SPECIAL REPORT: Secrets of Shambhala

Can't trust anyone who claims they're a "guru" or "life coach." Narcissism. We're supposed be our own guru and life coach.

I was a student at Naropa in boulder 40 years ago. It was extremely sexual, lots of nudity, lots of sharing. Lots of people knew of inappropriate behavior by leadership. The curriculum back then was total BS and it totally drained my finances. I’m still messed up financially with a worthless degree. I visited the Rocky Mountain Shambala Center when they were building it. I was asked many times to volunteer but there was no pay for months of service. I was friends with one of Chogyam Trungpa’s illegitimate children at the time. He was a junkie on the run for grave robberies at the time, but I was such a fruit-looped zombie and out of my skull, It somehow didn’t seem to matter. I still struggle with PTSD from those days. It sucks that Shambala is still proving to be a dangerous cult. I’m still Buddhist but self practicing, without a cult leader.

All religious & spiritual communities need an “outside” Human Resources Department for staff & the community. And everyone must be made aware that it exists. I have been listening to podcasts and YouTube about Shambala & other religious communities & the horrific misconducts in so many. These people need to know they are not above the law, like any other corporation/business.

Excellent work Chapman news!

Shocked to see Chapman still running students up to Shambhala Mountain Center at 2k a pop. Next course begins Jan.14 for 10 days. The Police are STILL investigating this outfit for covering up the very kind of sexual misconduct which these kids are discussing. Does Chapman have better intel than the cops here?

Trust me I am Tibetan and most of these tulkus rimpoche specialy those who live in west most of them are still abusing weak mind young woman’s it’s very sad and nobody do something

Great reporting! This is so sad and such a betrayal of the dharma. Sexual misconduct and the dharma are not compatible, you really can't justify overt sexual predation in the name of the Buddha. I think there may have been some good eggs in the Shambhala community before the sexual abuse allegations went public, but anyone who's still around has more devotion to their 'king' than the authentic buddhadharma, and it shows.

Shambhala (of which I was a member for many years) has proved itself to be a cult which has offered absolutely no reparations to its victims and which attempted to de-legitimize the many claims of sexual and psychological abuse, calling the whistleblower "crazy" and threatening to destroy the courageous lawyer who defended her and the victims. It has denied all the allegations as untrue. Its leader (Mipham Rinpoche, the Sakyong) is being encouraged to return to teach. His alcoholism and sex addiction have never been addressed, so the nightmare continues. The fact that "Barry's" sexism and abusiveness is still part of "the scene" proves that this organization has learned nothing re. its criminal and irresponsible behavior. The students who are enrolled in this upcoming program need to be told that they will not be safe and should not go there.

Awesome reporting!

Good for those girls! They weren't taken in and they spoke out.

Thank you for your bravery. I hope this video reaches many, and I hope this information saves people from harm.

Thanks so much!

Still seems to be an ongoing nightmare. Make sure you alert any students you may know who are considering this.

Good job, Chapman journalists. You painted a pretty clear picture of the sick "society" that is Shambhala. You summed it up based on a short amount of experience Stay far away. As someone who was more on the inside, I have to say that it is accurate.

Shambhala is real city .we wanna find that 👍👍👍

Good job not being quite about this and investigating it.

well produced

As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I'm always appalled to see people say 'oh that man spoke to me, he must be up to something' or I heard this... it must mean... I can't call this a news channel. Maybe there's something going on, the police will sought that out, but the three presenters are just horrendously entitled 20 somethings

Shambhala, y’all fucked it up.

Excellent, professional work folks on an insidiously secretive organisation. I know many of the people involved in covering up crime in Shambhala over the past few decades and was myself the subject of attempted murder and multiple physical assaults with witnesses at another of their retreat centers similar to Shambhala Mountain Center - Dorje Denma Ling in Nova Scotia, Canada on the east coast.. I left the organisation in 2014, blowing the whistle and forced a couple of firings. But the main allegations were swept under their rug and although Larimer County Sheriff's Office referenced here found credibility in my allegations, they were lied to by Shambhala officials and no compelling evidence sufficient to bring charges has yet been found. This organisation thinks itself above the law. Stay away.