Becoming Shambhala Warriors

A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble

“The weapons of the Shambhala warrior are compassion and insight—trained through mindfulness and wielded with courage.” —Joanna Macy

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The world recently lost a luminous soul: Joanna Macy, activist, scholar of systems theory and deep ecology, Buddhist teacher, and midwife of a more just and living world. She gave us language for what many of us have long felt: that we are in a time of Great Turning, but also Great Unraveling. She taught us that we must become spiritually awake enough to hold both.

Among the stories she most often told was the ancient Tibetan prophecy of the Shambhala Warriors. In a future time of great danger, when the Earth was ravaged, and all life hung by a thread, a new kind of warrior would emerge—not with weapons of destruction, but with the tools of healing.

Joanna said this prophecy was not a fantasy or a metaphor. It was a call. The Shambhala Warriors would walk into the corridors of power—not to destroy, but to dismantle the poisoned systems from within, using only two weapons: compassion and insight.

• Compassion: the ability to let the suffering of the world into our hearts without shutting down or turning away.

• Insight: the wisdom to see clearly the interconnection of all life, even when the world is unraveling.

These warriors were not limited by race, gender, or belief. They were not chosen by rank or ordained by institution. They arose in ordinary people—teachers, gardeners, artists, organizers, students, elders—each one trained in presence, each one refusing to be numbed or distracted. Each one willing to stand in love when fear would be easier.

Here’s the radical part: You are one of them.

If you are reading this, if your heart is breaking open and not apart, if you still dare to believe that love has a place even here, even now—you are already on the path.

The question is no longer if the Shambhala Warriors are coming.

The question is how we will train.

In a time when the world feels rigged toward collapse, when cruelty becomes law and despair is sold as inevitability, Joanna’s life reminded us: there is another way. It’s not an escape route—but a sacred return, a rejoining of the web, a remembering of our task—not to save the world through domination, but to midwife its healing through presence.

We don’t need more heroes.

We need people who can hold the fire without burning others, people who have faced the grief of our time and still choose to sing.

As Joanna taught us: “The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the world.”

We are in this together,

Cameron

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Reflection Questions

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• What grief are you carrying for the world right now—and how can you let it deepen, rather than harden, your heart?

• Where in your life are you being called to act with courage, compassion, or clear insight?

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A Prayer for the Day

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Warriors of Compassion

Spirit of life,
Make us fierce in tenderness.
Train our hands for the work of healing,
And our eyes to see beyond the illusions of separation.
Let us be strong—not in might, but in mercy.
Let us be wise—not in domination, but in discernment.
Let us be faithful—not to empire, but to Earth.
May we rise—
   rooted in love,
   relentless in hope,
   refusing to look away.

Amen.

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Spiritual Practice

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Training for the Path

Today, you are invited to step into training—not in violence or conquest, but in presence, compassion, and clear seeing.

1. Earth Grounding (10 minutes)

Begin by finding a quiet place, ideally where you can touch the earth—bare feet on soil, sitting against a tree, or simply placing your hands on your heart.

Close your eyes. Breathe slowly.

With each inhale, imagine drawing strength from the deep wisdom of the Earth. With each exhale, release tension, fear, or despair. Let your breath remind you that you belong here—that you are not separate from this world’s pain or its possibility.

2. Grief and Gratitude Journaling (10–15 minutes)

Take a few minutes to reflect in writing:

• What breaks your heart about the world today?

• What gives you courage to keep showing up?

• Where do you see glimpses of compassion and insight at work—in yourself or others?

You might begin your journal entry with:

“Today, I grieve…”

“Today, I am grateful for…”

“Today, I will train by…”

3. Small Act of Courage (Optional Extension)

Before the day ends, take one small action that moves love forward.

• Call someone you know is lonely.

• Write to an elected official.

• Offer kindness to someone you might usually overlook.

• Speak truth gently where silence has settled.

This is how warriors train—not with grand gestures, but with steady devotion to life.

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Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…

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September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.

October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!

October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, and Special Guests. We are living through the unraveling of many old stories—about who we are, why we’re here, and how we are meant to live together on this Earth. As these inherited narratives collapse under the weight of climate crisis, social fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection, the question becomes clear: What story will guide us now? REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!

I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.

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If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.