About Tergar
Tergar Meditation Community is the global organisation of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche — one of the most beloved and scientifically studied meditation masters of our time. Founded to make the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism accessible to people everywhere, Tergar offers a structured path of meditation and dharma study spanning beginner to advanced Vajrayana levels. With 108 practice groups in 30+ countries and 30,000 event registrations per year, it is one of the most active Buddhist communities in the world.
What sets Tergar apart is Mingyur Rinpoche's unique synthesis of traditional Kagyu-Nyingma meditation with contemporary neuroscience. As a child, Rinpoche suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks — which he eventually learned to transform through meditation. He later collaborated with neuroscientist Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin, becoming one of the most-studied meditators in the history of brain science. His findings inform every level of Tergar's teaching.
Tergar India is rooted in Tergar Monastery in Bodh Gaya, the holiest site in Buddhism. In-person events with Mingyur Rinpoche are held globally throughout the year, with live streaming available for most programs. All major programs are interpreted into Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Programs & Paths
Tergar offers a complete, step-by-step progression — from a first taste of meditation to advanced Vajrayana transmission. Each level builds on the last.
2026 Event Schedule
| Event | Date | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahamudra & the Luminous Mind Third Karmapa's Aspiration Prayer | Apr 10–12 | Online | Online |
| Blueprints of Awakening: Effortless Liberation With Mingyur Rinpoche | May 22–24 | Online | Online |
| Path of Liberation Levels 1 & 2 France (Mauges-sur-Loire) | Jul 10–15 | In-person + Live Stream | ✓ Open |
| Anytime Anywhere Meditation Workshop Streamed live from France | Jul 18–19 | Online | Online |
| Path of Liberation Levels 1 & 2 Portland, Oregon, USA | Jul 24–29 | In-person + Live Stream | ✓ Open |
| Path of Liberation Levels 3 & 4 Advanced students | Sep 18–21 | Online | Online |
| Path of Liberation Levels 1 & 2 Melbourne & Bendigo, Australia | Aug 31–Sep 4 | In-person + Live Stream | ✓ Open |
| Dorje Drolö Dzogchen Transmission Live from Kathmandu, Nepal | Dec 11–14 | Online | Online |
Full schedule at tergar.org/2026. Most events offer live streaming with interpretation in 6+ languages.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Born in Nepal in 1975, Mingyur Rinpoche began studying meditation with his father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, from childhood. As a young boy he suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks — which he eventually learned to transform through the practice of meditation itself. This personal experience of using practice to meet and overcome the mind's difficulties became the foundation of his teaching style. He later collaborated with neuroscientist Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin, participating in brain-scanning research that documented extraordinary gamma wave activity during his meditation practice, making him one of the most scientifically studied meditators on the planet. His first book, The Joy of Living, debuted on the New York Times bestseller list. He appeared in the Netflix series The Mind, Explained. In 2011, he left his monastery to undertake a four-year wandering retreat throughout India — an extraordinary journey documented in his book In Love with the World.
Books by Mingyur Rinpoche
What Practitioners Say
I started Joy of Living with zero meditation experience and enormous skepticism. Twelve weeks later I can genuinely say it changed something fundamental. Rinpoche's way of teaching — humorous, personal, always grounded in his own experience — cuts through in a way that most teachers I've encountered don't. The science context helps. I've since started Level 2.
The pointing-out instruction at the end of Level 2 was unlike anything I expected. I had read about recognising awareness in Buddhist books for years — but there's a reason Rinpoche insists this instruction can only be given in person. The retreat format, the community, the build-up over six days — it all matters. If you are on the Vajrayana path, do not miss a chance to attend in person.
Started with the free Anytime Anywhere Meditation — fifteen minutes a day, just following the app. Within three weeks I noticed a genuine shift in how I handle stress at work. The fact that Rinpoche himself teaches these basic practices with the same depth and care as his advanced retreats says everything about Tergar's approach. He truly believes everyone is already awake.