Sogyal Rinpoche has for many years held a deep wish to share the innermost essence of the teachings transmitted to him by his masters with the Rigpa sangha. Last summer, the auspicious circumstances came together for Rinpoche to be able to create a special retreat environment in which to share these teachings. On 9th August, in the new temple at Lerab Ling, his retreat centre in France, Rinpoche entered into Three-Year Retreat with over 400 students. Rinpoche wishes to include as many of his students as possible in this extraordinary event, so the retreat is not following a traditional Tibetan three-year retreat.
There are two different threads:
- at Lerab Ling a group of students, under the guidance of Rinpoche himself, are following a strict retreat format with formal practice sessions, seclusion from contact with others and silence. A core of over 100 students will be in full retreat for three years; the remaining students in strict retreat for between six and twelve months.
- the wider Rigpa sangha is participating in the retreat – even if they cannot be physically present in Lerab Ling – by entering into ‘Home Retreat’. Students following this programme are undertaking a personal study and practice regime, gathering at their local centre with other sangha members to practise formally together and study selected teachings given at Lerab Ling, and going for shorter periods of time to Lerab Ling to receive teachings directly.
Registration for the Home Retreat is now closed but there are a number of opportunities for non-retreatants to attend events at Rigpa including monthly Sangha Gatherings.
