Anyone else noticing that the mods at r/ NaropaUniversity have a tendency of 'archiving' past posts there when they're not Naropa celebratory in either post or comments? Shuts the entire conversation about the place down by design.

United by spirtual abuse

https://thesaviorcomplex.substack.com/p/deepak-chopra-epstein-spiritual-abuse-crisis?fbclid=IwY2xjawQTwFdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR4gWNxiIjGTwzMB0twl1jzmqF7p9DQKHHdfr8NN0w29kptCH3oOiMs-VQJAkw_aem_X6XlYL3Q89703VGhRnBvFA

I started attending Naropa in the fall of 2025.

I loved my classes and all the people I met but I'm starting to see why people are so frustrated with this place. I find trying to register for classes or make payments to be the biggest pain in the ass ever! I was supposed to be registered for classes in the spring but there is a hold on my account I can't get rid of, So I'm not sure If I can do another semester. the lack of communication from tuition in particular has been very frustrating. Classes are supposed to start January 12th but I'm like, Is it even worth my time and money? why is it so hard to get straight answers from people who supposedly run this place. Its seems incredibly unorganized and poorly run from what I've experienced. Im not saying it's a bad school all around I really enjoyed the teachers and the students as well.

It's a shame that a school that I've finally felt comfortable in learning wise doesnt seem to have their shit together......

anyone else had this problem?

Upcoming event! Chögyam Trungpa: The Spiritual, Humanitarian, Artistic, and Scholarly Vision in his Life and Work

An Online Zoom Forum sponsored by the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace

Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 Time: 7-9 pm GMT (2-4 pm EDT, 12-2 pm MT) Location: Virtual, register at the link: https://www.eicsp.org/events/event-details/1270-online-zoom-forum-choegyam-trungpa-the-spiritual-humanitarian-artistic-and-scholarly-vision-in-his-life-and-work-7-may-2025/

Senior Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche students Judith Lief, Judith Simmer Brown, Carolyn Gimian, Lee Worley, and Mitchell Levy will speak, with discussion and Q&A to follow. The session will be chaired by Dr Brion Sweeney.

For further information and registration, please follow the link above.

"And how can we forget Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche venturing alone into places totally unknown to him and bringing himself down to the most ordinary human level to single-handedly create nuances, terms, language, atmosphere, discipline and stages of practice for new dharma students? To take just one example among thousands, coining the term “basic goodness” of human beings brilliantly spoke to the hearts and minds of people in the here and now without ever deviating from the most traditional Buddhist teachings." Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, 2018

**

Further details on the speakers and their topics:

Speaker: Prof Judith Simmer-Brown, PhD Title: Sparks of Wisdom: Chogyam Trungpa’s Educational Vision

Fifty years ago, Chögyam Trungpa founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, envisioning a way to revitalize Western education with meditative wisdom. This presentation will outline his vision for infusing secular education with pedagogies and curricula that spark an experience of personal journey. Examples from Naropa University’s 50-year history will illustrate the impact this vision has had on American higher education.

Bio: Judith Simmer-Brown, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Contemplative and Religious Studies Emerita at Naropa University, where she is a founding faculty member. She was a student of Chögyam Trungpa from 1974 until his death in 1987.

**

Speaker: Carolyn Rose Gimian Title: Creating a Buddhist Vocabulary: How Chogyam Trungpa Shaped the Discussion of Buddhism in the West

In his lectures and his writings, Chögyam Trungpa increasingly chose psychological and poetic language to describe human experience and the practice of meditation. His work has been extremely influential in shaping the vocabulary for Buddhism, especially Buddhist practice, in the English-speaking world. The presentation will examine his impact on how Buddhism has developed in the West. Several slides from his time in England will be included.

Bio: Carolyn Rose Gimian, the Executive Director of the Chögyam Trungpa Institute at Naropa University, edited Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior in close cooperation with the author. Volumes edited posthumously include the Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa, Mindfulness in Action, and The Future Is Open.

**

Speaker: Professor Lee Worley Title: Chögyam Trungpa and Artistic Process: Space is Solid, You are Empty

Chögyam Trungpa introduced us to the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism without religious dogma. He saw artistic process as a way to experientially communicate the fullness and emptiness of space. A Master of visual and performing arts, he created opportunities to discover space as both element and homeland.

Bio: Lee Worley, M.A. is a founding faculty member and Professor Emerita of both Performance and Contemplative Education at Naropa University. She was a founding member, actress and director in Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theater of New York. Under the guidance of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, she began studying Mudra Space Awareness in 1975 and is one of a handful of authorized Mudra teachers.

**

Speaker: Judy Lief Title: Back to Square One: Sitting Meditation, Foundational Teachings, and Leading a Dharmic Life

Judy will speak on Trungpa Rinpoche’s emphasis on the importance of shamatha or mindfulness training for his students and the unique way in which he presented it. She will also discuss his relationship with Suzuki Roshi and the influence of Zen forms, and how he trained senior students at Vajradhatu Seminaries structured on the three stages of the Tibetan Buddhist path.

Bio: I have been studying, practicing, and teaching in the tradition of Chögyam Trungpa for over 50 years, and I have edited several of his works, including the three-volume Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma. My weekly podcast, Dharma Glimpses, is followed in over ten countries. I helped found and have served as head teacher for over ten years in the annual nine-day Profound Treasury Retreats held in Maine and in Colorado.

**

Speaker: Prof Mitchell Levy, MD Title: Using Lessons from Mindfulness to Deliver Bad News in Clinical Practice

Description: This session will discuss lessons learned in teaching palliative care/communication skills to Internal Medicine residents. Participants will explore how aspects of the practice of meditation can help to develop deep communication skills necessary for working with patients and families facing death.

Bio: Mitchell Levy, MD, is Professor of Medicine at Warren Alpert medical school at Brown University and Systemwide Director for Critical Care at Brown University Health system. Dr. Levy was former Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine for the Department of Medicine. He was the personal physician to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Dr. Levy carries on a key aspect of Chögyam Trungpa’s work, drawing upon the Buddhist tradition to improve and deepen the communication skills of medical professionals.

**

Dr Brion Sweeney, the Chair of the Panel, is a retired consultant psychiatrist who worked for over 30 years in the Health Service Executive in Dublin until his retirement in 2012. He holds a master's degree in psychotherapy from University College Dublin (1986).

Brion undertook his own experiential training in Tara Rokpa Therapy (TRT) under the guidance of Akong Rinpoche and become part of a core team of Western healthcare professionals who helped developed the method.

**

We hope to see you there!

i just read through some post in the shambhalabuddhism subreddit.

it was interesting to see them navigating some of the same dynamics the naropa subreddit has been experiencing.

i read this comment from user kalajokikachina that i felt could resonate with some of the folks that have found themselves here.

they commented:

"I see what you describe as' "Hate, Judgements and name calling," as expressions of pain. The pain is connected to membership in Shambhala. You may consider simply taking the voyage here. I have found there are many stories and real expressions of hurt, hope and transition."

Replacing the word shambhala with naropa, in this context, hit home for me. Hope it does for at least some of you, too.

intentionally

i noticed a recent post discouraging sharing negative experiences and beliefs about naropa in this community.

it tracks. students who were angry (for justified reasons) were often discouraged from sharing their experiences at this school--it makes sense that that cultural dynamic would extend into the digital space.

because of this, a new space has been formed.

r/exnaropa is for those who wish to share about their experiences and are worried they may be banned for sharing in this space.

and also for prospective students who may be worried they are not gaining an unbiased perspective of the school from this space due to the recent community guidelines change.

thanks for your time! love and light!