The Joy of Living provides a course of meditation training for people of all faiths and backgrounds. The program contains three levels:
- Level I: Calming the Mind ∼ The Practice of Awareness Meditation
- Level II: Opening the Heart ∼ Cultivating Love and Compassion
- Level III: Awakening Wisdom ∼ Opening the Eye of Insight
The Tergar Meditation Center of Minneapolis/St. Paul offers various workshops and retreats for those who are interested in learning more about the Joy of Living. Below you will find more information about the different events we offer and when they are held. We hope you can join us!
Joy of Living weekend workshops
Joy of Living weekend meditation workshops are the heart of the Joy of Living program. With guidance from trained Tergar instructors and facilitators, video teachings by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, and plenty of time for short periods of meditation and group discussion, these weekends provide a rich introduction to the world of meditation. Anyone may attend level I. Levels II and III are open to those who have attended previous levels and practiced the teachings consistently for six months.
Upcoming Workshops and Mini-Retreats
Please see the calendar on our main page for upcoming Joy of Living events.
Joy of Living weekend retreats
Joy of Living weekend retreats are for those who wish to deepen their meditation through periods of dedicated practice. In contrast to Joy of Living workshops, which focus more on learning how to meditate, weekend retreats provide the space for a further exploration of the practices one has learned. Retreats involve periods of sitting meditation, movement meditation, and short video teachings by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
Meditators may attend one or both days of any given weekend retreat. Some prior experience with meditation is recommended for those who attend.
Joy of Living mini-retreats
Joy of Living mini-retreats are meant to provide continuing support to those who have participated in Joy of Living meditation workshops and residential retreats. Each session includes video teachings by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (featuring material that is not shown in weekend workshops), as well as guided meditations, group discussion, and walking meditation.
These donation-based drop-in sessions are open to those who have attended the relevant Joy of Living level. A Joy of Living I mini-retreat, for example, may be attended by anyone who has attended a Joy of Living I workshop or residential retreat.