Programs
Special Funding Available
If you identify as a person of color or are an educator, M.Ed. student, or health care professional, you may be eligible for special financial support to attend our retreats.
* Indicates Program with Prerequisites
April
April 15 - October 15
Garden Apprenticeship
with Master Gardener Jan Enthoven
Entering its fourth year, the Garden Apprenticeship is a unique 6-month residential program in which participants gain both theoretical and practical hands-on training in organic gardening while participating in mindfulness-awareness based meditation.
September
September 6 - November 28
Mukpo Institute: Fall Semester
A semester of Buddhist study and practice under the direction of Ashe Acharya John Rockwell and senior teachers from the Shambhala Buddhist tradition.
September 29 - October 29
Natural Confidence: A Month-Long Meditation Retreat
with Acharya William McKeever and Shastri Donna Williams
Open to everyone! Explore bravery and authenticity in this in-depth meditation retreat. This program fulfills the dathün practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path. Attend the first week, the first or last two weeks or the full retreat.
September 29 - October 7
Natural Confidence: Week One
with Acharya William McKeever and Shastri Donna Williams
September 29 - October 14
Natural Confidence: Weeks One and Two
with Acharya William McKeever and Shastri Donna Williams
October 14 - 29
Natural Confidence: Weeks Three and Four *
with Acharya William McKeever and Shastri Donna Williams
September 30 - October 2
Stupa Volunteer Weekend: Making Tsa Tsas
with Venerable Dawa Chötso and Julia Persch
This Stupa will bring tremendous blessings to the environment and community of the Northeast Kingdom.
October
October 7 - 9
Meditation Retreat For Parents
with Shastri Iris Ramos
Join other parents and families for a supportive and inclusive weekend practice retreat.
October 7 - 9
Aloka Children's Program
With both outdoor and indoor exploration, the children learn and grow through play, organized activities, arts, physical activity and interacting with peers.
October 7 - 9
Teen Retreat: Listening Mind/Seeing Mind
with Pablo Coddou
This retreat for youth ages 13-17 is designed for young people with a genuine curiosity about life and the wish to explore the principles of awareness and warriorship in the company of their peers.
October 7 - 9
Fall Tween Retreat: Adventures in Connection
with Nikki Jiraff
For the first time ever-- a retreat just for tweens!
October 14 - 16
Youth Leadership Intensive
with Shastri Nick Kranz
The foundation of enlightened society is being unashamed of who you are. This weekend will be an exploration in creating enlightened culture through the practice of social meditation a way to experience meditation as a form of cultural integration.
October 20 - 31
Scorpion Seal Assembly: Year Three *
with Acharya Michael Greenleaf
The Sakyong has encouraged participants who have completed the Scorpion Seal Assemblies Year 1 and 2 to gather at practice centers for Scorpion Seal Assembly Year 3.
November
November 4 - 10
Shambhala Training Retreat: Levels IV - V *
with Carol Hyman
Awakened Heart and Open Sky are the culmination of the Heart of Warriorship section of Shambhala Training, and the prerequisite for entry into the Sacred Path section.
November 4 - 11
Shambhala Training Retreat: The Four Dignities *
with Shastri Kit St John
The warrior, having learned to rest in basic goodness, rouses energy to engage with the larger world guided by the teachings of the four dignities (Meek, Perky, Outrageous, and Inscrutable).
November 17 - 23
Five Wisdom Energies: Discovering Natural Brilliance in the Darkness of Your Confusion
with Irini Rockwell
These teachings focus on how our constricting neurosis can be recognized and transformed into awakened insight. Working directly with the basic elements of every aspect of our lives, we will experientially bring about an embodied transformation.
November 17 - 25
Natural Confidence: A Week-Long Meditation Retreat
with Shastri Bill Brauer
Open to everyone! Explore bravery and authenticity in this in-depth meditation retreat. This program, also known as a weekthün, fulfills a portion of the practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path.
November 26
Work, Wealth and Wisdom
with Acharya Michael Greenleaf
What is prosperity? What is wealth? How can we offer the world what it needs? How do we receive what we need from the world?
December
December 2 - 10
Monarch Retreat *
with Shastri Simon La Haye
The purpose of the retreat is to provide a concentrated period of time in which senior leaders, through individual and collective practice, can connect with the mind of the "Sacred Governance" lineage of Shambhala.
December 13 - 16
Karmê Chöling Staff and Resident Retreat
Karme Choling will be closed to visitors during this time.
December 18
Children's Day and Winter Solstice
Come for this morning and afternoon of festivities, crafts, and a play starring the Karmê Chöling staff. All are welcome.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Werma Sadhana & Scorpion Seal Practice Intensive *
with Shastri Benoît Côté
Relax into the vast space and profound teaching of the Werma Sadhana through this study and practice retreat. Scorpion Seal Assembly participants or experienced practitioners of the sadhana may attend the whole program or just a day or two.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Simplicity: Meditation for Real Life
Open to all and ideal for beginners on the path of meditation, Simplicity retreats were created to give everyone a flexible, simple way to enjoy the benefits of sitting meditation.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Winter Teen Retreat
Bring your teen to Karmê Chöling while you participate in one of our winter holiday programs. The teachings on awareness and warriorship offer teens an opportunity to slow down, learn about oneself, and open one's heart to others. For youth ages 12-17.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Aloka Children's Program
Bring your child to Karmê Chöling while you participate in one of our winter holiday programs. Children learn and grow through play, organized activities, arts, physical activity and interacting with peers. Open to ages 3-11.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Heart of Recovery Retreat
with Shastri Brett Ferrigan
A exploration of how meditation and mindfulness intersect with recovery from addiction and other harmful habitual patterns. This is a week- long journey of warriorship, gentleness and bravery.
