The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Leadership and History

The San Antonio Shambhala Center holds a unique place in both Buddhist tradition and San Antonio culture, as its directors, since its founding in a private San Antonio home in 1984, have always been women. The center has always strived to bridge the vast cultural and economic divides of San Antonio and make Buddhism accessible to Spanish speakers, wealthy and poor citizens.

Founder Elisa Gonzalez was drawn to Buddhism in her youth when she continually asked herself the question: Why is there so much suffering in the world? This question remained with her during her studies at the University of the Americas in Mexico City. When she returned to America and moved to Seattle, she was drawn to study theosophy and later Buddhism. While Buddhism appealed to her, she struggled with what she viewed as the secondary role of women in Buddhist tradition.

In 1984, Elisa moved to San Antonio, already deeply involved in Shambhala Buddhism and eager to open a local center. The first small group of locals, including a four-year old and a dog, met for meditation in her house, later moving to a massage parlor, then a cottage they named "Baby Dharma Dhatun." Eventually, the growing group split in half, with one group forming Corazon de la Sangha, a meditation group dedicated to the teachings of the Vietnamese Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hahn. Elisa, along with Allan and Doria Cross, founded the San Antonio Shambhala Center and moved to their first official building, an indigo painted beauty parlor located in a railroad box car, hidden on a street with no name.

In 1992, the San Antonio Shambhala Center became the first center in the world to receive recognition from the newly installed Sakyong. In her term as director, Elisa taught meditation in both English and Spanish, making Buddhism accessible to the city’s Hispanic community. After moving to a larger location on Evers Road, the San Antonio Shambhala Center moved to their current location on S. St. Mary’s in 2000. Today, they are located next to the Pig Stand, America’s oldest drive-in restaurant, in the heart of the city’s South Side. From 1992-1998, Doria Cross, who had been among the first group of practitioners in the mid-eighties, took over as the Center’s director. In 2003, Betsy Pond, who had her first experience of Buddhist meditation when the Center was located in a boxcar-cum- beauty parlor, took over. All directors and staff are volunteers.

Activities and Schedule

The San Antonio Shambhala Center holds meditation practices on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-8 p.m., and Sundays from 9:30 a.m - to 12:30 p.m. On Thursday evenings, they hold Dharma discussion group at 7 p.m. They also offer a calling service for practitioners who seek advice on improving meditation at home.

Location

The Center is located in the heart of the South Side, in a historically Hispanic and Spanish-speaking neighborhood, just opposite a giant pig statue and a mural with local schoolchildren and a flying policeman. Surrounded by brightly colored houses and busy streets, it is a piece of mindfullness in the midst of chaos. The center itself consists of a spacious welcoming hall with a small library, and two large meditation halls. One hall contains two separate altars, one for those practitioners who wish simply to focus on meditation, and the other for those following the Buddhist path as well. (see photos). Both meditation halls are open and full of light, with enough meditation cushions to accomodate dozens of visitors. According to Betsy Pond, the Center decided to move to the South Side deliberately because they felt as though they were "hiding" in their rural location and unavailable for the vast majority of San Antonio residents.

Demographics

Most of the practitioners are local college students. However, since its founding, the San Antonio Shambhala Center has prided itself on the diversity of those who practice there. "I feel that his culture of diversity, with a variety of Hispanics and other Americans, has really enriched the center," said director Betsy Pond. “We have people from all socio-economic backgrounds, the unemployed, doctors, and everyone in between. Our constant challenge is to make the Buddhist teachings accessible to everyone.” The San Antonio Shambhala Center plays a different role than many of the other Buddhist Centers in San Antonio, which are distinguished by their ethnic ties. While San Antonio has Thai, Korean, and Japanese Buddhist Centers, the San Antonio Shambhala Center caters to Buddhists and non-Buddhists who do not want to learn another language in order to practice.