The practice of Chenrezi — the embodiment of the compassion of all the buddhas — is an excellent introduction to yidam practice of vajrayana Buddhism.

Painting by Sanje Elliott
A yidam is an expression of awakening. By replacing our habitual identification with our ordinary body, speech and mind with the awakened body, speech, and mind of Chenrezi, we can more readily draw forth our inherent awakening. This type of practice includes chanting a text, imagining ourself in the form of the yidam, reciting a mantra, and then letting go of these supports to rest in formless mediation.
Chenrezi should not be understood to be some being or entity separate from us. Chenrezi is the union of wisdom and compassion, and the nature of our mind is also the union of wisdom and compassion. By familiarizing ourselves with awakened being in this practice, we learn to identify with our innate, enlightened nature and approach the ultimate essence of our mind.
The practice of Chenrezi is probably the most widely practiced meditation of the vajrayana tradition. When meditation master and KCC founder Kalu Rinpoche established dharma centers across the world in the 1970s and 80s, this was the practice he first instituted. Among all tantric practices, there are none so accessible yet so profound.
Please visit our Practice Resources section for Chenrezi texts, practice aids and an audio recording of the practice chanted in Tibetan.
Wednesday Practices
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The practice text is chanted in Tibetan and/or English on 1st Wednesdays; in Tibetan on 2nd, 4th, and 5th Wednesdays. On 3rd Wednesdays, Lama Eric leads in English.
Half-Day Sessions
Alternating First Sundays (even-numbered months)
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Lama Eric Triebelhorn provides detailed instructions about the practice of Chenrezi on alternating first Sundays from 9:00am to 12:30pm. He walks participants through the practice several times and there is also space for questions and discussion. All are welcome.
These instructions take place on even-numbered months: February, April, June, August, October, and December.
Half-Day Sessions in odd-numbered months cover shamatha, or calm abiding practice .
Upcoming Events
This is a study group on the Chenrezi practice on the second Wednesdays of the month. We are using Bokar Rinpoche’s Chenrezi—Lord of Love as the principal text (available in KCC Dharma Bookshop).
The format for the evening is as follows: Each week, a previously selected member of the community will present a five-minute summary of the pages to be discussed for the evening. This task will rotate among those participating and interested. There will then be discussion about the points raised in the reading for the remainder of the first hour. If necessary, to facilitate broader participation, we’ll break into smaller groups for part of that time. We will then take a short break before ending the evening with the practice of Chenrezi, alternating between chanting in English and Tibetan.
We hope that this study group will serve to deepen our understanding of connection to this practice, as well as to allow the community to get more familiar with one another as we explore the practice together, sharing our experiences, curiosity, and insights as a group.