Palyul News and Events

12-20-2132 (Feb. 18, 2006) Feb. 18, 2006 was the last day of a Nyungne Purification and Fasting retreat that is held annually at about this date. The retreat is attended by the local Tibetan community as well as visitors and consists of 24 hours of fasting, prostrations and recitation of the mantra of Compassion, "Om Mani Peme Hung."

Next week, the monastery holds a "Gutor" puja for averting obstacles for the coming year. On the last day of this practice a Garuda Lama Dance dance is held. The following day, the last day of the Lunar calendar, is reserved for an Amitayuus Long Life Buddha Tsok (feast) and followed up by a thorough cleaning of the monastery.

***First Month Festivities, February 28 - June Lama Dances and Giant Thankgas Unfurled

From the Seventh day of the First Month to the Fifteenth a prayer intensive is held known as a "Drubchen." Drubchen consist of shifts of monks and nuns carrying through practice twenty-four hours a day for a week continuously. During this practice, on the tenth day of the first Tibetan month, a giant Guru Rinpoche thankga is unfurled in a grand ceremony. The ceremony includes the traditional Guru Rinpoche Lama Dances (cham) and are an amazing event to see. The dances include all eight manifestions of Guru Rinpoche. To learn more about Guru Rinpoche, read His Holiness Penor Rinpoche's teaching here.

On the fifteenth day, either the thankga of the Long Life Buddha, Amitayuus, or Shayamuni Buddha's thankga are unfurled. Various Lama Dances of all the meditational deities, including Black Hat and other wrathful dances are performed. In the afternoon, His Holiness will grant an empowerment (wang) after dances are completed. This year the Tibetan calendar does not include a 30th day in the first month. As a result, additional Wrathful Dances are offered on the 28th Day of the First Month. To learn how to visit Namdroling during this festive time, please visit our Resources page, here.

Every year, Namdroling Monastery holds the traditional one-month retreat for Ngondro, Tsa Lung, and Dzogchen. This year's retreat will commence on the 17 or 18th day of the first Tibetan month. If you would like to attend the retreat at the Monastery, a permit is required. Please click here for more info. The same retreat is offered in the United States every year from July 10 to August 10. Please visit http://retreat.palyul.org for information.