“Kamalashila’s memorial will be held on Sunday 17 November at the North London Buddhist Centre.
Due to limited spaces it is by invitation only. Apologies. The event will be streamed by The Buddhist Centre Online so I hope lots of you will be able to attend in this way.
Please find further information via this link.
If you would like to contribute towards the costs of the memorial, please donate here.”
Yashobodhi 31/10/24
recorded material for experienced practitioners
By ‘experienced’ I mean those who have been practising Buddhist meditation for three years.
If you want to learn meditation from the beginning, go here or here for some written instructions.
For personal practice you are welcome to view all last year’s sessions on Vimeo
Anapanasati https://vimeo.com/showcase/anapanasati
Brahmaviharas https://vimeo.com/showcase/brahmaviharas
Order Sadhana https://vimeo.com/showcase/11172074
Events for Order members or with equivalent experience
To access these files, place your mouse within the table below and scroll right as well as down.
Most materials and events here are primarily for Order members. They are open for all to browse with one exception. Sadhana (deity yoga) practices require explanation and initiation from a qualified teacher, which in our tradition is given only at ordination. So if you haven’t received ordination or an equivalent initiation, please don’t play the meditation videos connected with those practices. There is plenty of theoretical material here that is fine to browse, and there plenty of other aspects of Dharma to explore, such as the retreats on Abhidharma, Death and Dying, the Elements and the Brahmaviharas.
Date | EVENTS all events free dana requested | DESCRIPTION –> –> –> –> scroll right for video links –>–>–>–> Registration Links for coming events | VIDEO | Resources | Password | AUDIO |
These were weekly Classes Anapanasati Brahmaviharas | Anapanasati Tuesdays 10am https://vimeo.com/showcase/10330699 Brahmaviharas Thursdays 5pm https://vimeo.com/showcase/10330700 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/resource-page | Tetrad | Anapanasati https://soundcloud.com/k-s-ce=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Brahmaviharas https://soundcloud.com/k-s-52/sets/brahmaviharas-on-thursdays-at?si=83ece271bd4e46479e74603341f487ff&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing | ||
April 2024? | The Greatly Compassionate One | This retreat was postponed because of moving house. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10639586 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-greatly-compassionate-one | Padma | |
6-7 January 2024 | Freeing the Mind was an in person weekend at West London Buddhist Centre with online participation | |||||
11 January – 10 March 2024 | Virtual Vihara Winter Retreat 2024 | The annual weekend retreat (for Order members) was an online community of other Order members doing retreat together until the early spring. It is free with an option to give dana according to your means. You can use the space how you like but you are expected to attend regularly during the time you stay. So, you can come for the whole thing, dip in and out, or just come for a period. Sign up for the minimal three weeks, or join us for the whole period. The atmosphere and general discussion vibe is very informal, but there is a solid, serious core: our regular formal practice sessions – mornings 10-12, afternoons 4-6. and evening 8-9pm (uk times). This programme happens every day except Mondays which is a ‘tech free’ or ‘solo day.’ There are also special events on the full moon and quarter days. The Winter Retreat was an opportunity you can use according to your needs. It can be the support framework for a personal, at-home, intensive retreat, adding more sessions of practice. Several people have done this every year over the last three of these events. Some people go and stay with an Order friend and practice together. But it doesn’t have to be a retreat – you can use the regular connection to work on your practice within your usual daily working life – something all of us can probably benefit from, and that many Order members have done over recent years as well. All sessions are optional. The meditation sessions are regularly own-practice but most days I also do some teaching and leading. There may be study as well as meditation. We shall see what people are interested in. I’m open to requests regarding the content. These events are fun, take our practice deep, and cement bonds within the Order. Do join us and practice with us. | https://kamalashila.co.uk/winter-retreat-2024 | Mahamudra | ||
11 – 17 November 2023 | The Dance of Kurukulle | A retreat practising the Kurukulle Sadhana received by Sangharakshita from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and edited for Order practice by Kamalashila, backed up by sessions of Karunabhavana radiation | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10639585 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-dance-of-kurukulle | Hrih | https://on.soundcloud.com/4mk4y |
