Teaching Schedule

A seven-day residential retreat on the nature of mind according to the Mahamudra tradition of the Kagyu lineage. Each day comprises early-morning practice sessions, a formal teaching, guided meditation, and a question-and-answer period. The retreat is conducted in silence from sunset to the following morning. Participants are expected to have completed the Ngondro or to have a stable foundation in shamatha meditation.

A weekend online teaching exploring the awakening of compassion through the Seven-Point Mind Training (Lojong) of Chekawa Yeshe Dorje. This course is suitable for complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners wishing to refresh their foundation. All talks will be recorded and made available to registered participants for 30 days.

A three-day sacred gathering on the tenth day of the Tibetan lunar month (Guru Rinpoche Day). The programme includes the Tsok offering ceremony, the Guru Rinpoche empowerment (Wang), and teaching on the Kagyu Guru Yoga. This event is held three times annually at Norbu Ling and is one of its most beloved gatherings.

Lama Karma Dorje will give the reading transmission (lung) and full explanatory teaching for the Kagyu Ngondro — the four foundation practices comprising 100,000 each of prostrations, Vajrasattva purification, mandala offering, and Guru Yoga. This transmission authorises recipients to begin the practice. A follow-up online Q&A session is offered one month after the transmission.

A practical two-day online seminar on the mind-training (Lojong) tradition — specifically its approach to transforming anger, fear, and grief into the path of compassion. Drawing on the classic texts of Chekawa, Shantideva, and the oral instructions of his own teachers, Lama Karma Dorje will offer both philosophical grounding and immediate practical exercises.

A three-day silent residential retreat on the twin pillars of Buddhist meditation: shamatha (calm abiding) and vipashyana (insight). Suitable for practitioners of all traditions. The retreat provides an ideal foundation for those planning to undertake longer retreats in the future. Guidance on posture, breath, and working with distraction will be given in accessible, non-technical language.

Three evenings of teaching on selected songs from the Milarepa canon, exploring their hidden Mahamudra meaning and their relevance to contemporary practice. Lama Karma Dorje will draw on his book Songs of Milarepa: A Practitioner's Guide (2019), though the teachings are self-contained and no prior familiarity with the text is needed.

A ten-day closed residential retreat on the Dzogchen pointing-out instructions received from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. This retreat is strictly limited to practitioners who have completed the Ngondro, have a stable shamatha foundation, and have received prior instruction from Lama Karma Dorje or a teacher he has recognised. Applications must be submitted at least three months in advance.