Get Acquainted with Namgyal Retreat: An Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism
| Date | August 2-9, 2009 |
|---|---|
| Time | 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM |
| Location | Light on the Hill Retreat Center, Van Etten, NY |
| Instructors | Gankar Tulku Rinpoche, with resident Namgyal Monks and Faculty |
| Cost | $875, see details below |
| Registration | Pre-registration required, see details below |
| Prerequisites | None. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and advanced students. |
“Get Acquainted With Namgyal”:
An Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism
This summer retreat is Namgyal Monastery’s most popular annual event. It is characterized by a great deal of individual attention from the monks and a unique introduction to Tibetan Buddhism as practiced by the Dalai Lama’s own personal monastery.
Students learn about shamatha meditation, mahayana teachings, deity yoga, mandala theory, debate, and Tibetan language, and will engage in hands-on art workshops drawing Tibetan images and mandalas. All of the monks are informal and accessible throughout the retreat. At the end of the day, after the last meditation session and dinner, the evenings will include volleyball, badminton, discussion groups, slide-lectures and videos on Tibetan culture.
There will be opportunities each day for private sessions with the Namgyal monks and this year’s special guest teacher, Gankar Tulku Rinpoche. Also, several lectures are offered during the retreat by Western teachers on topics exploring issues that have arisen since the coming of Tibetan Buddhism to the West.
Participants have always very much enjoyed this unique week-long retreat experience and there are often a number of repeat participants from all over the country. Students will receive a packet containing directions for getting to the retreat, a detailed schedule and a list of suggested items to bring. Volunteers will be available to pick up people from the bus station or airport and provide transportation to the retreat site. This is Namgyal’s main summer event. We look forward to seeing you.
Location
The retreat will be held at the beautiful Light on the Hill Retreat Center in the peaceful, rolling hills of Van Etten, New York, located just 30 minutes south of Ithaca on 236 acres of wooded land with streams, gorges, swimming ponds, distant views and walking paths. The retreat center offers lovely accommodations with private and semiprivate rooms, cottages, and cabins. Tenting options are also available.
Cost
The cost for the week-long retreat is $875, and includes lodging, three wonderful satisfying vegetarian meals per day, and all study materials.
Register for both Namgyal summer retreats and pay $1,600.
Registration
To register, please contact Namgyal, with your full name, address, telephone number, and email (optional). A deposit of 50% is required to hold your registration. Deposits are fully refundable until June 30th, after which, one half of the deposit is refundable.
Payment
Please make your personal check, money order, or bank cashier's check payable to “Namgyal Monastery” and send to our mailing address.
For payment by credit card, please register first and then process your payment through the “Donate to Namgyal Ithaca” link on our Supporting Namgyal page. In the Comments field of the Payment Form, enter the name of the event for which you are paying.