3-5 November 2023 | The Qualities of Karuna and Anukampa | A weekend of study and meditation for the Thursday 5pm Weekly Class on the Brahmaviharas. We began studying Bhikkhu Analayo’s Compassion and Emptiness, an important text and meditated on Karuna. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10639576 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-qualities-of-karuna-and-anukampa | Karuna | https://on.soundcloud.com/u9euH |
9 – 15 October 2023 | The Great Stupa | Meditation on everything Stupa related: Death, the Charnel Ground, Buddha and his dispensation of insight methods, the Elements, their dissolution and our identification with them. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10639578 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-great-stupa | Rupa | |
20 – 29 September 2023 | The Great Dissolution | Recorded at Vajraloka. Given time to reflect plus some guidance, we can learn how we can prepare for the end of life. It is only forces of samsara within us that make death seem impossible to relate to. Facing death is a natural path to wisdom & compassion. There’s a place in ourselves where our impermanence is a path. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10673468 | None | none | none |
15-17 September 2023 Weekend | The Great Doubt | With Yashobodhi. A weekend retreat focusing on the great fetter, hindrance and poison of Doubt. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10636111 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-great-doubt | Sheep | https://on.soundcloud.com/7RNxY |
25-27 August 2023 Weekend | Stability of Earth, Water of Inspiration | A weekend retreat for the Weekly class, focusing on on Anapanasati | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10607616 | None | None | |
7-13 August | The Radiance of Wisdom | With Padmayogini. A continuation of the Mandala retreat in May with an emphasis on Vajrayogini. The resource page has some interesting conversation with Anandajyoti about the Sri Sahaji Vajrayogini practice. | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10537470 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-radiance-of-wisdom | Prajna | |
21-23 July 2023 Weekend | Elemental Vajrasattva | A weekend retreat for Order members focusing on the six elements practice and the Vajrasattva sadhana | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10535216 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/elemental-vajrasattva | Vajra | https://on.soundcloud.com/XKGx5 |
Date | Retreat | Description ––– SCROLL RIGHT FOR MORE –––> | VIDEO | Resources | Password | AUDIO |
30 June- 2 July 2023 Weekend | Boundless Awareness | The first weekend retreat for the Weekly Class on Anapanasati and Brahmaviharas | https://vimeo.com/showcase/10497779 | None | None | |
22-28 May 2023 | Mandala: a Cosmic Principle | A retreat, co-led with Padmayogini, about the Principles of the Mandala | https://vimeo.com/showcase/mandala2023may | https://kamalashila.co.uk/mandala-a-cosmic-principle | Centre | http://on.soundcloud.com/pnt38 |
2 January – 5 March 2023 | Winter Retreat 2023 | The annual winter retreats include many sadhana meditations, puja, talks and teachings stimulated by the community on a range of topics. The resource pages offer a rich selection of downloads. | tinyurl.com/2023JanWinter | https://kamalashila.co.uk/virtual-vihara-winter-retreat-2023 | Sati | none |
11-17 November 2022 | Perfect Wisdom of Kurukulle | A retreat exploring the culmination of the year’s various approaches to sunyata – opening to emptiness, the sadhana method, the energy of wisdom, and realisation beyond life and death – in the figure of the Dakini Kurukulle. | tinyurl.com/2022NovKurukulle | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-perfect-wisdom-of-kurukulle | Hrih | none |
7-13 October 2022 and | Perfect Wisdom Dying Process | A retreat about how to relate from a Buddhist perspective to the inevitability of death and dying, drawing particularly on the teachings of Prajnaparamita. | tinyurl.com/2022OctDying | https://kamalashila.co.uk/perfect-wisdom-in-the-dying-process | Marana | none |
9-12 September 2022 and 2-5 January 2023 | Perfect Wisdom of Manjusri / Gnosis of Manjusri (combined events) | Two three-day retreats centred upon the Manjughosa Stuti Sadhana, with input from Anandajyoti | tinyurl.com/2022SeptManjusri | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-perfect-wisdom-of-manjusri-gnosis | Gnosis | none |
24-30 June 2022 | Stages of Sadhana Meditation | A retreat about the different stages of sadhana practice – how evoking emptiness, imaginative visualisation, reflection on the maya-way, and union with the deity all work together for the sadhanas we have been initiated into. | tinyurl.com/2022JuneSadhana | https://kamalashila.co.uk/sadhana-perfect-wisdom-prajnaparamita | Yidam | none |
Date | Retreat | Description ––– SCROLL RIGHT FOR MORE –––> | VIDEO | Resources | Password | AUDIO |
9-15 May 2022 | Stages of Meditation on Emptiness | A retreat about ways to enter the natural state of sunyata, exploring the six elements and a light look at Khenpo Rinpoche’s Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness. | tinyurl.com/2022MayEmptiness | https://kamalashila.co.uk/stages-of-meditation-on-emptiness | Sunyata | none |
