This year’s arrival date is Thursday July 4. The retreat ends Sunday morning, July 7.
Nyungne is the most effective course of practices to purify both environmental pollution and our own faults. The practice was revealed by Bhikshuni Phalmo, a practitioner who suffered from leprosy. She performed this practice for 12 years in conjunction with Chenresig (Avalokitesvara) practice and become a great siddhi, attaining the Celestial Body. The retreat course involves powerful practices of purification such as periods of fasting, prostrations, and silence. Practitioners will also recite the six syllable Mani Mantra (Om Mani Peme Hung). This mantra purifies the six seeds of the six realms within oneself and, furthermore, has the effect of pacifying the suffering of all beings. In this way, the practice brings peace to the entire world and can be a cause for World Peace, very appropriate to these degenerate times. The purification practices increase positive energies and so in and of themselves are causes for happiness and harmony.
The traditional Nyungne purification retreat consists of maintaining eight vows and repeating practices of purification for a set number of days. The retreat is generally scheduled around the July 4th weekend schedule according to days off for the holiday.
The vows to be kept for the practice include:
l. No killing
2. No stealing
3. No sex
4. No telling lies
5. No drinking alcohol
6. No idle chatter, singing or dancing, makeup or ornaments
7. No evening meals
8. No sitting in high seats
The morning session will include a teaching and the remaining day will consist of intensive practice. If you have any doubts about your health and your ability to physically handle this retreat, please consult your doctor. The prostrations are strenuous but it is possible to perform them at a slow speed. The retreatants from previous retreats have found the fasting and prostrations easiest to maintain. Many have observed that silence is the most difficult of all the vows!
For more information about accommodations, please read the online manual. The cost of the retreat depends on your accommodation. Arrangements can be made for those who wish to assist in the coming week with set-up for the month-long annual retreat with His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. However, we may need to ask that only those who are able to help with set-up remain after the Nyungne) retreat as we will be operating with a “”skeleton”” crew.
Schedule:
Day 1
Thursday, July 4, 2013
3:30 PM Arrival and Registration
9:00 PM Registration Closes
Day 2
Friday, July 5, 2013
7:00 AM Breakfast
7:30 – 8:30 AM Vows and Teaching
9:00 – 11:00 AM Practice session
11:30 AM Lunch before fast
2:00 – 4:00 PM Practice session
7:00 PM Mahakala practice
Day 3
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Full Fast: no water, no food, and no talking
7:30 – 8:30 AM Vows and Teaching
9:00 – 11:00 AM Practice session
2:00 – 4:00 PM Practice session
7:00 PM Mahakala practice
Day 4
Sunday, July 7, 2013
6:00 AM Practice session
8:00 AM Soup for breaking fast
The morning session will include a teaching and the remainder of the day will consist of intensive practice. If you have any doubts about your health or your ability to physically handle this retreat, please consult your physician.