Nyungne Retreat 2026

We are excited to announce this year’s Nyungne Retreat, which will take place this coming Memorial Day Weekend at Nyingma Palyul Dharma Center in Queens, NYC, Saturday, Sunday & Monday morning, May 23, 24 & 25, and will be lead by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay Rinpoche and Lama Jigmey. This retreat will also be live on Zoom.

Options for Attending in Person
Retreatants can choose to either:

a) Stay overnight at the center. We can accommodate a limited number overnight retreatants on a first come first serve basis. If you will be staying overnight, please register by sending an email to nyingmapalyulc@gmail.com with your name. Those staying overnight should bring their own bedding.

b) Commute back and forth from home each day to sleep. Retreatants commuting from home do not need to register.

Attend on Zoom
Those unable to attend in person can join the retreat from their own homes via Zoom:

Schedule (all times EDT):

Saturday, May 23 – Day 1
6:30 – 8 a.m.  Taking vows and teachings
8 – 9 a.m.  Breakfast
9 – 11 a.m.  Session I
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Lunch break
2 – 4 p.m.  Session II
5 – 7 p.m.  Session III

Sunday, May 24 – Day 2 (fasting day)
6:30 – 8 a.m.  Taking vows and teachings
8 – 9 a.m.  Break
9 – 11 a.m.  Session I
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Break
2 – 4 p.m.  Session II
5 – 7 p.m.  Session III

Monday, May 25 – Day 3
6 – 7 a.m.  Concluding session
7 a.m.  Breakfast
8 – 9:30 a.m.  Concluding Shower of Blessings Tsok offering

About Nyungne

Practiced by all the major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, Nyungne is based on the practice of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. It is performed over a period of two days, during which practitioners generate the attitude of Bodhicitta, take Sojong vows, and engage in sadhana practice which includes chanting, visualization, mantra recitation, and prostrations. During the second day, a complete fast is observed. Nyungne practice is extraordinary both in its profound spiritual qualities—its effectiveness in purifying karmic obscurations and accumulating merit—and its simple application. The Great Benefits of Nyungne states that completing one Nyungne practice will purify 40,000 eons of negative karma, and after completing eight continuous practices, one will achieve the state of a non-returner and be reborn in the Pure Realm of Amitabha.

Khenpo Tenzin Norgay Rinpoche was born in Bhutan. After completing secondary school in 1986, he joined the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, the prestigious Buddhist studies and research center at Namdroling Monastery in Mysore, South India. At the Institute he studied under Khenchen Pema Sherab, Khenpo Namdrol Tsering, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, and other visiting professors, including Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok and Khenpo Pema Tsewang from Tibet. He completed the Shedra program in 1995 and joined the Institute staff, teaching there for three years. He was formally enthroned as Khenpo by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in 1998 and was assigned by His Holiness to teach at the Buddhist college at Palyul monastery in Tibet. Khenpo-la received all the major empowerments of the Rinchen Terzod, Nam Cho, Nyingthik Yabshi and Nyingma Kama from His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and the Mipham Kabum from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Because of his knowledge and experience, and fluent command of the English language, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche assigned him to teach students in North America in conjunction with Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche.