Torma Making Workshop
with Lama Kalsang Nyima
September 21, 2025
Torma Making Workshop with Lama Kalsang Nyima
In this half day workshop Lama Kalsang will teach us to make a traditional Tibetan torma in honor of Yeshe Walmo, the chief protectress of the Yungdrung Bön tradition of Tibet and Bön practitioners. Participants will be able to take their torma home with them. Along with the craft torma making, Lama Kalsang will explain its purpose, history and use.
Tibetan torma making is the traditional art of creating intricate, colorful ritual sculptures. Torma are carefully shaped from dough made of tsampa (roasted barley flour), butter, and sometimes sugar, and are decorated with vibrant colored patterns and symbols. The process involves precise craftsmanship and spiritual intention, as each design represents specific deities, elements, or spiritual concepts.
Tormas are used as offerings to enlightened beings, to support meditation, and symbolize various aspects of the teachings. They are often used in ceremonies to invoke blessings, honor deities, or mark special occasions. The making and offering of tormas helps practitioners connect with spiritual realms and cultivate positive qualities.
Lama Kalsang Nyima is known for his clear and helpful instruction, wonderful laugh, and great stories related to life and practice in Nepal and the monasteries. You will leave this workshop, having had a great time, with a beautiful object that you can place on your shrine or in another sacred space.
Included: the registration cost includes all needed supplies.
Not included: Lunch – bring your own bag lunch. And, we encourage you to bring a sturdy dinner plate to help transport your torma home at the end of the day.
Schedule
9:00 a.m.–9:45 p.m. Registration / Check-in
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Torma making
1:00 p.m–1:45 p.m lunch (bring your own bag lunch)
2:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Torma making
Teacher
Lama Kalsang Nyima is a resident lama of Ligmincha Mexico. He is well known as an artist and thanka painter of the Bön tradition. Previously a resident lama for Ligmincha Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia, he now lives at the Great Bön Stupa for World Peace in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. Born in 1970 in the village of Tad, in the province of Dolpo, Nepal, he is connected to Bön through his father’s Dong lineage, and to Buddhism through his mother’s Nyel lineage. At age 9, Lama Kalsang became a monk at Samling Monastery, the oldest and most important monastery in Dolpo, where his grandfather, Lama Lhagyep Rinpoche, was head teacher. There, he trained intensively for 12 years in the many methods of sutra and tantra, finished his ngöndro (foundational practices) and completed many personal retreats, including a traditional three-year closed retreat. At age 21, Lama Kalsang spent a month walking from Dolpo to Kathmandu to study at Triten Norbutse Monastery with H.E Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche. During his four years of study, in addition to traditional Bön teachings he also learned techniques of traditional thangka painting. Lama Kalsang then spent five additional years studying thangka painting at Tulku Urgyen…
Learn more about Lama Kalsang Nyima