10 December 2021 – 3 March 2022 | Winter Retreat 2022 | The annual winter retreats include many sadhana meditations, puja, talks and teachings stimulated by the community on a range of topics. The resource pages offer a rich selection of downloads. | tinyurl.com/WinterRetreat2021-2022 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/virtual-vihara-winter-retreat-2021-22 | Vihara | none |
3-9 December 2021 | Dakini | Introducing the Tantric figure of the Dakini, ‘in essence … the nature of mind appearing as an intimate spiritual friend revealed through practice and the realisations that arise out of practice.’ Practising the sadhana of Kurukulle. Talks include a commentary on the Kurukulle practice and reflections on the nature of the dakini. | tinyurl.com/2021DecDakini | https://kamalashila.co.uk/dakini | Hrih | none |
29 September – 4 October 2021 | Inner Breath Vajra Body | A retreat on the Anapanasati practice with special reference to the inner / vajra body. Manjughosa as presiding deity. | tinyurl.com/2021OctIBVB | https://kamalashila.co.uk/inner-breath-vajra-body | Prana | none |
22-28 September 2021 | Immeasurable Sunyata | A retreat on the Four Brahmaviharas, with talks and teaching on the practices. There’s also material on Death and Dying, Tara, and Vajrasattva | tinyurl.com/2021SeptImmeasurableSunyata | https://kamalashila.co.uk/immeasurable-sunyata | Love | none |
27 August to 2 September 2021 | The Dharma of Death and Dying | A retreat on Death and the dying process with ritual for deceased Order members, emphasis on Bodhicitta and materials from the Pali canon such as the instruction to Girimananda and the Charnel Ground practice, Maranasati. | tinyurl.com/2021AugDeathDying | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-dharma-of-death-and-dying | Liberation | none |
23-29 April 2021 | Living in the Vajra World | Retreat on ‘Living Order Practice’ focusing on sadhana. Talks and instructions on Sakyamuni, Manjughosa, Mahakarunika, Tara and Padmasambhava. Also material on The Theatre of Sadhana, the Five Wisdoms, Anapanasati and the Elements. | tinyurl.com/2021AprilVajraWorld | https://kamalashila.co.uk/living-in-the-vajra-world | Sadhana | none |
. 26 March to 1 April 2021 | Treasure Trove of Mind | An exploration in theory and practice of the 51 Mental Events in the Yogacara Abhidharma. With reflections, talks, printouts and appropriate meditations. | tinyurl.com/2021MarchTreasureTrove | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-treasure-trove-of-mind | Citta | none |
Date | Retreat | Description ––– SCROLL RIGHT FOR MORE –––> | VIDEO | Resources | Password | AUDIO |
21 November 2020 to 21 February 2021 | Winter Retreat 2021 | The annual winter retreats include many sadhana meditations, puja, talks and teachings stimulated by the community on a range of topics. The resource pages offer a rich selection of downloads. | tinyurl.com/WinterRetreat2020-2021 | https://kamalashila.co.uk/virtual-vihara-winter-retreat-2020-21 | Nisprapanca | tinyurl.com/WinterRetreat2020-2021Audio |
12-18 October 2020 | Dispersing the Darkness of Ignorance | Focusing on Wisdom and Manjughosa. Commentary on the Stuti Sadhana, Talk on the Vajra Body, Extended Manjughosa (Dhardo) and new translation of Stuti-sadhana by Anandajyoti, who comments in many QA sessions. Interesting material on resource page from Purna | tinyurl.com/2020OctManjughosa | https://kamalashila.co.uk/dispersing-the-darkness-of-ignorance | Arapachana | tinyurl.com/2020OctManjughosaAudio |
14-20 September 2020 | The Jewel in the Lotus | Exploring Buddha-Nature with the Avalokitesvara sadhana and some teaching on the Just Sitting practice | tinyurl.com/2020SeptJewelInTheLotus | https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-jewel-in-the-lotus-retreat-page | PadmeHum | tinyurl.com/2020SeptJewelInTheLotusAudio |
8-14 August 2020 | The Lineage of Prajnaparamita with Anandajyoti and Karunachitta | Focusing on Prajnaparamita sadhana (with new translation by Anandajyoti) with inner body teaching from Karunachitta | https://kamalashila.co.uk/prajnaparamita-retreat-page | Bhagavati | tinyurl.com/2020AugustPrajnaparamita | |
6-12 July 2020 | The Six Bardos | The Bardo Thodol text in relation to death and dying, practice sessions focusing on the different Bardo states | https://kamalashila.co.uk/six-bardos-retreat-page | Wandering | tinyurl.com/2020JulyBardo | |
15-21 June 2020 | The Great Elements | Detailed instructions for the Six Elements family of practices | tinyurl.com/2020JuneElements | https://kamalashila.co.uk/great-elements-retreat-page | Mahabhuta | tinyurl.com/2020JuneElements |
8-14 May 2020 | The Vajrasattva Sadhana | Vajrasattva’s form and significance, commentary on sadhana, and Vajra body practices. | tinyurl.com/2020MayVajrasattvaVideo | https://kamalashila.co.uk/vajrasattva-retreat | Thunderbolt | tinyurl.com/2020MayVajrasattva |
10-16 April 2020 | The Mahakarunika Sadhana | Our first event. In audio only. The video delivers the audio against a peaceful background – our garden at Kitty’s Farm, where we lived from August 2020 to October 2023. | tinyurl.com/2020AprilAvalokitesvaraVideo | Follow audio link to see complete set of events on SoundCloud | None | tinyurl.com/2020AprilAvalokitesvara |
Date | Retreat | Description ––– SCROLL RIGHT FOR MORE –––> | VIDEO | Resources | Password | AUDIO |
If you find the materials useful please consider donating so that I can continue teaching.
