Weekend retreats are offered throughout the year, generally during American holiday weekends such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day to afford retreatants a longer time spent in practice.
Common topics include Nyungne (Purification and Fasting Retreat), Yumka (Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal Retreat), Vajrakilaya (Obstacle-reducing retreat), and Medicine Buddha.
The yearly schedule is posted in this series of articles as well as a description of common retreat topics. Please note that Nyungné is frequently held the July Fourth weekend before retreat, but that this may not always be the case. Consult the schedule to insure the retreat you are interested in will take place during the dates you plan to attend.
Memorial Weekend
Yumka
Details
Friday, May 23
Arrive between 3 PM and 11 PM
Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25
Full day retreat teachings and practice
Monday, May 26
Retreat concludes 3 PM
Retreat Master: Khenpo Tenzin Norgey
July Fourth Weekend
July 3 - 6
Nyungné
Details
Thursday, July 3
Arrive between 3 PM and 11 PM
Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 5
Full day retreat teachings and practice
Sunday, July 6
Retreat concludes at 3 PM
Retreat Master: Khenpo Tenzin Norgey
Weekend schedule for the summer retreat can be found here.
Online Registration for the Weekend Retreat here.
Level: Intermediate, although newer students are welcome. Practice will consist of 30 hours of refraining from drinking, eating, or speaking, so please be sure you are in good health prior to joining the retreat!
Registration online: Accepted - Click here
Short Description: This retreat will offer students an opportunity to engage in compassion and purification practices in the space of one short weekend.
Detailed Description: Nyungné is the most effective course of practices to purify both environmental pollution and our own faults. The practice was revealed by Bhikshuni Phalmo, a practitioner who suffered from leprosy. She performed this practice for 12 years in conjunction with Chenresig (Avalokitesvara) practice and become a great siddhi, attaining the Celestial Body. The retreat course involves powerful practices of purification such as periods of fasting, prostrations, and silence. Practitioners will also recite the six syllable Mani Mantra (Om Mani Peme Hung). This mantra purifies the six seeds of the six realms within oneself and, furthermore, has the effect of pacifying the suffering of all beings. In this way, the practice brings peace to the entire world and can be a cause for World Peace, very appropriate to these degenerate times. The purification practices increase positive energies and so in and of themselves are causes for happiness and harmony.
The traditional Nyungné purification retreat consists of maintaining eight vows and repeating practices of purification for a set number of days. The retreat is generally scheduled around the July 4th weekend schedule according to days off for the holiday. Please check the yearly schedule for more info, in the navigation to the left of this page. There is usually a chance to see HH Penor Rinpoche, who is in-residence at that time, to offer a katag and receive a blessing.
Please visit the yearly schedule page, located as a link to the left, to find out the dates of the Nyungné retreat for this current year.
The vows to be kept for the practice include:
l. No killing
2. No stealing
3. No sex
4. No telling lies
5. No drinking alcohol
6. No idle chatter, singing or dancing, makeup or ornaments
7. No evening meals
8. No sitting in high seats
The morning session will include a teaching and the remaining day will consist of intensive practice. If you have any doubts about your health and your ability to physically handle this retreat, please consult your doctor. The prostrations are strenous but it is possible to perform them at a slow speed. The retreatants from previous retreats have found the fasting and prostrations easiest to maintain. Many have observed that silence is the most difficult of all the vows!
For more information about accommodations, please read the online manual. The cost of the retreat depends up on your accommodation. Please check the registration form for more info on costs. To register, use the currently posted registration form and mail to 359 Hollow Road, McDonough, NY 13801.
When the retreat falls over July 4th Weekend, arrangements can be made for those who wish to assist in the following time between retreats with set-up for the month-long annual retreat with His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. However, we may need to ask that only those who are able to help with set-up remain after the Nyungné retreat as we will be operating with a "skeleton" crew.
