Open to experienced practitioners of all Buddhist traditions.

Please note: Online registration is now closed. There are a limited number of residential spaces left on this retreat. Please call the Garrison Institute at 845-424-4800 ext 106 to find out more information about registering for this event.

In this retreat, Mingyur Rinpoche will explore the teachings and practice of Mahamudra, focusing on the nature of mind instructions found in the songs of the Tibetan yogi Milarepa. Mingyur Rinpoche's straightforward approach to meditation emphasizes experiential inquiry and direct observation. Over the course of this retreat, Mingyur Rinpoche will offer clear instructions on how to first recognize the mind's pure and luminous nature, and then how to make this recognition a living experience by familiarizing oneself with this nature through a spacious, effortless approach to meditation.

The Path of Liberation Retreat is open to experienced practitioners of all Buddhist traditions. See below for more details. For those who are following the Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Path of Liberation curriculum (or the Mahamudra Retreats of the old curriculum), this retreat will fulfill the retreat requirements for levels I and II (i.e., if you have attended a Path of Liberation I, this will serve as a level II retreat).

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is one of the most celebrated among the new generation of Tibetan meditation masters, deeply versed in the practical and philosophical disciplines of the ancient tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, one of the great Dzogchen masters of our time, Yongey Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche is a master of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He teaches throughout the world and is known for his ability to convey the Buddha’s teachings in a fresh, profound and straightforward style. He is the author of The Joy of Living and Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change and Finding Freedom, published in 2009.

Details

When: June 29th to July 4th, 2010
Where: Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY
Cost: $465 - $665
Contact: info@tergar.org

Requirements

This retreat is for experienced practitioners of all Buddhist traditions who meet at least one of the following criteria:

1. Have attended Mahamudra Level 1 or the Path of Liberation Level 1 with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
2. Have completed the full preliminary practices (the 4 x 100,000 ngondro)
3. Have received pointing out teachings from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, or Mingyur Rinpoche
4. Have had a daily meditation practice for at least five years and attended either group or solitary practice retreats (with 6+ hours of formal meditation practice each day) under the guidance of a Buddhist teacher for a total of at least thirty days

Deposit

In order for your registration to be accepted you must include a deposit in the full amount of the retreat.

Accommodation & Retreat Fees

Garrison has single rooms, double rooms and dormitories. The fee for a single room is $665, for a double room is $590, and for a dormitory is $515. Garrison offers a reduced rate for guests willing to take on a daily house job. Fees for this retreat with a house job are reduced by $50 per person to $615 for a single room, $540 for a double room, and $465 for a dormitory. It is also possible, if you make arrangements for other accommodation in the area, to stay off site and commute to Garrison each day. The fee for commuters is $390. Please indicate your room preference and whether you are willing to do a house job in the appropriate place on the registration form.

Teacher Support

In an effort to keep the cost of this retreat as low as possible, we set the retreat such that it just covers the cost of room and board at the retreat and additional operating overheads. It does not include a donation for the teachings. At the conclusion of the retreat you'll have the opportunity to make a contribution to support Mingyur Rinpoche's teachings.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations are accepted up until June 28, 2010, the day before the retreat starts. An administrative fee of $60 will be charged for all cancellations. All cancellations go to the scholarship fund.

House Jobs

If you choose to do a house job you will be asked to help Garrison Institute maintain the facility and serve the group while there. Jobs normally take about one hour per day and are done after breakfast, except those jobs connected with lunch or dinner. None of the jobs involves heavy manual labor or requires special skills. Examples are dish washing, pot washing, meal service, bathroom cleaning, and general cleaning of common rooms.

Work Scholarships

A handful of full work scholarships are available for this course. Guests on a work scholarship are expected to contribute four (4) hours worth of work a day for the length of their stay. If you are interested in a scholarship please call the Registrar for availability at (845) 424-4800, Ext. 106.

Check In/Out

Check in will be from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on opening day Tuesday, June 29, 2010. Please don't arrive before 3:00 pm on opening day. Check in will be followed by dinner from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm with the first teaching period after dinner.

The retreat will end by noon on the closing day Sunday, July 4, 2009. Lunch will be served for guests leaving that day and there will be a final closing ceremony that morning.