The Five Houses
Diamond Way
Catch Up Course 1
Live Online
July 11 – 13, 2025
Multilingual
Stay on the Path to Diamond Way 2026!
Diamond Way
Catch Up Course 1
Hi everyone! As you know, Geshe Michael Roach will teach six sessions in 2025-26 to prepare everyone that wants to take his Diamond Way teachings in late 2026. All six 2025-2026 preparatory sessions are required to gain admittance to the Diamond Way teachings.
What happens if you miss one of the preparatory sessions? You take a Diamond Way Catch Up Course live online with a qualified teacher!
The first Diamond Way Catch Up Course will be offered July 11-13 live online, in multiple languages by multiple teachers. This course will help students who missed the previous preparatory session—which took place at The New Beginning in April 2025—catch up, and enable them to keep their qualification to take Diamond Way in 2026 current.
Diamond Way Catch Up Course 1 will be offered in local times; there will be no live interpretation.
In this Diamond Way Catch Up Course 1, students will:
Review the preparatory Diamond Way content that Geshe Michael taught during The New Beginning—teachings, verses, idims.
Learn in-depth some of the Diamond Way principles that were covered during the course.
Complete the homework for the first preparatory session.
Interact with your review group, have discussions, and ask questions.
Have fun!
Here are your teachers for the July 11 – 13 Diamond Way Catch Up Course 1:
Ven. Kading — English
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Ven Kading (Kat Ehrhorn) is a fully ordained nun in the Diamond Mountain lineage. Prior to that and while raising two sons, she worked as an entrepreneur to build economic viability in small rural communities around the world. During her 19 years of study with Geshe Michael, she completed the series of 18 ACI Foundation Courses, 7 DCI courses, 6 YSI courses, as well as the 18 Diamond Way courses taught at Diamond Mountain University and other coursework offered by Geshe Michael. She is one of the original founders of Diamond Mountain and worked hard for years to build it into the beautiful retreat center it has become today. After completing the Great Three-Year Retreat at Diamond Mountain in 2014, she spent four years in Sedona, supporting her aging mother while helping to work with Geshe Michael’s organizations there. Since then, she has returned to Diamond Mountain where she lives and works as a full-time spiritual caretaker.
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Arizona Time
Friday — 7:00 AM
Saturday — 6:00 AM
Sunday — 7:00 AM
Tetiana Dzivaltovska — Ukrainian
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I am a mother of 4 children, a professional teacher and a nurse. I am from Ukraine, but currently live in Finland, where I work in the elderly care sector, and am also the director of a children's Ukrainian theater.
I have been studying and practicing Buddhist philosophy since 2017 under the guidance of Peter and Maria Mörtl. I have completed 18 ACI basic courses and 8 teacher trainings, where I was a group leader.
I participate in the translation of Geshe Michael Roach's books and other teachings into Ukrainian.
Co-organizer of the "Trauma and Recovery" project together with YSI.
Currently, I am studying at the Lady Niguma Yoga Teacher Training.
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Kyiv Time
Friday — 18:30
Saturday — 10:00
Saturday — 18:30
Barbara Acevedo — Spanish
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Bárbara has been studying and sharing ancient wisdom since 2014, inspired by the teachings of Geshe Michael Roach. She guides people and businesses to plant the right seeds for lasting success in all areas of life. With over 35 years of experience as a consultant in human development and strategy, she brings together timeless teachings and modern tools.
A grateful mother, grandmother, and lifelong student, she lives in León, Mexico, with her life partner of over 40 years and their beloved family.
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Mexico Time
Friday — 4:00–6:00 p.m.
Saturday — 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Sunday — 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Natalia Vardarsuyu — Russian
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Natalia Vardarsuyu, Turkey, Ankara.
A healer and health coach, yoga teacher, meditation teacher, businesswoman, retreat organizer (participated in organizing the Retreats in Turkey Lady Niguma 1,2, and the retreat in India, Mysore).
I have been studying and practicing Diamond Wisdom since 2018, lecturer of ACI courses, completed 8 ACI courses, all DCI courses, 5 TT courses, 3 courses at Sedona College, starting with 34 I have attended all Lamrims, volunteer translator of Diamond Wisdom training materials and simultaneous translator into Russian and Turkish.
Happy mother of two adult daughters and grandmother of a 6 year old granddaughter).
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Moscow Time
Friday — 18:30
Saturday — 10:00
Sunday — 18:30
Olena Guzii — Ukrainian
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Professional education - financier.
Additional education: psychology, business coach.
In karmic management since 2015.
Completed 18 ACI open courses, 7 DCI courses, 6 ACI TT courses.
Was in the main team of volunteers of DCI, ACI offline courses in Kiev (teacher Peter Mertl).
Participated in the organisation and running of online retreats, study groups.
Was part of the organising team of the Lighthouse Charity Initiative, which helped evacuee refugees from Ukraine with their financial and organisational needs.
Helped with translations of ACI courses into Russian and Geshe Michael's books into Ukrainian.
Social media volunteer for ACI Head Office in Ukrainian.
Organiser of a joint project with YSI ‘Trauma and Recovery’.
