Spring Retreats at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute

Residential costs include vegetarian meals and either a shared or private room at the Nyingma Institute.

For information on the Four-Month Human Development Training Retreat, see the Longer Retreats page

Medicine Buddha Practice
April 6-8
Friday 10 AM to Sunday 3 PM

Tibetan mantras and visualizations that evoke the healing blessings of the Medicine Buddha have been used for centuries to cure illness and increase well-being. This workshop offers instructions in traditional Medicine Buddha practices along with meditations that bring peace of mind.Cost: $150 (non-residential); $235 (residential).
Instructors: Lama Palzang and Pema Gellek.

Healing through Kum Nye
May 26-28
Saturday 10 AM to Monday 5 PM

The focus of this retreat is on self-healing through Kum Nye movement, meditation, and breathing practices.
Cost: $170 (nonresidential); $250 (residential).
Instructor: Jack van der Meulen.

Invoking Blessings
May 31 - June 2
As prayer wells up in our being, it carries our wishes outward, beyond the barriers of self, offering us glimpses of our inherently enlightened nature. Tarthang Tulku, Mind Over Matter.

Prayer and meditative practice heal the heart, bringing us back into touch with life's value and beauty. With devotional chant and visualizations we focus on the Buddha, whose enlightenment is celebrated on June 1.
Cost: $185 (non-residential), $230 (residential).
Primary instructor: Sylvia Gretchen.

Kum Nye: Breath, Energy, Feeling
June 4-9

"Kum Nye is based on a comprehensive understanding of the body: how its inner systems operate, how they are interconnected, and how they are activated by energy circulating through them." Tarthang Tulku, Joy of Being.

In this Tibetan yoga retreat we use breath and movement exercises to stimulate and direct the energy of body and mind, visualization practices to awaken and sustain inner vitality, and meditation practices to foster serenity. The result is a deep sense of well-being.
Includes the "Revitalizing Inner Energy" workshop taught by Jack van der Meulen and Donna Morton.
Based on Tibetan Relaxation and Joy of Being.
Cost:$360 (non-residential); $550 (residential).
Primary instructor: Santosh Philip.

Kum Nye: Attuning to the Present Moment
June 11 - 16

Tarthang Tulku writes that when we embody Kum Nye, "we manifest a vibrant aliveness fully attuned to the present moment." This retreat makes use of the full range of Kum Nye exercises to help each retreatant integrate a rich array of positive feelings into body, senses, and mind.
Includes the "Embodiment of Beauty" workshop taught by Jack van der Meulen. Based on Tibetan Relaxation and Joy of Being.
Cost: $360 (nonresidential); $550 (residential).
Primary instructor: Santosh Philip.

Path of Liberation Retreats

These five-week Dharma Studies retreats are part of the new Path of Liberation Training.
This will be the first time they are offered.
The first retreat is suitable for anyone looking for
a comprehensive sense of the scope of the Buddhist path.
The second retreat, for advanced students,
presents teachings focusing on Bodhichitta, the seed of enlightenment.

Embodiment: An Awakened Vision of Being
June 11 - July 14

This retreat is a journey into the Buddha's vision of what embodiment means. Through lecture, study and practice, participants will gain confidence in their ability to embody this vision. You will learn to:

integrate body and mind through teachings and practices from Nyingma Psychology
release unnecessary tension and stress through Tibetan Yoga
study the teachings of the Buddhist Abhidharma as presented in the mKhas-'jug, the famous work by the great teacher Lama Mipham
understand the symbolism of the form of the Buddha as presented in traditional art and sculpture
distinguish the stages on the path and its view, result, and application
Deepen your experiential knowledge of the mind through training in meditation

Primary texts: Ways of Enlightenment, Gateway to Knowledge (the mKhas-'jug), and Tarthang Tulku's Joy of Being.

Week One: June 11-16, Enlightened Being/Samsaric Existence
Enlightened being is brought to life through Buddhist texts and art. Inspired by the form of the Buddha, we examine the qualities of ordinary existence. Includes the "Embodiment of Beauty" workshop.

Week Two: June 18-23, The Path to Freedom and Bliss
The Buddhist path takes us from suffering to enlightenment. We look at the structure of the path and at basic teachings. Includes the "Question of Identity" workshop.

Week Three: June 25-30, Compelling Forces
What forces propel us toward suffering in samsara and what powers can we activate that change the direction of our lives? Includes the "Calm and Clear" workshop, held at Ratna Ling.

