Tibetan Buddhism, phenomenology, and inoperative studies. He is a guiding teacher for One Earth Sangha, a GreenFaith fellow, has taught alongside Joanna Macy and others in the Ecosattva Training, and is active in ecological and social justice movements. He has been a speaker on ecology and spirituality at the United Nations and part of the first delegation of Buddhist teachers invited to the White House.

As a professor of Buddhist, phenomenological, and ecopsychology and a founding scholar-practitioner at the City of Bridges High School, he has a longstanding interest in contemplative education, philosophy as a way of life, and transformative pedagogy. Adam’s questions and teachings tend to orbit around the interdependence of contemplative practices and the everyday practices that shape modern subjectivity and culture. This is another way of saying that he remains attuned to an awakened, just society inseparable from our living earth. He lives and teaches in Pittsburgh, PA with his partner and two sons where he is active in resisting the petrochemical industry and guiding “Silent Transformation” eco-dharma retreats.

Registration Options

The Patron rate supports our efforts to connect teachers and learners through online programs. In particular, it helps us offer the generosity policy to those in need.

Generosity Policy. Click on the Request a Discount link below before registering to receive a discount code to use at checkout. For a further discount or scholarship, write to [email protected].

Centers and Groups, please register here.

Meditation Instructors and Shambhala Guides, please see Shambhala Educator Resources to register for a Study/Review version of this course.

Click here for our Refund Policy