SAKYONG LINEAGE™ 2026 Teachings
As winter approaches and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche completes this year’s cycle of teachings in December, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on Rinpoche’s dharma activities this year and to share the developing plans for 2026 and the Year of the Fire Horse.
2025 In Review: The Year of the Wood Snake
Before the beginning of the Year of the Wood Snake, Rinpoche offered the refuge vow during the first teaching event of the Foundations of Dharma mahayana teaching cycle. He then guided vajrayana students during the Dön Day teaching and practice in preparation for the new year.
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche began the year of the Wood Snake with the Losar-New Year’s address following Losar celebrations in Asia.
In mid-March, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Sakyong Wangmo Dechen Chöying Sangmo welcomed student pilgrims to the Dollu Valley in Pharping, Nepal, for a five-day Mahayana Pilgrimage followed by a six-day Vajrayana Pilgrimage. Rinpoche gave many profound teachings and blessings in the magnificent main shrine room at Rigon Tashi Choeling Monastery. Everyone felt blessed and empowered by the guru, the lineage, the dharma, and Pharping’s direct connection to Padmasambhava.
Following heartfelt supplications to both RInpoche and the Sakyong Wangmo from vajrayana students, RInpoche and the Sakyong Wangmo had generously agreed to hold a two-week Vajrayana Retreat in Nepal immediately following the Vajrayana Pilgrimage. More than seventy students set up shrines in their individual guesthouse rooms and followed a rigorous practice schedule designed by Rinpoche. This was a rare opportunity for intensive practice close to our guru and the Sakyong Wangmo, in the very place where Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava, and many others practiced and became realized.
While guiding retreatants in Nepal, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche opened the third online cycle of Amitayus teachings and bestowed the samaya vow upon new, re-entering, and returning vajrayana students. In May, Rinpoche continued the mahayana and vajrayana teaching cycles, including a two-day Amitayus intensive. This was followed by a five-day online Mahayana Retreat in June.
In the summer, students had the good fortune of hosting Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the Sakyong Wangmo, Jetsun Drukmo Rinpoche, Jetsun Yudra, and Jetsun Dzedron in Vermont, and Rinpoche and the Sakyong Wangmo in Switzerland, during the in-person Mahayana and Vajrayana Retreats. These were truly wonderful occasions for everyone. The Mahayana Retreats were each an opportunity to deepen in the practice of Planting the Seed of Bodhichitta with Rinpoche and also to receive Tayé: Boundless, a new practice on the Four Immeasurables, now published for the first time. It was incredibly powerful to experience this new text with our teacher’s gentle guidance. During Vajrayana Retreats students practiced The Sadhana of Calling the Vajra Guru from Afar and The Sadhana of Glorious Amitayus with Rinpoche and the Sakyong Wangmo. The vajrayana retreats concluded with Rain of Blessings feast practice. Rinpoche gave remarkably pithy instructions, and the Sakyong Wangmo taught us how to sing the mantra in her beautiful voice. The events felt joyous and celebratory, it was so meaningful to be together in-person.
Mahayana online events continued through the fall and vajrayana students continued to receive teachings and instructions on Amitayus practice. In October, Rinpoche also offered a powerful five-day Vajrayana Retreat online for students to deepen their practice and a one-day Guided Meditation event for new students.
After Rinpoche concludes the mahayana and vajrayana teaching cycles this year, there will be one last opportunity to receive teachings from him in 2025. On December 13 and 14, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will present a special Sadhana of the Buddha Weekend Retreat to introduce The Sadhana of the Buddha, a newer practice establishing a deep connection to the Buddha Shakyamuni.
Looking Ahead to 2026: The Year of the Fire Horse
In the coming year, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will continue to deepen our understanding of the foundational mahayana teachings through online weekend teachings, online retreats, and in-person retreats in Vermont and Switzerland. He will continue the vajrayana teaching cycle on Amitayus through online weekend teachings and an online retreat, as well as in-person retreats in Vermont, and Switzerland. In the fall, there will be another opportunity for new students to receive introductory guided meditation from Rinpoche online.
