January Newsletter 2026
- KSD London
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Dear Sarah,
Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026, which is coming a little later than usual. This may be linked to the fact that, while the Centre was closed, Lama Zangmo was attending the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya and helping out with the Akong Tulku Rinpoche Memorial Soup Kitchen - see the picture above, and the article at the end of this missive by Vin Harris.
Moving on, January is traditionally a time of resolutions which, unfortunately, tend to fade before the end of the month, so... for those of you who have been considering learning to meditate, don't wait. Book yourself a place on Lama Zangmo's Introduction to Meditation on Saturday 24th January. Once it's booked, it's easier to go, even if that resolution is fading. And for those wanting a refresher, it's also a good starting point.
Also coming up:
A Letter to a Friend, with Lama Zangmo continues on Saturday 17th January. You are welcome to join the course from January onwards, provided you are able to attend all remaining sessions.
The next Simply Meditation Day takes place this Sunday, 18th January. An excellent opportunity to experience the power of practicing meditation in a group.
There is a Vajrasattva Practice Day on Sunday 25th January. We will spend the day reciting the Vajrasattva (Dorje Sempa) 100 syllable mantra as requested by His Holiness 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje. The day is made up of multiple meditation sessions with breaks. Participants are welcome to join in as many sessions as they wish.
The Tibetan Doctor will next be available in KSDL on the weekend of the 17th and 18th January. To make an appointment for a consultation please contact Doctor Soktsang directly. If you want to check Dr Soktsang's availability in 2026, the dates of his attendance at the Centre are available on the website.
Finally, I hope you've managed to make a good start to 2026, regardless of what's going on in the wider world. It looks like we're in for a year of more turmoil, one way or another and it's all too easy to react and get sucked into it. However, we do have a choice, which is to try and remain centred and grounded; to practice those qualities which can bring peace to ourselves and those around us; which will enable us to act from a place of compassion and integrity. And if you want to practice at Samye Dzong London, we have two shrine rooms and plenty of people willing to practice with you.
Wishing you all the best,
David Bates
Newsletter Editor
A letter from Choje Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche
“Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I am sharing the news that, after many years as Patron of the Mindfulness Association (MA), I have decided to stand down from this role.
As many of you will know, my brother Akong Rinpoche was instrumental in the establishment of the MA in 2010 and has been a source of great inspiration for its co-founders, tutors and students. For more than 15 years, the MA and Rokpa Trust worked together harmoniously to bring benefit to the many members of our worldwide shared community.
Recently, however, this relationship has been severely damaged.
The MA Board has decided to believe false, unsubstantiated allegations against Rokpa Trust that are currently circulating in the public domain. In addition, it has repeated them as true and used them as a reason to cancel all its courses and retreats at Samye Ling and Holy Isle, despite acknowledging that the Board's decision is based on hearsay.
My brother dedicated his life to building and nurturing Rokpa Trust, and I cannot in good conscience continue as Patron of an organisation that has acted towards it in this way.
I will continue, to the very best of my ability, to carry on the activities of my brother Akong Rinpoche, praying for his swift return, and I ask that you all do your best to develop your qualities of wisdom, compassion and joy, for the benefit of all humanity.
Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche”
Transforming the Emotions Through Meditation, with Lama Zangmo
Transforming the Emotions Through Meditation, with Lama Zangmo, runs weekly over four Thursdays, starting on 15th January, and is suitable both for beginners and anyone wanting to become more familiar with working with the emotions. It is a good follow-up for anyone who attended a meditation course and also a good follow-up to the course Lama Zangmo ran on Transforming the Emotions in October.
Lama Zangmo will especially focus on how we can deal with painful emotions such as stress, fear and confusion, and cultivate positive mind states, and will give some meditation instructions.
To tame our unruly mind, we need to be able to recognise the emotion, reflect on the negative impact it has, and apply the appropriate remedy. With time and practise we gradually become able to pacify the afflictions.
There will be time for meditation and Q&A during the sessions. It is fine to come for one or all of the sessions, however we ask that you book in advance.
A Weekend of Instructions in the Ngondro Practice with Lama Zangmo
On the weekend of the 31st January - 1st February, Lama Zangmo will give instructions on the Ngondro, a practice text by the 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, consisting of the four ordinary foundations and the four special foundations.
The Four Ordinary Foundations are contemplations on the four thoughts that turn the mind to the Dharma, namely the preciousness of human life, impermanence, karma, cause and effects, and the sufferings of samsara.
The Four Special Foundations are purification and accumulation practices and are: prostrations, recitations of the Dorje Sempa hundred syllable mantra, mandala offerings and guru yoga practice.
The function of the prostrations is to deepen our sense of refuge in the Three Jewels and take root in the Lineage, and to help us appreciate the importance of Dharma practice. It is a method of purification of the obscurations and accumulation of merit.
Lama Zangmo will give instructions in the Four Thoughts and how to start the first of the special foundations, the prostration practice. She will also give the lung, scriptural transmission, for the practice.
This course is suitable for those who have already taken Refuge or are planning to take refuge at the next opportunity. For any questions and guidance about whether to join this course, please feel free to contact the office or make an appointment to speak to Lama Zangmo.
You will need to bring a Ngondro text for the teachings (available from the shop).
The schedule for each day will run between the following times:
Saturday 31 January: 10am-4pm
Sunday 1 February: 10am-1pm
The instructions will be followed up with an afternoon of contemplation and prostrations on Sun 15 Feb from 1.30 - 4pm where Lama Zangmo will be available for Q&A at the beginning in order to get started properly on the practice. More information on this can be found here.
For those who wish to start prostrations for the first time, it is best to attend all those dates. It is essential to book in advance for this course.
Compassion in Action Projects at the Kagyu Monlam
Vin Harris writes:
"When escaping from Tibet, Akong Rinpoche almost died of starvation and he made a promise that if he survived, he would do everything in his power to make sure people do not have to suffer from hunger. Rinpoche encouraged his students to set up “Soup Kitchens” throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, offering food to whoever asked, serving them with kindness and respect, expecting nothing in return. There appears to be great wisdom in this practice of Compassion in Action as those who give and those who receive all experience the benefits.
20 years have now passed since some students of the 2nd Akong Tulku visited the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya for the first time. They were inspired by His Holiness 17th Gyalwang Karmapa leading the magnificent Monlam gathering and the prayers of vast aspirations: they were also moved by the extreme poverty and suffering they witnessed on the streets of Bodhgaya. They asked themselves, “What would Akong Rinpoche do if he was here?” From this inspiration in 2006, the tradition of giving food to the people of Bodhgaya and the surrounding villages was born. Since then it has continued every year during the Kagyu Monlam and that first small step has resulted in a long and inspiring journey.
Following Akong Rinpoche’s tragic death in 2013, with the blessing of His Holiness 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, the Akong Tulku Memorial Soup Kitchen became part of an ever-increasing range of Compassion in Action projects. The Venerable Lama Chodrak, CEO of the Kagyu Monlam has given his invaluable guidance and support. He regularly visits all of the Compassion in Action projects himself and this year, during the 40th Kagyu Monlam, he invited Kyabgön Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche to visit the Soup Kitchen. Rinpoche didn’t just give his blessing; he also got involved in serving food.....
Read the rest of the article on the Samye Dzong London website.
