Dedicated Study and Contemplation
Bodhisattva’s Path:
Programs
Designed for Students Committed to Long-term, In-Depth Practice and Study
For practitioners drawn to deepen their journey, the Bodhisattva’s Path offers a natural next step. Whether you’ve taken refuge vows, maintain a regular practice, or feel called toward these commitments, these offerings provide a space to enter longer retreats, engage with advanced teachings such as Dzogchen, and practice the Dharma in your daily life.
Structured Study
Walking the Path
A Two-Year Program that Offers Individual Instruction and a Systematic Approach to Meditation
Designed for students with prior meditation experience, it provides a clear and systematic way to deepen practice on the Buddhist path of liberation—first through Shamata (Calm Abiding) and then Vipassana (Profound Insight).
Led by Khen Rinpoche and translator/teacher Justin Kirkwood, students attend four weekend retreats over two years.
Each retreat offers detailed meditation instructions and group practice. Between retreats, students will follow a structured daily schedule and receive monthly guidance from Khen Rinpoche and Justin Kirkwood.
Ngöndro Pathway
Ancient Wisdom Engaged
A Two-Year Journey into Ngöndro and the Heart of Vajrayana Buddhism
Namchak’s Ancient Wisdom Engaged (AWE) Program is our official two-year Ngöndro training pathway—a unique opportunity to deepen Buddhist practice and personal leadership while living an engaged life.
Grounded in the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—AWE blends traditional practice with relational awareness work, offering a full and balanced approach to awakening.
- Two years of dedicated study: a non-residential learning program, semi-annual group retreats, personal coaching, Sangha gatherings, and regular practice sessions.
- Immersive introduction to the Vajrayana Buddhist path with a specific focus on the Ngöndro.
- A community-based approach that encourages collective growth and accountability, helping you maintain momentum over the two-year journey.
- Daily practice requirement: at least one hour of daily practice and personal retreat periods to deepen your understanding and experience.
EMBODIED LEADERSHIP
The Compassion in Action® Fellows Program
A Transformational Year-Long Program
The Compassion in Action Fellows Program is for individuals aged 18-27 who wish to deepen their meditation practice, connect with others, and create positive change. Rooted in Buddhist principles, the program supports Fellows in cultivating inner stability, emotional resilience, and compassionate presence.
Through retreats, mentorship, and a supportive peer community, Fellows explore embodied leadership and deepen their meditation and dharma study. Each component is designed to help participants connect inwardly while developing the clarity and courage needed to serve others.
By integrating practice with purposeful action, they discover how wisdom and compassion can meaningfully shape their lives, relationships, and communities.
Exploring Liberation
Three-Year Retreat
A Cornerstone of Tibetan Buddhist Practice
Our Three-Year Retreat site is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2027. This breathtaking and sacred space will host traditional Vajrayana three-year retreat, a time-honored path of intensive meditation practice and study designed to cultivate profound realization.
Long-term retreats are a cornerstone of Tibetan Buddhist practice. In the Namchak tradition, practitioners dedicate themselves to a structured meditation schedule, mantra recitation, ritual, and studying Namchak lineage texts. Under the guidance of Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, the core retreat texts have been translated from Tibetan into English to support practitioners’ deep understanding.
These retreats allow participants to engage deeply with advanced practices, such as Dzogchen or Vajrayana sadhanas, under the guidance of senior lineage holders and retreat masters. Practitioners have prepared for this type of retreat for years and are invited by their teacher to begin such a journey.