In addition to all this, Rinpoche will lead a vajrayana pilgrimage soon after Losar, followed by a two-week individual retreat practice for vajrayana students who already have experience staying in Nepal.
Below is a short description of all the teaching events that Rinpoche is open to offering when students supplicate for them. Our supplications to receive the dharma create connection and the basis for Rinpoche’s teachings.
Foundations of Mahayana
After Losar, The Foundations of Dharma teaching cycle will continue with mahayana teachings, and include continued practice of Planting of the Seed of Bodhichitta, as well as teachings on the four limitless ones and the practice of Tayé: Boundless. Students are welcome to join even if they did not attend previously. In order to establish a lineage connection, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will offer refuge vows at the first event. In the spring of 2026, Rinpoche will lead a five-day Online Mahayana Retreat, open to all mahayana and vajrayana students.
Ongoing engagement in the Foundation Series is also the basis for requesting to begin vajrayana study with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in the future. Experienced mahayana and vajrayana practitioners are encouraged to attend Foundation series teachings to strengthen their understanding of core elements of the path. Vajrayana students who have renewed samaya may attend individual talks in this series as they are able.
Online Vajrayana Teachings
In April, Rinpoche will start the next cycle of Amitayus: The Guru of Infinite Life. All of Rinpoche’s vajrayana students who have renewed samaya are invited to join him for this series of weekends spread throughout the year. These events include optional practice opportunities on Saturdays, followed by the teachings with Rinpoche on Sundays. Students are encouraged to receive the Amitayus Abhisheka in-person with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche whenever they are able and it is important that they also receive the lung for the practices when they can. In the fall of 2026, Rinpoche will lead an online vajrayana group retreat. Vajrayana students who want to study with Rinpoche, but have not renewed their samaya, can learn more by writing to connect@sakyonglineage.org.
Continuing Opportunities for New Students
Also, in the fall, there will be an opportunity for new students to connect with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, who are not yet familiar with SAKYONG LINEAGE spiritual teachings, religious practices, ceremonies, activities, and events. This teaching event, titled Guided Meditation, is listed in the teaching schedule below. It is an ideal opportunity for newer students to experience Rinpoche’s teachings, learn to meditate, and, if they wish, prepare to take refuge and enter the Foundations teaching series.
Spring Vajrayana Pilgrimage to Nepal and Vajrayana Retreat
In response to supplications from a large group of students, in mid-March Rinpoche will lead a vajrayana pilgrimage, and then a two-week vajrayana practice retreat. Rinpoche has stressed that retreats like these are not a new requirement, or “the next thing,” but come from the inspiration of the students wishing to practice intensively in Nepal when Rinpoche is in residence. Information about these pilgrimages has been sent out. If you would like information, please write to connect@sakyonglineage.org.
In-Person Gatherings in the West
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will give in-person mahayana and vajrayana teachings in Vermont and Switzerland next summer. These gatherings will be opportunities for students to gather with the teacher to receive blessings in person and to practice with the sangha. The mahayana teachings will focus on the topics from the Foundations series. During the vajrayana retreats, Rinpoche will support students on the path of the Amitayus sadhana teachings. There is no Amitayus Abhisheka planned for the vajrayana retreats, however Rinpoche is open to bestowing the empowerment again if a sizable number of students supplicate for it.
The Sadhana of the Buddha
In December 2026, Rinpoche will lead the third two-day exploration of the Sadhana of the Buddha, first introduced at in-person retreats in 2023, and taught further on in December of 2024 and 2025. People were deeply inspired by this practice that felt like a means to meet the Buddha face-to-face.
2026 Teaching Schedule
The schedule of online teachings and in-person gatherings planned for 2026 can be viewed at https://sakyonglineage.org/2026-teaching-schedule/. The exact timing and order of events may change. Additional online and in-person events may be added based on student supplications during the year.