Friday 18th – Saturday 19th April
Nyungne Fasting & Purification Retreat – unguided
Nyungnay is one of our most precious Kadampa Dharma Jewels and as a Centre practice it comes around just once a year.
We spend two days with Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of great compassion, making exquisite offerings, praises and prostrations, thereby accumulating huge merit, purifying vast negativity for ourself and others, and receiving powerful blessings. The retreat involves two days of fasting, chanted meditation and prostrations.
Retreat details
This practice is done over two days, with the eight Mahayana precepts being taken at the beginning of each day. 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, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can participate in the sessions on the second day, provided they take the Mahayana precepts on that day at 6.30am. You may engage in one or two days of the retreat. We will be observing silence until 11.45am each day.
If you haven’t attended this retreat before, you must attend the introductory talk where guidance will be given on how to engage in the retreat.
Booking is essential so please contact the Centre to book, ph 03 3322076 or info@meditateinchristchurch.org.
Session Times
Sunday 13th April
Introduction with Gen Kelsang Luma 7.00 – 8.00pm
Friday 18th April
Mahayana Precepts 6.30am – 7.15am
Ses 1: 7.15 – 8.30am
Ses 2: 10.30 – 11.45am
Lunch 12.00pm (on Saturday only)
Ses 3: 4.00 – 5.15pm
WFJ + TSOG 6.00 – 7.30pm
Saturday 19th April
Mahayana Precepts 6.30am – 7.15am
Ses 1: 7.15 – 8.30am
Ses 2: 10.30 – 11.45am
Ses 3: 4.00 – 5.15pm
HJ Prayers 6.00 – 7.00pm
Please note that session times vary. Please check our calendar on our homepage for updated session times.
Cost
Introduction $10. Free for Centre Members.
Retreat $10 per day. Free for Centre Members.
Eight Mahayana Precepts
Precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed with bodhichitta motivation.
The essence of the practice is to take eight precepts and keep them purely for a period of 24 hours. On this special day we take vows to abandon: killing; stealing; sexual activity; lying; taking intoxicants; sitting on a high or luxurious throne or seat; wearing jewellery, perfume, or make-up; singing or dancing; and eating more than one special meal at 12.30pm.
There are many benefits to practicing moral discipline in this way. It helps us solve our day to day problems and creates good karma to take us to a fortunate rebirth in the future. It is a powerful method both for purifying negative karma and accumulating merit or good fortune and brings us closer to the happiness of Enlightenment.