We are delighted to announce that, at the end of our year-long Dorje Drolö Dzogchen transmission, Mingyur Rinpoche will guide an online tögal retreat in late October or November 2027 (dates to be confirmed). This retreat will be the first time Rinpoche offers these profound instructions to students and will have a stricter set of prerequisites than all the previous courses and retreats of the transmission.

For those on the Path of Liberation, this retreat represents a unique moment to deepen your practice. Often described as the “direct approach” or “leapover,” tögal is the skillful means of Dzogchen. While trekchö focuses on primordial wisdom, tögal provides the methods to bring about the swift realization of our inner nature, helping to clear the clouds of karmic vision and integrate realization into every aspect of our lives.

Because these instructions are so direct and advanced, this retreat requires a steady foundation, a specific retreat environment, and step-by-step preparation. If you feel called to take this next step in your journey, we invite you to review the path of preparation below.

Tögal: Dzogchen Innermost Instructions for Advanced Path of Liberation Students

Requirements for participation in the tögal retreat:

1. To have completed the Path of Liberation Level 5 practice requirements: 

• Students on the Nectar of the Path track must have accumulated 100 hours of White Tara practice and 7 days of retreat (with 6+ hours of White Tara practice each day);

• Students on the ngöndro track must have accumulated 75 hours of White Tara practice plus either 425 additional hours (form or mind personality) or 1,000,000 White Tara mantra recitations (speech personality), and 7 days of retreat (with 6+ hours of White Tara practice each day).

2. AND to have received the Dorje Drolö empowerment directly from Mingyur Rinpoche or Khenpo Kunga within the Tergar lineage.

The only exception is for students who have completed a traditional three-year retreat, who are welcome to attend the tögal retreat without meeting the prerequisites above.

The requirements for participation were set in consultation with Mingyur Rinpoche. In turn, we ask that you honor them. Thank you.

Receiving the Dorje Drolö Empowerment

If you have not yet received the Dorje Drolö Empowerment, Rinpoche is offering several opportunities to do so throughout 2026. Joining one of these gatherings is a wonderful way to connect with the lineage and prepare your heart and mind for the 2027 retreat.

France: July 17. Register here →

Portland, Oregon, USA: July 24–29 (sold out).

São Paulo, Brazil (with Khenpo Kunga): July 24–29. Register here →

Bendigo, Australia: September 4. Register here →

Thailand: October 9–13. Learn more →

Kathmandu, Nepal: December 11. Register here →

There will also be more opportunities to receive the Dorje Drolö empowerment in 2027, including in the US (Madison, WI) in April and in the Czech Republic in May. We will share more information later this year.

Completing the Level 5 Homework

Mingyur Rinpoche will offer a Path of Liberation Level 5 retreat February 12–14, 2027, for those who are ready to attend or wish to revisit this level.

Vajrayana Online provides several resources to help you complete the Level 5 homework, including the White Tara course, with video teachings and detailed practice instructions from Mingyur Rinpoche and Khenpo Kunga. We will also offer a Practicing the Path of Liberation Level 5 Workshop on November 9, 16, 23, and 30, with another Level 5 workshop planned for March 2027, after the retreat with Rinpoche.

How to Update Your Profile on My Path

To help us share the most relevant updates with you, please feel free to update your progress on the My Path page once you have completed the Level 5 requirements. If you have not yet completed the level, please take your time. You can update your My Path profile at any time in the future. 

1. Go to profile.tergar.org and log in to your Tergar International account

2. Once logged in, select “My Path” from the left menu

3. On the My Path page, the Joy of Living section will appear expanded by default; scroll down to the Path of Liberation section header and expand it by clicking the small “v” icon

4. In the Path of Liberation section, click “Update progress”

5. Fill out the form with the sections of Path of Liberation you have completed and submit it (after submitting, you will be returned to the My Path page, where those sections should appear filled in)

6. That’s it. The final step is rejoicing!

We look forward to walking this path together. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] with any questions you may have.