Summer is a beautiful and exciting time at Shambala Mountain Center. Wildflowers are in bloom, the aspens are bursting with golden green leaves, and the land is thriving with a wide variety of programs.  It is also the season when people come from around world to volunteer their skills and enjoy the enriching experience of being in contemplative community. Living in furnished, canvas tents nestled in the mountainside, you are immersed in the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Each morning is a verdant walk among the fragrant pines to a hardy breakfast and then group meditation, where the community comes together to practice their commitment to mindfulness. From this nourishing foundation, the work day begins and volunteers assist in one of the SMC’s numerous departments—from marketing and programs, to cooking in the kitchen and working with the land—to name but a few. At noon, there is another opportunity to meditate before a delicious lunch and then again before dinner. Evenings can be spent enjoying a dharma talk, sitting around a campfire, or watching the sun …