Naropa University and Shambhala Expose Part 4 Conclusion
We are currently witnessing an influx of sexual accusations against the present leader of the Shambhala organization Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, his deceased father Chogyam Tungpa Rinpoche and some of the past and current leaders. The accusations are providing a clear picture of what we believe is a destructive cult, Naropa University and the Shambhala organization. Since the problematic and sick teachings of CTR have been referred to as “crazy wisdom,” sexual abuse, exploitation, and misuse of power and authority we believe have been the norm for Shambhala and Naropa. We also believe the Kalapa council of Shambhala and the leadership of Naropa have been silencing the victims, which creates a platform for this type of abuse to be acceptable.
This Article published by the daily camera, goes into detail of Shambhala requesting the leader, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to step down from his position as the Sakyong “king” and includes Naropa removing him from their board of trustees.
The Sunshine project created by Andrea Winn, mentioned in part one of our expose, published a final report on the abuse that has been silenced for years including multiple allegations of sexual assault against Mipham Rinpoche.
The Kalapa council of the Shambhala organization sent out this recent letter, stating they will all step down from their posts.
Prior to this letter, Mipham Rinpoche sent out an apology letter where he openly admits to, causing harm to women who he had sexual relationships with.
In addition to all of this within the Naropa/Shambhala community, we must not forget the past of enablers who allowed this “culture of silence” to continue. The enablers contributed to the covering up through silence, they too worshiped the manipulative, abusive, alcoholic, drug addict, Guru, CTR, known as the founder of both Naropa and Shambhala.
Unfortunately, some of the enablers are still in leadership positions within Naropa and Shambhala. Referring to CTR’s, behavior as “crazy wisdom” paved the way for abuse, misconduct, sexual exploitation and silence. Many knew of the abusive relationships CTR had towards his students and the entire Kalapa council knew that the now deceased Vajra Regent Osel Tendzin(Thomas Frederick Rich, Jr.)was having unprotected sex with students, minors and was also accused of rape while knowing he had HIV and AIDS illness. We believe the Kalapa council and Dr. Mitchell Levy, who we believe was the personal physician of CTR, knew about the reagents illness and in our opinion had a responsibility to stop him, but failed to do so.
We believe, Marty Janowitz who currently serves on the board of trustees for Naropa University knew of the above mentioned misconducts.
We also believe that as the personal physician of Trungpa, Dr. Mitchell Levy had the responsibility to intervene on Trungpa’s alcoholic self destruction, and cocaine addiction, but did not.
In addition to this, many members of the community and of the council knew of Trungpa having seven wives which is illegal in the United States and is called polygamy. This was all accepted and encouraged by the Shambhala hierarchy, it is no wonder why we have had so many reported cases of abuse from the Shambhala organization and Naropa University.
At this point we would like to mention the Boulder camera, known as the Boulder daily paper. The owner, investigative reporter and editors were informed soon after the death of Sharoni Stern by her father Tibor Stern about the abuses going on in the Shambhala organization and Naropa University, but ignored their fiduciary duty to investigate and report. We believe, the finances generated for the paper by the Buddhist community was more important than investigating and reporting a crime. In our opinion, neglecting to tell the public about past abuses of victims contributes to the culture of silence, which creates more victims and empowers evil.
In conclusion, we believe the manipulative and abusive practices of Naropa University and Shambhala are still around today contributing to more deaths, suicides, and trauma. This is a result of believing that an alcoholic with unacceptable abusive behavior, and sexual misconduct had “crazy wisdom.”
To put an end to this abuse we encourage you to speak out when you hear or see something that makes you feel uncomfortable, say something do not let things fester.
If you have information relevant to what you have just read, or if you have any information or evidence about student abuses by faculty members at any educational institution, please don't hesitate to contact us.
We highly recommend anyone interested in Shambhala International to read the following books by Nancy and John Steinbeck IV and Christine Chandler before making any commitments to this organization.
The Steinbecks were involved with Naropa and the Vajradhatu community from 1975 to 1987. This excerpt from the Foreword of their dual memoir, The Other Side of Eden, written by Oxford scholar Andrew Harvey states:
A light of rare, bald awareness bathes the Steinbecks’ exposé of their disillusion with Tibetan Buddhism and its guru system. Searching for a spiritual truth that could spring them free of their inherited agonies and also for a “good parent”, they both became in the seventies, like so many other seekers, enamored of the “Crazy Wisdom” teacher, Trungpa Rinpoche. Initially intoxicated by Trungpa’s extravagance and brilliance, the Steinbecks came gradually to see how abusively and absurdly, dangerously grandiose he could be. They began to understand how sick with denial of his alcoholism and sexual cruelty the community that surrounded him was. This shocked them both into awakening from “the guru dream” and forced them to distance themselves from the savage, intricate cruelties of Tibetan Buddhism’s rotten, patriarchal, feudal system.
If anyone is interested in learning more about Naropa, Katsura Kan and Shambhala, we advise you to read our attachments, our FACT expose posts, and to visit other independently published informative websites online (please see the links below and/or Google search).
https://extibetanbuddhist.com/
https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Memorial/
http://familiesagainstcultteachings.blogspot.com/2017/05/from-ex-teacher-at-naropa-university-in.html
https://boulderbuddhistscam.wordpress.com/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/sexual-assaults-violent-rages-inside-dark-world-buddhist-teacher/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEG1ytDXZS4&t=90s
Facebook Page for Project Sunshine
https://www.facebook.com/Project-Sunshine-Phase-2-804754626382610/
The Sakyong’s apology letter:
https://mailchi.mp/1cedc6001e4a/kalapa-council-quarterly-update-767203?e=372bf46957
The leadership transition of Shambhala Kalapa counsel:
https://mailchi.mp/3e8a63b04a08/kalapa-council-quarterly-update-767293?e=12247d3a5e
http://www.katybutler.com/publications/commonboundary/index_files/commbound_shadowbuddhistusa_new.htm
https://www.chronicleproject.com/letters-of-the-current-situation/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVJnjADK8rs
Please Like our Facebook and Twitter Page @FightCults , Share our postings to help us raise awareness and sign up for our Newsletter from our home page:
www.FamiliesAgainstCultTeachings.org
Thank you,
The FACT Team
Families Against Cult Teachings, Inc
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