This year's eight-set Nyungne fasting retreat at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat began on April 20, 2025, with the empowerment of Avalokiteshvara conferred by the monastic seat's Retreat Master, Lama Ratna. At the request of numerous devoted disciples, the retreat was organized by the Palpung Institute of Buddhist Studies.

The retreat was once again led by the monastic seat's Senior Chanting Master, Lama Dönme, who bestowed the instructions and transmissions related to the Nyungne practice upon the dedicated practitioners in attendance. With a motivation and conduct inspired by genuine renunciation and bodhichitta, the retreatants commenced practicing the Nyungne Sadhana of Gelongma Palmo’s tradition in the presence of the sacred Avalokiteshvara mandala by taking the eight Nyungne precepts. They practiced austerity of the body by enduring hunger and thirst, austerity of speech by maintaining silence, and austerity of the mind by avoiding negative thoughts, along with performing cleansing and purification rituals. Thus they took all arisings onto the path of practice, akin to the continuous flow of a river of virtue.

The Nyungne retreat was auspiciously concluded on May 6 with an elaborate ganachakra, which comprised purification and accumulation practices of making offerings to delight the four types of guests, encompassing both samsaric beings as well as those who have transcended samsara.

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