Winter Retreat: The Practice of Tummo

During this four-day winter retreat, Younge Khachab Rinpoche will give oral instructions on the practice of tummo drawn from the teachings of the great Kagyu masters of the past, including Tilopa, Naropa, Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, and the Second Sharmapa.

Tummo, commonly translated as “inner fire,” is a profound completion stage practice of Vajrayana Buddhism. It works directly with the subtle body: the channels (tsa), winds or energies (lung), and vital essences (tigle). Through meditation, visualization, and special methods of breathing, the practitioner brings body, speech, and mind together within a single practice.

Although tummo is known for generating physical warmth, this is not its essential purpose. The practice is a method for purifying the body, gathering the subtle winds, and awakening the innate wisdom of bliss and emptiness. It also establishes an important foundation for the other completion stage practices of the Six Yogas of Naropa.

These teachings belong to a living lineage and are meant to be received through the guidance of a qualified teacher. This retreat will give practitioners an opportunity to receive Rinpoche’s direct instruction, practice together, and connect with the experience of the Kagyu masters who have transmitted these methods across generations.

Because tummo is an advanced Vajrayana practice, this is a restricted retreat to participants who must have previously received a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment from a qualified teacher.