| What: Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s South African tour When: August 27 until September 7, 2025 Where: Talks, courses, retreats and events in Cape Town and Johannesburg – scroll down for details Bookings: Quicket and more info at TergarSA Introductory video to Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche: Tergarsouthafrica.org direct link https://www.tergarsouthafrica.org/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/ Watch his acclaimed Ted Talk here: |
The highly anticipated South African tour of meditation master Yongey Mingyur starts soon – August 27 and is happening until September 7 in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Some sessions are fully booked – although there is a waiting list. It is a wonderful opportunity to intact with this this beacon of positivity and humanity. His best-selling book The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness has been translated into over twenty languages and was on the New York Times bestseller list. He “has had a lifelong interest in Western science and psychology and has worked with famed neuroscientists Francisco Varela, Richard Davidson, Antoine Lutz, and others, examining the effects of meditation on the brains of advanced meditators.” Read on for more about the tour:
Meditation master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche tours South Africa for talks, courses and retreats this August / September 2025
With only a few weeks to go until internationally acclaimed meditation master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche arrives in South Africa, tickets for sessions are selling fast, with some already sold out.
Mingyur Rinpoche is the founder of the worldwide Tergar Meditation Community and a New York Times bestselling author with his book The Joy of Living, which has been translated into over 20 languages.
He will visit Cape Town and Johannesburg presenting a series of talks, courses, and retreats between August 27 and September 7, 2025.
“We are proud and honoured to be hosting Mingyur Rinpoche in South Africa for his first full tour,” says Alex Kunkhyen, a director of Tergar South Africa. “What sets Rinpoche apart is his remarkable ability to make meditation accessible to everyone, regardless of background or beliefs.”
“The response to the tour has been phenomenal. Some events, including the Boundless Compassion interfaith gathering at St George’s Cathedral on August 28, are sold out. We are however running a waiting list for this event, and patrons can mail us to be added to it.”
“The visit is an incredible opportunity for South Africans to learn from an in-person encounter with this master,” says Kunkhyen.
“There are still some tickets left for the Johannesburg event at The WITS Science Centre, as well as The Essence of Meditation at UCT on November 5 and the two-day Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times followed by Anytime, Anywhere Meditation, also at UCT.”
The weekend event includes fascinating insights from an expert panel including:
- Dr Rick Hanson – psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author.
- Prof Gina Ziervogel – Adaptation and vulnerability specialist, Director African Climate and Development Initiative
- Dr Simon Whitesman – Medical psychotherapist, director at the Institute for Mindfulness South Africa
- Nobantu Mpotulo – Master executive coach with 20+ years practice
- Janni Younge – Award-winning theatre director & mindfulness teacher
- Mbuyiselo Yanta – Youth development expert using meditation for resilience
Mingyur Rinpoche’s approach combines time-tested practices with cutting-edge neuroscience. Research conducted at the University of Wisconsin revealed extraordinary effects of his meditation techniques on brain function, with results featured in National Geographic and Time magazine.
Most uniquely, his teachings weave together his own personal experiences, which include using meditation techniques to overcome panic attacks and a near-death experience during a wandering retreat, with modern scientific research. This combination creates practical tools for cultivating happiness and well-being in our fast-paced, stress-filled world. The evidence-based methods require just minutes of daily practice to lead to reduced anxiety, greater happiness and improved focus in both personal and professional life.
His acclaimed TED Talk demonstrates why meditation is easier than most people think.
“In my travels over the past 25 years, I have encountered many people and realize that the feeling of separation from ourselves and the world is merely a deceptive narrative created by our minds,” says Mingyur Rinpoche.
“In my lineage, we believe it is possible to transcend those beliefs, and when we love the world, the world loves us back. I am thrilled to be traveling to South Africa for the first time to share these ancient teachings, highlighting the recognition of our innate wellbeing, and how it connects us to our shared humanity. I look forward to meeting you all soon.”
Highlights of the tour include:
Time: Evening 18h00 – 20h30
Event: Thrive Daily – Meditation for life, work and purpose
Venue: The Wits Science Centre, 33 Station St, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Description: This public lecture explores practical meditation techniques for bringing clarity and purpose to both personal and professional life. Mingyur Rinpoche will demonstrate methods for transforming daily challenges into opportunities for mental clarity and renewed focus, addressing stress, overwhelm, and burnout while helping participants discover deeper meaning in their everyday experiences.
