Even our enemies can become our gurus if we learn patience and forbearance from them. Texts can be our guru; the world around us can become our guru. This is because the guru is the all-pervading and timeless compassionate action of the Buddha’s mandala of awakening, which is reaching out to us through all the circumstances of our life…. Continue reading What Does the Term ‘Guru Principle’ Mean?
The following is a fascinating excerpt from Lama Shenpen’s life story book ‘Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories’ about Rigdzin Shikpo’s three year retreat, how he received the name Rigdzin Shikpo, as well as an explanation of the term ‘guru yoga’. Shared in memory of Lama Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche who recently passed away. Continue reading Rigdzin Shikpo’s 3 Year Retreat – A new excerpt from Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories
Lama Shenpen’s husband and teacher Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche has passed away (1935-2023).
“Rigdzin Shikpo passed away at about 8pm on Friday 28th April. He just suddenly had cardiac arrest and the paramedics couldn’t save him. That night we made offerings to the stupa and offering the lights to the stupa, with prayers such as the Seven Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche…” Continue reading The Passing of Lama Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche
“One day Karma Thinley Rinpoche asked, ‘What make your mind relax?’ I told him, ‘Swimming in the sea – throwing myself into the big waves without a care in the world like I did as a child.’ With wide-eyed amazement he told me that would frighten him…” Continue reading What makes your mind relax? Learning from Karma Thinley Rinpoche – A new excerpt from Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories
Having the title of lama is not without its problems. The very title itself invites projections of various kinds. However, to say one is not a lama seems to imply that one is not qualified to teach. There are problems whether one uses the title or not. One reason for this is that the term is used in such a general way that it is unclear what it implies even among Tibetans, let alone among Westerners… Continue reading How did Lama Shenpen become a Lama?
The essence of the actual feeling of suffering or pain (beyond all the conditioned thoughts and feelings that are associated with it) is nothing other than the fundamental quality of sensitivity that is the Indestructible Heart Essence. When we touch this we touch something that is profoundly sacred. Continue reading How does our experience of Dukkha – unsatisfactoriness & Suffering – connect to our innate quality of Sensitivity?
Lama Shenpen’s valuable teaching on integrating meditations on Love & Compassion with our daily life, recorded live on 8th August 2020. Catch up on all of Lama Shenpen’s teachings from this year (as well as teachings by other Awakened Heart Sangha teachers) on the theme of Love & Compassion, on the new mini site dedicated to these teachings HERE. If you would like to make … Continue reading Video: Integrating Meditation & Daily Life
A brief answer to this deceptively simple question is that meditation is what we say we are doing when we set time aside to become aware of our experience, so that we can deepen our understanding of it. It’s about learning how to be rather than doing anything. Continue reading What is Meditation?
Lama Shenpen gave a teaching on 10th November from The Hermitage retreat centre in North Wales, on the subject of ‘Vaster Vision’ one of the themes of the Living the Awakened Heart Training. These themes are all contained within the Discovering the Heart and Buddhism (DHB) and the Trusting the Heart of Buddhism (THB) courses. Continue reading Video: Vaster Vision
Lama Shenpen on our connection to others: “Our living connection with other beings is mysterious. We cannot find any boundary to our awareness and yet another being is another being to be loved and responded to. They are not just our imagination. So that living connection or boundary between one being and another is deeply mysterious and wonderful. It is the source of all joy … Continue reading Our Mysterious Connection With Others
