Time to Share
Slowly, our community continues to grow, and we warmly welcome our new members. We are grateful to walk this meditation path together under the guidance of Mingyur Rinpoche.
In this newsletter, members of our community share their experiences and stories—from the Joy of Living teachings with George Hughes, to the Meditation Teacher Program, and the first sacred pilgrimage to Nepal. Their reflections highlight the strength of community: how we practice and learn together, support one another, and share in our basic goodness.
You’ll also have the opportunity to connect online with the (global) Tergar community during the consecration of Tergar Osel Ling—a celebration not to be missed—as well as during the reading transmission and teachings with Khenpo Pema Oser in June. 🙏🏼
But first, we begin with an announcement:
We are excited to announce the new online Practice group Joy of Living 2 (JOL2) with Janni Younge, starting on the 4th of May from 18:30 - 19:45.
This level focuses on cultivating compassion, loving-kindness, and opening the heart. The group meets weekly for practice, video teachings, and group discussions in a supportive environment.
If you are interested in joining this cohort, please contact Paul Boyter via email: [email protected] or WhatsApp on: 0844468746.
Please note that to join this group, you must have completed Joy of Living Level 1 and be enrolled in the Joy of Living Level 2 online course on Tergar Learning.
You’ll also need copies of Joyful Wisdom and The Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. You can order these books with Huni via email [email protected] or WhatsApp on 0829012178.
Joy of Living Teachings with George Hughes
We look back at three insightful and inspiring Joy of Living weekend teachings with George Hughes as our skillful TI guide, and our community members Janni Younge, Luke Younge and Angelic Pieplenbosch in their role as facilitators.
We love to share with you some feedback from participants.
JOL1 Cape Town
"The JOL1 weekend workshop with George Hughes was a truly valuable experience. The weekend was well organised throughout and hosted in a beautiful space. George was incredibly patient in answering all of my questions, and I learnt so much from his guidance, as well as from the support of Janni, Luke and the other participants. Although I was hearing the material for the third time, I still discovered new insights, and I appreciated how helpful it can be to hear the teachings in different ways and with fresh perspectives. The opportunity to come together with others to practice and learn made the weekend especially meaningful, and I left feeling motivated to keep practising!"
Jessica Nurick -
JOL2 Cape Town
"There is something very special about meditating on compassion for an entire weekend — applying your mind to the fundamental truth that we ALL want to be happy, from your dearest loved one to someone you find difficult to the cashier you interact with when grocery shopping. At JOL 2, we practised recognising our basic goodness, along with its innate loving-compassion, and how all beings share an aversion to suffering. Through George’s skillful guidance, we engaged deeply with Mingyur Rinpoche’s profound yet accessible teachings. By the end of the weekend, what had started as a mix of largely “neutral” beings, many of whom had never met, became a softened and inspired collective, recognising and celebrating open-heartedness, love, hope, gratitude, good will, joy, compassion and equanimity. Thank you to Tergar and all the volunteers and facilitators who made such a precious weekend possible!"
Janique Marshall -
JOL1 Johannesburg
“I found this 2 day workshop to be an easy going, and nevertheless profound experience of “coming home” to myself, coming into presence. Learning about and practicing the varied techniques in meditation that made up this course work, brought new levels of clarity around the different channels, if you will, of how I can recognise different facets of awareness.”
Natalie Stobaus -
With heartfelt gratitude to George for the opportunity to receive these teachings in-person, and to the organisers, volunteers, and facilitators whose quiet dedication made these precious gatherings possible in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Meditation Teacher Program (MTP) by Mingyur Rinpoche
For everyone who is considering teaching meditation: This is a reminder that the application period for the next Meditation Teacher Program (MTP) is still open!
This immersive experience blends the wisdom of meditation practice with the latest scientific insights, grounding you in Mingyur Rinpoche’s approach. The MTP is a year-long, 240-hour immersive training and equips you with everything you need to share meditation authentically — whether with a room full of students or just one person who really needs it. Tergar’s experiential approach will allow you not only to become a teacher for others, but a teacher for yourself.
Within Tergar South Africa we are grateful to anounce that four of our community members have already been part of this amazing opportunity to follow the current MTP program. Their gradutation date will be in July/August this year: Janni Younge, Alex Kunkhyen and Luke Younge based in Cape Town and Angelic Pieplenbosch, based in Johannesburg.
What Is Your Experience With the MTP So Far?
