I am a meditation guide attached to the Ottawa Shambhala Meditation Centre, where I am also a volunteer director. Over the years, I’ve led quite a few regular sitting meditation practices and ceremonies. As well, I lead classes in traditional Buddhist shamatha or “peacefully abiding” meditation, and in the Tibetan Buddhist compassion practice of tonglen.

I became involved with the Spirituality Centre, a few years ago… It was after the Shambhala Centre was asked if any teachers were available to talk with and guide students from Religious Studies who wanted to visit a Buddhist centre as part of their curriculum. We hosted a number of students over the following months who joined-in on meditation practices, rituals, and celebrations. It was apparent after that experience that there was a desire among students for a Buddhist chaplain to be available on-campus who could teach in a secular and ecumenic atmosphere.

Spirituality can be a pretty loaded term. But, I would say that my practice is a simply a path of deepening and appreciating what it means to be human. As a Buddhist, I wouldn’t say that it’s a free time activity, per se, but more of a journey without a goal. I’m just learning to recollect my natural dignity as a human being… and of course, forgetting constantly. That’s where formal meditation practice comes in handy – remembering to just be a human being.

Most often, I try to help students to relearn how to be gentler and appreciative of their own minds, hearts, and bodies, through meditative practices. There is a tremendous amount of aggression foisted upon the young by our society. A lot of that is internalized as a sense of basic unworthiness and anxiety, that then develops into relational and societal problems.

You can find Colin in T27 on Mondays typically from noon to 2:00 p.m. Colin hosts Learn to Medidate sessions from noon 1:30 p.m. the first Monday of every month and Drop In Meditation from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. the remaining Mondays. For additional information, please email Colin.

Office Hours

Mondays, noon to 2:00 p.m.