Details:
Date: Monday 23rd February – Wednesday 4th March
Retreat Leaders: Phara Khenchen Rinpoche (Tulku-la) & Di Carroll
Requirements: Ideally one would have received a full kriya tantra empowerment. However it is possible to join if one has received a White Tara ‘Je Nang’ permission to practise. (In the West this is often called a White Tara Long Life Initiation.)
Cost: Generosity Model – Donation only (via the donation form at the bottom of the page; no set amount). Land of Joy provides: All meals, accommodation, workshops, materials and good firewood for soulful nights.
Format: Onsite Only / Retreat begins: 7pm on the 23rd February / Retreat ends: after lunch on 4th March
Recommended arrival: 3pm – 5pm to join for supper and get settled into the space
Accommodation: Land of Joy wishes for everyone who visits the centre to feel welcome, accepted, safe and secure. Our accommodation options are very limited, with mostly single-sex shared accommodation and a very limited number of single rooms. Single accommodation can therefore only be offered on a priority basis. Please read the relevant sections of the booking form carefully.
A Precious Opportunity for Practice
We are delighted to host a 10-day White Tara Long Life Retreat dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Held during the Days of Miracles—the auspicious period after Tibetan New Year (Losar) when virtuous actions are said to be powerfully multiplied—this retreat offers a special opportunity to gather merit and make heartfelt prayers for His Holiness’s continued health and activity.
At the time of the retreat Buddhist communities worldwide will be continuing to mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th year by offering prayers for his long life. If you feel a connection with His Holiness, this is a particularly meaningful time to join in practice and dedication. You are also invited to dedicate for your teachers, family, friends, all beings, and yourself—for health, happiness, and longevity.
White Tara, the female Buddha of compassion and long life, is known for her blessings that promote vitality, wisdom, and the removal of obstacles. During the retreat, there will be a chance to observe the Eight Mahayana Precepts for one day, and on the final day, we will celebrate Chotrül Düchen (the Day of Miracles) together—an especially auspicious time to accumulate merit and make aspirations.
This will be the first retreat led by Phara Khenchen Rinpoche (Tulku-la) at Land of Joy, and we are deeply grateful to him for sharing his time and wisdom, supported by Di Carroll.
About the Retreat
The retreat will be structured but gentle, creating the conditions to go deeper day by day. You will experience:
- Daily White Tara sadhana with mantra recitation
- Discussions with the retreat leaders
- Group prayers and dedications for the long life of His Holiness
- Spacious time for silence, reflection, and integration
- Supportive community conditions that help stabilise practice
- An opportunity to observe the eight Mahayana Precepts on one of the days
The retreat will be structured but gentle, creating the conditions to go deeper day by day. You will experience:
- Daily White Tara sadhana with mantra recitation
- Discussions with the retreat leaders
- Group prayers and dedications for the long life of His Holiness
- Spacious time for silence, reflection, and integration
- Supportive community conditions that help stabilise practice
- An opportunity to observe the eight Mahayana Precepts on one of the days
Why Attend?
Practising White Tara in a focused retreat setting—especially during the Days of Miracles—amplifies every prayer and mantra. It’s both a heartfelt offering for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and a profound support for your own well-being, clarity, and resilience.
Set amid the quiet Northumberland countryside, Land of Joy provides the perfect conditions for retreat. Simple, comfortable accommodation, nourishing vegetarian meals, and an atmosphere of kindness and generosity allow participants to fully immerse themselves in practice. The centre is sustained entirely by donations, embodying the Buddhist spirit of offering and creating a supportive environment of trust and openness.
Retreat Boundaries
To help create the best conditions for practice, this retreat will be held within a supportive framework:
- Silence – Silence will be observed outside of group sessions during some periods of the day to encourage calm and inward focus.
- Technology-free space – You will be encouraged to switch off phones, laptops and other devices for the duration of the retreat, except for reading texts and other dharma related material.
- Respecting the schedule – Participants are asked to attend all sessions on time, as consistency supports both personal practice and the group environment.
- Mindful living – Meals and daily activities will be approached with awareness, becoming part of the retreat practice itself.
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Ethical conduct – Participants are asked to respect and follow the five precepts for the duration of the retreat
Ethical conduct – Participants are asked to respect and follow the five precepts for the duration of the retreat
These boundaries are not restrictions but supports — creating a safe, focused space in which the mind can settle and deepen.
About the Retreat Leaders
Phara Khenchen Rinpoche
Phara Khenchen Rinpoche (Tulku-la) is recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the highly realised and respected Buddhist teacher, Khensur Pema Gyaltsen. In 1990, at the age of four, he was smuggled out of Tibet to South India, where he was lovingly cared for and educated at Drepung Monastery.
Under the close guidance of his beloved teacher, Geshe Wangchen, Tulku-la trained for 25 years, completing his monastic education and achieving the Geshe Degree. He then went on to study for a year at Gyumed Tantric College, deepening his understanding of tantric practice.
Tulku-la is widely appreciated not only for his profound and powerful spiritual qualities but also for his cheerful, relaxed, kind, and humble personality. His guidance brings together depth of study, authenticity of lineage, and a warm presence that inspires confidence and devotion.
