Meditation Immersion Retreat in Portugal

This in-person residential retreat in the Monchique mountains offers a rare opportunity to step out of daily routines and enter sustained practice. With silence, structure, and the support of community, you’ll have the space to explore your experience more directly and steadily.

Rather than following a fixed format, you will develop a daily formal practice plan in dialogue with Senior Tergar Guides Tsunma Kunsang Palmo and Holger Yeshe. Throughout the week, you’ll receive guidance through daily talks and private interviews, allowing your practice to be both personally tailored and deeply supported.

Whether doing Joy of Living or Path of Liberation, nature of mind or other silent practices, this retreat offers:

• Space for immersion to practice — on and off the cushion — within a steady, distraction-free environment.
• Personal guidance. Work directly with the teachers to shape a practice that fits your needs and stage of development. 
• Clarity of view. Learn to distinguish between the conceptual mind and the natural clarity of awareness.
• Confidence through experience. Build trust in your own insight by becoming more familiar with your mind.
• Support when challenges arise. Receive timely feedback when you feel uncertain navigating points where you might feel stuck in your practice.
• Mahamudra lineage support. Practitioners from all traditions are welcome to receive guidance rooted in the Mahamudra tradition.

A Supported Environment for All Paths

Whether you are relatively new to meditation, practicing within Tergar’s programs, or coming from another tradition, this retreat welcomes you. 

For Those Newer to Retreat Practice: An ideal step in deepening your meditation. Evening talks introduce Tergar’s accessible approach while helping you build a strong experiential foundation.

For Tergar Students: A supportive setting to accumulate formal practice hours and deepen experiential understanding. (For Path of Liberation practitioners, meditation in the hall will be silent sitting practice.)

For Students from Other Traditions: An opportunity to experience the Tergar approach, connect with a global community, and explore how the Mahamudra perspective can illuminate your path.

What You Can Expect

• Daily silent sitting practice
• A personalized daily practice plan
• Private interviews with the teachers
• Daily Dharma talks

Who Can Join

This retreat is open to all, but it is important that participants have a basic understanding of meditation practice and have a meditation practice as there is not a focus on teaching beginning meditation practices. Ideally, participants will have attended the Joy of Living 1 workshop or completed the online Joy of Living 1 course (having completed the homework is not required) or have experience in another meditation tradition. If you have questions about this, please contact retreats@tergar-retreats.org.

This program is offered in person and in English only. 

Registration

The retreat cost is all-inclusive, including all costs for the program, room and board at Karuna (all prices are in Euros):

Sponsor Rate: €900 – This rate allows us to offer reduced rates to those who need financial assistance. Please consider choosing this option, or making an additional donation to Tergar Retreats if it is within your means.

Base Rate: €700 – Standard cost for attendance.

We offer a limited number of need-based scholarships for individuals with a strong intention to meditate but facing financial limitations. If this applies to you, please contact retreats@tergar-retreats.org to explore further scholarship options.

All funds for these retreats are being managed by Tergar Retreats, which is a 501c(3) non-profit in the USA. There is no tax charged. Any profits from the retreat, if there are any, will go towards future Tergar Retreats and also be partially shared with Tergar International.

Payment Schedule

A deposit of 50% of the total is due upon registration. The other 50% is due by May 1. Unless otherwise arranged, any remaining balance will be automatically charged to the same credit card that was used for your deposit on May 1 (we will send you a reminder before). Other payment requests can be arranged upon request.

Cancellation Policy

We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel your registration, the following refund schedule applies based on when we receive your written notice:

30+ days before the retreat: Full refund minus a €150 cancellation fee.

15 to 29 days before the retreat: Full refund minus a €300 cancellation fee.

Within 14 days of the retreat: No refunds can be provided once we are within two weeks of the start date.

Daily Schedule, Accommodations, Meals, Travel

For further information about the daily schedule, accommodations, meals and travel please see this document: Retreat Information, Meditation Immersion Retreat

In case of unforeseen circumstances, we recommend purchasing refundable tickets and/or trip cancellation insurance.

Testimonials from Previous Joy of Living Tergar Retreat Participants

“Receiving Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings with the support of the amazing guides and surrounded by a safe and welcoming community was life-changing. I am so grateful for the opportunity to practice this way.”

“It was the most wonderful spiritual journey I have undertaken. The teachings and guidance were extraordinary. It is a blessing to be part of the Tergar Community.”

“This retreat was exactly what I was looking for. Mind, body and soul reset. Absolutely brilliant and time flew. Keeping silence was an additional benefit to the overall teachings and meditations.”

“The retreat was a wonderful opportunity to practise meditation within a serene and supportive environment, guided by highly experienced instructors. Engaging with the Joy of Living program in this setting truly brought these practices to life for me.”

About the Karuna Retreat Center / Centro de Retiros Karuna

Karuna Retreat Center is located in the green mountains of Serra de Monchique in the Algarve. Serra the Monchique is known for its healing thermal water, medicinal plants, pure air and lush green landscapes. The Retreat Center offers a stunning view over Portugal’s southern coast and the Atlantic Ocean and is just 20 minutes away from pristine beaches and less than 10 minutes away from the picturesque village of Monchique. Karuna is amongst one of the most secluded and silent places in this area and is home to a variety of local flora and fauna. The Retreat Center’s property is isolated and perfect for those in search of silence, seclusion and peace.

About Tergar Retreats

Tergar Retreats is a non-profit organization specifically focused on supporting in-person meditation retreats in the Tergar lineage as taught by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. It is financially independent from Tergar International. As part of Mingyur Rinpoche’s larger vision and global projects, Tergar Retreats is a part of the Tergar Mandala that includes Tergar International, Tergar Schools, Tergar Institute, Tergar Asia, Tergar Sangha, Tergar Charity, and more.