Save The Date - Commemoration Weekend for Geshe Damcho & Geshe Wangchen, with Special Guests – 21st to 23rd August 2026

• Date: Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd, & Sunday 23rd August 2026

• Time: Arrive Friday evening, closing Sunday afternoon

• Format: Residential, Onsite

Overview

We invite you to join us for a special weekend of remembrance, gratitude, and practice honouring the extraordinary lives of Geshe Damcho Yonten and Gen Wangchen, two eminent masters of the Gelug tradition whose kindness continues to benefit our community to this day.

This gathering takes place around the anniversaries of both of their passing, offering a meaningful opportunity to come together celebration of their immense contribution to the Dharma in the West.

For the Lam Rim community in particular, we remember with deep gratitude Geshe Damcho Rinpoche, the founding spiritual guide of Lam Rim, whose tireless efforts firmly established the Dharma here in Wales.

The aim of the weekend is to be a fun, lighthearted and sociable dharma celebration, with competitions, walks, food and puja, whilst also to help raise money to secure the future of the centre.

All are warmly welcome, long-time students and newcomers alike!

Below is a initial schedule subject to change:

Schedule

Friday

• Welcome talk 

  • Arriving Friday afternoon or evening

  • 7:30pm - Welcome & Introduction with Khenchen Rinpoche, ‘The Why’?

Saturday

• Morning Meditation 

• Group Activities - Choose your activity or take part in all three:

  • Conch Shell Blowing Competition - who can make he best sound!

  • Momo Making - make traditional and delicious Tibetan momos as part of the lunch

  • Tsa Tsa Making - make beautiful commemorative Tsa Tsa’s for all to share

• Lunch

• Sugar Loaf Summit - we’ll drive to the carpark and gently walk to the summit for a smoke offering, the place where Geshe Damcho’s ashes were laid and where he conducted puja

• Smoke Offering Puja - Smoke offering puja at the top of Sugar Loaf with the winning Conch Shell Blower adding to the atmosphere

• Supper - at Lam Rim

• Sharing of Stories - we’ll sit around the fire sharing stories of our great teachers and hopefully some film!

Sunday

• Morning Meditation 

• Group Activities

  • Prayer Flags - taking time to put up additional prayer flags across Lam Rim’s ground

  • Flag Pole Resurrection - our large flag pole fell down during a storm some time ago, we’ll need a team of people to help us reestablish the pole and hang a traditional prayer flag

• Lunch

• Lama Chopa, Guru Puja - a puja to celebrate and immerse ourselves in the blessings and inspiration of all our teachers

• Closing Remarks & Sharing Commemorating Tsa Tsa’s

• Ending in the Afternoon, circa 3pm

  • Or stay another night

Teacher Biographies

Geshe Damcho Yonten — Founder of Lam Rim

Geshe Damcho Yonten (1930–2017) was a highly accomplished Gelug scholar and practitioner who trained from childhood at Drepung Loseling Monastic University, one of the great monastic seats of learning within the Tibetan Buddhist world. Having completed the traditional and demanding course of study leading to the Geshe degree, he was later invited to the West, where he became one of the early generation of Tibetan teachers to establish Lam Rim teachings in the United Kingdom.

With immense humility, patience, and quiet determination, Geshe-la became the founding spiritual guide of Lam Rim in Wales, laying the authentic foundations upon which the community continues to grow today. Those who met him remember not only his scholarly depth but his gentleness, consistency, and unwavering dedication to his students. The very existence and continued flourishing of Lam Rim stands as a living testament to his extraordinary kindness and vision.

Geshe Wangchen — Senior Gelug Teacher and Jamyang London Resident Teacher

Geshe Wangchen, a Lharampa Geshe of the Gelug tradition, also trained extensively at Drepung Loseling Monastic University, sharing the same great monastic heritage as Geshe Damcho Rinpoche. After more than two decades of rigorous philosophical study, dialectical debate, and contemplative retreat, he emerged as a highly qualified scholar-practitioner within the classical Gelug system.

Geshe Wangchen went on to serve for many years as a resident teacher at Jamyang Buddhist Centre London, where he became widely respected for his clear, methodical presentation of the Lam Rim and Buddhist philosophy. His teaching style is characterised by precision, structure, and deep faithfulness to the classical texts, while remaining accessible and supportive for Western students. Through his sustained teaching activity in the UK and internationally, Geshe-la has played an important role in preserving and transmitting the authentic scholarly and contemplative traditions of Tibetan Buddhism to new generations of practitioners.

Tickets Online Soon

• Please Donate What You Feel, as appropriate to your means

• As with all our Dharma activities, this event is open to everyone. If you are unable to make a donation, you are very welcome to attend — simply select the Support Rate and email us to confirm your place.

• Part of the intention of this event is to help inspire and raise funds to support the future of the Centre. If you are in a position to give more generously, your contribution is deeply appreciated. Further donations can also be made onsite during the event.

• All tickets include a bed and meals for the full weekend.

• Guests are also welcome to stay one or two days before or after the event, please let us know in advance by email or in the notes section of the booking form.