The “founder” of our school was by inspiration from my Buddhist Teacher Chogyum Trungpa who discovered Ikebana in England while studying at Oxford in the 1960’s.

Chogyum Trungpa was born and trained in Tibet where there was nothing know as “art for art’s sake” or individual art expression. All visual, musical, and sculptural expressions were made as teaching vehicles for connecting to and understanding the Tibetan Buddhist understanding of life..

He saw the potential of how the ancient forms still practiced in Ikebana today could open people's heart-mind to the larger profound world of universal wisdom which is innate in all sentient beings. And by following inner wisdom this could liberate people from their self created suffering.

Unfortunately most of today's established Ikebana Schools have lost this deeper understanding and connection to their roots.

During his life time, Chogyum Trungpa had the wish to create an Ikebana school in which the deep roots and understanding were re-established and at this time while I studied with Chogyum Trungpa his manifestation and inspiration struck me so profoundly that I took up his humble wish to try to create a fresh school of Ikebana which embodies Dharma.

Therefore I feel the true founder of Kado Ikebana is Chogyum Trungpa.

 I became by choice, good fortune, karma, or all the above the person to pursue it’s formation and establishment and remain forever grateful for my teacher’s kindness, encouragement, and teachings on the is endless path of expansion and learning.

In 1974 Marcia Shibata began her study of the Buddhist and  Kado Way with Chogyum Trungpa.  She went to Asia to learn Ikebana as it had survived to date in Japan in 1980 and remained there until 1985.

 MS Shibata's endeavored remains to understand and teach how Kado Ikebana practice can be a portal to innate wisdom mind through diligent practice of forms, meditation practice, and studying of the laws of nature through the Buddhist/Taoist view and by observing and studying nature directly. 

She has taught Ikebana supported by meditation practice from 1985 to the present day both in the US and Europe.

In 2003, she was given permission to open a fresh school of Ikebana in which the laws of Dharma are revealed through the consecration and blessings of the son of Chogyum Trungpa,  Jamgon Trinley Mipham

Since this time the School has developed and flourished, recently  settling in Prague CZ Republic as its first official physical location.