Training including taking vows and deepening your commitment to sangha life
If you’ve worked through DHB and are considering how you’d like to deepen your practice as part of the Awakened Heart Sangha, there are a few options that are especially recommended as a next step.
Trusting the Heart of Buddhism (THB) Overview
Trusting the Heart of Buddhism (THB) builds on DHB to bring in the vaster vision of the Buddhist tradition and the principles that underlie it. This training provides an important foundation for other areas of the Living Awakened Heart training such as Insight into Emptiness, Vaster Vision and Pranidhanas.
The training is split into three 12-week sections running over the course of a year.
- Next group starts early Spring 2026
Mandala of Sacred Space
Mandala of Sacred Space is one of the six areas of the Living the Awakened Heart training. The training goes deeper into the ethos and practices of the Awakened Heart Sangha. This practice stream is open to all students who have worked through DHB but is especially recommended if:
- you would like to make the Awakened Heart Sangha to be your long-term spiritual home
- you are considering or are ready to take the Refuge Vow with Lama Shenpen as your preceptor - the first year of this stream includes training in Taking Refuge
- you wish to make a long-term commitment to supporting the sangha, including training as a mentor and entering the Mahayanagana, the sangha's group of committed students
The practice stream is split into three 12-week sections running over the course of a year.
- Next group starts 25th September 2025 - register now
More ways to deepen your practice
- Spiral back around Discovering the Heart of Buddhism - join a group to revisit one of the DHB themes (check your list of suggested courses).
- Join the Love & Compassion or Daily Life Awareness practice groups - new streams will start in 2026. Find out more about the Living the Awakened Heart practice streams here.
- Join a practice day or retreat, online or at the Hermitage, to get a taste of some of the Living the Awakened Heart streams - view upcoming events here.
- Join the daily meditation sessions with those at the Hermitage and others online - find out more about daily meditation sessions.