Kopan Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in the Mayahana tradition located in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is perched atop a hill, which enjoys gorgeous views of the city below.
I visited Kopan Monastery for a couple hours when I first came to Nepal in July 2017. Sensing a strong spiritual energy, I felt called to do a course at Kopan when the opportunity presented itself in May 2019.
The course I signed up for was titled, “Open Heart, Clear Mind.” I thought I could use a bit of that. Opening my heart and clearing my mind sounded like a solid game plan. Something you can’t really do enough of, right?
I arrived in the afternoon for check in around 1:00pm on May 24, eager to “soak up some more peace,” as I put it to my boyfriend. As I had recently completed a 10-day Introduction to Buddhism course in India at it’s sister monastery, Tushita, I was ready for more—more peace, more stillness, more meditation.
Ninety students, from all around the world, came together at Kopan for our week-long “Open Heart, Clear Mind Course.” Silence was mandatory for the first half of the day, and after lunchtime, we were allowed to speak until after dinner. Therefore, the day was broken up into half-silence, half-socializing.
Unexpectedly, I took full advantage of the socializing. I met fascinating people. I had invigorating conversations about the army in Israel, Yoga retreat centers in Cambodia, and road trip routes in Croatia. My connection was especially strong with a hilarious, blunt, zesty young woman from England named Anina, and a fellow nomadic yoga teacher from California named Sara.
I also bonded beautifully with a woman from Australia named Nickki. We had deep heart to hearts about the expectations we carry, about the word ‘try,’ and about listening to your instincts.
To be honest, the teachings weren’t really on opening your heart and clearing your mind. Our four hours of lessons were focused on the basics of Buddhism, which I had just covered one month ago at Tushita. We superficially discussed karma, rebirth, impermanence, and other such topics. I was craving a deep-plunge. I wanted to dig in.
However, it wasn’t meant to be. Instead my week at Kopan turned out to be a time of connecting with others, reading dharma books, and having revitalizing conversations.
Yes, I did meditate for around three hours a day. I also read the complete abridged version of the Lam Rim, which was around 120 pages of Buddhism 101.
I followed the schedule. I woke up at 5:30am to squeeze my morning yoga practice in. Yes, I struggled and survived their meals, which indeed contained milk and lots of cheese. As a vegan who is a bit lactose intolerant, so sometimes my meal was plain rice.
And as a tip, if you’re deciding to go there yourself: the dorm room houses around 16 people. The entire floor of the building, which is home to about 24 retreat participants share 2 squat Asian-style toilets and showers. That’s 2 toilets for 24 people! I dropped an extra $30 and got a room, shared with one other woman, with a private toilet. Worth every penny.
Highlights of my stay, also included watching the children monk scampering around the grounds. I also witnessed the young adult monks in their classic debate, where they clap their hands to make their point. Almost daily, the courtyard was filled with young monks arguing loudly, but calming. Their faces almost blank. The clapping was surprising, occurring frequently with no reaction from those around them. Not every argument has to end in raised voices and brows furrowed in anger, right?
One day of my retreat also fell on Guru Puja Day. One day a month, the monastery performs a 2-hour long ceremony in honor of their teachers, the lamas, and the geshes. We were allowed to sit quietly and watch them ring their bells, hit the gongs, and sway as they chanted on and on and on. It was a special thing to witness. I had only seen Hindu Puja ceremonies, so getting to finally see a Buddhist one was a real treat.
If you’re staying at Kopan Monastery soon, feel free to email me or get in touch on social media. I’m happy to answer any questions you have! [email protected]
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