I offer online retreats and weekly classes all year round for experienced practitioners.
Sign up to my mailing list by registering for one of the events below, and I’ll keep you updated.

Later in the year I have a plan to offer some beginners’ classes, probably on TikTok Live – streamed if I can to Facebook and Youtube. If you are interested please write (contact page for email) and watch this space!

Follow my videos on TikTok as KamalashilaMatthews.
Similarly on Facebook, Soundcloud and Youtube where I’m Kamalashila Matthews.

Events for experienced practitioners

By ‘experienced’ I mean those who have been practising Buddhist mediation for three years.
If you want to learn meditation from the beginning, go here or here for some written instructions. Later in the year I hope to do some live teaching for beginners, see previous paragraph.

Ongoing Weekly Classes from May 16th

A weekly practice to explore Anapanasati and meditation on the Brahmaviharas, in depth and detail.
No commitment required, no charge, donations appreciated.

Anapanasati Tue 10am

Brahmaviharas Thur 5pm

Register here for both classes:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtc-GvpzIiHNNmXa–dvqZNxIw8mfJ6M40

For personal practice, or to see if this is for you, you are welcome to view all last year’s sessions on Vimeo
Anapanasati https://vimeo.com/showcase/anapanasati
Brahmaviharas https://vimeo.com/showcase/brahmaviharas

Weekend Retreats (live and online) at the West London Buddhist Centre

Anapanasati: The Fourth Tetrad May 24-26
This weekend we will explore the final four instructions of the 16 stages of Anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) meditation as taught by the Buddha. These enable us to gain realisations into the nature of impermanence, the fading away of clinging, the truth of cessation, and final relinquishment of samsara. These elements of the practice may appear remote and perhaps abstract, but regular practitioners will already know that they are accessible to some extent. Hopefully the study and the meditation that we do this weekend will help us go deeper into these aspects.
Registration available soon

Mudita: Sympathy, Joy and Appreciation July 5-7
To what extent are we able to sympathise with others, to experience joy in their happiness rather than resentment or envy? Happiness in others can at times be strangely disquieting, even downright annoying. And do we even appreciate out own good qualities? This too can be surprisingly tough, and on bad days send us spiralling down into self blame, low self image, and worse.

This is the territory of Mudita, ‘Sympathetic Joy’. We will simply do the practice, talk about it, and explore something of what Bhikkhu Analayo has to say about it in his book Compassion and Emptiness.

Registration available soon.

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 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
every Tuesday 10am, Thursday 5pm	Ongoing Weekly Class Anapanasati Tue 10am Brahmaviharas Thur 5pm	ongoing, registration https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudu-ppjsrE9DPjAgGt55LnLQHhWKkKUMu	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. It will be rescheduled as the first event after the Winter Retreat, probably April 2024.	https://vimeo.com/showcase/10639586	https://kamalashila.co.uk/the-greatly-compassionate-one	Padma
6-7 January 2024	Freeing the Mind in person weekend at West London Buddhist Centre with online participation	https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkduygpjgqEtdm–rAxMS7edwIjnYT5Fyo
11 January – 10 March 2024	Virtual Vihara Winter Retreat 2024	https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqcOispjosE9CwdUpIkUIiAXfGkrwpPqsB Are you an Order member doing much over the next month or two? Whether you have time to be on retreat or not, this is a good time of year to slow down and refresh your Dharma practice. The Winter Retreat is an online community of other Order members doing that together until the early spring. It is free with an option to give dana according to your means. 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 is 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/virtual-vihara-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

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

Classes & Retreats