3-Year Retreat

The 2028 3-year retreat is now full – filling out an application will add you to the waitlist. If spaces open we will reach out to invite you to schedule an interview.

Our most anticipated program is the 3-Year Retreat.

This is a specific retreat format in which participants spend 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days following a rigorous curriculum of intensive meditation practices, dedicating approximately 16 hours a day to formal meditation sessions. For over a thousand years, Tibetans have undertaken long-term meditation retreats like this. Often, yogis would meditate alone in caves for many years, supported by residents of nearby villages.

According to the Vajrayana Buddhist system, it is possible to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime. The idea of the three-year retreat is to condense an entire lifetime of wisdom practice into the shortest possible period, seeking enlightenment directly. Traditionally, the three-year retreat has been considered a prerequisite for becoming a lama (i.e., a meditation master).

The retreat is secluded, meaning participants remain within the retreat boundaries for its entire duration without any visitors. In a modern context, this also means no phone calls, emails, or internet access.

This tradition was brought to the West in the 1970s. Since then, hundreds of practitioners have participated in three-year retreats in France, Spain, Canada, the United States, Australia, and other countries.

We hope to establish a continuous cycle of 3-year retreats at Tergar Samadhi (Podentes, Portugal). Our goal is to begin the first 3-year retreat in November 2028.

We have also compiled an FAQ section with more information.