This letter was originally sent by email from Katrin Stelzel to about 200 friends and colleagues. Permission to share it as sent.

Dear Friends and former Colleagues,

I’m writing to you today, because we became friends or worked together in different settings in my 31 years within Shambhala.

I started to write this letter already in February 2019, but it never left the draftbox, something was still not complete, so I did not send it out before.

I would like to let you know that I left the Shambhala Community. A lot of you will be surprised, because I was so involved, so devoted, so „in“ all my years in Shambhala.

I resigned being the European Potrang representative and one of the European Secretaries for the Mukpo family already in January and in the middle of June I will end being one of the Managing directors of the Shambhala Europe GmbH.

I am very sorry for everything that happened in the Shambhala Community. So many people were deeply hurt. Having been in a lot of different positions within the Community, I very much see myself as having an active part in the clergy abuse, the sexual misconduct, the betrayal, the emotional abuse, the misuse of funds, the whole financial catastrophe, the silencing of critical voices and everything else that happened, not only in the recent past but since a long time.

I knew that it was happening and at the same time did not know that it was happening.

There always has been a feeling that something is not right, but I was very good in silencing that feeling. I was very effective and skilled telling myself (and others) that everything is fine, that there are these great teachings and there are these great masters and there is this wonderful community.

When I read the Buddhist Sunshine Report 2 in June my strongest feeling, besides disgust, was relieve, relieve that finally there is an end to all of this……….. I was surprised about that feeling, since in my conscious mind, I did not feel that I needed relieve! At the same time, I thought: Whow! What an opportunity………(I thought that only for four months and then lost hope).

I do not want to be part of this community any longer, may it be with or without the presence of the Mukpo Lineage.

I know this is my truth and it might not at all be yours. Maybe with some of you, there is a possibility for an ongoing friendship. We will see how it evolves in the next couple of months.

I wish you all the best and if you would like to contact me, do not be afraid.

With love,

Katrin