On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch. On the second day we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. On both days, we do three sessions of meditation from a ritual prayer, Drop of Essential Nectar, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. 

Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can engage in the second day in the same way as the first – with the Mahayana precepts and lunch both days.

What are precepts?

The practice of taking and keeping the eight Mahayana precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed with bodhichitta intention, the compassionate wish to realize our spiritual potential for the benefit of all beings. The essence of this practice is taking eight precepts and keeping them purely for twenty-four hours. When we take precepts, we explicitly promise to abstain for twenty-four hours from eight actions which include: (1) killing; (2) stealing; (3) sexual activity; (4) lying; (5) taking intoxicants; (6) eating after lunch (meaning we only eat lunch); (7) sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats; (8) wearing ornaments, perfume, singing & dancing.

Because this practice is motivated by bodhichitta it is especially powerful for purifying negativities, accumulating merit—a positive strength of mind—and creating the cause for us to attain the unsurpassed happiness of enlightenment.

SCHEDULE:

April 12 Friday 

Introduction to Nyungnay: 6 – 7 pm (required if you have not done this retreat before)

April 13 Saturday

Precepts: 7 am – 7:45 am (required)
Session 1:   8  – 9:30 am 
Session 2:   10 – 11:30 am 
Session 3:   3 pm – 4:30 pm 

April 14 Sunday

Precepts: 7 am – 7:45 am (required)
Session 1:   8  – 9:30 am 
Session 2:   10 – 11:30 am 
Session 3:   3 pm – 4:30 pm 

$15 per day

Everyone is welcome!