From Lamp to Light: A Journey through Lamrim
Lamrim retreat at Institut Vajra Yogini with Venerable Gendun (on site or zoom)
Summer 2026
Location: Institut Vajra Yogini, Marzens, France, or online at Zoom
Intended for: Anyone familiar with Lamrim, especially FPMT PEBA students.
Dates: May 31 to June 28, 2026
Guide: Ven. Losang Gendun
Participation: It is possible to participate for a minimum of two consecutive weeks, at any time during the retreat. Arrivals and departures must be on Sundays.
Presentation of the retreat
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, written by Je Tsongkhapa, is one of the most recognized and comprehensive expositions of the Buddha’s teachings. it is synthesizing the 84,000 methods taught by the Buddha into a clear, practical, step-by-step path. This masterpiece continues the lineage of the Indian master Atisha and represents the culmination of the Lamrim tradition.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a true heir of this profound Tibetan heritage. He always stressed that, for the Dharma to take root in the West, it must be embodied, not just studied. Practitioners must develop real-life realizations of Lamrim. Practitioners must develop real-life realizations of Lamrim.
To serve this vision, we warmly invite committed practitioners – especially those with a solid foundation in Lamrim and FPMT BP students – to join us for a month-long guided Lamrim retreat. This is a rare opportunity to integrate the stages of the path, supported by an experienced guide, a structured daily practice and a community of sincere fellow practitioners.
Each Sunday during the retreat Venerable Losang Gendun will offer in-depth commentary on the chapters devoted to Calm Abiding and Special Insight in Je Tsongkhapa’s median Lamrim. This adds essential context and valuable clarity to support deeper contemplation.
The teacher
Venerable Losang Gendun is a senior Dutch Bhikshu with nearly four decades of dedicated Buddhist practice, including 18 years as a monastic in the Tibetan tradition. He studied Buddhist philosophy for ten years in Nalanda Monastery in France and in India. Also, he spent over four years in retreat, training in Tibetan sutra and tantra, as well as in the Burmese Theravada Forest Tradition. He embraces a profound secret of deep spiritual practice: the deeper you delve, the more traditional language and ancient concepts awaken to new and vibrant meanings. He has a unique approach for connecting the heart and mind while reinterpreting the relevance of ancient Buddhist teachings for the urgent issues of today. In his international courses and lectures, he inspires his audience with his wisdom and humor, finding words and examples that touch the core challenges of what it means to be a human. In 2023, he founded the Buddha Project, a visionary initiative aimed at offering long-term guidance to Buddhist meditators, engaging in scientific research, promoting artistic endeavours, and fostering inter-contemplative social engagement, encouraging a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all life.
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Lamrim themes per week
◆ WEEK 1 - MAY 31 TO JUNE 7
1. Enter the path
- Introduction to the practice of meditation
- Introduction to Lama Cheupa and the practice of Vajrasattva
- The greatness of Dharma
- The qualities of discipleship
- Relying on the spiritual master
- The precious human renaissance
- The three types of practitioner
2. Basic scope teachings of importance for all dharma practitioners
- Death and impermanence
- The suffering of the lower realms
The refuge
- The causes
- The Three Jewels
- The method
Karma
- Laws of cause and effect
- Ten (non-)virtuous actions
◆ WEEK 2 - JUNE 7 TO 14
3. Intermediate scope teachings of importance for all dharma practitioners
- Types of suffering
Samsara and Nirvana
- The twelve links of conditioned coproduction
- The path to liberation
4. High-capacity practitioners
- The Great Compassion
- Personal instructions for seven causes and one effect
◆ WEEK 3 - JUNE 14 TO 21
- Generating and maintaining the Spirit of Awakening
The six perfections
- Generosity
- Patience
- Ethics
- Joyful perseverance
◆ WEEK 4 - JUNE 21 TO 28
- 5. Calm Abiding
- 6. Special Insight (penetrating vision)
- Self-exchange with others
- Buddha nature
5. Lama Cheupa's practice and how to enter the Vajra Vehicle
6. Rereading the path
Daily program
Monday to Saturday | ||
S | Schedule | Activity |
1 | 7:00 am – 8:30 am | Lama Tcheupa |
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast | |
2 | 10h00 – 11h00 | Guided meditation on Lamrim |
11h00 – 11h30 | Tea break | |
3 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Guided meditation on Lamrim |
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Lunch and karma yoga | |
4 | 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm | Silent meditation on Lamrim |
3.15pm – 3.45pm | Tea break | |
5 | 3.45pm – 4.30pm | Silent meditation on Lamrim |
4:30 – 4:45 p.m. | Short break | |
6 | 4:45pm – 6:00pm | Teaching and Q&A (Saturday discussion groups) |
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm | Light lunch | |
7 | 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm | Vajrasattva purification practice and dedication |
Sunday | ||
S | Schedule | Activity |
1 | 7:00 am – 8:30 am | Lama Tcheupa |
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast | |
10h00 – 12h30 | Free time for study and meditation | |
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Lunch and karma yoga | |
2:30 – 4:30 pm | Free time for study and meditation | |
2 | 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm | Teaching and Q&A |
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm | Light lunch | |
3 | 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm | Introduction and motivation |
The location
The retreat will be organized by Institut Vajra Yogini, a Buddhist center located in a magnificent 19th-century château in the French countryside near Toulouse. For further information, please contact
Conditions and rates
◆ Dates and schedule
Arrival of participants - Sunday, May 31, 2026
- From 2:00 pm: welcome at the Institute
Presentation - Sunday, May 31, 2026
- 5:00 pm: general presentation and practical information
First session - Sunday, May 31, 2026
- 7:30 pm: introduction
End of full retreat (4 weeks) - Sunday, June 28, 2026
- 10:00 am: ends after breakfast - lunch available on site
◆ Arrivals and departures
- Arrivals are exclusively on Sundays from 2:00 pm.