In our high-pressure world of deadlines, expectations, and endless distractions, Mingyur Rinpoche offers something revolutionary: practical techniques that transform stress into clarity, overwhelm into focus, and burnout into renewed purpose.
The session is designed for both newcomers to meditation and experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of contemplative practice in daily life.
Bookings: Quicket
Date: Friday September 5
Time: 18h00 – 20h30
Event: Essence of Meditation
Venue: Sarah Baartman Hall at UCT, Cape Town
Description: An introductory meditation session designed for practitioners of all experience levels. Mingyur Rinpoche will demonstrate his “open awareness” meditation technique, teaching participants to recognise natural awareness and apply meditation principles to daily life challenges. The session provides practical instruction for establishing a personal meditation practice and integrating contemplative techniques into busy schedules. No prior meditation experience required.
More information: Quicket
*Thanks to the support of UCT’s Department of Student Affairs for their partnership in this event.
Date: September Saturday 6 & Sunday 7
Time: 09h30 – 17h30 both days
Event: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times followed by Anytime, Anywhere Meditation
Venue: Kramer Building, UCT Law Faculty, Middle Campus, Cape Town
Description:
The weekend programme will open with a ceremonial blessing that honours both African and Tibetan spiritual traditions before transitioning to the main event featuring Mingyur Rinpoche’s signature Anytime, Anywhere Meditation (AAM) course.
AAM is Rinpoche’s introductory meditation programme designed to make ancient contemplative practices accessible to modern practitioners regardless of religious or cultural background. The course focuses on three core elements: awareness, compassion, and wisdom, with practical techniques that can be integrated into daily life without requiring lengthy sitting sessions or special equipment.
The two-day programme will also feature presentations from experts in mindfulness, psychology, wellness, and climate science, demonstrating the intersection between traditional meditation practices and contemporary research.
The event is designed to accommodate both complete beginners and those with existing meditation experience, providing practical tools for establishing a sustainable meditation practice within busy modern lifestyles.
Bookings: Quicket
*Thanks to the support of UCT’s Department of Student Affairs for their partnership in this event.
*To view an introductory video to Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, visit Tergarsouthafrica.org direct link https://www.tergarsouthafrica.org/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/)
Also: https://youtu.be/UVrB1uMerHo?si=2981i208sCy2t5I4
* Watch Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s acclaimed Ted Talk here:
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Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a teacher, best-selling author, and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Tergar Meditation Community. He possesses a rare ability to present the ancient wisdom of Tibet in a fresh, engaging manner. His profound yet accessible teachings and playful sense of humour have endeared him to students around the world. Most uniquely, Rinpoche’s teachings weave together his own personal experiences with modern scientific research, relating both to the practice of meditation.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche – his story
Born in 1975 in the Himalayan border regions between Tibet and Nepal, Mingyur Rinpoche is a much-loved and accomplished meditation master. He began his life of contemplation early, spending much of his childhood in retreat, and at age seventeen, became a teacher at his monastery’s three-year retreat center. After completing the traditional Buddhist training in the meditative and philosophical traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, he founded a monastic college at his home monastery in north India. In addition, Mingyur Rinpoche has had a lifelong interest in Western science and psychology. He has worked with famed neuroscientists Francisco Varela, Richard Davidson, Antoine Lutz, and others, examining the effects of meditation on the brains of advanced meditators. The results of this ground-breaking research were reported in many of the world’s most widely read publications, including National Geographic and Time.
Mingyur Rinpoche’s best-selling book The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness was also on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into over twenty languages. Rinpoche is also the author of In Love with the World: A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying, Turning Confusion into Clarity: A Guide to the Foundation Practices of Tibetan Buddhism, Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change and Finding Freedom, and illustrated children’s books entitled Ziji: The Puppy that Learned to Meditate, and Ziji and the Very Scary Man.
His recent TED Talk is entitled How to Tap Into Your Awareness — and Why Meditation is Easier Than You Think. Rinpoche currently teaches throughout the world, with Tergar meditation centers on six continents. He founded Tergar International in 2009 to provide secular (Joy of Living) and Buddhist (Vajrayana Online) meditation programs and launched the Tergar Meditation Teacher Program in 2023. In addition to overseeing three monasteries and the Tergar Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal, Rinpoche’s social engagement projects include schools, women’s empowerment, environmental, and medical projects.
For more information, visit
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✳ Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a teacher, best-selling author and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Tergar Meditation Community and he will be presenting his first full South African tour from August 27 to September 7, 2025 in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Sponsored content. Pic: Ngawang Thigchok Gurung. Image supplied.
