A Sanctuary for Contemplative Practice
Tucked in the woods on the eastern edge of the Berkshires in Buckland, Massachusetts, Yangti Yoga Retreat Center sits on 66 acres of forested land. Quiet, unhurried, and removed from the pace of ordinary life. All aspects of the land create an auspicious container designed and held with the specific intention of supporting depth of practice, inner stillness, and the kind of sustained contemplative work that is difficult to find.
Here, the depth of Vajrayana practice meets the living landscape of New England. The forest, the pond, the silence and the shared inhabitants, seen and unseen, work toward the same end: the recognition of one’s own nature. Visit us and allow yourself to be changed by the same essential encounter.
THE CENTER
RETREAT CABINS
Four cabins on the property, each with the capacity for either light or dark retreat — supporting everything from a few days of retreat to extended stays of up to seven weeks. Three of the cabins and supporting bathroom and shower facilities are currently in development.
DARK RETREAT ROOM
A dedicated dark retreat room within the main cabin, offering an intimate and fully supported option for practitioners beginning their dark retreat practice or seeking a shorter stay.
SHRINE HALL
A two-story shrine hall provides dedicated space for group practice, teachings, transmissions, and ceremonial gatherings. Currently in development — opening 2027.
THE MAIN CABIN
The main residence and gathering space on the property, providing accommodation, meals, and a warm communal environment for retreatants and visiting teachers.
YUTHOK NYINGTHIK MEDITATION ROOM
A dedicated meditation room for the Yuthok Nyingthik located within the Main Cabin this provides an additional practice space complete with a 3 foot statue of Yuthok Yonten Gonpo.
66 ACRES OF LAND
Forested trails, a pond, and expansive natural landscape for walking, integration, and elemental practice. A seasonal vegetable and medicinal herb garden is also in development, contributing to the nourishing meals served to all guests.
NOURISHMENT & SUPPORT
NOURISHING FOOD
An often overlooked but essential dimension of retreat support is the quality of what sustains the body. At Yangti, all retreatants and guests receive nourishing, grounding meals prepared from whole foods sourced from local and seasonal suppliers. Rooted in the principles of Sowa Rigpa (the Tibetan science of healing) our approach to food treats nourishment as an integral part of practice: balancing the elements, supporting the nervous system, and creating the conditions for the mind to settle and go deep.
NOURISHMENT & SUPPORT
HEALING WITH THE LAND
With intensive practice such as dark retreat it is very important to allow sufficient time for intentional post retreat integration. We encourage guests to schedule additional time to slow down and work with the simplicity and rhythms of the natural environment. Whether the winding hiking trails, the pond, the many creatures seen and unseen which also take residence here, the land offers resplendent support inviting us back into our natural rhythms and open senses.
NOURISHMENT & SUPPORT
1:1 SUPERVISION & TEACHER SUPPORT
All retreat guests at Yangti receive close, attentive support from our teachers from start to finish. Every retreatant undergoes a preliminary screening and application process before arrival, followed by 1:1 meetings with our teachers during and after their retreat. Advanced and intensive Vajrayana practice requires qualified guidance, which we prioritize at Yangti.
For dark retreatants in particular, this close supervision is essential. The practice can bring profound and unexpected experiences, and having a qualified teacher available is part of what makes the retreat at Yangti possible to undertake safely and fruitfully.
The Center Is Growing
ADDITIONAL DARK RETREAT CABINS
The property has four standing cabins, three of which are being fully developed this year for light and dark retreat use, along with new bathroom and shower facilities and infrastructure for camping retreats. The Shukseb Jetsun Chöying Zangmo cabin — named for the great Yangti practitioner and emanation of Machig Labdron — will be renovated and connected to a new septic system as part of this work.
1
MEDITATION HALL & PROTECTOR SHRINE
The two-story garage on the property is being converted into a full meditation hall and protector shrine. A series of statues of the Yangti Nakpo lineage masters, currently in production in Nepal, will anchor the shrine space.
2
THE STUPA
On the advice of H.E. Chung Tulku Rinpoche, construction of a stupa on the retreat land will begin in 2027. Lama Justin returned from Bhutan with sacred relics for this project, including hair of Jetsun Shukseb Rigdzin Choying Zangmo, relics of Trukshik Donag Lingpa, and relics of Penor Rinpoche.
3
CPE PROGRAM LAUNCH
Yangti’s ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education program launches its first cohort in May 2026 — a landmark development in our mission to train Vajrayana-informed spiritual caregivers for professional settings.
4
