EC Blog News & Reports

The Allgäu winterwonderland just keeps amazing everyone coming to the EC in these months - so here are some more snowy impressions from all across our beautiful Europe Center…

By meike

It is Sunday evening and the Europe Center seems completely deserted, despite the few people sipping tea, meditating, wandering around and napping after a long and intensive weekend. At least it feels like it, in comparison to the full house only a few hours ago when the Transmission weekend ended with a common meditation on the 16th Karmapa.

The subject - How I met the 16th Karmapa - presented by friends practicing Diamond Way Buddhism already around 30 years, attracted people from many countries. Not even the true Allgäu-winter conditions with half-a-meter of new snow every day, nor the fact that the provisory limited gompa was packed, would discourage friends to come.

The personal experiences, histories, never-before-seen pictures and videos we shared in the last 2 days brought us all closer again to the great inspiring teacher and yogi of Tibet, H.H. the 16th Karmapa. Through his openness to Western students and the power of his wisdom and joy, he planted the seeds for the rapid growth of the Diamond Way Buddhism in the West.

Even today, almost 30 years after his passing, the 16th Karmapa remains the essential source of inspiration and blessing that materializes in the ever growing number of DWB centers around the world. May we all be inspired by his example!

p.s.: many worked hard to make this event possible but the indisputable heroes of the weekend are all the kitchen-magicians and snow-fighters that made the roads and paths accessible. Thank you, friends!

By Martin

Last weekend friends representing the Europe Center in over twenty countries, so-called EC keypeople, came together to meet and work on topics like the role of the EC in the future and the new EC building project - the new big gompa and living space for residents and visitors. This unique event was opened by Lama Ole and Caty on Saturday morning and continued through the whole beautiful sunny winter weekend. More then 300 computers were connected via streaming from all over the world.

The Mittel-Rhein sangha hosted the weekend and Markus from Finland & helpers cooked. The conditions were all there to work, get inspired, make new friends and have a fun, or simply share a great and meaningful time.

Everybody was very much inspired by Lama Ole’s vision. The big wish is to build in the next three years a new gompa in the barn that fits the needs almost perfectly, a common kitchen on the ground floor of the barn and a new building for living next to it. The motto „Let´s do it again!“ is now in everybody’s hearts and we know we will manage again.

By klara

The 2nd weekend of January already brought the first big event in 2010 at the Europe Center - or rather two events in one! Lama Ole answered questions and gave a three hour lecture directly streamed to the friends travelling on the Russian tour and the rest of the world.

The EC summer course team got together to start the planning phase of the 2010 Summer Course. This time the focus leant on team spirit, visions of the Europe Center as well as future summer courses. Instead of finding immediate solutions half a year before the course, many ideas and improvements were collected for the upcoming course.

More than 50 participants enjoyed more “transmission” atmosphere than just working, and the whole team spirit was even increased by an “Indian” story telling evening in the “baucafé”. “How can I become involved in an EC project?” “My best story from the summer course” “Should I improve my singing?” - these rhetoric questions could be heard all night long. 

It is going to be a great course once again!

By meike

Two weeks ago the EC hosted a small workshop about reviews, updates and and ideas how to develop and maintain the place.

After a round of last year’s reviews by all friends, we kicked off the workshop with reminding the purpose and vision of the Europe Center. All participants seemed to share one same feeling: in 2009, our EC has developed impressively with the help of many friends from all over the world - from a frenetic construction site into a welcoming, cosy place where one feels good and more relaxed.

The Europe Center project is not just another Diamond Way center, it is a common activity of all our sanghas around the world. You are thus always very welcome with any ideas, reviews, inputs and suggestions at info@europe-center.org.

By klara

By meike

Yesterday it was once again time to say goodbye to Lama Ole and Caty; after the treatment of his foot injury in Munich & short book retreat at the Europe Center, he left for Budapest. Everyone was happy to see Lama Ole in excellent mood as always - obviously recovering from this week’s surgery very quickly. 

By meike

Just another one of those amazingly beautiful sunrises in Allgäu… here’s the view from our gompa over to Bühl and Immenstadt this morning. We just had to share with you!

By meike

Monday brought the snow back to Immenstadt - and we found lots of ways to make the most of it already. Energetic snowballfights, romantic walks in sunny Winterwonderland, cosy evenings in our new lounge and a wonderful view into the snowy treetops from our gompa (we try not to be too distracted by this during meditation, of course! ;-))

So please enjoy some early winter impressions from inside and around the EC!

By meike

The third EC Transmission Weekend “How to build and live in the centres” could equally be called “How to build and live friendship”. H.H. Karmapa Thaye Dorje really emphasized during the Summer Course here this year that everything we do is built on friendship, and this theme was very clear on this weekend. The irrepressible Zsuzsa Kosegi started the weekend on Friday with a lecture on the “Meaning of Sangha”.

Saturday came around very quickly, bringing with it a stash of fascinating stories and experiences from Copenhagen, Zurich, Amden, Hamburg and Warsaw. Sunday followed with talks from Schwarzenberg and Budapest. Big transmission from the big dogs who lived through our Diamond Way history in these power places of Europe.

The importance of wishes and working together was emphasised, along with the need to be clear all the times and to take decisions together. Retelling the stories of how our places were built up, the obstacles that the sanghas overcame, and the jumps that were made into the unknown gave us a real sense of importance of our Diamond Way history. We know how important it is to understand our Karma Kagyu lineage and transmission, but it’s not always obvious how much extra perspective we can get by really understanding how we got where we are today.

By klara