

# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Refuge Vows with Gaylon Ferguson
- **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 01 May, 2026 at 07:00 pm – Sun, 03 May, 2026 at 05:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: The Refuge Vow has been part of the Buddhist path for centuries. Taking a vow in a formal ceremony is a way to set our intention and to plant a deep seed of aspiration for the unfolding of our spiritual path. First, we commit to freeing ourselves from confusion. The Refuge Vow takes the Buddha as a guiding example of an enlightened human being, the teachings as the path, and the community of practitioners as our companions in awakening. Then, we commit to the wisdom-heart of compassion, vowing to liberate all beings from suffering. This leads to the experience and realization of sacred world.

The Refuge Vow
The Refuge Vow is open to anyone who wants to make a formal commitment to the Buddhist Path. In taking the Refuge Vow, we take refuge in the three jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. 

“In the Buddhist tradition, the purpose of taking refuge is to awaken from confusion and associate oneself with wakefulness… When we take refuge, we commit ourselves to the Buddhist path.” 
– Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

 

Refuge Vows – Requirements:

There are no formal prerequisites for taking the Refuge Vows. However, it is recommended that one have a thorough understanding of the vows and their meaning before undertaking them.

Everyone, including friends and family, are welcome to the Refuge Vow Ceremony and reception on Sunday afternoon. 

 

Registration 

Please register with an email you check regularly. We will send important information about the program to you via email and don’t want you to miss it. An email with program details will be sent approximately 1 week before the program begins. Sometimes emails may end up in your promotions, spam or junk folder. It’s also possible that you’ve unsubscribed from emails from Shambhala, which prevents you from receiving the necessary emails. If you don’t receive the confirmation email, please contact clevelandshambhala@gmail.com.

If any of the program costs are an obstacle, please contact clevelandshambhala@gmail.com

 

In-person participation 

As an in-person event, all participants must agree to abide by the Shambhala Center’s current Coronavirus Precautions Policy. Additionally, we ask you to limit the use of scented products, as many people have chemical sensitivities.

 

About the preceptor

Gaylon Ferguson, PhD, has led group meditation retreats since 1976. He taught at Stanford, the University of Washington, and Naropa University, where he was a Core Faculty Member for fifteen years.

Gaylon is the author of three books, Natural Wakefulness (on the four foundations of mindfulness), Natural Bravery (on fear and fearlessness as path to manifesting bravery) and Welcoming Beginner’s Mind: Zen and Tibetan Wisdom on Experiencing Our True Nature (2024 from Shambhala Publications). His articles have appeared in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, and Buddhadharma magazine. He contributed the foreword to the pioneering collection Black and Buddhist: What Buddhism Can Teach Us About Race, Resilience, Transformation and Freedom (Shambhala, 2020).
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/lakewood/refuge-vows-with-gaylon-ferguson/200029805153207
- **Event Categories**: sports, health-wellness, art, literary-art, nonprofit, meditation, spiritual
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 4

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket URL**: https://cleveland.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=849513&utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=lakewood-events

## Event venue details

- **city**: Lakewood
- **state**: OH
- **country**: United States
- **location**: 17309 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH
- **lat**: 41.47745
- **long**: -81.81719
- **full address**: 17309 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH, United States

## Event Organizer details

- **affiliate_id**: 2
- **organizer**: Cleveland Shambhala Meditation Center (https://allevents.in/org/cleveland-shambhala-meditation-center/24719791)

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: banner
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/beafee39cfdce8b47409dfa99de6f332fe9f23a0df467bb910ffb3836234fc71-rimg-w1200-h675-dc2c1507-gmir?v=1774217045
- **Alt text**: thumbnail
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/76523453edfe152de1376745cc65b8d5f966ff0363868b6b5a195ca53edffde6-rimg-w300-h300-dc5f2d15-gmir?v=1774217046

## FAQs

- **Q**: When is the event happening?
  - **A:** Fri, 01 May, 2026 at 07:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Q**: Where is the event happening?
  - **A:** 17309 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH, United States
- **Q**: Who is organizing the event?
  - **A:** Cleveland Shambhala Meditation Center
- **Q**: What type of event is this?
  - **A:** sports, health-wellness, art, literary-art, nonprofit, meditation, spiritual
- **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about Refuge Vows with Gaylon Ferguson ?
  - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents.

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