- Departures take place on Sundays at 10:00 am, after breakfast.
It is not possible to arrive before or leave after the booked period, except:
- at the start of the retreat (May 31), it is possible to arrive before this date;
- at the end of the retreat (June 28), it is possible to extend your stay.
It is possible to have lunch on the Sunday of the end of your retreat. Please let reception know when booking.
◆ Participation period
Lam Rim retreats can be taken for 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 full weeks.
- All sessions are compulsory for the chosen duration.
- Priority registration is given to participants taking the full retreat (4 weeks).
◆ Registrations and priorities
- Registration opens: November 1, 2025
- Limited number of places: 100 participants (waiting list available)
Registration priority
- Priority given to full 4-week retreat until January 15, 2026.
- Only reservations paid before this date will be confirmed.
Terms of payment
- From January 16, 2026, registration opens for 2- and 3-week retreats.
- Reservations must be paid within one month of the request to be validated.
- Reservations made after May 1, 2026 must be paid for immediately at the time of booking.
◆ Full-board rates (incl. VAT)
- For this on-site retreat, accommodation and meals are provided at the Institute.
- The "benefactor" rate does not apply to this retreat.
- All payments must be made before the retreat begins.
Rates for two weeks
| Hosting option | Total incl. VAT / 2 weeks |
|---|---|
| Dormitory | 506,73 € |
| Room for 2 | 702,73 € |
| 3/4" bedroom | 632,73 € |
| Single room | 1 038,73 € |
| Single room + bathroom | 1 136,73 € |
| Campsite | 434,91 € |
Three-week rates
| Hosting option | Total incl. VAT / 3 weeks |
|---|---|
| Dormitory | 766,22 € |
| Room for 2 | 1 060,22 € |
| 3/4 bedroom | 955,22 € |
| Single room | 1 564,22 € |
| Single room + bathroom | 1 711,22 € |
| Campsite | 658,49 € |
Rates for 4 weeks
(The rates below already include a 15% discount on the base rate, to encourage 4-week retreats).| Hosting option | Total incl. VAT / 4 weeks |
|---|---|
| Dormitory | 875,63 € |
| Room for 2 | 1 208,83 € |
| 3/4" bedroom | 1 089,83 € |
| Single room | 1 780,03 € |
| Single room + bathroom | 1 946,63 € |
| Campsite | 751,03 € |
◆ Sangha reduction
Sangha members benefit from a 50% discount on all rates, whether for full board, participation without accommodation or online participation.
◆ Online participation (Zoom)
| Duration | Rate |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | 216 € |
| 3 weeks | 324 € |
| 4 weeks | 432 € |
- Online participants undertake to attend all sessions corresponding to the chosen duration.
◆ Participation without accommodation (with breakfast, lunch and dinner)
| Duration | Rate |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | 353,85 € |
| 3 weeks | 536,90 € |
| 4 weeks | 719,95 € |
- This formula will be offered from May 15, 2026, subject to availability.
- Participants agree to attend all sessions corresponding to the chosen duration.
- Priority will be given to full-board participants.
◆ Simultaneous translation
This retreat is guided in English. Simultaneous translation into French will be provided for :
- all face-to-face sessions,
- online participation.
◆ Retreat offerings
The above fees cover only part of the Institute's operating costs. Lam Rim teachings are offered at no cost, in a spirit of sharing, gratitude and conscious generosity.
They are not free: their continued existence depends on the voluntary support of participants.
Every contribution helps to support the teachers, make these retreats possible and keep this place of peace and inner transformation alive.
Your donation is an offering from the heart, a way of radiating the light of the teachings.
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