Namchak Community Blog
My First Meditation Retreat: Honest Reflections from Ryann
My First Meditation Retreat: Honest Reflections from RyannWe recently held our first Reset and Renew retreat at the Namchak Retreat Ranch in Hot Springs, Montana. It is an introductory retreat designed based on our Stepping into Meditation and Community course. Most participants were from Hot Springs, Whitefish, Missoula, and Polson, Montana, and...
The Profound Wisdom of the Heart Sutra: An Introductory Exploration
The Profound Wisdom of the Heart Sutra: An Introductory ExplorationConcise, profound, and somewhat enigmatic, the Heart Sutra contains the essence of all Buddha’s teachings and offers insight into life, suffering, and liberation.Known in full as the “Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra,” The Heart Sutra is a short Mahayana Buddhist text – just 14 verses...
Wrathful Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism
Wrathful Compassion in Tibetan BuddhismWrathful compassion may seem like an oxymoron and the opposite of Buddhism's peaceful compassion. However, in Tibetan Buddhism, wrathful compassion is a thing! Sure, whenever someone is open to the skillful application of peaceful compassion, that’s still the go-to. But what about when they don’t? Then, we...
Celebrating Namchak’s Compassion in Action Summer Immersion Retreat
Celebrating Namchak’s Compassion in Action Summer Immersion RetreatWith grateful hearts, we are happy to share that our fifth Compassion in Action Fellows cohort embarked on their one-year program this May (2024). The program's core goal is to support next-generation leaders in learning meditation practice, building community, and promoting...
Well-Acquainted with Wisdom: Sarah Plazas’ Spiritual Transformation and Path to a Translation Career
Well-Acquainted with Wisdom: Sarah Plazas’ Spiritual Transformation and Path to a Translation CareerTake a look behind the scenes at Namchak, Tibetan Buddhism, and the people entrusted with the teachings of the Namchak lineage in this new series, “Well-Acquainted with Wisdom.” This fourth installment features a discussion between Tibetan...
The Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
The Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism Understanding the Four Major Schools that Comprise the Paths of Tibetan Buddhism Today Nyingma: Early Translations School Kagyu: Oral Transmission (or “Whispered Transmission”) School Sakya: “Pale Earth” (or “Grey Earth”) School Gelug: “Virtuous Ones” School Buddhism is an expansive spiritual tradition with...
Well-Acquainted with Wisdom: Jetsünma’s Journey through Tibetan Buddhism from Doubter to Teacher
Take a look behind the scenes at Namchak, Tibetan Buddhism, and the people entrusted with the teachings of the Namchak lineage in this series, “Well-Acquainted with Wisdom.” This third installment features a discussion between Tibetan Buddhist nun Jetsünma (Venerable) Jamyang Dolma, or Jetsünma for short, and Amanda Taylor, Digital Content...
Well-Acquainted with Wisdom: An Inside Look at Three-Year Retreat and the Monastic Life with Dorlop Choenyi Sangmo
Take a look behind the scenes at Namchak, Tibetan Buddhism, and the people entrusted with the teachings of the Namchak lineage in this new series, “Well-Acquainted with Wisdom.” This second installment features a discussion between Tibetan Buddhist nun Dorlop Choenyi Sangmo or Dorlop la*, and Amanda Taylor, Marketing Communications Manager at the...
Well-Acquainted with Wisdom – Introducing Tibetan Translator and Tibetan Buddhist Scholar, Chökyi
Take a look behind the scenes at Namchak, Tibetan Buddhism, and the people entrusted with the teachings of the Namchak lineage in this new series, “Well-Acquainted with Wisdom.” This first installment features a discussion between Tibetan Translator Chökyi and Amanda Taylor, Digital Content Curator at the Namchak Foundation. They explore his...
The Saving Each Other Together (SEOT) Project
Enlightenment sure seems like a lofty goal sometimes, doesn’t it? Amidst life’s many tasks, we’re also trying to reach enlightenment?