Minneapolis, MN

Exploring the Nature of Mind
A Month-long Meditation Retreat with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

This practice retreat, based on the 9th Karmapa's Ocean of Definitive Meaning, presents a rare opportunity to receive in-depth teachings on the profound path of Mahamudra from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Mahamudra is considered the highest and most profound meditative teaching of the Kagyü School of Tibetan Buddhism. The retreat is a practice intensive, with 6-8 hours of meditation per day. In addition to the practice schedule, Mingyur Rinpoche himself will give daily teachings and offer small-group interviews. This is the first time Rinpoche has offered such extensive teachings on this topic anywhere in the Western world. The retreat is open to all and contains two tracks: one for those who are new to meditation and one for advanced practitioners.

Important Update

As of December 9th, both the month-long and week-long retreats are full.

If you would like to be placed on the waiting list for either retreat, please fill out the registration form by following the link provided in the details section below. No registration fee is required to complete this form.

Date Change

Due to the large number of registrations we have received for this retreat, we have separated the weeklong and month-long options into two separate retreats to create more spaces. The dates of the month-long retreat will remain the same.
The new dates for the week-long retreat are June 13-19, 2010.

Details

When: May 17 to June 10, 2010 (month-long retreat);
June 13-19, 2010 (one-week retreat)
Where: St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA
Cost: $1,585-$2,065 (full retreat);
$525-$825 (one-week option)
Contact: info@tergar.org
Registration: online registration form

Registration

Space in the retreat will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration, along with a US$300 deposit, is required for both the week-long retreat and month-long options. To register for either retreat, please fill out the online registration form and submit your payment via paypal. You may also download the registration form and mail it to the following address, along with a check for US$300:

Tergar International
810 1st St S, Suite 200
Hopkins MN 55343

Deposit

In order for your registration to be accepted you must include a deposit of $300. The balance of your retreat fee is due, payable in either cash or check, when you check in on opening day. The minimum deposit is the same regardless of what room, rate or length of time you choose. If you prefer, you may include the full payment for your room during the registration process.

Advanced Track

Teachings in the advanced track are restricted to those 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 and completed its practice requirements (or will complete them prior to the retreat)
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

Accommodation & Retreat Fees

If you plan to attend either the week-long or full retreat, you will need to arrive on opening day. It will not be possible to commence your retreat later in the program. Retreat fees are inclusive of room, meals, and teachings. Both single and double rooms are available. The only difference between these two options is the number of occupants per room. All bathrooms are shared (with separate bathrooms for male/female on each floor).

There are also two levels to the fee structure, a yogi level for people who have less means and a patron level for people who can afford to support Tergar International's activities at a greater level. Please indicate your room preference and the level at which you are paying in the appropriate place on the registration form. If a lack of resources makes it impossible for you to attend the retreat please contact us at info@tergar.org or +1-952-232-0633.

The fee for a single room for the week-long retreat is $695 at the yogi level and $845 at the patron level. A double room for the week-long retreat is $525 at the yogi level and $675 at the patron level.

The fee for a single room for the month-long retreat is $1,835 at the yogi level and $2,065 at the patron level. The fee for a double room for the month-long retreat is $1,585 at the yogi level and $1,815 at the patron level.

Teacher Support

In an effort to keep the cost of this retreat as low as possible, we set the retreat rate 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 Mingyur Rinpoche. At the conclusion of the retreat you will have the opportunity to make an offering to support Mingyur Rinpoche and his activities.

Cancellation Policy

An administrative fee of $100 will be charged for all cancellations prior to April 1st, 2010. After April 1st, the cancellation fee will be $300.

Check In/Out

Check in will be from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on the opening day of each retreat, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm and the first teaching following dinner. The weeklong retreat will end at noon on Saturday, June 19, 2010. The month-long retreat will end at noon on Thursday, June 10, 2010. On the closing day of both retreats, lunch will be served and there will be a farewell ceremony in the morning.

Food

Three vegetarian meals will be served each day. The kitchen at St. John's University will not be able to cater to special dietary needs.

Preparing for the Retreat

There is no need to bring linens; accommodation comes with a full linen service. Tergar International has a limited number of meditation cushions. If you can bring your own practice cushions or stool it would be greatly appreciated. Please bring plenty of warm comfortable loose-fitting clothing. It can still be quite cool at that time of the year in Minnesota. The dormitories have coin operated laundries for anyone staying for the month-long retreat.

Location

St. John's University is situated about 80 miles NW of Minneapolis just off Interstate 94 in the town of Collegeville, MN. The closest major airport is Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP). A shuttle service is available from the airport. For further details, contact Executive Express Shuttle (888) 522-9899 or visit their web site: http://www.executiveexpress.biz. For a discount click on the reservation tab then at the very bottom enter the word 'tergar' in the frequent user login.