James Low - Dzogchen and Buddhist Teachings

The Simple Ease of Presence (Part 1 of 2)

This episode comes from the Dzogchen retreat with James Low at Casa la Salle, Veciana (Barcelona), Spain, held 28 September – 4 October 2026. The teachings were given in English with consecutive translation into Spanish.

James writes: "The focus of the retreat is on opening to the intrinsic purity of the mind as it is. This purity is not improved by our virtuous efforts, nor impaired by our bad habits."

Spanish translators: Mariana Orozco and María Lleó

Retreat details: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/the-simple-ease-of-presence-veciana-2026/

More resources

Podcasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

Future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Cover video art: Ruslan Sikunov, via Pexels.com

Watch the original video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm8mUldxOp0

Chapters

00:00 María Lleó • 28 September 2026

1:11:42 Mariana Orozco • 29 September 2026

2:50:07 María Lleó • 29 September 2026

4:30:37 Mariana Orozco • 30 September 2026

6:03:55 María Lleó • 30 September 2026

7:32:44 Mariana Orozco • 1 October 2026

4/4 Taking your ease where you are always welcome. [EN-PT-ES] Sintra 08.2026

Part 4 of 4 from a Dzogchen retreat with James Low, held 1st–12th August 2026 at Casa de Exercícios de Santo Inácio, Colares, in Sintra, Portugal. The teachings were given in English with consecutive translation into Portuguese and Spanish.

James writes: "We will focus on opening to our minds as they actually are, free of conceptual covering. We will meditate, communicate and participate in various activities bring us ever-closer to the here-and-now."

The retreat followed a new style of timetable. James taught in the morning. In the afternoon there were small practice groups and activities such as drama and movement, led by experienced sangha members. This was designed to make James's work easier and to encourage active participation in learning.

Translators

Portuguese: Madalena Pedroza and Milton Petruczok

Spanish: Mariana Orozco and Juan García Lázaro

Links

Retreat details: simplybeing.co.uk

Audio recording of this video: https://bit.ly/3VYVuHT

Podcasts of some teachings: simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts

Future events: simplybeing.co.uk/events

Instagram of excerpts: SBSangha_JamesLow

Cover video art: Matthias Groeneveld, via Pexels.com

Watch the original video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFWFKlKQkkA

Chapters

00:00 Juan García Lázaro (ES) • 11 August 2026

1:38:35 Madalena Pedroza (PT) • 12 August 2026

3/4 Taking your ease where you are always welcome. [EN-PT-ES] Sintra 08.2026

This is part 3 of 4 from the Dzogchen retreat "Taking your ease where you are always welcome" with James Low. The retreat took place from 1st to 12th August 2026 at Casa de Exercícios de Santo Inácio, Colares, in Sintra, Portugal, with consecutive translation into Portuguese and Spanish.

James writes: "We will focus on opening to our minds as they actually are, free of conceptual covering. We will meditate, communicate and participate in various activities bring us ever-closer to the here-and-now."

The retreat followed a new timetable. James taught in the morning. In the afternoon there were small practice groups and activities such as drama and movement, led by experienced sangha members. This is designed to make James's work easier and to encourage active participation in learning.

Translators

Portuguese: Madalena Pedroza and Milton Petruczok

Spanish: Mariana Orozco and Juan García Lázaro

Links

Retreat information: simplybeing.co.uk

Audio recording: https://bit.ly/4zOoYql

Podcasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

Future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Instagram of excerpts: SBSangha_JamesLow

Cover video art: Matthias Groeneveld, via Pexels.com

Watch the original video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npHxBKLOYZM

