
Experience the power of transformation and the clarity of realization
This immersive six-week program offers a unique opportunity to delve into the timeless wisdom of the Buddhist tradition as it applies in modern times.
The Buddhist Arts & Sciences
Combining intellectual exploration with personal transformation, the program integrates teachings on the inner science—Buddhist philosophy and meditative practice—with the outer Buddhist arts and sciences including logic, medicine, language, fine arts and artisanry, as well as calculation, astrology and geomancy.
The framing of this immersive program presents the Buddhist arts and sciences as outer and inner qualities to cultivate throughout one's life for greater wellbeing, insight, harmony with the natural world and all its beings, lucid expression, and lasting joy and peace.


Inner Science: Buddhist Philosophy & Practice
Guided by Phakchok Rinpoche, Tulku Migmar, and Professor John Makransky, this course explores core Buddhist teachings and practices continually throughout both modules.
Outer Arts and Sciences: Logic, Medicine, Fine Arts and Artisanry, Astrology, Geomancy, and Finances
Each of the outer arts and sciences is taught as a one-week mini-course with a specialist instructor. The courses are carefully designed to provide an in-depth, hands-on exploration of each discipline, complemented by ecological contemplation that emphasizes a mindful connection to our environments.


Connect to Nature
A core practice throughout the program will be the daily "sit spot" practice guided by Tibetan medical physician Tawni Tidwell and translator and eco-chaplain in training Oriane Lavolé. This practice encourages participants to choose a single spot to build a profound connection to the land, deepening their awareness of the interplay between the outer environment and inner mindfulness.
What You'll Learn
Rooted in centuries-old training methods from India and Tibet, this program introduces participants to the foundational Buddhist wisdom that balances theoretical knowledge with practical application. Over six weeks, students will:

Experience Buddhist Philosophy and Practice
Guided daily by Tulku Migmar and Phakchok Rinpoche (special guest teacher), explore foundational Buddhist principles and meditative practices.
Hands-On Learning
In college level mini-courses with academic scholars you’ll learn foundational principles and practices of traditional Tibetan medicine, delve into Himalayan fine arts and artisanry, debate philosophy, and apply Tibetan calculation to the landscape and heavenly bodies.
Enhance Mind-Body-World Connection
Participate in yoga, Qi Gong, mindful movement, and outdoor meditation to deepen your relationship with nature and cultivate mental and physical harmony. Learn to work together as a team in contributing to the environment and day-to-day functioning of a practice center.
Program Structure