For many events you may need the password which protects certain pages from spam/data theft. Many retreats also have a resource page which may also offer ritual texts, talk transcripts, images etc.
Video & audio curation by Sarvamitra. Scroll right to see Resources, Audio and Password columns.
A selection from the Archive
Anapanasati
Note: this is not the introductory ‘Mindfulness of Breathing’ which is explained here.
Anapanasati Experienced Meditators weekly class videos
(This is a current, ongoing event: register free, donations welcome here)
From Order events:
Anapanasati lead through Video
Anapanasati lead through, emphasis on Anatta Video
Introduction to Anapanasati, mantras and full lead in context of Avalokitesvara Video
Anapanasati stages lead-through in text format Text
Comments on the anapanasati practice: especially insight stages & how to work in general PDF
The Brahmaviharas
Brahmaviharas Experienced Meditators weekly class videos
(This is a current, ongoing event: register free, donations welcome here)
From Order events:
The four Brahmaviharas lead-through Video (turn up volume)
Goodwill (metta) meditation Video
Karuna bhavana meditation Video
Karunabhavana in concentric spheres Video
Muditabhavana in concentric spheres Video
Upekkhabhavana in concentric spheres Video
The Six Elements Practice
A Six Elements Ritual PDF
Sakyamuni Mantras (5 mins.), then full lead through the Six Elements Practice Audio
Six Elements Practice Audio
Six Elements lead through Video
Just Sitting
Eight minute introduction to how to approach Just Sitting Video
Full introduction to Just Sitting and a session of the practice Video
Shrine salutation, simple Just Sitting Audio
Ritual Texts
Arya Tara Puja (from the Cult of Tara) PDF
Relinquishing The Six Elements, a Ritual for parting from clinging to this life PDF
Vajrapani Puja: Peace is a Fire addressed to both wrathful and peaceful aspects. PDF
The Heart Wish of Mahamudra- an Aspiration Prayer or Pranidhana PDF
Padmasambhava Puja PDF
Prajnaparamita Puja PDF
Six Elements Puja with Lounge Deities PDF
Vajrapani Puja (Wrathful) PDF
Manjughosa Puja PDF
Cutting Through Bondage Chö Ritual for Entering retreat PDF
Bardo of Meditation puja PDF
Puja in Preparation for Death and the Bardo PDF
Vajrasattva Puja text PDF
Buddha Puja PDF
Six Elements Puja PDF
Buddha Puja with six elements speak and Dakini mantras PDF
Long Hum Ritual PDF
Mahakarunika (Avalokitesvara) Sadhana Puja PDF
Sadhana in general
Sadhana: the Context and Image of Buddhist Practice PDF – A Guide to Sadhana practice
An Introduction to Tathagatagarbha in relation to sadhana and nature Video
The Vajra Body Video Talk about energy centres & seed-syllables as the basis for sadhana meditation (and as useful generally in meditation)
Session on the Inner body Video
Vajrasattva
Aspects of Vajrasattva: introduction to the form and significance of Vajrasattva Video
How to Approach the Vajrasattva sadhana: a point-by-point commentary on the Sadhana in the Tharpe Delam Video
Vajrasattva sadhana led through: a 50 minute led sadhana practice Video
Prajnaparamita
Prajñāpāramitā puja PDF
Prajnaparamita – the evolution of my relation to her sadhana. Introductory talk followed by ‘Cutting Through Bondage’ Ritual. Audio
Chakra Practice and purification breathing led by Karunachitta, with Introduction by Kamalashila Audio
Anandajyoti talk on the Prajnaparamita (58m), Kamalashila introducing & leading Prajnaparamita puja Audio
Avalokitesvara
Intro + Lead-through Mahakarunika – Mahamudra sadhana (4 armed Avalokitesvara) Audio
Lead-through of Avalokitesvara Sadhana based on Tillmann’s translation with an interpretation of the pointing out instruction Audio
Manjughosa
Commentary on the Manjughosa Stuti Sadhana Video
Brief introduction to the Manjughosa practice and lead-through Video
Full lead-through of Manjughosa stuti sadhana Video (skip to 3.20)
Manjughosa Practice followed by Manjughosa Puja (based on self-visualised sadhana) Video (skip to 4.0)
Led sadhana, Mantra chanting, then short discussion Audio