Week Four: July 2-7, Psycho/Physical Constituents of Being
We explore Buddhist psychological views of embodiment. Includes the "Fear and Illusion" workshop.

Week Five: July 9-14, Consciousness, Awareness, Meditation, and Mindfulness
We deepen understanding and experience of mind through practice and analysis. Includes the "Foundations of Mindfulness" workshop.

Cost for the five-week retreat:
$2,495 (residential);
$1,495 (nonresidential) Primary

Instructor: Sylvia Gretchen,
with additional instruction by Barr Rosenberg and Jack Petranker.

Register early for this retreat.

Cost:
$2,495 (residential);
$1,495 (nonresidential).

Students must enroll
in the whole five-week retreat.

Primary Instructor: Sylvia Gretchen,
with additional instruction by
Lama Palzang, Barr Rosenberg, and Pema Gellek.

Prerequisite: Background in Buddhist studies and practice and consent of instructor. Register early for this retreat.

Cultivating the Seed of Enlightenment:
The Resolve for Ultimate Goodness
July 16-August 18

"Cultivate gazing at the world with eyes of compassion and learn to experience whatever arises with a compassionate heart." Tarthang Tulku, in Path of Heroes.

All living beings have the nature of a Buddha, yet we live in ignorance of this great treasure, like a poor blind man unaware that a precious jewel lies buried under his hearth. Traditional teachings and practices can help us develop confidence in our ability to discover the Buddha nature within. In this retreat, we focus on teachings on Bodhichitta (the 'seed of enlightenment'). We work with mind-training practices that overcome the destructive forces of anger, attachment, and ignorance in our lives. We will explore:

the qualities of a spiritual teacher and the qualities of a worthy student

how to practice guru yoga and go for refuge

the twelve acts of a fully enlightened Buddha

meditations from the Path of Heroes that deepen compassion and give rise to wisdom

practices that heighten awareness of Bodhichitta

Primary texts: Bodhicaryavatara, Path of Heroes, and the Uttaratantra . This is an advanced Dharma studies and practice retreat. Be prepared to challenge preconceived notions and to invest time and effort in study and practice.

Week One: July 16-21, Miraculous Body of Knowledge
We touch our own miraculous ability to receive and transmit knowledge through contemplating the Three Jewels. Includes the "Developing Bodhichitta" workshop.

Week Two: July 23-28, Working the Mind
Buddha nature is indivisible. Subtle practices and teachings probe ordinary, dualistic mind in order to awaken a wider awareness. Includes the "Making Mind the Matter" workshop.

Week Three: July 30-August 4, Entering Openness
Meditations that transform emotional obstacles to realization and cut the roots of grasping. Includes the "Deepening Meditation" workshop.

Week Four: August 6-11, Practices from the Heart
Compassionate practices to open the heart. Includes the "Filled with Devotion" workshop.

Week Five: August 13-18, The Sunlight of Merit and Wisdom
Redirecting and refocusing the actions of body, speech, and mind, we accomplish true benefit for ourselves and others. Includes the "Accumulation and Purification" workshop.

Mindfulness Retreat

Opening the Field of Awareness
August 23-26
Retreat begins with dinner Thursday evening and continues through Sunday lunch.
It will be held at Ratna Ling Retreat Center.

" When the senses open widely, they take on a different quality, and the sensations they transmit become fuller and more intense." Tarthang Tulku, Joy of Being.

We will work with introspective practices that focus on how the senses interact with mind and self. These practices help us to break free of the ordinary chain of perceptions that lead to misery. We become mindful that, within each perception, we have the opportunity to rest within the open space of awareness, simply "seeing", "feeling", and "knowing" beyond interpretations or labels.
Based on Joy of Being and Openness Mind.
Cost: $290 (residential).
Instructors: Sylvia Gretchen and Barr Rosenberg.

RETREAT INFORMATION

Blending meditative tranquility with focused activities andinstruction,
retreats at the Nyingma Institute develop inner resources
for finding lasting happiness and transforming suffering.

Daily Retreat Schedule:
Each week of retreat ends with a Saturday workshop
introducing special practices and teachings
that complement what has been learned during the week.
Retreats conclude Saturday between 4:30 and 5 PM.

A typical weekday schedule is:

6:45 AM
8:30 AM
10:00 AM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
4:15 PM
5:45 PM
6:15 PM

Meditation
Breakfast
Instruction and practice
Lunch
Work practice
Instruction and practice
Dinner
Evening meditation or class

Prerequisites: An openness to new ideas
and a willingness to engage in meditation
are the primary prerequisites for all
retreats. Preregistration is required.