10-day Practice Retreat on Tsik Sum Ne Dek & 5-day Extension
Onsite and online – from Lerab Ling
Dates:
– 10-day retreat: Fri 27 November – Sun 6 December 2026
– Retreat with extension: Sun 6 Dec – Friday 11 Dec (onsite only)
Lerab Ling will hold its annual Tsik Sum Ne Dek group retreat, both onsite in Lerab Ling and live online.
Each year Lerab Ling offers a group retreat on Tsik Sum Ne Dek, which is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our understanding and realisation of the Dzogchen teachings, and especially of the practice of Trekchö— a teaching close to many people’s hearts.
The five-day optional extension will allow us to go even deeper in the practice. During this extension, the daily schedule will be the same but the emphasis will be more on practice and there will be fewer teachings. The extension is only for those doing the retreat onsite.
Tsik Sum Né Dek- ‘Hitting the Essence in Three Words’— the final testament of the first human Dzogchen master Garab Dorje has been revered by masters and practitioners throughout the centuries as embodying, in its key points, the very heart of the path of Dzogchen. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche said : “Imagine you heard all eighty-four thousand teachings of Buddha and then contemplated on them. You would find that ultimately there was nothing that needed to be introduced beyond ‘Hitting the Essence in Three Words’”.
This retreat emphasizes time for, and guidance on, meditation practice, and the teachings we show are selected so they support and inform our practice.
It provides the perfect circumstance to practise the teachings received from Sogyal Rinpoche and to enter into strict retreat, away from busyness and distraction, so that we can gain a deeper personal experience of the meaning of these teachings and, indeed, of all the Dzogchen teachings we have received.
The retreat will be led by Dominique Side.
The retreat is mainly for students in Europe.
A delayed replay will be offered by Rigpa US for students in the United States and Canada, in English only. Dates : Sat 28 Nov to Mon 7 Dec 2026.
Please fill out this INTEREST FORM to receive further information.
WHO CAN ATTEND
The retreat is open to students from the Dzogchen mandala who received :
- the complete teachings from Sogyal Rinpoche in Lerab Ling, in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
AND/OR
- the complete Dzogchen mandala study programme from Nov 2017 to June 2019 on Tsik Sum Ne Dek, whether through the monthly programme or the catch-up sessions.
- the complete Dzogchen mandala study programme from Sept 2023 to June 2025.
These pre-requisites will be applied strictly.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE
• The retreat will take place on site at Lerab Ling, and live online on zoom (except for the extension that will be on-site only).
• Translation will be provided into French and German, possibly Spanish if there is enough demand.
During the 5-day extension, there won’t be German or Spanish translation (except for the teachings that always have translation). The French translation will be basic.
• In order for everyone to benefit fully from the retreat, it will be held in complete silence from the second day onwards. Throughout there will be emphasis on integrating the practice between sessions and maintaining our thread of awareness day and night. All retreatants join together each day for the daily Tendrel Nyesel tsok.
• All those who join the retreat are asked to make a personal commitment to practise meditation each day between 45 minutes and 1 hour from now on until the start of the retreat. This is an important preparation that will ensure that we can begin from a more stable and less distracted starting point, and we can settle into the retreat quickly.
• In view of the particular nature of Trekchö practice it is necessary to ensure each retreatant can do a real retreat and break with the habits and busyness of their usual living situation. To do so some conditions must be gathered. Those are explained in the retreat guidelines .
• Please read the retreat guidelines carefully before filling in your application form [see below].
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please start by making a request to participate in the retreat by following these simple steps. Applications for the retreat are now open.
- Please fill in the online request application form before October 25th.
- Each applicant will be contacted for a personal interview.
- We will inform all applicants whether or not they are accepted to take part in the retreat at the end of their interview.
- Once you have been accepted for the retreat you will be sent information on how to register.
TEACHERS
Dominique Side
Dominique Side encountered Tibetan Buddhism in the mid-1970s in London. She has studied with Sogyal Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in particular, and over the years held a number of leadership roles in Rigpa UK and in Lerab Ling, Rigpa’s retreat centre in southern France. She has completed several strict retreats and has also obtained a PhD in Madhyamaka philosophy from Bristol Univer… more
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE
06:00 – 09:15 Personal practice / Pratique personnelle
08:30 – 09:15 Sitting (optional)
09:30 – 11:30 Opening prayers and meditation
11:30 – 12:15 Lunch in silence / Déjeuner
14:00 – 16:30 Tsik Sum Ne Dek practice & teachings
16:30 – 17:00 Break / Pause
17:00 – 18:30 Tendrel Nyesel group practice
18:45 – 19:30 Dinner in silence / dîner
19.30 – 21:00 Personal practice /pratique personnelle
PROLONGING YOUR RETREAT
If you wish to continue and deepen your practice after the extension time, you are welcome to stay on for an individual Practice Retreat in Lerab Ling. Find all information on this page : Practice Retreat for Sangha
STUDY & PRACTICE GRANTS
If you have the heartfelt wish to participate in the Tsik Sum Ne Dek retreat but lack financial means, you now have the opportunity to ask for support through the Study & Practice Grant Scheme. Study & practice grants Application Form.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
START: Friday 27 November at 09:30
END:
– Sunday 6 December: 13:30 **
– Friday 11 December: 13:30 (Option with extension) **
**Please consider staying for lunch on this day, to conclude the retreat joyfully together🍹🥮
CHECK-IN & PICK-UP BADGES
– Thursday 26 November: 15:00 – 18:00
– Friday 27 November: 9:00 – 9:20 am
For arrivals after 6pm on Thursday 26 Nov, please contact registration@rigpa.org
PRICE
- Tsik Sum Ne Dek 10 days retreat – Onsite and online – 324 € (not including food and accommodation).
- Tsik Sum Ne Dek Retreat with 4 days extension – Onsite – 420 € (not including food and accommodation).
LANGUAGES
Teachings: English
Translation: French, German – Spanish (if enough people are interested).
German and Spanish translation won’t be available during the 5-day extension (except on videos)
SHUTTLE BUS
Lodeve-Lerab Ling : Thursday 26 Nov at 17:15 – Departure in front of the Lodève Tourist Office . Please register online for this when you register for the retreat.
REGISTRATION
Register online (Rigpa student)