Welcome!

Learn to meditate and naturally grow your confidence, mindful awareness, and compassion.

The Ottawa Shambhala Meditation Centre offers meditation instruction, regular practice sessions, and classes and weekend retreats for new and experienced practitioners. Our community welcomes people from all walks of life, traditions and religions. Learn more about us.

The Shambhala teachings point to innate goodness as the nature of all individuals and society. Developing confidence in basic goodness through meditation supports us in cultivating gentleness and bravery in daily life and in service to others.

Getting started

Meditation is a practice anyone can do. New meditators and those practising in other traditions are invited to attend a “Learn to Meditate” class.

Learn to Meditate is offered in English on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7:00pm to 8:30 pm. It is free of charge  (but donations are always appreciated if you are so inspired).

View our monthly calendar.

Pour débuter

Tout le monde peut méditer. Que vous n’ayez jamais médité ou que vous pratiquiez dans une autre tradition, vous êtes invités aux séances ci-dessous.

Les soirées Apprendre à méditer sont offertes en français le deuxième mercredi de chaque mois, de 19 h à 20 h 30. L’entrée est gratuite (mais vos dons sont toujours les bienvenus).

Voir notre calendrier mensuel.

Featured Programs

Making Your Life More Alive and Relevant: the Six Paramitas

with David Fowler

February 21st—March 21st

This course introduces the traditional Buddhist teachings on the paramitas. The Sanskrit word paramita means to cross over to the other shore. The paramitas are: Generosity, Discipline, Patience, Exertion, Meditation and Wisdom. Continue »

Natural Bravery

with Loretta Colton

March 28th—April 25th

Increasingly, we seem to live in a culture of fear, but it is the very potency of this fear that makes it such a powerful tool for personal and cultural transformation. Continue »

Fearlessness in Everyday Life

with Mark Frutkin

April 2nd—April 30th

Fearlessness in Everyday Life. Learning to work with our anxiety, we are not blocked by fear. Through an exploration of the Buddhist teachings on mind and the nature of reality, we learn to see clearly. We dare to face life and death as they are. Continue »

Chariot of Mahamudra

with Acharya Richard John

April 26th—April 28th

This weekend retreat is open to practitioners at all levels—tantrikas and newer students—who wish to deepen their meditation practice. Mahamudra, the "great symbol," is among the most profound traditions of vajrayana Buddhism, but it is also extremely sim Continue »

Working With Speed, Living with Intention

with David Fowler

May 2nd—May 30th

Speed seems to be inherent in society today, and we often evaluate ourselves by how much we can get done without questioning whether we are doing is truly right for us. Come to this course to examine what to let go and what to cultivate. Continue »