Ngöndro Group Practice: Refuge

Following on from the teachings with our precious guru Geshe Tenzin Zopa, this regular monthly practice will help maintain the momentum of the teachings, and our enthusiasm for practice over the long-term. With especially prepared resource materials and the support of the group we will be able to fulfill our first Ngöndro commitment, and be ready for the second Ngöndro with Geshe-la in 2025.

We understand the challenges of long-term practice and are committed to supporting you every step of the way. Guided meditations, group discussions, and the company of your fellow Ngöndro participants will help you stay motivated to complete this first of the preliminary practices.

Over the coming months we will be preparing special resources for you to draw on, including transcripts of Geshe-la’s teachings, summaries of the main points, and short pithy meditations to bring the topics deep into your experience.

The First Ngondro: Refuge
A key component of Ngöndro is the practice of taking refuge. While we often seek temporary refuges in life, the ultimate refuge is buddhahood itself. By sincerely taking refuge in the Three Jewels, we open ourselves to the blessings and transformative power of the Buddha’s teachings.

In this ngöndro, we think of our guru as a buddha and feel that all the buddhas are present with him in front of us. The cause for us to receive their blessings is our aspiration.

You can consider yourself a Buddhist if you feel that buddhas are really present and if you are confident in their power to free you definitively from suffering; and not only you but all other beings. If you feel this intensely, strongly, this is the real, actual taking refuge.