How Did It Happen?

Understanding and Healing Abuse in Buddhist Communities

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A Brilliant Analysis of the Rigpa Renewed Apology

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On November 21, 2021

In Community Issues

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

In this brand new YouTube video, former long-time Rigpa student and instructor, Tahlia Newland, examines the “Rigpa Renewed Apology” recently issued on October 15, 2021. She holds it up against the Four Powers described in the Vajrasattva practice of confession and healing.

Newland points out where the apology matches the criteria laid out in the practice for a real confession and apology and where it falls short.

Watch it below or on YouTube.

And if you haven’t seen it yet, you can read my own written response to the Rigpa Renewed Apology in this article: Never Accept an Incomplete or Inauthentic Apology.

I sent my response to Rigpa on October 31. 2021, but have yet heard anything back, despite their claim to care so much for the people who were abused by Sogyal Rinpoche.

By provide feedback like this, I personally hope to help Rigpa craft a true and complete apology that would be meaningful to the people who were harmed by Sogyal Rinpoche.

Should We Accept Rigpa’s October 2021 “Renewed Apology?”

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On November 14, 2021

In Community Issues

Photo by Kate Williams on Unsplash

Hello Friends,

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on this blog—more than two years.

But recently—out of the blue—I received an email from the Rigpa U.S. Board directing me to Rigpa’s Renewed Apology (dated October 15, 2021) on the Rigpa International website.

I don’t trust the new apology and felt compelled to respond. If you’d like to read my response, you’ll find it here:

Never Accept an Incomplete or Inauthentic Apology

In this article, I describe what constitutes a “true apology.” I then go on to enumerate the ways in which I find Rigpa’s Renewed Apology lacking.

I hope you find it helpful or illuminating in some way.

With best wishes, Sandra


Lewis-Silkin Investigation Confirms Abuse in Rigpa & Related News Reports

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On October 7, 2018

In Community Issues

Lewis Silkin Report Rigpa Abuse

By now, most of you know the independent investigation conducted by the law firm Lewis-Silken has published its findings and confirmed abuse in Rigpa.

But in case you missed it, you can download the report here: Independent Investigation Report.  Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the download link.

Below you’ll find the Executive Summary and Recommendations from the report, as well as links to recent news coverage related to the findings.  The full report is 50 pages long and highly detailed.  This is just a brief summary.

Before reading, please be aware that this report includes language and content which some people might find upsetting or triggering.

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Shambhala & Rigpa Call Abuse Victims Liars

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On August 24, 2018

In Community Issues

Bells

Buddhist Project Sunshine has released its Phase 3 Final Report on sexualized violence at the core of the Shambhala Buddhist Community.  You can download the report here. Be sure to read Carol Merchasin’s investigative report at the very end of the document.  It’s easy to miss, but it contains important details concerning the alleged sexual assaults and misconduct as well as a timeline.

The Phase 3 Buddhist Project Sunshine report contains:

  • New claims of sexual misconduct on the part of Ösel Rangdröl Mukpo (Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche), Shambhala’s spiritual head and main teacher.
  • The names of Shambhala leaders alleged to have been involved in group sexual assault, individual rape, present or serving as attendants during such assaults, or procuring women for Ösel Rangdröl Mukpo.
  • Pema Chödrön’s alleged response to a Shambhala rape victim.

Shambhala’s Denial Statement

In response, the outgoing governing council (called the Kalapa Council) has issued a denial on August 23 which says, in part:

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Kaleidoscope of Viewpoints

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On August 5, 2018

In Community Issues

Different ways we see a teachers who is allegedly abusive

A guest post by Elaine Zablocki

As dharma students, we’ve learned that a single object arises from many causes and conditions. When we look at a wooden table, we may consider the harvested tree, stored and dried, cut to size, assembled by someone using an array of tools and fasteners. We see a chain of people stretching back centuries who perfected “table.” When we look at a tree we see a constant flow of related processes:  leaves taking in carbon dioxide, putting out oxygen. Water flowing up from the ground, sunlight on leaves producing sugar, leaves dropping to create soft forest soil that holds water and feeds the tree.

Could we look at the situation in Rigpa from a similarly expansive viewpoint, observing many interactive processes that led to the present moment?

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Wild Wild Country: How Spiritual Communities Can Go Wrong

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On March 20, 2018

In Community Issues

Rajneesh (Osho) Wild Wild Country

Wild Wild Country, the just released limited series on Netflix, documents the rise and fall of the thousands-strong 80’s Rajneesh (Osho) community near Antelope, Oregon.

