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From the head to the heart
August 14th, 2008

German original

Pressespiegel, Sommerkurs 2008, Kreisbote Sonthofen, August 14, 2008

Buddhist summercamp near Immenstadt

by Josef Gutsmiedl

Immenstadt – from 12th to 24th of August the 16th summercamp of the „Buddhist umbrella organization Diamond Way BDD” takes place. More than 3000 Buddhists from more than 40 countries meet here, in order to listen to lectures, to meditate together and to take part in Buddhist ceremonies. The area above the Alpsee was bought by the Diamond Way foundation. On Sunday, 17th August at 8pm, there is a public information event, where the Diamond Way will be explained.

Lama Ole Nydahl, founder of the Buddhist Diamond Way umbrella organization, sums the Diamond Way up to „behaving like a Buddha until one has become a Buddha”. This means to always try to remove „attachments, anger and confusions…”

The Diamond Way is the fitting path for people in Western civilization. It’s a direct continuation of Buddhas example. The self-determined path is brought in line best with our understanding of gender equality and democracy, so Lama Ole Nydahl.

Meditation is one of the key elements of Buddhism – „meditation lets Buddhist knowledge fall from the head to the heart.” In the Diamond Way the path to enlightenment shows itself via calming of mind though breathing and concentration on female and male forms of Buddha, which waken the enlightened qualities of mind.

Since August 12th course participants practice the meditation of conscious dying (tib. Phowa) for nearly a week. This method of Tibetan Buddhism enables to prepare oneself for the moment of death.

In the late evening of August 18th the public part of the meeting starts with a 72-hour meditation on the Buddha of compassion. This meditation form carries the name Chenresig, which means „loving eyes”. Worldwide ten thousands of Buddhists in about 500 meditation centers take part in reciting OM MANI PEME HUNG.

The peak of the course builds the visit of his majesty the 17th Karmapa. The 25 year old Tibetan in exile is the highest dignitary of the Karma Kagyu tradition, which was founded in the 11th century. Within German Buddhist schools it is the most widely spread one. Karmapa will give lectures from 21st to 24th of August as well as initiations on Buddha forms which are important for Buddhist meditation. Worldwide there is only rarely the possibility to take part in a traditional ceremony like that.

Since springtime Gut Hochreute, meanwhile owned by the Diamond Way foundation, is being prepared for the summercamp. A big tent stands on the area, surrounded by a small village of smaller tents.

In constant use for the long run are only the buildings of the existing manor. The barn will be turned into a guest house within the next year, where about 60 visitors can lodge. In the East of the existing court an event room is being planned. Philip Leube, architect, highlights the fact that they preserve the well – kept building, which was built in 1911. The effective area which will be used in the long run covers about 4500 square meters. Around 15 hectares will continue to be used agriculturally and are let for rent. Only for the times of the yearly summercamp an alternative usage is being planned.

Since ten years the Diamond Way foundation is looking for an appropriate place for the Europe Center, before they found Gut Hochreute in the Oberallgäu, says Caty Hartung member of the foundation. The „trade” happened quite quickly then. Surprisingly quickly the financing happened with fund-raising activities around the world.

Especially from middle Europe many big and small amounts of money were given, Cathi Hartung reports.
The reason for this: the Buddhists really want that the Europe Centre now finally is in place. In a short time span four million Euro came together. In Germany there are already around 120 local centres of the diamondway.

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