A dedicated retreat time for study and practice, breaking our routine habits, and slowing down is such a kind act of compassion for ourselves, and a wise use of our time. And there are so many ways that we can do this.

I live in the beautiful Blue Mountains and have a lovely shrine room. However, I cherish the opportunity to carve out a few days and trek down to Tilba for a personal retreat with a personal retreat plan away from my comfortable distractions at home. The six-hour drive to Tilba is part of my retreat preparation. My heart sings as I arrive at the wooden gates that helps define a retreat boundary. I make that mindful drive up the driveway, past the temple and pausing over the crest seeing the 3 separate retreat huts – one of which will be my cozy home for a short time. I love the simplicity of the huts that have all one needs. 

The small fridge, along with an esky, supports a simplicity in approach to meals, suitable for retreat. The huts are set up with the space for practice and furniture for study. Sliding door is the entrance for breeze when needed and opens to an expansive view to support practice. In wintertime the log fire is a treat on a cold night. 

Entering these huts for our retreat we contribute to the aspirations and practice of retreatants before us and who will follow us. I have been the only person there and also there with retreatants either side. During the day it is wombats, wallabies, bell birds and magpies who will be your companions. 

The huts are in the shadow of the Yuin peoples sacred Gulaga Mountain. This retreat land has a heritage of Buddhist retreat and practice. It is indeed a land that vibrates with this combined richness. 

We are very fortunate to have Khenpo and the sangha who provide this opportunity with generosity, compassion and care. It is so important to have affordable accessible places to retreat. My thanks to those who work hard to make this happen and the hospitality they volunteer to ensure our access and support our retreat time in such a beautiful part of the world. I can't wait to return! 

~ Patricia D.

Each year at the Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre during the holy month of Saga Dawa, many generous and kind sangha sponsor lamp offerings to dedicate to their family, friends, world peace and for the benefit of all sentient beings. Each day during Saga Dawa one of the sangha makes physical offerings on behalf of our sponsors if they cannot come to make the offering themselves, reciting all the names and the light offering prayers. 

Light offerings are such a simple, yet profound offering to make. Light symbolises the Buddha’s wisdom, shining on all sentient beings, illuminating the darkness of their ignorance and transforming it into the light of primordial wisdom. This year we have been most fortunate to have scheduled so many wonderful retreats and events during Saga Dawa, some of our regular retreats falling this year within the holy month. 

Saga Dawa Düchen

On the most holy of days, Saga Dawa Düchen (Full Moon Day this year was on 11 June), sangha enjoyed a beautiful morning of prayers and chanting led by Khenpo la, with auspicious rice offerings and a delicious morning tea together.  For six nights in the lead up to Saga Dawa Düchen Day, Khenpo la led so many students/sangha via Zoom in guided meditations and mantra recitations. It really is such a special month for sangha to be together and for the individual practitioner to deepen their faith and devotion in the Triple Gem. 

Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre in Cairns was fortunate to be able to once again host Venerable Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe to complete the teachings on Nagarjuna’s “Letter to a Friend” which he began last September. Khenpo la started the weekend off with a very profound talk on the Friday evening on “How to Create a Happy Life” incorporating an ethical Buddhist approach, a teaching so relevant today in our troubled times.

The weekend teachings explored this whole theme of happiness and suffering, delving into what are the true causes of suffering and how to eliminate those causes and conditions – primarily a mind afflicted by ignorance, desire and hatred. Then, exploring through these ancient teachings, how to cultivate the causes and conditions to create genuine happiness – primarily a mind imbued with wisdom and compassion. 

All those attending the weekend left inspired and with practical tools to work on their mind to create positive change. For this we are so grateful to our dear Dharma Teacher Khenpo la for tirelessly turning the Wheel of Dharma to benefit all beings.
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~ Venerable Rinchen
Resident Nun, Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre

Saturday and Sunday 14-15 June was a very successful gardening weekend at Kamalashila. Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers as we went about the first stage of the main garden upgrade, supported by our great cooks. Big thank you to Vasi for leading the way in this important project. Our next gardening weekend is 12-13 July!

