The Summer Retreat: Yarne and Sojong at Sed Gyued Monastery

A season of stillness
When the monsoon clouds gather over the hills of Sikkim and the rains begin to fall, the rhythm of life at Sed Gyued Monastery quietly changes. This is the time of Yarne, the summer rains retreat — a tradition the Buddhist monastic community has kept for more than two and a half thousand years, ever since the time of the Buddha himself.

Why the rains retreat began
In ancient India, the heavy monsoon made travel difficult, and wandering monks risked harming the many small creatures that emerged with the rains. The Buddha asked his disciples to remain in one place for the season, turning the months of rain into an opportunity for deepened practice. That same spirit lives on today in the courtyards and prayer halls of Sed Gyued.

Sojong: the renewal of vows
Twice each month, and with special care during Yarne, the monks gather for Sojong — a ceremony of confession and the renewal of monastic vows. Together they recite the precepts, acknowledge where they have fallen short, and begin again with a purified heart. It is a humble, steadying practice: a reminder that the path is walked not perfectly, but sincerely, one renewal at a time.

Days of study and meditation
Through the retreat, the younger monks devote themselves to memorisation and debate, while the senior monks guide long sessions of meditation and prayer. The pace slows. There is less travel, fewer visitors, and more time to sit with the teachings. In the quiet of the rains, the monastery becomes a vessel of concentrated practice.

An invitation to pause
You do not need to be a monk to draw something from this season. Yarne reminds all of us that there is value in slowing down, in staying put, in turning inward when the world outside grows grey and wet. Whatever your own tradition, perhaps these monsoon weeks can be your own small retreat — a time to renew an intention and begin again.

May all beings be well. From the monks and community of Sed Gyued Monastery, Sikkim.