Nyungnay Purifying Ritual Practice

Nyungnay is one of our most precious Kadampa Dharma jewels and as a centre practice it comes around just once a year – the second day of the retreat is on Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, April 15th.

We can spend two days with thousand-armed (eleven-faced) Avalokiteshvara – ‘Mahakaruna’ – the nature of our Guru’s great compassion, making exquisite offerings, praises and prostrations and thereby accumulate huge merit, purify vast negativity for ourself and others and receive the most powerful blessing to propel ourself swiftly along our path to enlightenment.

Usually this practice is done over two days, with Mahayana Precepts (vows to abstain from certain actions for 24 hours) 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, using the prayer booklet “Drop of Essential Nectar” we do three sessions that combine prostrations with chanted meditations. Those who are unabled to engage in a complete fast can participate on the second day, provided they take the precepts on that day. It is essential to begin each day of the retreat with taking the precepts, at 6.30am.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this special retreat.