2025 Full Event Schedule
UPCOMING IN-PERSON and ONLINE EVENTS
October 2025
*In-Person and Online Mindfulness Meditation | October 19, 26
*In-Person and Online Arya Tara & Jangchok for the Living | October 19 | New Jangchok Sadhana starting 07/27/2025
*In-Person and Online Arya Tara Teachings | October 19, 26
*In-Person and Online Dharma Discussion | October 19, 26
*In-Person and Online Arya Tara for the Long Life of HE Garchen Rinpoche and All Beings | October 21, 28
*In-Person and Online Arya Tara & Jangchok for the Deceased | October 26 | New Jangchok Sadhana starting 07/27/2025
*In-Person and Online Medicine Buddha | October 29
November 2025
*In-Person and Online Lama Chopa and Dharmapalas | November 2 | New Lama Chopa Sadhana starting 08/24/2025
FUTURE IN-PERSON and ONLINE RETREATS
- All in-person events require registration.
- Arrival date for each event is the day before first date of event unless otherwise noted.
- Registration for in-person events usually opens 6 weeks before event start date.
- Registration for in-person events closes 3 days before event start date.
- If you know you are cancelling your registration, please notify us as early as you can, we can offer your bed and seat to another participant.
- If you prefer a bed and could only book Indoor Camping or Outdoor Camping, calling or emailing will not give you any priority. Please register for Indoor Camping and select to be waitlisted for a bed. Your waitlist request is considered in the order that it is received in our registration system, not when you call or email us. We will inform you if a bed opens up.
- There will be a few more events. We will post them when they are confirmed.
October & November 2025
*Ngondro Online Ongoing Series | Khenpo Tenzin | in-person & online
*Mindfulness Meditation Ongoing Series | Khenpo Tenzin | in-person & online
*Dharma Discussion Ongoing Series | Khenpo Tenzin | in-person & online
Zoom login was changed effective December 8, 2024.
December 2025
*Winter Event
Mani Drubcho | December 29 – 31 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Tenzin and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person & online
January 2026
*Winter Event
Winter Teachings | January 1 – 4 | Protector Teachings with H.E. Garchen Rinpoche | Jigten Sumgon’s Chod Teachings with Yeshe Lama | in-person & online
February 2026
*Yamantaka Drubchen | February 9 – 17 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Lopon Thupten Nima and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person full / closed | online only
*Losar | February 18 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Lopon Thupten Nima and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person full / closed | online only
March 2026
*Guru Rinpoche Retreat | March 13 – 15 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Samdup and Garchen Institute Lamas | Pilgrimage | in-person full / closed | online only
April 2026
*Long Life Practices, 90th Birthday Celebration and Long Life Ceremony | April 8 – 14 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and Invited Guests | in-person full / closed | online only
May 2026
*True Nature Retreat | May 7 – 10 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Tenzin, Krishna Das & Band and Yoga | in-person & online
*Saga Dawa Event
Nyung Ne | May 30 – June 1 (Saga Dawa May 31) | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person & online
June 2026
*Saga Dawa Event
1000-Arm Chenrezig and Red Chenrezig Drubchen | June 2 – 6 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person & online
July 2026
*Cakrasamvara Drubchen | July 3 – 7 | Drupon Rinchen Dorjee and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person & online
*Cakrasamvara Intensive Retreat | July 9 – 23 | Drupon Rinchen Dorjee | in-person only | not available online
August 2026
*Amitabha Drubcho | August 28 – 30 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and Garchen Institute Lamas | Pilgrimage | in-person full / closed | online only
September 2026
*Treasury of Oral Instructions | First of Four-Year Teaching Series| September 29 – October 5 | Kathog Rinpoche | in-person & online
October 2026
*Vajrakilaya Drupchen | October 31 – November 8 | H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Lopon Thupten Nima and Garchen Institute Lamas | in-person & online
November 2026
*Vajrakilaya Intensive Retreat | November 10 – 24 | Lopon Thupten Nima | in-person only | not available online
2026 Schedule
Click here to view. Schedule is subject to change.
Donations
We offer all our live-stream Dharma programs for free. If you would like to make a donation to Garchen Buddhist Institute it would be greatly appreciated. Your donations will be used to help support the Institute in its various offerings and activities for the benefit of all beings.
