I visited this place yesterday, year of Ox is a bad luck year for my son. I wanted to pray for his…read moresafety. It's a beautiful and serene place not very far from Atlanta. I kneeled in front of the Buddha, emptied all my worries in my heart and asked him to give me the strength and courage to navigate through this life. My heart felt lighter after.

They have service every Sunday. Beautiful and great place to mediate and chant. Koi pond, and fruit…read moretrees outside the temple. Beautiful Buddha statues inside the temple. They have drum class for the kids.

Peaceful place, nice people. Don't miss to check in. Perfect place to relax , meditate, and reflect…read moreourselves.

Lovely people here and the guided meditations are powerful. I've been a few times and each time…read moreI've learned a little more about the nature of my mind.

This is a nice, friendly Buddhist Temple (I know that most temples are friendly). The high monk is…read morealways very friendly and enjoys talking with everyone who visits the temple. It's not very big, but the temple itself is quite beautiful in the inside. He can speak English. I'm not sure if we have a English translation of the chanting book. The regulars who come here to learn about becoming a Buddhist are also nice (most of them, anyways). Before entering the temple, make sure to put your palms together and bow halfway. If you don't know what to do or how you're suppose to do things, just ask someone. They will help you out. The service takes about 3 hours, and afterwards, they will feed you lunch (it's all vegetarian food.. No meat). There are also end of the month picnics (get together to enjoy the Fall weather; looking at the beautiful colors of the leaves of the trees that changed from green to red/orange/yellow). I enjoyed going to those picnics, because we go hiking together, sing and play games (and win some prizes). So if you're looking for a place to learn about becoming a Buddhist, then give this place a try. Who knows, you'll probably make some friends and enjoy yourself! They welcome all kinds of people from young to old and different ethnicities, too. I hope you come and visit.

I learned about the Shambhala Center through a meditation class I'd taken at the Decatur Y. It's a…read moregreat place to quiet your mind. MEDITATION Meditation relieves stress by focusing attention inward to induce a state of deep relaxation. Evidence shows it relieves anxiety, pain and depression. SHAMBHALA/MEMBERSHIP The community practices the teachings of basic goodness. Members "make a connection to mindfulness-awareness practice and work to integrate it into daily life." Volunteers conduct most activities. Dues, donations and program fees sustain the center. Membership is voluntary and open to anyone from any background, culture or faith. No-one is excluded because of money. SPACE Across from the Suburban Plaza, the beautiful main meditation hall is surrounded by a few smaller cottages for retreats, meetings and admin space. Parking is free. The lobby welcomes you with tea, coffee, cookies and warm faces. There's a cubby room for coats and shoes, going shoeless isn't required. There are cozy rooms with pillows on the floor. The Shrine Room is for open house & large classes. OPEN HOUSE Free! 9:30am Sundays and 7pm Tuesdays in person and via zoom. Chant at 9:30am, meditate at 10am, discuss at 11:30am. Drop in or leave at any time. PROGRAMS/INCLUSION There are a variety for classes for vows, beginners etc. Some last a few hours, others 6 weeks. Cost - $0 to $100+ but a discount can be requested. There's an online class open to people of color every 2nd Monday at 7pm. The Queer Dharma LGBTQ-QIA2 Sangha is a community of meditation practice founded & hosted by LGBTQ. One Breath, not affiliated with Shambhala, is a "Buddhist-flavored" meeting 3x per week for those in recovery. MY EXPERIENCE I took the 3 hour $20 "Start, Restart Your Meditation Practice Class" for newbies, bring a friend for free. I sipped tea, made small talk and entered the warm and inviting Shrine Room. There was plenty of natural light with cushions, chairs, blankets and good energy. Seasoned instructor Valerie was funny and relaxed. We learned breath, posture, where to place our hands etc. We did seated and walking meditations and even went outside. There were lots of breaks to ask questions and each meditation was 2 - 10 minutes, perfect for beginners. SUM Shambhala is a wonderful place to learn and to practice meditation. Check out the website, drop in to Open House and take a class. You don't have to be Buddhist, the center is free and welcoming to all!

Great place to visit, meditate, learn, and engage with people. The Shambhala Meditation Center of…read moreAtlanta welcomes all. Come just for a vist; come join our vibrant sangha.

I've been coming here for 3 years now. I've always used Mandarin to communicate, but they are such…read morenice people here, I'm sure they can find a way to communicate with anyone. They help guide me through prayers and let me light candles and incense every time. They also sometimes give me prayer and guardian beads when I've asked. This is a gem for all Buddhists

This temple is lovely. While I've only ever come with my Mandarin-speaking partner, the nuns are…read morealways warm and friendly towards me. As a newbie to Buddhism, they very kindly guide me through each station.

I fell and twisted my leg and tried to get help. The sidewalk in front of the temple has a huge…read morecrack and as I was trying to get into the temple, I ended up falling into the crack, so I limped to the front door and tried knocking one of the monks saw me And refused to let me in. I don't want to say it was because I'm African descent, but after he let a white woman come in and also he let an Indian couple come in, but ignored me. I just sat on the floor in front of the temple until the pain subsided. I guess even with monks skin color matters this was very disappointing.

http://dharmajewel.us/ A beautiful Buddhist temple situated…read morein the "Bible-belt" South, Dharma Jewel Monastery welcomes all to learn about the peaceful and profound ancient philosophy that Buddhism entails. DJM is part of Chung Tai Chan (Zen), which practices meditation, sutra studies, and performing good deeds (though here in Atlanta, Tzu Chi Buddhist Charities is far more active in performing philanthropic work). Beginner and more advanced meditation classes (in English or Chinese) to calm and clear the mind are available, as are Sunday chanting services in Chinese. The building is a conversion of an old church - a true sign of the religious freedoms that Americans enjoy. All activities are free of charge, though donations are appreciated. Website at www.ctzen.org and at www.dharmajewel.us To our elders be respectful: respect subdues arrogance To our juniors be kind: kindness dispels anger With all humanity be harmonious: harmony overcomes rudeness and violence In all endeavors be true: truthfulness eradicates deceit