About the Eifel Retreats

The audio recordings available on these pages were made at retreats held at the Kamalashila Institute, deep in the rolling countryside of the Eifel region of Germany. The retreats are normally attended by between 50 and 60 people and have been held twice-yearly in the Spring and Autumn for many years. Along with other regular retreats in the UK and Europe, the Eifel retreats have been a central component of James’ teaching activity, and many of the themes from his own dharma and life experience that he has felt it important to communicate over this period are covered herein. There are links from this site to other audio recordings and videos, some with translation into a variety of languages.
As well as the teachings themselves, hopefully some of the warmth and spontaneity present at these occasions can be passed on or re-awakened through the availability of these recordings.

Some of the retreats had a defined theme, while others were based on a specific text or practice. These are listed here and directly accessible:

Teachings on Texts

• The Lamp Clarifying the Essentials of the Way of Meditation by Tsultrim Zangpo
• The Root Verses of the Six Bardos
• The Heart Sutra
• The Mahamudra Instructions of Tipun Pema Chogyal
• Self-Liberating Understanding, Patrul Rinpoche
• Gonpo Wangyal’s Dzogchen
• Kunzang Monlam – The Evocation of Samantabhatra
• The Record of the Heart-felt Advice of the Dakini Indestructible Glorious Lamp by Ayu Khandro
• The Natural Condition and the Way of Delusion, Padmasambhava
• The Mirror of Luminous Revelation, Nuden Dorje Drophen Lingpa Drolo Tsal
• The Mahamudra Upadesha, Tilopa
• Garab Dorje’s Three Points

Teachings on Topics

• The View and Practice of Trekchö
• Trusting ourselves
• Death
• Doing Less, Experiencing More
• The Creativity of Emptiness: Tantra and Dzogchen
• Padmasambhava Practice
• Intrinsic Purity and Purity Through Purification
• Dzogchen and Mahamudra
• Dzogchen Semdzin
• Self-liberating Karmic Structures
• The Illusory Nature of Phenomena: Six Bardos
• Integration of Dharma: Being with Others
• Taking Obstacles as The Path
• The Integration of Stillness and Movement