Nyung Nay (or “Fasting Retreat” in English) is a Vajrayana practice from the Kriya (“Action”) class of Tantra. It is a powerful, quick and effective method to purify a lot of negativities and at the same time collect a vast amount of merit. Meditators of the past have been known to purify such diseases as leprosy through this practice. However, the principal purpose of the practice is the attainment of supreme Enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings.
Just before the annual Tibetan festival of Saka Dawa (the anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and paranirvana) Tushita offers a series of eight Nyung Nays. Participants may join one or more Nyung Nays.
Nyung NaysOne Nyung Nay requires being resident here for 3 nights, in order to incorporate 2 full practice days. Check in on day 1, days 2 & 3 are the practice days, and if you are not continuing for another Nyung Nay, checkout is on day 4.
Each Nyung Nay consists of 7 practice sessions spread over this time, the first starting at 3:30am on day 2 (which is why you have to stay here the night before) and ending after breakfast on the 4th day. Our Nyung Nay Retreat is composed of a cycle of 8 Nyung Nays, and it is possible to take just one, or any number in between up to all 8!
If you haven’t done this practice before though, you will be required to join the first one where full instruction will be given.
In each session we practice the sadhana (“method of accomplishment”) of Chenrezig, the Buddha symbolizing compassion. The sadhana involves meditating on bodhicitta (the aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to help all beings), visualizing Chenrezig, reciting prayers and mantras, and performing prostrations. Each session lasts approximately 3 hours.