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.

January 12, 2018

Update from the Executive Director

Many of you have read the Wickwire Holm Report and the letter from the Sakyong published last week. They bring up a wide range of emotions – possibly appreciation for the communication, possibly anger or further heartbreak and confusion regarding how we will go forward as a community. Read more

August 24, 2018

Update from the Executive Director

Karmê Chöling is committed to providing a safe place for people of all backgrounds, genders, race, age and physical ability, free from harassment, mistreatment and discrimination. Read more

July 20, 2018

Investigation Into Sexual Misconduct

For some months now, in the context of the Buddhist Project Sunshine, allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought against some individuals in Shambhala… Read more

February 22 - March 1

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

with Benoît Côté

This is where it all starts: 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 existence.

February 22 - March 1

Shambhala Training Retreat: Great Eastern Sun, Windhorse and Drala *

with Timothy Quigley

Great Eastern Sun, Windhorse, Drala mark the beginning of the Shambhala Sacred Path, introducing advanced warriorship practices that extend the meditation training of Levels I-V.

March 15 - 23

Weekthun: A Week of Meditation

with Acharya Suzann Duquette and Ethan Nichtern

with Rupa Acharya Suzann Duquette and Ethan Nichtern Open to everyone! Learn to understand your mind and emotions with this in-depth introduction to mindfulness-awareness meditation and Shambhala Meditation.

April 4

Parinirvana Day

Come celebrate the life of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on the anniversary of his death.

April 5 - 7

Kado, The Way of Flowers

with Artist to the Kalapa Court Marcia Shibata

Discover and cultivate the source of creativity and learn how to express this in flower arranging. Kado is a meditative, contemplative understanding of self, nature, space and perception. No prior knowledge nor training in flower arranging is needed to ta

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