We are inviting volunteers to join us in the redevelopment of the main garden at Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre at Tilba. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time in nature, contribute to a meaningful project, and help create a beautiful, peaceful space for all to come and enjoy. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or simply enjoy being outdoors with your hands in the soil, we’d love to have you involved. Even a few hours can make a real difference.

The redevelopment will take place in various stages, before our larger Karma Yoga Retreat which is in early August.

If you’re interested in lending a hand, please send an email to [email protected] and let us know what days you can help and if you wish to stay overnight. If you are staying on site, it is best to arrive on the Friday night prior. Accommodation and meals will be provided. 

If you are unable to participate physically, there is always the opportunity to sponsor sangha meals or make an offering for materials being used. You can do this via the DBI website: drogmi.org/support-us.html

Vajrapani is a very important deity in the Vajrayana, and in particular in our tradition, Sakya. It is the first formal personal retreat many of the young monks and nuns undertake, and they are very young! Vajrapani is a great subduer of any hindrances to our dharma practice and therefore such an important deity for the practitioner. Every year (this was our 5th), over the June Long weekend at Kamalashila, our precious teacher Khenpo la conducts this group retreat for four days. Giving incredibly detailed teachings and allowing participants time to develop their own study and contemplations around this profound sadhana. 

It was a very warm sangha group, learning from each other and practising together. It is so inspiring to be part of this. During retreat as well, was the start of the Continual Mantra Recitation evenings on Zoom led by Khenpo, which commenced for six consecutive nights in the lead up to the Saga Dawa Duchen, in this Holy Month of Saga Dawa. Light offerings were continually made daily and throughout retreat on behalf of sponsors. To think we have this opportunity, right here in Australia, at the foot of mother Gulaga mountain, and especially to have a teacher of Khenpo la’s stature and qualities, teaching, encouraging us all on our path to enlightenment. A beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky just before our final session. Thank you so much Khenpo la for all you do for all beings. 

~ Ann 

Tony’s farewell

27 April: On this morning after Sunday practice, we enjoyed a morning tea in honour of our dear Tony, who is moving to Sydney. Tony has offered support at the centre for many years, cooking beautiful meals at retreat, serving on the committee and much more. We all wish Tony our best wishes in Sydney and look forward to him visiting the centre in the not too distant future. Thank you, Zara, for cooking such lovely cakes for the occasion.

Karma’s farewell

25 May: Following the commencement of Ngondro Retreat we held a special farewell lunch in Karma la’s honour as he travels back to New York. Karma has been at Kamalashila for 7 months, working so hard cooking for many retreats and festivals and open days, being a steady support to sangha in Khenpo la’s absence, grounds maintenance and so much more. We thank you so much for your great efforts done with complete joy and devotion. We will miss you but look forward to seeing you again soon. Please come back soon.

The 4th Annual Ngondro Retreat was held at Kamalashila, led by Khenpo la. We all felt so fortunate to have this opportunity to attend this retreat and receive such profound teachings on the Ngondro practices from Khenpo la. Thank you Khenpo la for so generously sharing your vast knowledge. Thank you, Karma la, Garth and family for cooking such delicious meals, to Emily for travelling from Sydney to help and the sangha for attending.

​First Ngondro retreat for me, and small more intimate group. Seemed an especially good follow on from the Autumn Buddhist Philosophy Course and practical in that it filled a lot of gaps in my sadhana practices, with inspiration to actively engage and make efforts towards achieving our best. Visualisations, full length prostrations, sessions all well directed and length of sessions suited us too. Also Khenpo left it open for us to do prostrations as it suited individually in the Vajrasattva practices rather than everyone at one time. Great to be introduced to mandala plate practice too which I’ll need to follow up on. Very good offering option to continue practice personally (with self-catering) at the centre after retreat and would have but for commitments at home. 
~ Amanda

Thank you to Zara and Ann for the organising and facilitating such a beautiful weekend of family connection. It truly felt like stepping into a dream – where every detail was thoughtfully taken care of from the nourishing food and cosy accommodation to the sun-drenched nature play and the gentle rhythm of meditations and meaningful exchanges.

Khenpo la’s presence and wisdom deeply enriched the experience for both the children and us adults, offering inspiring insights and gentle guidance for living and interacting more peacefully, mindfully and compassionately with one another.

