One Year Retreat Opportunity

8 Jun 2025

A one-year retreat focussing on the Foundation or Preliminary Practices (Ngondro in Tibetan) will begin in our long term retreat facilities on Holy Isle (for women) and on the Isle of Arran (for men) on the auspicious day of Lhabap Duchen, 22 November 2025.

Lighthouse 1 by Elly Schagen2
Women's Retreat on Holy Isle

This retreat is open to all committed practitioners of the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Throughout the retreat regular teachings will be given online by Drupon Khen Rinpoche from the Thrangu Retreat Centre in Nepal. Drupon Rinpoche is the Thrangu Retreat Master and is also Retreat Master for our men’s and women’s Retreats.

The cost for the retreat is £15 per day. However we have a policy of supporting sincere practitioners so if you are fully committed yet lack sufficient finance, please let us know as it may be possible to make an arrangement.

There are certain rules within the retreat and all participants must abide by them. The central commitment is to observe the 5 Golden Rules:

1. To protect life and refrain from killing.
2. To respect other's property and refrain from stealing.
3. To speak the truth and refrain from lying.
4. To embrace health and refrain from intoxicants.
5. To respect others and refrain from harmful sexual activity – within the retreat situation this means maintaining complete celibacy.

Additional rules or guidelines will be explained during the training period in Samye Ling in August (see below).

Samye Dechen Shing Men's Retreat on Arran

If you are interested in joining this retreat, please contact Lama Katen at Samye Ling on deputyabbot@samyeling.org. Please include some details about yourself and your previous dharma experience, for example who you took refuge with, who your teacher is (if different), which teachings and empowerments you have received and from whom, and your reasons for wishing to enter retreat.

Prospective retreatants will be required to attend the Summer Meditation Retreat at Samye Ling from 13th to 20th August when they will receive the necessary pre-retreat transmissions and guidance from Drupon Khen Rinpoche.

Having completed this retreat, if you wish and if you are accepted, it would be possible to remain in the retreat for a longer period.

The Buddhist principle is to be everybody's friend, not to have any enemy.

Meditation means simple acceptance.

Only the impossible is worth doing.

Whenever we see something which could be done to bring benefit to others, no matter how small, we should do it.

Freedom is not something you look for outside of yourself. Freedom is within you.

Hasten slowly, you will soon arrive.

It doesn’t matter whatever comes, stop judging and it won’t bother you.

Whatever obstacles arise, if you deal with them through kindness without trying to escape then you have real freedom.

To tame ourselves is the only way we can change and improve the world.

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.

Strive always to be as kind, gentle and caring as possible towards all forms of sentient life.

Every sentient being is equal to the Buddha.

Wherever and whenever we can, we should develop compassion at once.

Reminding ourselves of how others suffer and mentally putting ourselves in their place, will help awaken our compassion.

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One Year Retreat Opportunity

Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre