Tibetan Yoga and the 5 Elements
Exploring the Doorway of the Body, Going Deeper with Tsa Lung
A new advanced course with Senior Teacher, Dr. Alejandro Chaoul, developed in partnership with Tibetan Yoga Wellbeing
September 2026 – November 2026
What if your body were your most direct doorway to your true nature?
In this new advanced course you are invited into a profound experience of embodiment. Through the Tsa Lung practice, you will learn to sense and inhabit each energy center, allowing the qualities of the five elements (earth, space, fire, wind, water) to come alive as felt, lived experience. By connecting with the elements—which are part of your very makeup—you will deepen your sense of connection to the world around you. As the doorway of the body opens to the space of Inner Refuge, greater awareness and resourcefulness naturally become available, both in your meditation practice and in your life.
For over 30 years, Alejandro has brought the Tibetan yogic practices into hospitals, universities, mental health centers, and communities and has researched how these ancient methods can reduce stress, burnout, and improve quality of life and wellbeing.
“Each element has a particular quality that enhances our experience. Sometimes we need more grounding, so we connect more with the earth element. Sometimes we need more energy, so we connect with the fire element, and so on. In this way, the five elements can support and enrich both our Tsa Lung practice and our everyday lives.”
Dr. Ale Chaoul
Senior Teacher
Course Objectives:
- Become familiar with where the Nine Breathings of Purification and Tsa Lung practices originate and their lineage.
- Learn how the subtle body of tsa (channels) and lung (wind/energy-breath) are crucial to these breath and movement practices.
- Explore the door of the body as an entrance to one’s inner refuge.
- Experience how the elements can be a support in meditation practice and in life.
- Continue to develop your familiarity with resting in meditation, one’s natural state, inner refuge.
- Learn what research has confirmed about the impact of Tibetan mind-body practices and how to meaningfully apply them.
Course Structure:
This course includes four live Zoom classes, each is one and a half hours in length, as well as additional written, audio, and video materials and an online course platform for questions and discussion with Alejandro and fellow participants.
The Tsa Lung practices originate from the Mother Tantra, where they form a unique and important category of Tibetan mind-body practices. While the earliest written texts date to around the 11th century, the tradition holds that these practices are much older. The 3 Doors founder, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, began teaching Tsa Lung in the West in the 1990s. Since then, these practices have resonated with many meditation practitioners seeking a more embodied approach to practice. In this first class, we will explore the history of Tsa Lung and discover how understanding its origins can deepen our experience of these practices.
As we come to understand the importance of embodiment, the body becomes a powerful doorway to our natural state of mind—our Inner Refuge. For those who find it difficult to sit still, the Tsa Lung movements provide a natural entryway into a relaxed, open stillness.
The subtle body, with its channels and chakras, provides a sacred architecture for working with the five kinds of breath, supported by the elements of earth, space, fire, wind, and water.
At the beginning of the 21st century a group of researchers including Alejandro met with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to teach these practices in the contemporary medical environment. This resulted in the creation and application of research protocols within the field of integrative medicine and integrative oncology that have shown such benefits as improved general wellbeing and sleep, as well as reduction of anxiety and depression.
With all we have experienced together throughout this program, this final class is an opportunity to explore how to bring these practices more fully into daily life. We’ll reflect on the barriers that can make practice challenging and explore practical protocols and simple tips for integrating these practices into everyday life to support our wellbeing.
The online course platform will become available to course participants on September 15th with video content to engage with before the first live zoom class on September 29th. Additional video, audio, and written materials will become available throughout the course.
Program Details
TEACHER: Dr. Alejandro Chaoul
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Anyone who has some familiarity with the Tsa Lung practice and feels energized to go deeper, exploring the background of this practice, the contemporary science, and the direct lived experience in everyday life, with the support of the elements.
PREREQUISITES: This course is open to anyone who has familiarity with the Tsa Lung practice. New to Tsa Lung? Learn it here.
DATES/TIMES: September – November 2026; all times are New York time (time zone calculator)
- September 15: The course opens on the online platform Mighty Networks with video content to engage with over two weeks before the first live Zoom class
- September 18: Orientation to online course platform Mighty Networks with Evan Sidawi, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm New York time
- Tuesdays from 12:30 – 2:00 pm NY Time Zone: Whole Group Live Zoom teachings, practice, and discussion with Senior Teacher Alejandro Chaoul
- September 29, 2026
- October 13, 2026
- October 20, 2026
- November 10, 2026
WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE: This program includes 6 hours of live teaching, guided practice, and discussion as well as approximately 1 hour of pre-recorded teachings and guided practice. Audio recordings from all live sessions, except the group discussions, will be available to be streamed or downloaded within one week after each live session and for three months following the completion of this course. Throughout this course, participants will be able to share experiences and ask questions of the teacher via the online learning platform. Your teacher will be available for the duration of the program. All participant information shared on the platform and in the live sessions will be kept strictly confidential.
COST: Sliding Scale. Please pay at the rate you can afford. Your generosity supports our teachers, staff, organization, and your fellow practitioners. Any amount paid above the BASE tuition rate is a tax-deductible donation to The 3 Doors.
- Benefactor – $228 – covers the cost of the program and supports fellow practitioners
- Sustainer – $188 – covers the cost of the program and supports fellow practitioners
- Base – $148 – covers the cost of the program
- Community Supported – $108 – scholarship rate covers a portion of the cost of the program
- Global Access – $30 – adjusted rate for regions with high exchange rates and various economic conditions
CANCELLATION POLICY: Prior to the program’s beginning, refunds for cancellation will be made in full (minus a $25 processing fee). After the official start of the program, no refunds will be given. Please contact info@the3doors.org if you have questions.