Chapters

00:00 Juan García Lázaro (ES) • 9 August 2026

15:13 Releasing clinging with the sound A or phat

28:40 Ageing and the changing permeability of the body

38:42 The ego as an exile who has forgotten home

47:17 Self-reference limits empathy for others

57:49 Looking at the one who looks

1:09:18 The five skandhas and the kaleidoscope of the person

1:21:20 Blessing in ordinary life: Padmasambhava and Christ

1:31:29 Milton Petruczok (PT) • 9 August 2026

1:45:37 Practising in a peaceful, isolated place

2:00:07 Your true home is the mind itself

2:16:55 Precious human birth, freedoms and opportunities

2:29:39 Valuing people by usefulness leads to abuse

2:39:32 Sitting naturally without manipulating body or breath

2:49:50 Mariana Orozco (ES) • 9 August 2026

3:03:53 Explaining and taking the bodhisattva vows

3:20:59 Aspirations of a child of the Buddhas

3:33:46 Supporting indigenous peoples between two worlds

3:53:39 Madalena Pedroza (PT) • 10 August 2026

3:58:01 Trauma, disturbance and working with the body

4:17:03 Our many inner voices like an orchestra without conductor

4:29:04 Self and no-self in Hindu and Buddhist views

4:45:13 All names are placed on reality by the mind

4:55:58 Watching thought dissolve back into silence

5:05:25 Blue cloth and crystal: appearance without substance

5:13:21 Five poisons purified as five wisdoms and Buddha families

5:29:59 Juan García Lázaro (ES) • 10 August 2026

5:41:28 Knowing and not knowing: the first stage of ignorance

5:56:08 Second stage: dualistic consciousness and co-emergence

6:06:05 Third stage: naming and fixing identity

6:23:39 Third level of ignorance: ego defining the object

6:36:31 The deadly power of definition and being defined by others

6:54:46 Madalena Pedroza (PT) • 10 August 2026

7:02:52 Padmasambhava images to consecrate for each continent

7:14:40 Milton Petruczok (PT) • 11 August 2026

Taking your ease where you are always welcome (Part 2 of 4)

This is the second of four recordings from a Dzogchen retreat with James Low, held 1st–12th August 2026 at Casa de Exercícios de Santo Inácio, Colares, in Sintra, Portugal. The teachings were given with consecutive translation into Portuguese and Spanish.

James writes: "We will focus on opening to our minds as they actually are, free of conceptual covering. We will meditate, communicate and participate in various activities bring us ever-closer to the here-and-now."

The retreat followed a new style of timetable. James taught in the morning. In the afternoon there were small practice groups and activities such as drama and movement, led by experienced sangha members. This was designed both to make James's work easier and to encourage active participation in learning.

Translators

Portuguese: Madalena Pedroza and Milton Petruczok

Spanish: Mariana Orozco and Juan García Lázaro

Links

Retreat event page

Podcasts of some teachings

Future events

Instagram of excerpts

Cover video art: Matthias Groeneveld, via Pexels.com

Watch the original video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAnOdFUxQwg

1/4 Taking your ease where you are always welcome. [EN-PT-ES] Sintra 08.2026

Part 1 of 4 from the Dzogchen retreat with James Low, "Taking your ease where you are always welcome," held 1st-12th August 2026 at Casa de Exercícios de Santo Inácio, Colares, in Sintra, Portugal. The teachings were given with consecutive translation into Portuguese and Spanish.

James writes: "We will focus on opening to our minds as they actually are, free of conceptual covering. We will meditate, communicate and participate in various activities bring us ever-closer to the here-and-now.

The retreat will have a new style of timetable with James teaching in the morning and then in the afternoon there will be small practice groups and a range of activities such as drama and movement led by experienced sangha members. This is designed to both make James's work easier and to encourage active participation in learning."

Retreat information:

Event page

Translators:

Portuguese: Madalena Pedroza and Milton Petruczok

Spanish: Mariana Orozco and Juan García Lázaro

Credits:

Cover video art: Matthias Groeneveld, via Pexels.com

More resources:

Instagram of excerpts

Podcasts of some teachings

Future events

Watch the original video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O32vkOYOoaU