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RELEASE OF REPORT OF FINDINGS – JUNE 28, 2018
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Into Allegations of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s
Sexual Assault and Clergy Sexual Misconduct
Download your copy:
Buddhist Project Sunshine Phase 2 Final Report
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Buddhist Project Sunshine is a grass roots independent healing initiative started by second-generation Shambhalian, Andrea Winn, in February 2017 for the Shambhala Buddhist community and people who were forced to leave this community. She wrote the Phase 1 Final Report (available below) at the end of the first year of the project, and this caused the Shambhala leadership to publicly acknowledge the widespread sexualized violence in the community.
Many people are now involved with the project. Our focus is on bringing healing light to the violence in the community. We understand sexualized violence occurs within other patterns of violence, including emotional and spiritual bullying, racism, homophobia, and other oppressions. We are also working with people from other Buddhist communities who have experienced similar issues.
The leadership in Shambhala International have stopped responding to communications from Buddhist Project Sunshine and have distanced themselves from this community healing work; we are not currently in dialog with them. We hope in time they will come to value the work of Buddhist Project Sunshine and choose to engage an authentic community healing process.
We recently raised initial funds for Buddhist Project Sunshine Phase 2, an innovative world wide community healing model adapting the existing Mi’kmaq Community Engagement Toolkit on Sexual Violence (with their permission and blessing). Our first fundraising campaign has enabled us to continue our work and set up a moderated social media discussion forum for Buddhists to discuss issues surrounding sexualized violence in Buddhist communities. You can sign up for our email list below to receive updates about our healing initiatives.
Our two most important links:
- Always keep up to date with Buddhist Project Sunshine developments: Sign up for email updates
- Learn about and support Buddhist Project Sunshine Phase 2
Buddhist Project Sunshine Resources
Buddhist Project Sunshine Phase 1 report – Note, this is the groundbreaking report that caused Shambhala Leadership to publicly admit the widespread sexualized violence in the Shambhala community
Buddhist Project Sunshine Facebook Group
Follow us on Twitter: Follow @projsunshinecf
Audio recordings
Recording of Buddhist Project Sunshine Live Q & A Call
CBC News interview with Andrea Winn and Joshua Silberstein, chair of Kalapa Council
Blog posts by Andrea Winn
What You May Not Know: Critical information that the Shambhala community needs to know
How do we trust, in this time of the abuse coming out?
How did Project Sunshine come to have a patron saint, St. Joseph?
Advice for how to relate with this controversial time
Words from a Seattle, WA citizen of Shambhala who “wants to do what is right”
Shambhala citizens expanding the borders of this conversation
What could an abuse-free Shambhala look like?
Project Sunshine has evoked a flow of goodness – Let’s celebrate!
Aboriginal Toolkit Information – A process we would like to adapt for Shambhala’s community healing
Mi’kmaq Community Engagement Toolkit on Sexual Violence
Responding to and Preventing Sexual Violence – Paqtnkek Project
Final Evaluation Report
Summary Evaluation Report
Articles published as a result of Project Sunhine
Healing sexualized violence in the Shambhala Buddhist community, Justin Whitaker
Healing a Heart and a Community: Andrea Winn and Project Sunshine, Justin Whitaker, Buddhist Door Global
BUDDHIST GROUP ADMITS ‘ABHORRENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR’ BY TEACHERS, Tim Porter, Newsweek, US Edition
Shambhala International Owns Up to Past Abuse, But What Comes Next Remains Unclear, Wendy Joan Biddlecombe, Tricycle
Beerput van seksueel wangedrag open bij Shambhala, Joop Ha Hoek
How Did It Happen? Understanding and Healing Abuse in Buddhist Communities, Sandra Pawula
Shambhala, The Largest Western Tibetan Buddhist Organization, admits abuse by its leaders, Justin Whitaker
Buddhist group admits sexual abuse by teachers, Sarah Marsh, The Guardian
Shambhala International Communications
Background: Facebook Post about Mitchell Levy made by Andrea Winn in the Shambhala Facebook group – February 9
Letter from Lady Diana – February 12
Kalapa Council Shambhala Community Letter Addressing Harm – February 12
Mitchell Levy’s statement of recrusal – February 16
Kalapa Council community update – March 9
Kalapa Council Letter – March 19
Letter from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche – March 22
Namaste
Andrea M. Winn, MEd, MCS, was brought up in the Shambhala Buddhist community and has been meditating for over 40 years. She has Masters degree level training in trauma healing. Andrea brings her foundation of meditative discipline, healing gifts and her skill as a Coach to founding and leading Buddhist Project Sunshine, a project to bring healing light to the wound of sexualized violence in Buddhist communities. Get your copy of the ground breaking Project Sunshine Report that has rocked the Shambhala Buddhist community into a new age of awakening and healing. Also, see client testimonials about Andrea’s leadership coaching.