EC Blog Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

The transmission days with Lama Ole made us understand our roots and the wider context and backgroud of our own work and practice.  We learned all about Lama Ole and Hannah’s years with dharma after their first meeting with the Lamas in the East, their inspiration from studying with yogis, and all the stories about the work in the West.  This is why we are deeply thankful for the situation we are now in with established centres all around the world and great opportunities to meditate and study dharma. To read about history is one thing, but to be in the presence of the Lama together with sangha “family” was something really unique.

By klara

Thanks to Matt from Australia we got some more pictures from the finishing of the course build-up that we could not possibly keep away from you.

So here’s a walk around the cafeteria tent with the “World’s Best” shop, the “Meet & Connect” area, coffee bar, the “I Grow EC” stand and Paul’s famous job center – as well as some impressions from the communication team meeting in our “Baucafe” and from the kitchen tent – with pretty much everything ready to go for the course!

By meike

Over the last weekend, the second keypeople meeting of the year took place at the EC. “EC Keypeople” are those who have a function to bring the EC vision and project to life in their own countries, and the focus of the weekend was on exactly this.

With over a dozen countries represented (including distant places like Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas), the thorough conversations proved to be stimulating and fruitful. The crew of about 40 received latest updates, identified important themes to further develop, clarified questions, exchanged ideas about how to connect friends back home to the EC on deeper levels, discussed ways how to encourage support for the renovation and expansion project, and most importantly offered to carry out various tasks ranging from communication to renovation. Perhaps most important was the strengthening and deepening of friendship bonds which reach across the vast expanse of the globe.

By klara

Many visitors from around the Immenstadt came for our statue exhibition opening last Sunday. Six guided tours were led through the villa by some of our experienced travel teachers. Even though the weather was quite cold, the visitors found their way up to the Europe Center on the hill above the lake Alpsee, Immenstadt. They enjoyed the exhibited Buddhas in the art nouveaux athmosphere, as well as coffee and cake in our construction café and lots of information about buddhism, the villa and us.
The statue exhibition is still to be seen every Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. until 4th of July when we have the traditional classical Summer matinee. One hour guided tours will be offered at these times every half hour.  You are all welcomed to come and enjoy.

By klara

I GO EC is the name of a new project, which was inspired by Lama Ole´s wish to be involved more in international activites. The same way as the Hamburg sangha, that comes to the EC every six weeks, the Czechs decided to organize regular weekend trips. For all friends without cars and also those who want company on the way, the Czechs scheduled a line Brno – Prague – Pilsen – EC and back every two months. There will always be two vans leaving Brno on Friday evening and coming back on Sunday night. This weekend was the pilot one, and it already brought nice success – at the end of the weekend friends did not want to leave the EC and some were immediately trying to find ways to stay here longer or come more often.. simply I GO EC!

By klara

With a little delay in posting and big thanks to Vienna sangha, who participated in organization of the event, we are here with the blog from the 5th Transmission weekend!

Whole event started with Friday evening lecture about the transmission of Buddhist art from East to West. As the topic of the whole weekend was quite vast, therefore a basic overview of how Buddhist art and symbolism came to the West was needed.

Saturday morning was dedicated to explanations of the statues, especially the clay statues from Braunsweig or Ladakh. In the afternoon we went into depths of  meanings of  symbols used on thankas, usually connected with meditation practices  in Buddhism. Whole day was rounded by many questions and answers as well as several stories.

On Sunday morning we got the transmission of how thankas are made, especially thankas used in our centers which are mainly made in Karma Gadri style. Despite the fact that deep meaning of symbols is only explained by one’s teacher in connection with particular yidam practice, a knowledge gained during this weekend will certainly help us for better understanding the goal of all Buddhist symbols – understanding the nature of our mind.

By klara

The tone for the Swiss weekend was given among other things by the following message: “Dear all:-)) short reminder: bring a little bit of your favorite “schocki” with you to Allgäu for our friends from around the world “. We responded accordingly and as a result, on every table of the Europe Center, chocolate appeared as if it came from the horn of abundance.

The activity planning was prepared in advance. Each one of the bigger centers would take care of one of the meals. There would be lectures by our Swiss teachers: Anne, Markus and Matthias; the Swiss centers would present their projects; Amden would have a special presentation and Alain and Päddu,  our Bernese DJ’s, would animate the party on Saturday evening at the Bau Café.

But the Swiss can be flexible as well. The weather was gorgeous and roses, flowers and trees had to be planted! What else to do? The plan was dropped and we did what was needed to be done with a lot of pleasure.

The menus were typically Swiss. On Saturday evening the centers presented their projects and talked about their history: Bern presented its new G14 house; Basel, St. Gallen and Zurich talked about their newest plans. The friends from Luzern offered us “Vo Luzärn gage Wäggis zue” accompanied by a guitar and the typical rocking movement.

In the evening at the Bau Café the DJ’s Päddu and Alain, as well as our bartenders from Amden: Mona, Corinne and René animated the party with good music, drinks and fantastic Swiss “Bergkäse”.

On Sunday, big cleaning action, more planting and a video of the Swiss Stupas rounded the weekend up. It was a fantastic experience. We are all looking forward to repeating it again soon.

By cristina

As you can see from the headline – we had quite a packed and intensive time during the last weeks…

Lama Ole spent  some days here on a book retreat, which was very successful and the book is almost finished. Just a few more proof readings and we can all look forward to a new book, which will guide us through the process of dying, the bardo state and being reborn again.  Lama Ole had also few free minutes to come outside  and cut the trees which are blocking some of the windows from sun and light.

Last but not least was a meeting with our architecture office, who are preparing the plans for the new gompa and building. Lama Ole liked the proposal, but as everything is still in  process, the final solution was not reached,  just lots of new ideas and new inputs. So we have really something to look forward to!

By klara