6th ANNIVERSARY OF SOGYAL RINPOCHE’S PARINIRVANA - at Lerab Ling and Online, 25-29 August 2025

Written by Nicolas Schram on 25 August 2025.

6^th ANNIVERSARY OF SOGYAL RINPOCHE’S PARINIRVANA – AT LERAB LING AND ONLINE

Annual Rigpa Sangha Gathering

Dates: from 25 to 29 August

This annual all-mandala retreat brings together the whole sangha in a festive atmosphere to practise, celebrate, share stories, receive teachings, and simply for us to be together as a sangha.

This is one time in the year that we can each connect with the wider Rigpa family, of which we are all part, revitalise our connection with each other, to our spiritual home Lerab Ling, and our many great teachers, and foremost celebrating Sogyal Rinpoche’s life and legacy.

Each year this event has been held, something surprising or unexpected has been added to the programme at the last minute, making it an even more joyful and auspicious time.

The practice programme that is the heart of the retreat includes a range of practices to enable everyone to participate, wherever we are on the path. We will practise meditation, Guru Yoga, Riwo Sangchö, Rigdzin Düpa* and offer an abundant tsok feast every day.

Interspersing practice sessions, we will revisit some of Sogyal Rinpoche’s best teachings and hear stories from his life, as well as receive teachings and advice from Rigpa teachers and practice holders as well as Rigpa’s spiritual advisors, either in person or online.

As in previous years, we look forward to sharing the retreat with the wider family of students of other teachers who are connected to Rigpa, many of whom have joined us for this event over the last 5 years.

Many people have shared that this retreat has produced some of the most inspiring and magical moments for them in recent years in Lerab Ling. We hope this experience will continue in 2025.

HOW TO FOLLOW

We encourage everyone to gather physically in Lerab Ling, but the commemorations can also be followed live online.

In Lerab Ling

• 5-day programme (25-29 August)
• Sogyal Rinpoche’s Parinirvana Anniversary (28 August)
  The commemoration programme on the 28th of August will be based on donations, for all those who wish to join in Lerab Ling or online. Please note that this is also reflected in the lowered price of the 5-day event.
  
  

Live online

• Please register for the online event on Prajna (see below).
  
  

*Rigdzin Düpa, 'The Gathering of Vidyadharas,' is the inner lama practice from the Longchen Nyingtik, the terma revelation of Jikmé Lingpa. It is one of the main sadhanas practised in Rigpa. For those unfamiliar with this practice, there will be guidance on how to participate according to your level of practice.