MEDITATION SERIES ON MINDFULNESS
Khenpo Tenzin
Upcoming Sessions: October 19, 26
8:30am – 9:30am PDT (UTC-7)
Classes Every Sunday when there is no other event
Join us online
ARYA TARA & JANGCHOK FOR THE LIVING
His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
Khenpo Tenzin
Garchen Institute Lamas
Next Session: October 19
10am – 12pm PDT (UTC-7)
New Jangchok Sadhana (starting 07/27/2024)
Join us online
Join Us In-person
Please RSVP if you plan to attend in person and eat lunch. We will be providing a delicious lunch by donation, and we need to know how much food to prepare. You can RSVP by clicking here. No need to RSVP is you are not eating lunch.
KN/N95 Masks are required in the temple if H.E. Garchen Rinpoche is in attendance. Thank you for you kind cooperation.
Texts
Each Sunday we will use the texts in the following order:
- Yellow Prayer Book – opening prayers
- White Tara Sadhana with inserts OR Lama Chöpa
- Weekly Additional Practice –
here we will practice one of the texts marked with an * - Summoning Good Fortune
- Blue Prayer Book – dedication prayer
- Yellow Prayer Book – long life prayers
Yellow Prayer Book:
View
Download
White Tara Sadhana:
View
Download
Praise of the 21 Taras:
View
Download
Benefits of Praises to 21 Taras:
View
Download
*Dharma Protectors (Dharmapalas):
View
Download
*Lama Chopa – Chinese:
View
Download
*Serkhangma Prayer:
View
Download
*Burning Away Afflictions (Jangchok for the Living and/or the Dead) New Sadhana starting 07/27/2025:
View
Download
Dzambala – Summoning Good Fortune (page 63 of this text):
View
Download
NEW SERIES: ARYA TARA TEACHINGS
Commentary by Khenpo Tenzin
Upcoming Sessions: October 19, 26
1:30pm – 3pm PDT (UTC-7)
We are delighted to announce this new extensive teaching series on Arya Tara. Khenpo Tenzin will give detailed explanations on Arya Tara beginning with the empowerment, the entire sadhana and numerous well known prayers. The 21 Tara Praises, the Seven Verses of Supplication to Tara and more. This teaching series will help you understand all the essential points of Arya Tara practice.
Join us online
DHARMA DISCUSSION SERIES
Khenpo Tenzin
Upcoming Sessions: October 19, 26
3pm – 4pm PDT (UTC-7)
Join In person or zoom in to ask your dharma questions!
You may access the session via YouTube live or after the session!
Zoom log in has been changed effective December 8, 2024. If you have registered before December 8, an email has been sent to you with the latest zoom login.
Click here to register for new Zoom log in.
Click here to submit your question online.
Classes Every Sunday when there is no other event
Join us online
AYRA TARA PRACTICE
for the LONG LIFE of H.E. GARCHEN RINPOCHE and All Beings
Khenpo Tenzin
Garchen Institute Lamas
Upcoming Sessions: October 21, 28
8am – 9am PDT (UTC-7)
Practice Sessions Every Tuesday when there is no other event
Join us online
Texts
- Yellow Prayer Book – opening prayers
- White Tara Sadhana with inserts OR Lama Chöpa
- Blue Prayer Book – dedication prayer
Yellow Prayer Book:
View
Download
White Tara Sadhana:
View
Download
Praise of the 21 Taras:
View
Download
MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA
Khenpo Tenzin
Garchen Institute Lamas
Upcoming Session:
8am – 9am PDT (UTC-7) on Tuesday, October 29 | In Person & Online
Smoke Offering will also be performed.
Message from H.E. Garchen Rinpoche
When you submit your mantra accumulations it is like putting money in your bank. If you only have your personal bank account the interest that is earned is small. However by everyone submitting their mantras together it is like putting all our money in the same bank account and then more interest is earned and the merit becomes much more powerful.
Some people do not know how to dedicate their virtuous activites. However if you submit your mantras all together, then your merit will be dedicated properly and never be exhausted. Just like a small river can dry up but a vast ocean will never dry up.
The Garchen Institute will host a Medicine Buddha Puja once a month.
Be sure to keep submitting your mantra accumulations!
