Karmê Chöling Shambhala Meditation Center

Meditation | Culture | Community

Nestled in the beautiful green mountains of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, Karmê Chöling offers contemplative programs to inspire wisdom and compassion in our everyday lives. As part of the global community of Shambhala we are dedicated to awakening our human hearts with kindness, bravery, and genuine dialogue.

With an array of accommodations, elegant meditation halls, an abundant organic garden, and a warm, inviting residential staff, you will find an ideal setting to explore what it means to be fully human while deepening your connection to the earth, yourself, and society.

About Shambhala

Shambhala is a global community with over 200 meditation and retreat centers around the world. As one of it’s four largest rural retreat centers, Karmê Chöling brings together people of all ages and from all walks of life who are interested in exploring our minds, transforming our experience, and awakening our potential for enlightened society.

We offer a path of meditation practice and contemplative arts oriented towards modern life. Our communities around the world cultivate kindness, bravery, and genuine dialogue. Our vision is to inspire compassionate, sustainable, and just human societies.

We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others to work on ourselves.

~ Pema Chödrön

Dathüns and Weekthuns

Dathüns and weekthüns are in-depth retreats and a powerful introduction to and deepening of mindfulness-awareness meditation. They are offered multiple times throughout the year as one-week, two-week or month-long group retreats.

During these programs, the practice of mindfulness goes beyond sitting on a meditation cushion; every aspect of daily life becomes part of the mindful discipline of rediscovering the present moment and our own hearts and minds.

June 28 - 30

Learn the Art of Japanese Archery: Kyudo First Shot

with Lucy Halverson

Kyudo, the Way of the Bow, is one of the oldest arts of the Japanese tradition of contemplative warriorship. The practice of kyudo begins with first shot and the cultivation of beginner's heart.

June 28 - July 13

Summer Arts Half-Dathun: Two Weeks of Meditation

with Lance Brunner

Open to everyone! Expand your understanding of your mind, emotions, and heart in this in-depth meditation retreat. Attend just the first week or the full two week retreat.

July 3 - 7

Kyudo Assembly *

with Kanjuro Shibata Sensei XXI

Kyudo practitioners are warmly invited to Seiko Kyudojo's third Kyudo Assembly with Kanjuro Shibata XXI. Here is a special opportunity to meet with Sensei and join together in a retreat setting for an extended period of group practice and fellowship.

July 12 - 19

Finding Bravery in Times of Confusion - Shambhala Training Levels I - III

with Shastri Bill Brauer

The Shambhala path starts here: the first 3 of 5 levels of the Heart of Warriorship training - a seminal path of ancient meditation practices & wisdom teachings rooted in the Shambhala tradition & created for the challenges of our modern, everyday lives.

July 19 - 21

Hearing, Contemplating, Meditating: Weekend Practice & Study Retreat *

with BenoÃ®t Cote

Mukpo Institute

Karmê Chöling is host to Mukpo Institute, a three-month path of practice, study, and community. The program focuses on putting your practice and study into action every day as you engage... Continue reading
Meditation

The following will guide you through the basic technique of meditation and how to prepare a place to practice at home. You will also find additional resources and a listing... Continue reading
Samadhi Cushions

Samadhi Cushions and Store was started by students of the late Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of Shambhala. They have been making and selling quality cushions for practitioners of meditation since 1975. Their cushions... Continue reading