ROCKLAND — Rockland Shambhala will launch a five-week study group “Standing at the Edge” at 16 School Street in Rockland, starting Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Rachel Nixon and Cynthia Trone will lead the series. The class, which is open to everyone, including individuals new to meditation, is by donation. Preregistration is requested. 

What edges are you working with you in your life? What does freedom feel like to you? With curiosity and gentleness, we will explore the Edge states identified by author Joan Halifax: altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, engagement, and compassion. 

The study group is interactive and experiential, with a combination of meditation, dialogue, discussion, and readings. 

Rachel Nixon was first introduced to the Shambhala Buddhist teachings in 1999 through Pema Chodron's writings. Over the years, she has trained at Shambhala Centers in Maine, Vermont, Colorado, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

Cynthia Trone earned her master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University in 2017. She travelled to Tibet in 2016 to better understand the oppression and culture of Tibetan Buddhism, and in 2017, she attended the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra teachings in Bodhgaya, India.

Rockland Shambhala is a nonprofit Buddhist meditation group that meets at The Dancing Elephant in Rockland.

For more information and to register for the class, visit http://rocklandyoga.com/program/discovering-joy or contact Cynthia Trone at rocklandshambhala@gmail.com or 594-1694.