A contemporary Buddhist school for transforming how we think, live and relate to others.
Casa Virupa is in Llinars del Vallès, 30 minutes from Barcelona. We want to show that another way of living, connecting and growing is possible in the contemporary world.
About us
What we propose
Seeing clearly the context in which we live. Transforming one's own life. Building community. Influencing the world around us.
When it was founded
In 2015, by Glòria Cagigal, Berta Sáenz and Lama Ngawang Norbu, with the blessing of H.H. Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, head of the Sakya lineage until 2017.
Why it exists
Because we question contemporary inertia by offering real paths of transformation, adapted to each life or social moment and sustained by community.
Our position
Feminist, anti-fascist and committed to social justice and care for the environment.
How we are organised
Casa Virupa is a non-profit association. Economic decisions are taken by the board of directors, in consultation with the resident community.
Teachers and lineage
Casa Virupa is rooted in the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, one of the four great schools of this tradition, founded in the 11th century. Its name comes from the Sakya monastery in Tibet, and its transmission has been unbroken for almost a thousand years.
Resident teacher and director
Lama Ngawang Norbu
Meet the LamaAppointed Lama of the Sakya school in 2019 by H.H. Gongma Trichen Rinpoche. He lives here, teaches every week and personally accompanies those who begin their path. He is the resident teacher; H.H. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and H.H. Gongma Trichen Rinpoche are his teachers and guides in the lineage.
42nd Sakya Trizin
S.S. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche
One of the principal upholders of the Sakya school and teacher of Lama Norbu. He gives teachings for Casa Virupa on a regular basis.
41st Sakya Trizin (1945–)
S.S. Gongma Trichen Rinpoche
Blessed the founding of Casa Virupa and appointed Lama Norbu as teacher of the Sakya school in 2019.
The community
Alongside Lama Norbu, a stable community of practitioners lives and works at Casa Virupa, supporting the Meditation course, the retreats and the activities of The School. This community is what sustains the daily life of the house.
Co-founder · Instructor
Glòria Cagigal
Co-founder of Casa Virupa and instructor of the Meditation course.
Instructor
Laia Sáenz
Instructor of the Meditation course. In the community since 2019.
Instructor
Pau Castany
Instructor of the Meditation course. In the community since 2020.
Instructor
Oscar Lozano
Instructor of the Meditation course. In the community since 2021.
Community
Andrea Bertran
Member of the community since 2024.
Community
Clara Pujol
Member of the community since 2026.
Community
Miquel Caubet
Member of the community since 2026.
Co-founder · Instructor
Berta Sáenz
Co-founder of Casa Virupa and instructor of the Meditation course and retreats.
Community
Cristina Canals
Member of the community since 2019.
Instructor
Elisa García-Patos
Instructor of the Meditation course. In the community since 2020.
Community
Irene Anglada
Member of the community since 2023.
Community
Queralt Anglada
Member of the community since 2024.
Community
Paula Gramona
Member of the community since 2026.
What the community is
At Casa Virupa, twenty people live here on a stable basis. We are not monks, we do not wear robes, and we take no monastic vows. We work, we have partners or families, we lead our lives outside the centre and within it too. What we share is an intention: to organise daily life around practice, in order to show that another way of living, connecting and learning is possible in the contemporary world.
How it works
Residents · 20
Community life. People who live at Casa Virupa either temporarily or on a stable basis and combine intensive practice with community tasks.
Formal commitment · +15
Lay people who have taken the mitra vow, a formal commitment to practice. They usually accompany those who are just starting out.
Volunteering · +40 a year
Hands that sustain daily life through welcoming guests, cooking, retreats, maintaining the masia, communication and organising LAC events.
Regular students · +200
Practitioners and students of the Meditation course, Buddhist studies and one-off activities. They form the active core of the community.
The community in pictures
Transparency
Where does Casa Virupa's income come from?Show answer
Income comes from The School (courses, retreats and activities), the restaurant, stays and the rental of spaces, from contributions by members and donors, and from people who are part of the community.
What role do donations play?Show answer
They are redistribution: those who can give more so that those who can't can come too. They make bursaries possible and support the people who devote their lives to the project.
What do members contribute?Show answer
Stability. A monthly contribution lets us plan, look after the house and keep prices fair.
What do you use the income for?Show answer
To sustain the house, the activities and the people who dedicate their lives to the project, and to scholarships so that no one is left out for lack of money.
Frequently asked questions
Are you monks? Do you have to take vows to live here?Show answer
No. We are lay people: we work, we have partners or families and we have lives inside and outside the house. Some people take vows, but it is not a requirement.
How can someone join the community?Show answer
With time: activities, stays, conversations and living together. A process of getting to know each other, without hurry.
Is Casa Virupa a cult?Show answer
The most honest answer is to come and see. We share meals, practice, work and decisions, and everyone keeps their own space, work and relationships. People come and go freely, and there are many ways to get involved: from coming to a talk to living here.
What do the community's members do?Show answer
They teach at the School, cook at Amrita, look after the house and the vegetable garden, welcome those who come and organise LAC. And they practise, every day.
Who makes the decisions at Casa Virupa?Show answer
The association's board, in consultation with the resident community. Practice and teaching are guided by Lama Norbu.
Where do you stand?Show answer
Non-denominational, but rigorously Buddhist. Feminist, anti-fascist and committed to social justice and care for the environment: not as a slogan, but in how we organise ourselves, who teaches and who decides.
How can I get to know you?Show answer
Come to an open activity, have lunch at Amrita or spend a few days at the house. Or write to us at info@casavirupa.com.