Sangha, Community

While valuing every perspective, we believe that a fair hearing of differing viewpoints is necessary for truth to emerge. Psychological health comes from engaging with reality and living within at least four containers of meaning: my story, our story, other stories, and the overarching story of the world. We can only deeply understand the overarching story by taking responsibility for our personal, group, and others' stories. In doing so, we discover the ever-present refuge of peace within us, regardless of our thoughts, feelings, or circumstances.

 

Transcendence is not a denial or detachment from our personal or collective stories. It is a commitment to truth-telling, fully seeing, and empathetic listening. This requires living and being in the world, cultivating deep, intimate knowing, and moving beyond our theories and maps into relationship building. True transcendence frees us from the tyranny of "I am," the idolatry of "we are," and the scapegoating of "they are." When all four stories are taken seriously, we live a full life—fully human and fully divine.

 

In this precious human life, we are all students and teachers simultaneously. Our unique Shanti Yoga approach frames concepts in a way that resonates with our intuitive wisdom—the truth that our souls already know. We invite you to contemplate and experiment with these concepts in your own practice.

 

Here, we explore our inner landscape together, opening the door to our inner sanctuary and our source. We nurture our sensitivity to grow strong and tender as we find our way back to wholeness.

 

Here, we become more aware of the beauty and miraculousness of reality, life, and being human—all of which can be experienced right now.

 

Here, peace is not a goal to achieve outside of ourselves but a deep human quality that we can cultivate from within.

 

Regret pulls us into the past, and expectation pushes us into the future. In the absence of these two, we naturally and effortlessly find ourselves in the Now—the place of refuge and peace. Yet, the spiritual journey is not merely for our own transformation but also for the healing of the world. The call to compassionate action awaits us.

 

Compassion is not about being passive or nice to everyone. It encompasses a dynamic spectrum, including the courage to confront challenges and make difficult decisions for ourselves and the greater good.