Yuthok Nyingthig Ngöndro
Seven dAy group retreat guided by WENDY LITTNER THOMSON
AT MENLA RETREAT IN THE CATSKILLS, NEW YORK
February 5 - 13 2026
(Seven full days of practice February 6 - 12)
Check in 3 - 6pm on Thursday, February 5th
Check out Friday February 13th before 12pm
In-PERSON RETREAT PRICE:
Commuter $900: Includes retreat + three meals a day (participants must book their own alternative lodging at Menla (through the Menla front desk) or commute from offsite.
Residential $1500 - $1900: Includes retreat, three meals a day, and onsite accommodation in Menla’s Snow Lion cabin (single or double or single occupancy)
Application form for in person participation below
Limited to 15 residential guests
(10% off early bird until December 5th 2025)
Ngöndro, meaning ‘foundational' or 'preliminary' practices is the root of the tree out of which all other Vajrayana Buddhist practices grow. Yuthok’s ngöndro, traditionally done in the context of a seven day retreat is incredibly transformative to one's mind, health, and life, and is the gateway into the profound path of the Yuthok Nyingthig.
This seven day intensive retreat combines sessions of silent meditation, group mantra recitation, prostrations, visualization and contemplation while immersed within the healing natural environment of Menla Retreat, known as “Tibet in the Catskills” with an abundance of hiking trails.
Daily practice Schedule:
8am: Breakfast
9am - 1pm: Practice Session One
1 - 3pm: Lunch and Break
3- 7pm: Practice Session Two
(afternoon sessions will be self-guided on days 4 - 7)
7pm Dinner
8pm Shanglon Protector Practice
IN PERSON REGISTRATION
Please note that this is an intensive retreat with approximately eight hours of practice a day.
In order to assess if it is a good fit for you, kindly fill out this brief form.
After reviewing your form, you will be sent a link to register for the retreat.
New students may be requested to have a short Zoom call with facilitator prior to registering.
Yuthok Nyingthig, the ‘Heart Essence of Yuthok.' This unique and comprehensive set of Tibetan Buddhist practices was transmitted by Yuthok Yönten Gönpo the Younger, the great 12th century Tibetan physician and meditation adept who is considered to be an emanation of Medicine Buddha. It is a complete system of practice from the Anuttarayogatantra (Highest Yoga Tantra) class of teachings, beginning with Ngöndro (the preliminaries) and progressing through Kyerim and Dzogrim (Creation and Completion Stage practices) to the highest practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen.
The tradition includes concise and essential methods perfectly suited for busy contemporary practitioners that offer both worldly benefits including improved health and longevity for oneself and others, as well as the ultimate benefit of complete spiritual liberation. The Yuthok Nyingthig is the main spiritual tradition connected with Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine), and it contains many unique methods to heighten the intuitive, diagnostic, and healing capacities of doctors. It is the only complete cycle of Vajrayana teachings in which Medicine Buddha as a yidam (personal meditative deity).
Yuthok Nyingthig meditation practices are traditionally done in the context of a seven day retreat, making them practical and accessible in these modern busy times.
WENDY LITTNER THOMSON
Wendy Littner Thomson is a dedicated student of Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Yuthok Nyingthig Practitioner, Sowa Rigpa Counselor, Sowa Rigpa Yoga Practitioner, and Certified Nejang Yoga Teacher. With a background working in Hospice, Wendy is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a private practice where she specializes in end-of-life, loss, grief, bereavement, and life transition issues. Wendy is a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional and has taught on a range of mental health topics in her community and internationally.
SOWA RIGPA INSTITUTE AT MENLA
This program is being presented by the Sowa Rigpa Institute at Menla.
In honor of the close spiritual connection between Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and Professor Robert Thurman and to contribute to Menla’s mission of being a center of healing, Sowa Rigpa Institute has installed a statue of Yuthok Yönten Gönpo and initiated a series of activities to support a growing East coast sangha. Small group Yuthok Nyingthig retreats and in-person Sowa Rigpa Institute practical intensives will take place annually.