“I am one of the lucky people who received a scholarship for the Meditation Teacher Program last year. Six months into the program, I can tell you it has been a very exciting and meaningful journey. I’ve been guiding a meditation group for a while, but this program has given me more insight and experience on how to share meditation simply, clearly, and inspiringly. Also, I feel more deeply connected and held by the lineage, and I'm inspired by the various ways we are encouraged to share authentically. Most importantly, the program has contributed to a growing sense of inner well-being.”
Angelic Pieplenbosch, Johannesburg -
In the next edition, the Tergar MTP Scholarship will focus on Young Adults, supporting aspiring meditation teachers aged 18-35 who will shape the future of contemplative practice.
Dates to keep in mind:
Application Period: March 10 - June 21, 2026
Classes Period: September 14, 2026 - July 28, 2027
Breaks: Dec 14, 2026 - Jan 10, 2027 & April 5-25, 2027.
Any applications received after June 21, 2026 will be added to the 2027 waitlist.
Do you want to learn more about the MTP program or the application progress? Please WhatsApp Angelic on 0727517093 or Luke on 0846828219. You can also visit the Tergar International website:
Witnessing History
The Sacred Nepal Pilgrimage Group at the Consecration of Tergar Osel Ling
- written by Alex Kunkhyen -
There is a moment I return to often.
I was at Osel Ling in Kathmandu to see Mingyur Rinpoche. The monastery was in the midst of one of the grand pujas of the year. It was also the time of Lama Tashi’s passing — Rinpoche’s grandfather — a moment that carried its own quiet significance. The main temple was a pile of rubble, still raw from the 2015 earthquake that had devastated so much of what had stood there for generations.
And yet, life continued. A small shrine room held everything — the prayers, the teachings, the warmth of practice. For years, Tergar was a building site, slowly, quietly, faithfully rebuilding itself. And now — here we are.
Tergar Osel Ling is reopening. If you stand on Swayambhu, on Stupa Hill, and look across the valley, you will see it — a glorious, luminous icon of dharma rising against the Kathmandu sky.
Nepal has been a teacher to me in ways I am still understanding. Over many years, Dharma friends who had lived in Kathmandu for decades guided me through its sacred landscape — beautiful, sometimes eccentric, deeply devoted people who knew every hidden courtyard, every ancient stupa, every whispered story behind a weathered shrine. Beneath the apparent chaos of the city, you could sense the tantric mandala that underlies it all — Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, the cremation grounds, the valley itself as a sacred container of centuries of blessing.
It was this — combined with the consecration of Tergar Osel Ling and the Mahamudra teachings of His Holiness Tai Situ Rinpoche — that inspired Tergar South Africa to host its first pilgrimage which will get underway next month. We imagined something intimate, a group of perhaps twelve. We now have sixteen pilgrims — from South Africa, Turkey, and the United States — a small constellation of practitioners drawn together by the same aspiration from very different corners of the world.
The Journey
We arrive on 30 May, immediately immersing in the sacred atmosphere with visits to the Mahakala Temple, Vajrayogini Temple, and the ancient Swayambhunath Stupa. The following morning we witness the historic consecration ceremony itself — the moment years of rebuilding and faith have been leading toward.
The days that follow are extraordinarily rich. We receive Mahamudra teachings from both His Holiness Tai Situ Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche — two days of profound instruction in the very heart of the tradition. We participate in a White Tara longevity puja and an elaborate tsok offering, and receive the sacred Vajravarahi empowerment.
We then move deeper into the sacred landscape of the valley — the inner tantric circuit of Kathmandu, the living artisan workshops of Patan and Bhaktapur where sacred statues and thangkas are still made by hand, Cho practice and lunch with the monks of Thrangu Monastery at Namo Buddha, a Medicine Buddha ritual with Dr. Tsering at Pharping, and a final programme with His Holiness Tai Situ Rinpoche at Boudhanath Stupa, with visits to Pashupatinath and the caves of the mahasiddhas Tilopa and Naropa.
Eleven days in one of the most sacred environments on earth.
Be Part of This Sacred Occasion
The consecration of Tergar Osel Ling sends ripples far beyond the walls of any temple. If you feel called to be part of this historic occasion, we warmly invite you to make an offering — one that will be presented at the ceremonies themselves, on your behalf, on the full moon of Saga Dawa.
This is your opportunity to plant a seed of merit at one of the most auspicious moments in our tradition’s recent history. To be part of something that has been years in the making — and that will endure for generations to come.
