The first two sections of this course – the Introduction and First Key Point – are available now and open to everyone. The full course opens on the first day of the Tibetan New Year (Losar) - February 28, 2025. You can pre-enroll for the full course at any time.

Atisha’s Seven Points of Mind Training
(Lojong)

Compiled by the Indian master Atisha, The Seven Key Points of Mind Training is the condensed essence of all of the practices taught by the Buddha for taming the mind. 

Taming the mind is the process of refining away mental afflictions until we are no longer  ruled by our circumstances and the negative thoughts or emotions they elicit. When we engage in mind training, we set ourselves on a path, a series of steps that lead to a result. That result is happiness that does not depend on external conditions. Whether favorable or unfavorable things happen, we learn to use those circumstances to cultivate further causes for happiness. Just as exercising the body brings greater physical well-being, exercising the mind in this way brings greater mental well-being.

This mind training program is based on Khentrul Lodrö T’hayé Rinpoche’s book, The Power of Mind, a practice manual for the Seven Key Points of Mind Training. There are distinct trainings contained within these seven key points, each of which is a practical tool for working with our minds. This course guides students through one point at a time, focusing on how to integrate the meaning of each throughout the course of a  day. It includes recordings of Rinpoche teaching, daily practice outlines, a class forum, and other resources. 

Course Duration: 6-8 months depending on student’s pace (2-4 days per practice).

The first two sections of this course – the Course Introduction and the First Key Point – are available and open to everyone without enrolling. This allows students to get a feel for the course and its requirements before committing further by enrolling in the full course. On February 28, the first day of the Tibetan New Year (Losar), the full course will officially unlock.

Course Introduction

Introduction Video
Participation Instructions
Introduction Practice 1: Course Preparation
Introduction Practice 2: Mindfulness and Vigilant Guard

The First Key Point: The Preliminaries

The First Key Point Practice 1: Precious Human Birth
The First Key Point Practice 2: Impermanence
The First Key Point Practice 3: Karma, Cause, and Result
The First Key Point Practice 4: Suffering—The Unsatisfying Nature of All Things

The Second Key Point: Main Practice

Second Key Point Overview Video
The Second Key Point Practice 1: The Empty Nature of Objects, Ultimate Bodhicitta
The Second Key Point Practice 2: The Empty Nature of Mind, Ultimate Bodhicitta
The Second Key Point Practice 3: The Empty Remedy, Ultimate Bodhicitta
The Second Key Point Practice 4: Relative Bodhicitta Equalizing Self and Others
The Second Key Point Practice 5: The Four Immeasurables
The Second Key Point Practice 6: Tonglen
The Second Key Point Practice 7: Cherishing Others More Than Ourselves
The Second Key Point Practice 8: Three Objects, Three Poisons, Three Roots of Virtue
The Second Key Point Practice 9: Train Using Sayings During All Activities
The Section Key Point Practice 10: Start By Accepting Your Own Suffering

The Third Key Point: Transforming Adverse Conditions into the Path of Awakening

The Third Key Point Practice 1: Drive All Blame Into One
The Third Key Point Practice 2: Meditate on the Great Kindness of All
The Third Key Point Practice 3: The Patience of Accepting Suffering
The Third Key Point Practice 4: The Patience of Not Blaming the Harm-Doer
The Third Key Point Practice 5: The Patience of Certainty in the True Nature of Phenomena
The Third Key Point Practice 6: Meditating on the Appearances of Confusion as the Four Kayas is the Unsurpassed Protection of Emptiness
The Third Key Point Practice 7: The Four Applications are the Supreme Methods
The Third Key Point Practice 8: Immediately Join Whatever You Encounter to the Training

The Fourth Key Point:  Integrating Practice Into Your Whole Life

Fourth Key Point Overview Video 
The Fourth Key Point Practice 1: How to Train During this Life
The Fourth Key Point Practice 2: How to Train While Dying

The Fifth Key Point: The Measure of Proficiency in Mind Training

The Fifth Key Point Practice 1: All Dharmas Have a Single, Unified Purpose
The Fifth Key Point Practice 2: Of the Two Witnesses, Rely on the Primary One
The Fifth Key Point Practice 3: Always Keep a Joyful Mind
The Fifth Key Point Practice 4: There is Proficiency If We Can Train While Distracted

The Sixth Key Point: The Commitments of Mind Training

Sixth and Seventh Key Point Overview Video 
Sixth and Seventh Key Point Assignment Tips Video 
The Sixth Key Point Practice 1: Continually Train in the Three Universal Principles
The Sixth Key Point Practice 2: Change Your Intention But Act Naturally
The Sixth Key Point Practice 3: Don’t Speak About Others’ Defects
The Sixth Key Point Practice 4: Don’t Concern Yourself with Others’ Affairs
The Sixth Key Point Practice 5: Train in the Most Obvious Afflictive Emotion First
The Sixth Key Point Practice 6: Give Up All Hope for a Result
The Sixth Key Point Practice 7: Avoid Poisoned Food
The Sixth Key Point Practice 8: Don’t Be Dependable
The Sixth Key Point Practice 9: Don’t Retaliate Against Nasty Words
The Sixth Key Point Practice 10: Don’t Wait in Ambush
The Sixth Key Point Practice 11: Don’t Strike at a Vulnerable Point
The Sixth Key Point Practice 12: Don’t Put the Oxen’s Load on the Cow
The Sixth Key Point Practice 13: Don’t Place Your Sole Intention on the Fastest
The Sixth Key Point Practice 14: Don’t Misapply Ceremonial Practice
The Sixth Key Point Practice 15: Don’t Allow the Divine to Be Reduced to the Demonic
The Sixth Key Point Practice 16: Don’t Seek Others’ Suffering as a Component of Happiness

The Seventh Key Point: Advice for Mind Training

The Seventh Key Point Practice 1: Make All Yogas One
The Seventh Key Point Practice 2: Use One Method of Correction for Everything
The Seventh Key Point Practice 3: In the Beginning and in the End, There are Two Things To Do
The Seventh Key Point Practice 4: Whichever of the Two Occurs, Be Patient
The Seventh Key Point Practice 5: Observe These Two, Even at the Risk of Life
The Seventh Key Point Practice 6: Train in the Three Challenges
The Seventh Key Point Practice 7: Adopt the Three Principal Requisites
The Seventh Key Point Practice 8: Meditate Without These Three Deteriorating
The Seventh Key Point Practice 9: Act Without the Three Being Separated
The Seventh Key Point Practice 10: Train Impartially toward All Objects
The Seventh Key Point Practice 11: Always Train in the Most Difficult Points
The Seventh Key Point Practice 12: Don’t Be Dependent on Other Conditions
The Seventh Key Point Practice 13: This Time, Practice the Indispensable Point
The Seventh Key Point Practice 14: Don’t Misunderstand
The Seventh Key Point Practice 15: Don’t Be Sporadic
The Seventh Key Point Practice 16: Train Wholeheartedly
The Seventh Key Point Practice 17: Find Freedom through Both Investigation and Examination
The Seventh Key Point Practice 18: Don’t Be Self-Congratulatory
The Seventh Key Point Practice 19: Restrain Jealousy
The Seventh Key Point Practice 20: Don’t Be Dramatic 
The Seventh Key Point Practice 21: Don’t Seek Acknowledgment  

Conclusion

Course Conclusion Video
Conclusion, Dedication, and Aspiration

Appendix

Course Vocabulary
First Key Point Vocabulary
The Five Forces
Flash Cards
Freedoms and Advantages
Outline for Contemplation of Impermanence
Reminder Apps for Your Device
Root Text