Join us online
Texts
- Gar Monastery Blessed Gong Audio
- Yellow Prayer Book – opening prayers
- Medicine Buddha Sadhana – A Deep Blue Stream of Lapis Lazuli (Starting 08/30/2024)
- Serkhangma Prayer
- Rainfall of Benefit and Happiness
- Blue Prayer Book – dedication prayer
Gar Monastery Blessed Gong Audio
Download
Yellow Prayer Book (2022 new version)
View
Download
New Medicine Buddha Sadhana (starting 08/30/2024)
View
Download
Serkhangma Prayer
View
Download
Medicine Buddha Mantra Accumulation
ONLINE SUNDAY PRACTICES
Guided Meditation Series with
Khenpo Tenzin
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Sunday Practice with
H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Tenzin and Garchen Institute Lamas
10 am – 12 pm
Sunday Afternoon Teachings with
Khenpo Tenzin
1:30 pm – 3 pm
Dharma Discussion Series with
Khenpo Tenzin
3 pm – 4 pm
Click here for more information and link to register for zoom credentials.
This Sunday program is only available when there is not another event scheduled at the Institute.
Click our Event Calendar for more clarity on the schedule.
Each Sunday we will do a different practice on a rotating basis.
That rotation will look like this:
- Arya Tara & Jangchok for the Living (Burning Away Afflictions, prayers for the living)
- Arya Tara & Jangchok for the Dead (Burning Away Afflictions, prayers for the dead)
- Lama Chopa and Dharmapalas (Dharma protectors)
- Arya Tara & Jangchok for the Living and so forth.
Click the Texts for Sunday Practice below to view or download all the texts you will need.
To submit names for the Jangchok for the Living or the Dead, please email your list of names to: dedications@garchen.net
- Please group your names by Living or Dead, clearly stated.
- Names are listed by commas or semicolons if needed, for example: Jane Smith, Julio Lopez, Pham Duc Lam… it helps us tremendously if you list your dedication names similarly.
- You are welcome to submit names in your native language character or type.
- Dates, locations, relationship are not included in the list
Thank you so much. May all beings benefit, and be relieved of suffering and its causes!
2025 ONLINE
PRELIMINARY PRACTICES PROGRAM
Due to our good fortune, Khenpo Tenzin will once again guide participants with live instruction and commentary on all the preliminary practices in 2025.
So many students have the aspiration to put into practice the extraordinary teachings that H.E. Garchen Rinpoche has tirelessly given over the last 26 years in the West. Whether you are new to Buddhism or have received many teachings and empowerments, the preliminary practices are profoundly essential on the path of awakening.
Garchen Institute is delighted to continue our Preliminary Practice Program Online to help students fulfill their aspirations. These online retreats of varying lengths encompass the scope of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and, in particular, those of the Drikung Kagyu tradition as taught by H. E. Garchen Rinpoche.
We will begin by offering preliminary practice retreats, also called ngöndro retreats, on March 8, 2025. These retreats provide structure and support and are the method for developing the foundation of all practice. The full program of preliminary practice retreats are designed to build on each other.
This program gives you the flexibility to accomplish your Ngöndro as your life and schedule allow. Each participant will customize their own retreat schedule according to their individual circumstances. Accumulations of 100,000 are required for each preliminary.
The retreats and dates:
I. Refuge and Prostration: March 8 – June 21
Online Refuge and Prostration Module is over.
II. Vajrasattva: June 28 – September 27
Online Vajrasattva Module is over.
Final Week September 27: Closing Teaching and Q&A
III. Mandala Offerings: New Start Date October 25 – November 22
Week 1 – October 25 – Introduction, Oral Transmission, Teaching and Q&A
Week 2 – November 1 – Teaching
Week 3 – November 8 – Teaching and Q&A
Week 4 – November 15 – Teaching
Week 5 – November 22 – Closing Teaching and Q&A
IV. Guru Yoga: November 29 – December 27
Week 1 – November 29 – Introduction, Oral Transmission, Teaching and Q&A
Week 2 – December 6 – Teaching
Week 3 – December 13 – Teaching and Q&A
Week 4 – December 20 – Teaching
Week 5 – December 27 – Closing Teaching and Q&A
Registration is required and participants must commit to doing the entire retreat by participating in the live session or watching the video replays of all sessions. This retreat will be restricted for the participants and will not be accessible on our YouTube channel for the public.
We are offering all of our online dharma programs for free. However we are only able to do so because of the generosity of the sangha. The suggested donation of $300 for each ngondro retreat will help cover the offerings and costs to provide this programing. Please know that this is only a suggestion and donations of any size are gratefully accepted. Click to Donate.
The length of each ngöndro retreat is longer than usual because Khenpo Tenzin recognizes that each person’s conditions will vary and some may work full time, part time, or be retired. You will be required to do a minimum of one session of practice everyday for each ngondro retreat.
We encourage anyone who has been wanting to dive deeper into practice to take advantage of this beneficial opportunity!