Schedule:
Day 1 Arrival (usually Friday, but depends on the date of July 4)
Day 2 Vows and Instructions at 7:00 AM, practice
Day 3 Practice and Fasting
Day 4 Concluding Tsok Practice (usually Monday, but, again, based on July 4 holiday)
Day 1 :
3:30 PM Arrival and Registration
9:00 PM Registration closes unless arrangements for late arrival have been made
Day 2:
6:00 AM Breakfast
7:00 AM Teachings, takings vows
9:30 AM to 10:00 AM Break
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Morning practice
12:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Afternoon practice
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Break
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Evening practice
The morning sessions will include a teaching and the remainder of the day will consist of intensive practice. If you have any doubts about your health or your ability to physically handle this retreat, please consult your physician.
No evening meal served; no drinking after bedtime.
ALSO NOTE: be careful not to drink too much water. It is possible to "wash" too many electrolytes out of your system which can cause fainting and, in extreme cases, seizures. If you must drink water, add a small amount of juice.
Day 3:
7:00 AM Teachings, takings vows
9:30 AM to 10:00 AM Break
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Morning practice
12:00 PM Break
2:00 PM Afternoon practice
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Break
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Evening practice
Full fast: no water, food, or talking
Day 4:
6:00 AM Practice Begins
7:00 AM Light Oatmeal Gruel for breaking fast
9:00 AM Tsok offering practice
Level: Intermediate. Newer students are cautioned that, while attendance may be permitted, foundational Buddhist teachings will only be included in support of the explanation of the text.
Detailed Description: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, " The Queen of Great Bliss," is a Dakini practice of the three roots of Longchen Nyingthik, the terma cycle reveled by Omniscient Jigme Lingpa.
Yumka is practiced on Dakini Day (25th of lunar month) in Namdroling and many other Nyingma monasteries. The central meditation visualization of the saddhana is on wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, a consort of Guru Rinpoche and the Founding Mother of Tibetan Buddhism.
Her dharmakaya is primordial Buddha Samantabadhri, her sambhogakaya is Vajravarahi and her nirmanakaya is Tara. All female buddhas are manifestations of Wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal.
The sadhana is one of the most profound practices in Longchen Nyingthik tradition. Beginning from refuge, it is ground in the Dzogchen teachings. Because of this, Jigme Lingpa himself, and other great lineage holders wrote commentaries and practice guides on Yumka. Khenpo Tenzin Norgey will be giving the teachings during this retreat based on these commentaries.
Prerequisite: It is preferred that the student will have received the empowerment on Yumka prior to attending this retreat. It is generally not given during this retreat. Newer students should consider that the retreat does not consist of foundational teachings. Attendance of at least the first week of the Summer Retreat is advised.
Typical Holiday Weekend Schedule:
Rota: We appreciate every retreatant’s help with clean-up of kitchen dishes, sweeping the dining hall, and maintaining the bath room areas. Rota will take place one hour after the start of each meal and last one hour. Working together is a vital part of the retreat experience!
Friday
Arrival 3 PM – 11 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM Sang (Smoke) Offering Practice with monks and/or Lama Sochuk
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Teachings
10:30 AM Tea Break
11:00 AM Teachings/Practice
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Group Rota – everyone participates in washing up dishes, sweeping/mopping dining area
3:00 PM Teachings/Practice
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Group Rota – everyone participates in washing up dishes, sweeping/mopping dining area
Sunday
7:00 AM Sang (Smoke) Offering Practice with monks and/or Lama Sochuk
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Teachings/Practice
10:30 AM Tea Break
11:00 AM Teachings/Practice
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Group Rota
3:00 PM Teachings/Practice
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Group Rota
Monday
7:00 AM Sang (Smoke) Offering Practice with monks and/or Lama Sochuk
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Tsog
10:30 AM Tea Break
11:00 AM Teachings and/or Concluding Practice
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Vacuum space and clean up own room
5:00 PM Departure for NYC