Module 1: The Path of Transformation
The Inner Science
- Week 1 (June 16–22)
Prof. John Makransky - Introduction to Sustainable Compassion and Wisdom Training
Sustainable Compassion and Wisdom Training (SCT) is a method derived from Tibetan Buddhism to help us realize a power of unconditional love and wisdom from within that can be deeply healing and sustaining, make us more fully present to ourselves and others, and empower compassionate action that is less subject to emotional exhaustion. Fundamental Buddhist principles, areas of modern psychology, and guided meditations inform this transformational learning.
- Weeks 2 & 3 (June 16–July 3)
Tulku Migmar - The Essence of the Dharma
Discover the fundamental concepts and practices taught by the Buddha and his followers. Gain a broad understanding of the Buddhist worldview and its key philosophical tenets, and explore their practical applications in guided meditation practices.
- Week 3 Conclusion (July 5–6)
Phakchok Rinpoche - Awakening Dignity
A Weekend Retreat with Co-Instructor Sophie (Shu-chin) Wu
From the Buddhist perspective, dignity is an inherent quality of fundamental wholeness and completeness that we all naturally possess: our true nature is pure and our heart is noble. In this guide, Phakchok Rinpoche shows how knowing that we are whole and complete already—and gaining trust and certainty in that understanding—can counteract the common feeling that we are not enough, that something is missing.
The Outer Arts & Sciences
- Week 1 (June 16–22)
Introduction to the Buddhist Arts and Sciences
Instructors: Prof. John Makransky (Boston College) and Hilary Herdman (Samye Institute)
Learn key concepts of the Buddhist arts and sciences and how these connect to skillful and compassionate living through the gradual awakening of our basic goodness.
- Week 2 (June 23–29)
Logical Reasoning–Knowing the World by Knowing the Mind
Instructor: Seth Auster-Rosen (University of Chicago)
Discover the innovations of the four major schools of Buddhist philosophy, exploring the key teachings of interdependence, impermanence, selflessness, and emptiness through external observation and inner reflection.
- Week 3 (June 30–July 6)
Medicine & Fine Arts — Creating Harmony in One’s Body, Mind, and World
Instructor: Tawni Tidwell (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Learn how the five elemental expressions in Tibetan medicine influence the body-mind pathways that guide health and wellbeing, and how this inner-outer harmony is expressed in Himalayan iconography to support wellbeing and self-transformation.
Module 2: The Path of Realization
The Inner Science
- Week 4 (July 7–11)
Phakchok Rinpoche - Mahamudra Retreat
Instructions from the Mahayana & Mahasiddha Traditions
Phakchok Rinpoche will present fresh insights from the Noble Wisdom at the Time of Death Sutra. This revered teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni explores the essence of Buddha nature and provides clear, practical instructions for authentic vipashyana (clear insight) meditation. Rinpoche will also give instruction in Tilopa’s Ganges Mahamudra Instruction, a seminal teaching in the Mahamudra tradition. Delivered poetically on the banks of the Ganges River, this text encapsulates Tilopa’s direct guidance to his disciple Naropa. It emphasizes the nature of mind as inherently pure and luminous, untainted by conceptual elaborations.
- Week 4 Conclusion (July 12)
Phakchok Rinpoche - The Trinley Nyingpo
Teachings & Empowerment
Phakchok Rinpoche has agreed to bestow the Trinley Nyingpo empowerment— the core empowerment of the Chokling Tersar’s Guru’s Heart Practice: The Dispeller of All Obstacles. This empowerment is an essential practice for those who wish to follow the Path of Realization and is a prerequisite for students committed to the daily practice of Guru Padmasambhava within this lineage.
- Weeks 5 & 6 (July 14–27)
Tulku Migmar - Entry into the Mahayana Path
Dive deeper into Buddhist philosophy and practice, exploring the bodhisattva path and its core concepts of selflessness and emptiness through study, reflection, and meditation.
The Outer Arts and Sciences
- Week 4 (July 7–13)
Artisanry & Medicine – Crafting One’s Life
Instructor: Tawni Tidwell (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Cultivate personal and communal well-being by learning the practical skills and routines needed to harmonize with your environment, community, living structures, and relationships.
- Week 5 (July 14–20)
Calculations: Astrology, Geomancy, and Finances
Instructors: Tsipa Tenzin Loden (Men-Tsee-Khang, Dharamsala)
Discover the practical applications of mathematics and finance to the landscape, heavenly bodies, your life-crafting and your budget!
- Week 6 (July 21–27)
Integrating Buddhist Arts and Sciences in Daily Life
Instructors: Hilary Herdman and Seth Auster-Rosen
Explore how all the Buddhist Arts and Sciences interconnect in the fabric of daily life, and benefit from group exercises and individual mentorship to develop a personal plan for carrying the knowledge absorbed into your home, community, and larger social networks.
Knowledge Emphasis
6/6
Buddhist Philosophy and Meditation
One lecture per day and two meditations per day
6/6
Mind-Body-World Connection
Each course interweaves diverse fields of knowledge, fostering holistic connections
3/6
Logical Reasoning
A week of lectures and practicums
5/6
Connection to Nature
Daily sit spot meditations on the land
3/6
Tibetan Medicine
A week of lectures and practicums
3/6
Planting and Building
Two-day green architecture workshop
3/6
Himalayan Fine Arts & Artisanry
A week of lectures and practicums
2/6
Field Trips
Occasional outings to lake and forest areas in the surrounding region
1/6
Tibetan Language
Woven in lectures throughout the program with occasional didactic instruction
3/6
Journaling and Reflection
Daily journaling of content learned and integration to one’s life; exploration of composition forms including poetry, metaphor and narrative
3/6
Astrology, Geomancy and Calculations
A week of lectures and practicums
3/6
Independent Projects
Each module includes an independently-developed area of depth
Welcome to Samye
How You'll Transform
This six-week journey offers more than just an academic or meditative experience—it provides an opportunity to harmonize the intellectual, spiritual, and physical aspects of life. By engaging deeply with the inner and outer fields of knowledge, participants will develop a holistic understanding of how ancient wisdom can be integrated into modern living.
Daily practices, such as meditation in nature and mindful movement, foster a profound connection to the environment and a sense of balance between inner awareness and outer engagement. Through guidance from accomplished Tibetan masters, expert scholars, and contemplative ecologists, students will cultivate insights that resonate far beyond the program.
Teachers

Phakchok Rinpoche

Tulku Migmar Tsering

John Makransky

Sophie (Shu-Chin) Wu

Hilary Herdman

Tawni Tidwell

Seth Auster-Rosen

Oriane Lavolé

Tenzin Loden

Ven. Wangchuk Dorjee Negi

How to Apply
Program Cost
Full Program - $3650
On-site accommodations in our campground and food in our dining hall are included. Commuter options are also available.
Early Bird (until March 15): Save 10% when you register early. Use the Code: PADMA108