Buddhist Meditation & Yoga Retreat Near Medellín

Pema (Tibetan for "Lotus") is a Buddhist meditation teacher and yogi with over fifteen years of dedicated practice, primarily within the Dzogchen teachings of the Dudjom Tersar lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He has studied with renowned masters including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and his teacher, Loppon Jigme Rinpoche.

His path was anything but conventional. Losing both parents in childhood, and later his inheritance, taught him early how fragile worldly security can be. Music became both his refuge and his profession, leading to a successful international career as a DJ. Yet the deeper questions that had followed him since childhood never disappeared.

Then came a personal crisis that brought everything into question. In the midst of it, he directly recognized the impermanent nature of thoughts, emotions, and experience. That insight changed the direction of his life. He stepped away from his career and devoted himself to the study and practice of meditation, spending the last fifteen years immersed in Buddhist teachings, retreat, and contemplative practice.

In 2016, Pema founded La Casa de Loto with a simple aspiration: to create a place where people could experience the quiet rhythm of traditional Buddhist retreat life and discover for themselves the peace and clarity that meditation can reveal.

Most meditation asks you to do something—follow the breath, repeat a mantra, or hold your attention on a single point. Open awareness invites something different. It invites you to stop doing and simply be aware.

Instead of narrowing your focus, you let it open. Thoughts come and go, sounds arise and fade, sensations move through—and rather than chasing them or pushing them away, you simply let them be. Nothing needs to change. Nothing needs to be fixed.

At first, this can feel unfamiliar—we're so used to doing. But with time, it becomes surprisingly natural. You discover that awareness isn't something you have to create; it's something that has been here all along. There is nowhere to get to and nothing to achieve.

This is the practice at the heart of La Casa de Loto. You don't need any experience, and you don't need any particular belief. All you need is a willingness to slow down and pay attention.

At La Casa de Loto, each day includes a two-hour Hatha Yoga and breathwork class, a chance to arrive fully in the body before settling into stillness. Through mindful attention to posture, movement, and breath, the practice eases physical, mental, and emotional tension and lets energy move freely again.

Drawn from the classical yogic traditions of India and Tibet, these gentle, alignment-based practices are not about effort or achievement, but about releasing what's held and quieting what's restless, preparing body and mind for meditation.

All classes are taught by experienced, qualified teachers, and are open to every level — whether it's your first time on a mat or part of a lifelong practice.

In a world inundated with noise, Noble Silence is a profound practice deeply rooted in many spiritual traditions. It is a conscious choice to abstain from all forms of verbal and non-verbal communication, offering a transformative path to self-discovery, essential within the sacred spaces of meditation retreats.

Noble Silence grounds us in the here and now, enriching our experience of life's fleeting moments. It can bring us clarity and insight, unveiling the intricate workings of our minds, and providing a vantage point from which to observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment.

At La Casa de Loto, meals are an integral part of the retreat experience — simple, nourishing, and enjoyed with presence. We serve wholesome vegetarian cuisine prepared with locally grown, seasonal ingredients, thoughtfully crafted to nourish both body and mind.

Following the traditional rhythm of temple life, breakfast and lunch are shared in Noble Silence, allowing you to practice mindful eating and fully appreciate each meal without distraction. Dinner is enjoyed together in conversation, offering a gentle balance between contemplation and community. Guests who wish to remain in silence are always welcome to enjoy their dinner privately in their room.