Form and Uniform

As part of their practice the Dorje Kasung wear uniforms to communicate:

• delight in the disciplines of egolessness and simplicity;
• service to others by being present and available to help;
• commitment to the continuous path of waking up, and manifesting care and dignity.

The military forms used by the Dorje Kasung were chosen as a reminder than we need to transmute aggression if we are to create enlightened society, and because these forms resemble the traditional monastic Buddhist discipline.

Dorje Kasung training is available to all members of Shambhala Centres. Some public Dorje Kasung programs are also offered.

Dorje Kasung

The Dorje Kasung is an organization within Shambhala modelled on the ancient tradition of dharma protectors and drala warriors. Its members are trained in protecting the space in which practitioners are able to hear and practice the teachings. That protection extends to the teacher who presents the teachings, the teachings themselves, and the community that practices the teachings.

This can manifest in simple functions like acting as a gatekeeper for the Centre to allow a meditation session to unfold undisturbed or holding a ceremonial role in a ritual. More elaborate functions like planning and executing the transportation of teachers and doing crowd control during large public events are also done by the Dorje Kasung.

In addition, Dorje Kasung can choose to specialize in psychological and physical crisis intervention, personal and building security, or ongoing personal service to lineage holders.

Victory over War

Dorje Kasung training strengthens our capacity to work with heightened and chaotic situations (in our mind or in our environment), and to find non-aggressive means to solve conflicts.

The motto of the Dorje Kasung is "Victory over War". War represents the struggle created by the three "poisons" identified by the Buddha: grasping, aggression and ignorance. Victory is acknowledging these poisons and meeting them with insight and loving kindness.

Recommended reading: The Rules of Victory: How to Transform Chaos and Conflict—Strategies from "The Art of War", by James Gimian and Barry Boyce, Shambhala Publications.