Mahāmudrā: practicing being a buddha

With Venerable Losang Gendun

Our challenges run deeper than we usually notice. Beneath the obvious discomfort of pain, impermanence and frustration lies a subtler pressure — the background hum of conditioned existence itself, which colors the feeling-tone of every moment with faint unease, causing us to reach for relief, the stabilizing comfort of fixed views and settled identities. What we have not yet seen is that this restlessness is not the nature of the mind — it is the tourist, not the resident.

Mahāmudrā is the direct recognition of our true nature: stillness flowing. Pure from the beginning, the clear-light nature of the mind is empty of fixed views, alienation and characteristics. In meditation this groundlessness offers an astonishing clarity, off the cushion a profound embeddedness in life. With a naked recognition of our true nature, feelings, emotions and thoughts still arise but are recognized as mere waves rippling across the ocean of the mind. Practice becomes an effortless recognition of the inner stillness by enjoying the relief it brings.

During this one-week retreat on Mahāmudrā, the mornings will open with the Ganden Lha Gyema, the quintessential Gelug celebration of the awakened qualities of Je Tsongkhapa, instilling the practitioner with the freedom to celebrate their inner qualities and to let go of hindrances. Evening sessions will offer teaching on the view and the path, with time for questions.

This retreat is designed for mid-level practitioners with a solid grounding in the Dharma — those who have worked with the lamrim, developed some stability in meditation, and are ready to bring that foundation into direct inquiry into the nature of mind.

About Losang Gendun

Venerable Losang Gendun has dedicated nearly four decades to practicing Buddhism and has served as a Bhikshu (Buddhist monk) in the Tibetan tradition for the past 18 years. Prior to his ordination, he worked in diverse fields such as palliative care, technology, refugee organizations, and commercial management. His extensive training includes ten years of studying Buddhist philosophy and practice in monasteries across France, India, Nepal, and Myanmar. Additionally, he spent over four years in retreat, immersing himself in Tibetan sutra and tantra, as well as the Burmese Theravada Forest Tradition.

For the last 15 years, Ven. Gendun has been a dedicated teacher, sharing his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and meditation worldwide. He serves the aspirations of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche as part of the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition). Ven. Gendun is also a member of Mind & Life Europe, a multidisciplinary laboratory that brings together researchers and contemplative practitioners to explore the nature of experience. In 2023, he founded The Buddha Project, which engages in long-term guidance for Buddhist meditators, scientific research, art projects, and intercontemplative social engagement.