Winn welcomed the sakyong’s decision to step aside during the investigation, saying: “I am very happy decision.” I have recently learned that some of these women have shared experiences of feeling harmed as a result of these relationships. In a letter, he wrote: “There have been times when I have engaged in relationships with women in the Shambhala community. Last month Mipham issued an apology for hurt caused by past relationships with women in his community.

Shambhala also announced a change in the way it handles and reports sexual assault allegations. We are still emerging from a time in which such cases were not always addressed with care and skill,” a statement posted on Shambhala’s Facebook page said. “In our complex history there have been instances of sexual harm and inappropriate relations between members and between teachers and students. In a previous statement, Shambhala International said the organisation was looking into past “abhorrent sexual behaviour”. The international leaders of Shambhala, the Kalapa council, said: “We recognise that parts of our system are broken and need to dissolve in order to make room for real change.”īefore resigning, the Kalapa council said it took “the allegations of misconduct within our community very seriously and is working on a path forward to address ”. A law firm in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the community has its headquarters, has been hired to investigate allegations against the community’s leader. The news follows the resignation of nine members of the Shambhala organisation’s highest leadership body. Conducted with the assistance of Carol Merchasin, a retired lawyer and sexual misconduct investigator, it says: “Shambhala International was aware of these actions and did nothing.”

The report says the allegations point to “a pattern of behaviour”. He had previously apologised for hurt caused by past relationships with women in his community. He has not responded specifically to the recent allegations but said he fully supported an investigation and wanted to allow the time and space for it to proceed.

It includes stories claiming the sakyong – which translates as king, emperor or governor – sexually assaulted women when drunk and used kusung (volunteers who assist him) “to procure women students for his own sexual gratification”. The report, by a leadership coach and active member of the US Shambhala community, Andrea Winn, also claims Shambhala International ignored the issue. He resigned after the publication of a report on sexual misconduct within the group, which included stories from women who claim he sexually assaulted them.

Shambala scandal