Donation Details
Account Name: Tergar South Africa NPC
Bank: First National Bank
Branch Code: 255355
Account Number: 63127631405
Swift: FIRNZAJJ
Reference: Osel Ling – [Your Name]
All offerings, of any amount, are received with deep gratitude and will be dedicated with full ceremony on your behalf.
More information on the Grand Opening Tergar Osel Ling Monastery
31 May — 4 June, 2026, In-person and online, Free and open to all
An International Gathering and Once‑in‑a‑Generation Celebration to Celebrate • Learn • Practice • Build Community.
Tergar Osel Ling Monastery stands at the heart and living center of the lineage of our teacher, His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. From this sacred home, the Tergar Sangha—a mandala of unique organizations and our global community of students, practitioners, teachers, donors, and volunteers—works in unity to nurture human flourishing through the cultivation of awareness, compassion, and wisdom.
Severely damaged in the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Osel Ling has been lovingly rebuilt through the devotion, generosity, and service of our worldwide community, transforming loss into a radiant expression of resilience and connection.
Join from May 31— June 4 2026 for a most auspicious event to commemorate Tergar Osel Ling Monastery as the spiritual core of learning and practice for our global community, with teachings from H.H. Tai Situ Rinpoche and H.E. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche along with a cultural celebration of our Tergar Sangha.
What to Expect
Across five unforgettable days, the Grand Opening of Tergar Osel Ling Monastery will bring together the global Tergar community in a celebration, practice, and unity.
The gathering will include:
- Ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessings led by H.H. Tai Situ Rinpoche
- Rabne Puja and consecration ceremony
- Mahamudra Teachings led by H.H. Tai Situ Rinpoche and His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
- Cultural performances
- Presentations and offerings from Tergar’s global mandala of organizations
- Guided meditations and shared practice sessions
- A culminating Vajra Yogini empowerment ceremony
Together, these moments will open a new chapter for the Tergar Sangha in celebration, service, and shared purpose.
For those unable to travel to Kathmandu, the celebration will be livestreamed, inviting our global community to join in spirit.
This event is free and open to all. Sign up to receive updates the moment registration opens and stay connected as this celebration unfolds:
Upcoming event in June:
Live Zoom reading transmission and teaching with
Khenpo Pema Oser on Mingyur Rinpoche’s text:
“A Reminder of Your True Nature — A Simple Feast Offering”
Friday 24th June 2026 5pm - Approximately 1.5 hours, open to all.
In the Vajrayana tradition, there is no more powerful way to accumulate merit and wisdom than to perform the tsok (feast) offering, traditionally practised twice a month on the 10th and 25th lunar days.
In this teaching and oral transmission of this very precious text from our teacher Mingyur Rinpoche, Khenpo Pema Oser will explain the meaning and symbolism of the practice, and how to work with it in our daily lives — for the benefit of our own dharma practice and of all beings.
Please note: Khenpo-la will teach in Tibetan, given the richness and profundity of this text, with live English translation.
About Khenpo Pema Oser
Khenpo Pema Oser is a senior teacher and Headmaster of the Shedra at Tergar Osel Ling Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. He completed his studies at Palpung Sherabling, the monastic seat of His Holiness Tai Situ Rinpoche, and is a beloved teacher not only to the monks under his care, but also to local dharma communities in Kathmandu. Having now joined Mingyur Rinpoche in several cities around the world, he also serves as a teacher of the method aspect of the Tergar treasury of teachings.
Khenpo-la is also something of a social media phenomenon, with some of his monthly dharma teachings going viral on TikTok and other platforms. His lightness, warmth, and gentle sense of humour — together with his gift for communicating the dharma in a simple and deeply relevant way — have made him much loved by students around the world.
Registration & Offering
This is a rare and precious opportunity to receive transmission and teaching from Khenpo-la on this very precious text from Mingyur Rinpoche.
Although this is a free event, we ask everyone to register in advance, and we warmly invite you to offer — in your own capacity and with an open heart — to Khenpo-la and to our translator in appreciation of this precious teaching.
Please save the date! Registration details to follow soon.
Community meditation in May
Cape Town: Join our First Sundays Community Meditation in Muizenberg on May 3rd, from 09:00 - 11:00.
Practice coordinators Roseanne & Bridgette. No experience needed!
Garden Route: Join us in Community meditation on May 17th, from 10:00 - 12:00.
Practice coordinator Lindsea Mitchell, 19 Karatara Road Sedgefield.
Joburg: Join us in Community practice on May 17th, from 10:00 - 12:00. HeartCore studio. Practice coordinator Paul (Angelic & Ilonka)