Tea for the Soul: How Fernando Romo Brings the 16 Guidelines to Life
It’s about connection. It’s about creating safe, open-hearted spaces where people can grow together.
Fernando Romo Ledezma’s journey is an inspiring reflection of how inner transformation can ripple outward, touching communities with compassion, creativity and deep commitment. As a driving force behind Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth (LKPY) in Mexico, Fernando has spent over 15 years integrating the 16 Guidelines for Life into daily living—his own and that of many others.
A Turning Point in a Museum Hall
It all began not in a classroom or temple, but at what Fernando thought would be a cultural exhibit.
“At first I thought it was a travelling museum of some sort,” he recalls. “However, during a dynamic meditation at the Maitreya Relic Tour, I had a profound experience. It set in motion what I can only describe as a deep personal change in my mind.”
This unexpected moment led him to the Khamlungpa FPMT centre in Guadalajara, where he officially took refuge in 2007. Yet, as with many meaningful journeys, the path wasn’t always smooth.
“I once rushed through a thunderstorm to get to teachings, thinking I’d find peace, only to arrive feeling overwhelmed by anger. I walked away from the centre that day, confused.”
Years later, he would come to understand that powerful emotional responses often surface in the presence of teachers and teachings that challenge our inner patterns.
“It is important to recognise these moments,” Fernando shares. “They show us our mental obscurations. If we don’t see them, how can we apply the right antidotes?”
Starting a Habit Group: A Turning Point
Soon after, a chance meeting with Venerable Lobsang Namgyel sowed the seeds for something much bigger. Fernando agreed to meet a group of friends in a café to “talk about peace”—not knowing just how far that conversation would go.
“Some time later, I received a handbook from LKPY – Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth – signed at the time by Lindsay Alderton,” Fernando explains. “It described in great detail how to formally start a Habit Group to study the 16 Guidelines for a Meaningful Life. It also came with the 16G book in English, along with a request to translate it into our own language.”
Driven by inspiration, Fernando and a group of peers began holding regular study sessions in cafés and community spaces around Guadalajara. The sessions ran every two weeks, free and open to all, for almost a decade.
“Even before we began, we later discovered that an official Spanish translation already existed,” he laughs. “But the process of translating the text ourselves was transformative. It helped us truly explore and integrate each Guideline.”
Building Community Across Borders
In 2011, Fernando attended the Latin America Conference on Essential Education, where he connected with the wider FDCW family.
“It was wonderful to meet facilitators from across the continent,” he says. “To realise we were not alone in this work.”
By 2017, Fernando joined the LKPY Coordinating Team, working across time zones with passionate facilitators from around the world. To overcome logistical challenges, his team launched a radio programme on La Coyotera Radio Comunitaria — bringing the 16 Guidelines to new listeners through live broadcasts and podcasts.
“It was all about keeping the flame alive, adapting to what was possible,” he reflects. “We had to meet people where they were.”
From Retreat to Virtual Café
In 2023, Fernando participated in the Habit Alignment Key (HAK) retreat in Zitácuaro, designed by Tenzin Ösel Hita Torres.
“The retreat reconnected me with my deeper motivation—to help others connect with their true nature and inner wisdom.”
Inspired by this, Fernando launched the Virtual Habit Café—a flexible, in-person group format for those wishing to explore the 16 Guidelines in a relaxed and meaningful setting. Each session includes a moment he calls “Tea for the Soul”, where participants share refreshments and reflect on life’s deeper questions.
“It’s not just about study,” Fernando says. “It’s about connection. It’s about creating safe, open-hearted spaces where people can grow together.”
Inspired by Compassion in Action
At the centre of Fernando’s journey is a powerful influence: Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
“When I first saw him, I had no doubt I was in front of a great lama. But over the years, I’ve come to see him as something more—a true spiritual friend, always present beyond time and space.”
“His compassion is not abstract. It’s living, continuous action. That’s what keeps me going.”
The Heart of the Message
For Fernando, the 16 Guidelines aren’t just teachings to be admired—they’re tools for everyday life.
“It’s not about being perfect,” he says. “It’s about being real. Recognising when anger arises. Sitting with discomfort. Choosing kindness. Every day offers a chance to begin again.”
And his message to others?
“Peace is possible. It begins with you and me, and it’s built day by day.”
Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW)
At FDCW, we are committed to a more compassionate, wiser world. We provide resources, courses and training to develop qualities such as kindness, patience and honesty – qualities that are essential for meeting the challenges of the world we all share.
The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) was established as a global charity based in London in 2005. Since then, we have provided secular training, programmes and resources across many sectors of society – schools, universities, hospices, workplaces, healthcare, youth groups and community centres. Our courses have reached thousands of people across the world through our dedicated and growing network of facilitators in more than 20 countries.
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