Rajneeshees purchased 64,000 acres of land near the town of Antelope, and subsequently built and legally incorporated a massive city and agricultural endeavor in the wilderness. Their Utopian ideal, in which people could  live, laugh, love, and be free, aligned perfectly with the free-love movement already happening in the West.  As such, Rajneesh and his philosophy magnetized thousands of smart, hardworking people.

Rajneeshpuram, as the city was called, wasn’t an experiment in spiritual austerity.  The city housed any number of Western indulgences including a gambling venue, a disco, clothing stores, and eateries.  Nudity and open sexually were the norm. Almost ten thousand more Rajneeshees streamed through the town of Antelope to reach Rajneeshpuram during its annual global festival.

The conservative, god-fearing residents of nearby Antelope, previously a sleepy town of around 100 people, were initially startled, confused, and bemused by the red-clad devotees. But as their quiet lives were increasingly disrupted, and the commune’s intentions for further growth became clear, they felt something had to be done.

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Shambhala Leaders Acknowledge Sexual Harm

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On February 26, 2018

In Community Issues

Sunrise

In the recently released Project Sunshine Final Report, second-generation Shambhala student Andrea M. Winn, MEd, MCS shares the results of her one year exploration into sexualized violence within her Buddhist community. She also offers recommendations for organizational change, and suggests ways individual and collective healing can occur.

She describes the vision of Project Sunshine in this way:

This one-year vision was to gather a powerful group of concerned citizens to protect the integrity of the Shambhala lineage. We will do this through influencing the Shambhala community to acknowledge and repair past abuse of women and children in the community, and integrate new values that honour tenderness, vulnerability and other strengths typically associated with the feminine.

On the prevalence of sexual harm in the Shambhala community, Winn says:

I have been part of many conversations over the past year with women who have been abused in the Shambhala community. The stories of abuse are nothing short of horrific. Quite simply, the violence that has happened and the lack of response from the Shambhala organization has resulted in a profound corruption in the heart of our community over the lifespan of this community – since the early 1970’s.

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A Chance to Be Heard: An Invitation to Current & Former Rigpa US Students

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On January 20, 2018

In Community Issues

An Olive Branch

Have you received the following letter from An Olive Branch?  Can you help pass it along to any current or former members of Rigpa US who may not have received it? I’ll share the full letter in this post.

An Olive Branch is a Zen-based organization that has been hired to offer processes of healing and reconciliation for current AND former members of the Rigpa U. S. sangha.

Some people object, saying that reconciliation cannot occur unless there’s acknowledgement of harm and an apology on the part of Sogyal Rinpoche and the leadership of Rigpa.  In many ways I agree.

But even without an apology, healing can occur.  An Olive Branch offers current and former members of the Rigpa US a chance to be personally heard in private without judgement via their Listening Post.  Feeling heard is one of the most powerful ways healing can take place or at least begin.

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Latest News: Investigation and New Rigpa Vision Board

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On January 16, 2018

In Community Issues

Rigpa Investigation and Vision Board

On December 21, 2017, the Rigpa International Holding Group announced the beginning of an independent investigation by a neutral third party into the allegations of abuse made against Sogyal Rinpoche. The independent investigation will be conducted by the law firm Lewis Silkin, which was hired recently by the Old Vic Theater in London to investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior by Kevin Spacey during his 11-year run as artistic director.

Although it has taken a very long time to get this investigation started, more than five months, I would like acknowledge the positive, reasonable and encouraging tone of the announcement which stated:

Our heartfelt concern is for the wellbeing of our Rigpa community as a whole, including the authors of the letter of allegations sent to Sogyal Rinpoche last July, and to ensure that the love, friendship and other positive qualities we share do not diminish. In this sense, we are all still very much connected to each other. Over the last few months, it has become clear that we need to work together to understand how, over the years, we got to where we are, and then what we need to do to rebuild and heal our relationships with everyone who has been affected.

In addition, the Rigpa US Board has concurrently engaged An Olive Branch, a Zen-based reconciliation organization, to help support the US sangha, both current and past members, with healing and reconciliation.  Read the full letter to current and former members of the Rigpa sangha from An Oliver Branch.  You may want to participate in the Listening Post or the healing and reconciliation process.

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Where Are We At? The Complaints, The Cost, and the Future of Vajrayana

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On November 4, 2017

In Community Issues

Prayer FlagsWhere are things at with the complaints against Sogyal Rinpoche?

It has been more than three months since eight long-time students sent a letter to Sogyal Rinpoche alleging abuse. I thought it would be good to take a step back and look at what the letter has achieved so far and how the issues are becoming clearer.

Let’s remember what the grievances are about: inappropriate and harmful behaviors that have caused injuries and have tainted the appreciation of Dharma for the concerned students.

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