Our Shambhala Heritage
by Christopher Triplett

The question has often arisen of our connection, as students of Shibata Sensei, to Shambhala, the international organisation founded by the late Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, and now headed by his son Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Perhaps a brief history of Sensei's time in the west might help clarify the situation.

Trungpa, Rinpoche was a great admirer and practitioner of the Japanese "ways": The "way of tea, "the way of flowers", especially. And the great warrior traditions of swordmanship, horsemanship and archery. In 1979 he asked Kobun Chino Roshi, a Zen master who lived in the U.S.,to help find a Master who would come to the States and teach his students.

Since Roshi had been a kyudo student of Shibata Sensei's for about 20 years he suggested that Rinpoche invite him. The invitation process began and in 1980 Shibata, Sensei arrived to teach at the 1980 Vajradhatu Seminary. Sensei was pleased by the prospect of presenting his teachings to students who were dedicated meditators, for he found that most Japanese kyudoka were uninterested in kyudo meditation and felt that with knowledge of the working of mind and ego, Trungpa Rinpoche's students could understand kyudo as a Path.

Also in 1980 Trungpa Rinpoche and Shibata Sensei founded Ryuko Kyudojo in Boulder, Colorado providing Sensei with a base from which to continue his teaching. Sensei made several trips a year to Boulder and other Vajradhatu Centers until establishing permanent residence in Boulder in 1985. In 1987 he moved to the former Vidya School (the Vajradhatu Middle School) which was remodeled for him and became his home and the location of Ryuko Kyudojo. Soon after that he made his first trip to Europe and established Shiko Kyudojo in Marburg at the Vajradhatu/Shambhala headquarters. He has continued his travels here forming groups of students at Shambhala Centers all across Europe.

Shibata, Sensei's presence here in the west is strongly rooted in the Vajradhatu / Shambhala mandala. It was not until the late 80's that he began teaching outside of Vajradhatu/Shambhala Programs. His teaching has been warmly embraced by places like Zen Mountain Monastery in New York State, but he still teaches mainly in Shambhala Centers. All of us who have been touched by Sensei and his teaching owe a debt of gratitude not only to him but also to Trungpa Rinpoche, for it was through his foresight and openness that Sensei reached us. Sensei continues to speak of his deep commitment and devotion to Rinpoche and the Sakyong.

Many of us have had the good fortune to share in that same vision by having the opportunity to explore the richness of the Shambhala world. But many of Sensei's students who have met him outside the context of Shambhala have missed this crucial connection and the chance to gain the deeper understanding of their practice this contact provides. Obviously, the greater one's understanding and experience of meditation practice, the deeper one's realisation can be of the medititative aspects of kyudo.

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