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Kyiv Time
Friday — 19:00
Saturday — 13:00
Sunday — 13:00
Nguyễn Thị Bích Diệp — Vietnamese
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Full-time teacher of Balanced and Restorative Yoga (500h Master of Yoga and Meditation, CC Alliance).
Completed ACI Teacher Training Levels 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.
Completed 2 Advanced ACI Assistant Teacher Trainings.
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Vietnam Time
Thursday — 9:00 a.m.
Friday — 9:00 a.m.
Saturday — 9:00 a.m.
Viorel Trandafir — Romanian
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Viorel Trandafir began studying Dharma in 2020 at Sangha Dharmakaya Romania under the careful guidance of teacher Gabriela Bălan, a student of Lama Dvora Tvieli who studied with Master Ken Rimpoche.
Although he has not completed the 18 ACI courses, he studies intensively and has completed several Teacher Training courses, teaching two ACI courses within the Sangha. He wants as many people as possible to have the chance to understand the Buddhist teachings and use them wisely to escape the suffering of Samsara.
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Romanian Time
Friday — 20:00
Saturday — 18:00
Sunday — 10:00
Please join the Telegram group to find out the exact times and get the Zoom links for your class.
Requirements
for Diamond Way Participation
To take Diamond Way in 2026, each of us is required to prepare. This means we each must attend—in person or online— all four ACI events in 2025, plus an additional two in 2026. The four 2025 events will each feature Geshe Michael teaching an amazing lam rim work written by Je Tsongkapa. Titled A Song of My Spiritual Life, it is Lord Tsongkapa's touching memoir of his spiritual journey. Lam rim is Tibetan for steps on the path to enlightenment. In our tradition, studying lam rim is one of the two main ways to prepare for Diamond Way teachings (the other way is to complete all requirements for the 18 ACI Foundation Courses).
Please make your 2025 plans accordingly.
The four 2025 ACI events where Geshe Michael will teach A Song of My Spiritual Life, which are required to be eligible for Diamond Way teachings in 2026, are:
The New Beginning/Opening the Door to the Diamond Way, April 17-27, Diamond Mountain Retreat Center in Bowie, Arizona, USA—this event has already taken place.
Wisdom in the Times of Chaos / Door to the Diamond Way 2, our event in Mexico City July 18-21.
Geshe Michael in Phoenix/Door to the Diamond Way 3, October 24-28 in Phoenix.
A Diamond in Kyoto/Door to the Diamond Way 4, December 11-15 in Kyoto.
FAQ
Many people have been asking questions about the upcoming teachings with ACI/Five Houses that are a preparation for Diamond Way. Below are a few questions & answers that should help to clarify the policies and directions that we are taking.
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The short answer is Yes. The longer answer is that you will need to attend all of Geshe Michael’s 2025 classes on the Lam Rim live—either in person, online, or during the official rebroadcasts. The additional classes and workshops offered during the programs are for enrichment, but are not necessary as a prerequisite for taking Diamond Way classes with Geshe Michael.
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No. Just like any serious preparation for Diamond Way—including De Lam, the first three traditional Diamond Way courses—you must be taught by a live person to receive the oral transmission. We will offer catchup courses led by senior teachers if classes are missed. This will happen later in 2025 as a second chance to qualify. Also, if a student joins after the first course or later on, they may join these catchup courses to qualify as well.
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Yes. There will be a homework and a quiz for each of the required Lam Rim classes, and a final exam at the end of the 15 preparation classes that are being taught over the next year or so, prior to empowerment. The homeworks and quizzes will be available following the end of each course.
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Geshe Michael would like everyone to study the Lam Rim with him this time, even if you have studied Lam Rim or De Lam previously or have an empowerment already from him or from any other teacher. It’s not that Geshe Michael’s presentation would be deemed better than any other lineage presentation of these teachings, but rather that the Lam Rim is meant to be a lifelong practice and study. It is the traditional preparation for Diamond Way, according to many great teachers including Pabongka Rinpoche and others. Geshe Michael himself was taught Pabongka’s Lam Rim three times by his teacher—we studied it only ONCE with Geshe Michael for over fourteen years—and so it would be natural to review once again prior to receiving Diamond Way from Geshe Michael, whether for the first time or afresh.
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Geshe Michael is very clear: keep studying with your teacher. These teachings from him will be a delicious dessert, alongside the primary guidance and teachings you are already receiving from your teacher.
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Not at all. Geshe Michael encourages everyone to keep up with their studies and practices from those 18 courses. This advanced 18 courses of study is the most comprehensive curriculum ever developed, covering all the essential points of the Diamond Way practice. Each student should find a teacher to guide them through those courses when they are prepared and ready. The depth and beauty of those courses is immeasurable, and we encourage everyone to spend as much quality time as possible with these priceless teachings.
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The normal pathway to enter the advanced teachings is to complete the 18 course foundational series. These cover all the practices and knowledge base one needs to understand all the steps of the path. Additionally, the student needs permission from their teacher to join the advanced courses, which includes an evaluation of their preparedness, understanding, and integration of the learnings in the 18 foundation courses.