December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Winter Tween Retreat: Discovering the Light Within
with Nikki Jiraff
Snug in the magic of Karme Choling, tweens ages 9-12 spend five days bravely venturing into authentic connection with themselves, each other, and the world.
January
January 5 - 8, 2017
Relax, Renew and Awaken
with Madge Rossinoff
Our Relax, Renew and Awaken program is an opportunity to settle in---to let your mind rest and recover from the demands of the holiday season, and the expectations we place on ourselves.
January 7 - February 4, 2017
Dathün: A Month of Meditation
with Acharya William McKeever
Open to everyone! Explore bravery and authenticity in this in-depth meditation retreat. This program fulfills the dathün practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path. Attend the first week, the first or last two weeks or the full retreat.
January 13 - 18, 2017
Dot & Stroke: Ashe Mahamudra & Stroke of Ashe Intensive *
with Ashe Acharya John Rockwell
An opportunity for tantrikas and sadhakas to clarify and stabilize mind transmission through in-depth practice and study of the mahamudra investigations and dzokchen.
January 20 - 28, 2017
Ngöndro Retreat *
with Shastri Henry Chapin
Whether you are doing the Rigden (Shambhala), Kagyü, or Nyingma ngöndro, whether you are counting or doing it by time, whether you are inspired or stuck, all are welcome. This program counts toward group requirements for the Vajrayana path.
February
February 4 - 7, 2017
Shambhala Training: Golden Key *
with Shastri Donna Williams
Drawing wisdom from the Shambhala root text The Letter of the Golden Key, learn the practice of enriching presence.
February 11 - 22, 2017
Warrior Assembly *
Warrior Assembly is the culmination of the Shambhala Training Sacred Path program.
February 23 - May 7, 2017
Mukpo Institute: Spring Semester
A semester of Buddhist study and practice under the direction of Ashe Acharya John Rockwell and senior teachers from the Shambhala Buddhist tradition.
February 24 - 26, 2017
Dön Season Retreat *
Gathering during the Dön Season, a time when obstacles are particularly prevalent, is especially potent for Dorje Kasung because of our connection to the protection principle.
February 24 - 26, 2017
Shambhala Training Level I for Teens: The Art of Being Human
with Shastri Nick Kranz
This introductory level of the Path of Warriorship is open to teens only: beginners or those new to meditation! Discovering basic goodness in the world and ourselves is the seed of developing confidence and gentleness.
March
March 3 - 10, 2017
Shambhala Training Retreat: Levels I - III
with Acharya Michael Greenleaf
Open to beginners and those new to meditation. Explore the Shambhala path of warriorship over the course of this week-long retreat, or join us for one or more levels.
March 5 - 7, 2017
Shambhala Training Level II: Birth of the Warrior *
with Acharya Michael Greenleaf
March 7 - 10, 2017
Shambhala Training Level III: Warrior in the World *
with Acharya Michael Greenleaf
March 3 - 11, 2017
Weekthün
with Acharya Suzann Duquette and Shastri Ethan Nichtern
Open to everyone! Explore bravery and authenticity in this in-depth meditation retreat. This program fulfills one week of the practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path.
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March 16 - 19, 2017
Kurukulla Intensive *
with Andrea Doukas
Shambhala Kurukulla practitioners are warmly invited to attend Kurukulla practice intensive at Karmê Chöling.
March 17 - 19, 2017
Mudra Space Awareness
with Acharya Suzann Duquette
Unlock your inherent freedom and create a radical shift in your understanding of the mind/body relationship to space.
March 21 - 23, 2017
Karmê Chöling Staff and Resident Retreat
Karme Choling will be closed to visitors during this time.
March 25 - 31, 2017
Shambhala Training Retreat: Levels IV - V *
with Shastri Carolyn Krusinski
Awakened Heart and Open Sky are the culmination of the Heart of Warriorship section of Shambhala Training, and the prerequisite for entry into the Sacred Path section.
March 25 - April 1, 2017
Shambhala Training Retreat: Great Eastern Sun, Windhorse and Drala *
with Shastri Bill Brauer
The Sacred Path brings the principles of warriorship and the practice of mindfulness-awareness into daily life. It is designed to nurture the student's ability to experience the world as sacred and their aspiration to create an enlightened society.
April
April 4
Parinirvana Day
Come celebrate the life of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on the anniversary of his death.
April 6 - 21, 2017
Two-Week Meditation Retreat
with Shastri Shelley Heinz
Open to everyone! Deepen your meditation practice in this intensive retreat. This program fulfills half of the the Dathün practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path, and either week can be attended separately.
April 7 - 16, 2017
The Basic Goodness Retreat
with Shastri Benoît Côté
The first principle of Shambhala is that everyone has a primordial nature of goodness.
April 20 - 23, 2017
Shambhala Guide Training *
with Shastri Henry Chapin
This training is for students who have a strong personal practice and feel ready to help others on their meditative journeys.
September
September 8 - 10, 2017
The Natural World as Teacher
with Dr. Eva Wong and Ashe Acharya John Rockwell
The natural world is the gateway to the Tao.