EC Blog Archive for the ‘RESIDENTS REPORTS’ Category

The Allgäu winter wonderland 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

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

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

Most of the beautifully coloured leaves have fallen to the ground, the top half of the mountains on the opposite side of the lake are snow-white and the nights are getting quite chilly. So our forest team Jürgen and JC are spending their day outside doing what needs to be done, before the first heavy snowfall. Surely they will get a lot of support from the Czech friends coming for the first country weekend at the Europe Center.

By meike

Last Friday morning we had a lovely breakfast with Lama Ole and friends from the EC, Immenstadt, Schwarzenberg and other nearby sanghas, before he left for the centers meeting in Braunschweig.

By cristina

Things have gone a little quiet on the blog front recently and for this we apologize. However this is not because we’ve been lazing around here at the EC or running off on exotic holidays, rather we have been  busy, cleaning-up after the courses, building roofs, finishing the bau cafe, repairing terraces, cutting trees……plus many other things, as we get ready for the fast approaching winter!

By cristina

Beautiful, warm and sunny days made a great setting for the second transmission weekend. Many friends made their way to the EC on Friday to hear Matt Huddleston tell many interesting and exciting stories about the Karma Kagyu transmission lineage. With his English style he really brought the history to life.

Saturday, after an hour of Ngöndro practice, Pedro Gomez kept the gompa fully concentrated with stories of how H.H.the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa was found. Hardly anybody moved, not wanting to miss the beautiful descriptions and anecdotes Pedro shared with lots of humor.

In the evening Pedro and his wife Dorit illustrated the incredible stories with pictures and videos. Mäc (Matthias Weitbrecht) continued with more pictures and fact finding, complimented by Pedro, Michael van den Hoet and Caty. After the pictures the panel talked about how the 17th Karmapa controversy unrolled.

Then on Sunday, Michael van den Hoet shared his wealth of knowledge. Caty concluded the second transmission weekend with questions and answers and talked about how our modern and western style has been developing over the years.

Dear friends, even though this was only our second transmission weekend, it is clear we have established a strong EC tradition!

By lasse