THE WAY OF THE GREAT PERFECTION NGÖNDRO RETREAT & 3-DAY EXTENSION

Taking Refuge: From Now until Enlightenment

Dates: 12-20 July 2025, with extension for personal accumulations until 23 July.
Event onsite only.

If you want to start practising the Ngöndro but you don’t know how to start or lacked the courage so far; if you are already an established Ngöndro practitioner; then this retreat is for you!

It is an occasion for anybody interested in Ngöndro to come together, learn about the Ngöndro, deepen their understanding, and meet like-minded practitioners. This retreat is a celebration of the vajrayana preliminary practices, Ngöndro, which have the power to bring you from wherever you are now all the way to enlightenment in this very lifetime.

This year, the retreat will especially focus on taking Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha which is the foundation and essence of the Buddhist path. Those following the programme The Way of the Great Perfection will know that this practice accompanies us from the point of entering the path all the way to its fruition. In fact, taking Refuge is synonymous with following the path. Studying and reflecting on the Refuge teachings will deepen and clarify our path, no matter where we are in our spiritual development.

During the retreat we will engage in this practice together, with our body speech and mind: offering prostrations to one of the most sacred images of Shakyamuni Buddha in the West, reciting the refuge prayer, and with our mind and heart taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In addition, we will cover all the other aspects of Ngöndro, sharing the best teachings, instructions on how to practise them, and guidance on how to apply them in our daily lives.

There will be time for you to progress in your personal accumulations in different shrine rooms of the Lerab Ling Temple. Also, participants will be offered individual guidance from teachers, and there will be opportunities to share their experience with fellow students.

During the retreat you will have the opportunity to receive Pratimoksha vows which are associated with Taking Refuge.

HOW TO FOLLOW

For this retreat, we can all say goodbye, if only temporarily, to Zoom and come together in the blessed, beautiful environment of Lerab Ling and enjoy the company of fellow practitioners in person. Hence, the retreat is open to all Rigpa students.

Students also have the opportunity to continue the momentum of the main retreat with an extension of 3 days (21-23 July) to focus on their accumulations. During this period, students will practise on their own; optional guidance from one of the teachers or practice holders will also be available.

TEACHERS / INSTRUCTORS

Ruth Seehausen, Javier Torales, Miguel Oramas, Naomi Gassler

This retreat will be held by Rigpa Senior teacher Ruth Seehausen and Rigpa teachers Javier Torales, Miguel Oramas and Naomi Gassler.
Ruth and Javier have been teaching the topic of Taking Refuge for many years. Naomi and Miguel developed “The Way of the Great Perfection”, the recent iteration of “The All-Encompassing Path to Enlightenment”, Rigpa’s study programme for the entire sangha.

PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE

There will be 5 sessions a day at these approximate times:

Session 1 (9:00-10:00): Guided Ngöndro practice
Session 2 (10:30-12:00): Teaching
Lunch
Session 3 (15:00-16:00): Guided practice, group discussion, time for personal interviews with a teacher, or for personal practice
Session 4 (16:30-18:00): Guided contemplation
Dinner
Session 5 (19:00-20:00): Time for personal practice

Tags: PUBLIC, STUDENTS, NGÖNDRO