Some highlights for us included the marshmallow meditation, playing soccer and enjoying a picnic on the saddle, the parent session with Khenpo la, and watching all the children playing together and offering their thoughtful reflections in the gompa.
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Our hearts are full after this weekend. Our children had the most wonderful time and are already counting down the days until the next retreat.
​~ With immense gratitude, Emilie & Leander

Kamalashila sangha came from far and wide to receive precious teachings on Mindfulness from Ayya Jitindriyā at our Fourth Annual Day-long Mindfulness Retreat. Ayya gently guided us through the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as taught by Lord Buddha, through experiencing sitting and walking meditations. Ayya’s clear and targeted teachings were very helpful and accessible, and the question and answer sessions were like a daily guide to how to live a life of mindfulness in this chaotic world. So beautifully supported by Ayya Jayasāra, and our amazing cook Penny, along with helpers Tjenka and Dan, thank you to everyone who came. Thank you Ayya Jitindriyā, we all feel so fortunate to have you in our community, turning the Wheel of Dharma.

I really appreciated spending time at the Mindfulness One-Day Retreat with Ayya Jitindriyā at the Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre. It was my first time meditating with other people and I was very warmed and welcomed into the process. The retreat was clear, approachable, in a beautiful setting conducive to insight and practice, and it gently demystified what a retreat and a sangha actually are in practice. A big thank you to the volunteers, the centre and those involved, and the teachers for sharing such an important and helpful practice with the community. 
~ Max C.

The Day-Long Mindfulness Retreat with Ayyas Jitindriyā and Jayasāra was a rich and memorable day of crystal clear and profound Dharma teachings by these exceptional teachers.  The meditation hall and bush surroundings at Kamalashila are beautiful and peaceful – so conducive to contemplation – and the whole experience (including delicious lunch!) was seamlessly and generously hosted by Ann and a team of volunteers. Thank you, I will be back. 
~ Alistair

​We express our deepest gratitude to Khenpo la for leading the Annual Shamatha and Mindfulness Retreat at Kamalashila on Easter weekend. Khenpo la gave such clear instructions on Shamatha and Mindfulness meditation, both in theory and practice, of how to correctly undertake the meditations. Ayya Jayasāra led us in walking meditation and on the final day of the retreat in teachings and guided meditation, and to Jack on our final evening leading Q&A and meditation. Such a beautiful gathering of sangha, from Melbourne, Sydney and country NSW. Khenpo la taught on mindfulness of loving-kindness “whenever we have a warm and caring mind we are never going to suffer.”

I can’t even express how wonderful this retreat was. Amazing teachings from Khenpo and such a beautiful sangha to spend it with. Love you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 
~Hollie D.

Attending the Shamatha and Mindfulness retreat over the Easter long weekend was the first time my partner Nick and I had visited Kamalashila. The location was very peaceful, nestled in the tranquil bush of Gulaga’s foothills. Being a significant cultural site for the Yuin people added another spiritual layer to the experience. On entering the gompa I was struck by its beauty – draped in colourful thangkas and adorned with flowers and candles to honour its sacredness. Sunshine streamed in for the first half of each day making the colours even brighter and more brilliant. Khenpo la was engaging, gentle, wise, compassionate, thoughtful, kind, serious, humorous and much more. Being with him, I realised how much I had missed being in the presence of and learning from a Buddhist Master of his stature. The teachings and time spent with Khenpo la were priceless.
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The schedule was gentler than some other retreats I’ve attended which allowed me to feel fresh and fully present for each session. I’m sure that feeling alert, comfortable and at ease helped me to absorb more of the precious teachings. We also received teachings and guided meditations from Jayasāra and Jack which added to the richness of the program. The volunteers supporting the retreat were amazing. Apologies for not mentioning everyone but Ann, Emily, Suzie, and Tjenka looked after us and prepared our meals with warmth and love. Attending the retreat left me feeling really settled, like EVERTHING will be alright – I’m on the right track! 

Post-retreat Nick and I are spending more time together in silence. I’m trying to notice others’ faults less and pay more attention to my own. I’m working on having a kinder, softer, wiser, and more positive mind. Being at Kamalashila felt like coming home and I’m grateful to Khenpo la and the Sangha for building this sanctuary for us to share the precious Dharma teachings. 
~Anne J.