Working with Fear & Awakening Compassion

In uncertain times, clarity and compassion are not luxuries. They are essential capacities we can train.

For the first time, Karmê Chöling is honored to welcome Lama Karma Drodhul, a respected teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition and former president of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, the North American seat of His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa.

Over one weekend, he will offer a complete arc of teachings and practice: guidance on the Songs of Khenpo Gangshar, a Chenrezig empowerment and compassion meditation practice, and the opportunity to take refuge vows.

At the heart of this weekend is a very down to earth question: how do we meet a turbulent world without shutting down, and how can Buddhist teachings actually help us do that in daily life?

Lama Karma will explore these questions through the life and teachings of Khenpo Gangshar, one of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s principal teachers during the years leading up to his escape from Tibet.

Recognizing that hardship lay ahead, Khenpo Gangshar shared profound meditation instructions widely so ordinary people would have tools to meet fear, loss, and upheaval. Many of these instructions were expressed as Dohas: “songs of realization,” short teaching poems that arose directly from his own meditation experience and were meant to be practiced, not just admired.

During the weekend, Lama Karma will introduce selected songs and pith instructions, sharing stories of how they were first taught and guiding participants in applying them both in meditation and in daily life.

Participants will:

• Learn simple meditation tools for working with fear and anxiety
• Hear how past teachers practiced during times of disruption
• Practice ways to find steadiness when life feels unpredictable
  
  

A central part of the weekend will be receiving the empowerment and practice instructions of Chenrezig, known in Sanskrit as Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva who embodies universal compassion.

Chenrezig is described as the one who looks with an all seeing eye, pointing to a mind and heart that can notice suffering without turning away. Lama Karma will explain this practice in everyday terms. Through visualization, mantra, and reflection, participants learn to uncover compassion that is already present. Rather than trying to become someone new, this practice works directly with anxiety, self criticism, and habitual reactions, gently loosening their grip so natural warmth can emerge.

An empowerment is a formal introduction to this compassionate awareness, offered in a ritual setting so participants can relate to compassion as lived experience rather than philosophy.

During this portion of the weekend, participants will:

• Receive the Chenrezig empowerment
• Learn a step by step compassion meditation to continue at home
• Understand how mantra and visualization support emotional resilience
  

Lama Karma will also offer the opportunity to take refuge vows.

In the Buddhist tradition, taking refuge means making a formal commitment to orient one’s life around the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha as sources of guidance and support. It is a way of saying: in the midst of confusion and difficulty, this is where I can turn for direction.

For lay people, the refuge vow is not about withdrawing from ordinary life, but about bringing a different kind of intention and confidence into it. Lama Karma will explain what refuge means, what the ceremony involves, and how it connects with Chenrezig practice and the teachings of Khenpo Gangshar, so that anyone considering this step can do so with a clear understanding.

Those interested in taking refuge will:

• Receive a clear explanation of the vow
• Have time to reflect and ask questions
• Be supported in connecting this commitment to daily life
  
  

This retreat is open to anyone who is looking for grounded guidance and practical methods, rooted in deep Buddhist wisdom, to bring more understanding to their own confusion and anxiety in these difficult times. Lama Karma will take care to define key terms and give context for the traditions he draws from so that people without prior exposure to Tibetan Buddhism can follow along comfortably.

You may feel drawn to this weekend if you:

• Feel unsettled or overwhelmed by current events
• Want meditation and compassion practices that meet real life directly
• Are curious about empowerment and refuge in a thoughtful setting
• Have practiced before and wish to deepen compassion training

Participants can expect guided meditation, explanation, and time for questions. The setting itself supports this opportunity for deep reflection: Karmê Chöling sits on hundreds of acres of meadows and forest in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Walking paths, open sky, and a long history of meditation training create an atmosphere of continuity and steadiness that many find deeply supportive.

Do I need previous meditation experience?
No. Key ideas and practices will be explained in accessible language.

Can I attend if I am unsure about empowerment or refuge?
Yes. You are welcome to participate at your own pace and make an informed choice.

What if I am mainly coming because of stress or life changes?
That is appropriate. These teachings will be presented as practical methods for working directly with fear and emotional difficulty.

Will there be guidance for continuing afterward?
Yes. Lama Karma will offer suggestions for integrating these practices into daily or weekly life.

Friday

6:30 - Dinner
7:30 - Open public talk

Saturday

9:00 - Interviews
10:30 - Teachings
12:30 - Lunch
3:00 - Empowerment

Sunday 

9:00 - Interviews
10:30 - Teaching and Q&A session
12:30 - Lunch
3:30 - Program ends

Friday, please arrive 3:00 - 6:00pm for registration.
Dinner will be served at 6:30pm.
The program will officially begin at 7:30pm.

On Sunday, the program will end by 3:30pm