This second week of the Samye Institute Summer Immersion: The Buddhist Arts & Sciences begins the integration of inner and outer sciences that defines the heart of the program. Building on the contemplative foundation established in the opening week, participants now bring the inner science of buddha dharma into dialogue with one of the great outer sciences of the Buddhist tradition: medicine. The week unfolds through meditation, study, and discussion, with study sessions led by Tawni Tidwell at its center.

The week’s centerpiece is the Outer Science of Medicine, taught by Tawni Tidwell, which introduces the principles of Tibetan medicine and its holistic understanding of health. Participants will explore how body, mind, community, and environment continually interact to shape well-being, and will learn practical approaches to cultivating balance through lifestyle, diet, and awareness. Through study, discussion, and guided reflection, participants engage directly with this body of knowledge and consider how it illuminates a Buddhist understanding of the human person and our place in the wider web of life.

Continuing the inner science thread from Week One, the contemplative portion of the week — led by Hilary Herdman and Seth Auster-Rosen — offers a complementary practice. [Inner Science description to come.]

Together, the two strands invite participants to hold rigorous inquiry and lived contemplative practice as two sides of a single path — the way the Buddhist tradition itself has always understood the relationship between knowing and being.

Format

The week weaves together several modes of learning and practice:

• Talks introducing the principles and practice of Tibetan medicine
• Guided meditations
• Facilitated Q&A and group discussion
• Space for personal practice and movement

Free & Open to All

Several sessions each week are free and open to anyone, with no registration required. We warmly welcome locals and newcomers to drop in:

• The weekly public talk
• The Wednesday evening Introductory Talk, which opens the week
• All morning and afternoon meditation sessions, every day of the week

If you’ve been curious about Samye Institute, Tibetan medicine, or Buddhist practice, these are an easy way to step in and experience the teachings firsthand.

Schedule

The course opens on the evening of Wednesday, June 24, allowing participants to arrive earlier in the day and settle in. From June 25 through June 27, each day follows a full rhythm of morning and afternoon meditation alongside two teaching sessions in the afternoon and evening. The program concludes on the morning of Sunday, June 28, followed by lunch and departure.

Wednesday, June 24 — Arrival

• 3:00 – 5:00 pm — Registration
• 6:00 – 7:00 pm — Dinner
• 7:00 – 8:30 pm — Introductory Talk (free and open to all)

Thursday – Saturday, June 25–27

• 7:00 – 8:00 am — Personal Practice
• 9:00 – 9:45 am — Breakfast
• 10:00 – 10:45 am — Guided Meditation (free and open to all)
• 12:30 – 1:15 pm — Lunch
• 1:30 – 2:15 pm — Inner Science Meditation (free and open to all)
• 3:00 – 4:30 pm — Tibetan Medicine with Tawni Tidwell
• 4:30 – 5:00 pm — Break
• 5:00 – 6:00 pm — Q&A / Discussion
• 6:00 – 7:00 pm — Inner Science with Hilary Herdman & Seth Auster-Rosen
• 7:00 – 8:00 pm — Dinner

Sunday, June 28 — Closing

• 8:00 – 8:45 am — Breakfast
• 10:00 – 11:30 am — Closing Session
• 12:30 – 1:15 pm — Lunch and Departure

Attendance & Hybrid Access

Participants are welcome to register for the full week or for individual days as their schedules allow. To help sessions begin on time, we ask that all attendees arrive 15 minutes early.

The Outer Science, Inner Science, and Q&A / Discussion sessions are offered in a hybrid format, accessible both in person and online. Recordings of these sessions will be made available to all registered attendees, so anyone who joins partway through will receive recordings of the days they missed.

Commuter registration includes lunch and dinner; residential registration includes all meals and on-site lodging. Scholarships are available on request — please reach out if cost is a barrier to attending.

Prerequisites

No prior experience is necessary. This week is open to participants of all backgrounds, whether or not they attended the first week of the immersion. It may be especially meaningful for healthcare practitioners, students of contemplative traditions, and anyone drawn to a holistic, integrated view of health.