Popular Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön to give sold-out talk at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA

Sept. 7, 2010 - PRLog -- MEDIA CONTACT:
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Popular Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön to give talk at Craneway Pavilion
Unprecedented event will include a live stream and on demand video

September 7, 2010—Pema Chödrön—who has led workshops on Eastern spirituality for Western audiences for more than 20 years—will be leading a retreat at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA, October 15-17, 2010. The program Smile at Fear: Finding a True Heart of Bravery, is based on teachings from the book of the same name by Chödrön’s late teacher Chögyam Trungpa.  The 3,000-seat event—the largest capacity ever for a Pema Chödrön retreat—is sold out, but those unable to attend will be given unprecedented access to this timely retreat. Viewers can stream the event live and retain the on-demand video of the teachings at http://shop.shambhala.com/smile-at-fear.

In 2009, Oprah Winfrey named Pema Chödrön “one of 20 remarkable visionaries” and has referred to Chödrön as “one of the most influential voices in contemporary spirituality.”  Bill Moyers, who interviewed Chödrön, called her writings “helpful to countless numbers of people trying to find some ground for their being in this chaotic world.”

Chödrön says of the material she is teaching from Smile at Fear, “These teachings are transformational and especially relevant today, when so many of us are facing uncertainty and anxiety.  Chögyam Trungpa shows us how to uncover our innate strength, confidence, and joy under any circumstances.”  The book was released in hardcover in 2009. It was edited by Carolyn Rose Gimian with a foreword by Chödrön. A paperback edition will be available October 5 at the event and at www.shambhala.com.

For more information about the live stream and on demand video, or about the event, go to http://shop.shambhala.com/smile-at-fear.


Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa. Chödrön was the first American woman to be ordained in the Tibetan tradition. She is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Monastery in North America established for Westerners. Pema’s books have sold over 1.5 million copies and all her books have been translated into multiple languages, including When Things Fall Apart, which is available in 25 languages. Her latest book is Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears (available in paperback December 2010) and her most recent audio book is The Fearless Heart: The Practice of Living with Courage and Compassion.

Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987) was a meditation master, teacher, and artist who founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired University in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.

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Shambhala Publications, Inc. is an independent trade-nonfiction publishing company located in Boston, MA. Some of our authors include Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield, Chogyam Trungpa, Thich Nhat Hanh, and David Richo. Visit our website for more info.