Buddhists have a favorite joke about their practice: "I tried to meditate, and nothing happened." Truly, there's usually very little happening at Shambhala Mountain Center, a meditation and retreat center northwest of Fort Collins. Scattered around the boundless mountain encampment, groups gather in tents and study halls to tune out the world and tune into themselves. Advanced students of Shambhala Buddhism spend weeks at the center in silence. But it isn't an entirely wordless world: Beginning classes and seminars are available for those looking to learn about meditation, and guided tours of the grounds and the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, the largest Buddhist shrine in North America, are daily activities. Stay for an hour, a day or a weekend; for those seeking some quiet time, Shambhala is Om away from home.