EC Blog News & Reports

When creating the programme we had the idea that essentially EC should be the center of transmission where people would come to inspire each other, motivate and inform of how Dharma and our centers around the world function and have functioned in the past. And that is why we are organizing the first from the series of weekends where we want to invite experienced teachers to share not only Dharma and common practices but also their experiences from times when the rest of us had not yet been in our centers.

Therefore you are warmly welcomed to join:

the FIRST “TRANSMISSION WEEKEND” right before Christmas (19-21.12.2008)

with several TT’s and special guest (you can maybe recognize them on pictures below:)) who will be meditating, teaching, telling the stories from “old times” and also share their experiences from their countries with all friends.

The program will start with the lecture on 19th of December at 20.00 and will continue until the Sunday afternoon. You can find more information as well as registration page here:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pOckw4iA6b_osiI3V-Q1qRQ

Please register soon as we can host only around 150 people in winter time.

We are also already planning to organize second transmission weekend with topic “building and living (in) our centers” next year. We will keep you informed.

Looking forward to see you soon in the EC.

EC team

By klara

Lama Ole left the EC for South America couple days ago and the time became more calm again. We had a chance to walk around and take the most amazing pictures from beautiful nature, breathtaking view, amazing mountains and the bright autumn colors. We could also admire skillful girls restaurating the statues in the Lama´s flat. Everything was shining and beautiful…But… then we decided to show you on our blog also the other side of our EC – the things waiting to be finished – all the mess around the yard, old and broken windows, barn and everything what is under construction at the moment. To give you a full experience, enjoy the pictures from the both sides of the EC.

By klara

Although it seems the Summer course 2008 is just over and the organizers enjoy lots of free time, the true is slightly different. The old course is gone – long live the new one! And not only that – it has to be prepared. That’s why all the team members came within this beautiful autumn weekend to EC to start with the preparations.

During the Summer course people had a chance to leave their comments and suggestions on the board located in the eating tent. These information were passed to particular teams and were discussed from all the possible sides all over again to improve the next course. We all wanted not only to keep the good style of the past but also fulfill as many new wishes as possible.

On Saturday evening we got an unexpected gift – a chance to enjoy a Questions & Answer session with Lama Ole, who came to EC for a book retreat. The next day Lama Ole and all friends coming for the course meeting joined their forces and worked on the site to prepare it for the next winter.

By klara

Quiet months are over and EC is gaining the proper speed again. On Thursday we started with a big „vision meeting“ for residents and people involved in the project. Guided by Michael Fuchs we all have discussed our insights from our life and work here. Friends talked about the structure and concrete plans for the future in many different levels. On the level of program we plan to prepare „transmission weekend“ with traveling teachers in December, weekend of traveling teachers with Lama Ole next year, public lecture of Lama Ole in Immenstadt in upcoming year, international project meetings, 8th Karmapa course next September and of course the Summercourse and everyday meditation program in the EC.

On the level of construction we wish to finish the second house and bathroom in the main villa. There is a plan for exhibition place to be finished and roof reconstructions. We also need to improve the infrastructure protection and kitchen in the house. In the forest we have to build a fence, protect the trees and plant new ones. Inside the houses we want take care of lamps, curtains, our pianos and lounge. We also want to improve the waste system and cooking structure. The finance group is dealing with bookkeeping for building site, forest, property management and catering. The IT group is designing a new website at the moment and provides people with better office in the main villa. We also need to work on the registration system, video&picture archive and the backup system.

On the level of communication we want to organize workshops in the EC, opening days, concert for Immenstadt public in the next summer and we have also started to think about the EC Buddhism Today magazine. So friends, in our Europe center there is so much going on in many different levels all the time…

By klara

We have created a new photo gallery with Summer course pictures on the webpage:

http://www.europe-center.org/index.php?id=90

Downloading for graphic designers in printable quality with login and password:

feel free to contact us on email klara@europe-center.org

By klara

Dear friends,

here is the link for a brand new illustrated EC magazine 111 111:

http://www.lama-ole-nydahl.org/pdf_magazin/index.html

Enjoy the great moments again and again!

By klara

The quiet month after the course has passed, the residents have returned and work and fun at the EC continues. The trees around have been showing shades of red, orange and yellow, with a breathtaking view of the hill opposite of the lake. The road leading up to the EC turned into a magical tunnel with a carpet of red leaves. Some first snow already fell and covered the tops of the mountains around us.

A few weeks remain in which we will be able to work outside and this time will be used to make the EC ready for winter and finish some of the construction that was delayed until after the Summer Course. Still a few things remain from the course that need to be cleaned and stored away.

Even though at times the EC has been quiet, we steadily went on with our daily tasks. Apart from the ongoing work we also organized several events the last weekends, where we had a lot of fun and enjoyed some great parties with visiting friends. The first weekend we harvested the apples from our garden which made 280 liters of wonderful organic apple juice. The weekend after that we welcomed several friends who joined us for the first 24 hour meditation on the 16th Karmapa in the EC. Our architects met last weekend to develop a garden and landscape concept. People living around were also invited to participate.

Our public meditation evening on Thursdays has shown a big interest. After the course and Lama Ole’s public lecture many local people used the chance to come up to meditate with us.

By lasse

On a beautiful sunny September day at 11am, 24 friends started the first Kagyu Run directly under our precious Europe Center. From one railway-crossing to the next and along the Großen Alpsee, by 4pm we had run 226km, swam 9km and biked 74km! The longest distance was provided by our friend Phillip from Schwarzenberg, who ran 35km.
After a very tasty dinner cooked by Gosia, Erik from Schwarzenberg rounded off the day with stories of the good old days with Lama Ole and the 16th Karmapa
So the first Kagyu Run at the EC was not a big event, but it was very successful and a lot of fun.
Next year we plan to start organising the event much earlier (not only 1.5 weeks before!) and invite many more friends and centers to “run” together at our beautiful and powerful place.

By lasse

The EC has been very quiet the last few weeks, but not empty. The mornings are as beautiful as ever and the fields where thousands of feet walked turned green again. Where the kitchen and eating tent stood, new earth now covers the plateau.

Most of the residents have been away to spend some time with friends or family, and many met again in Becske for the Stupa inauguration and ngöndro course with Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche; who kindly gave us the beautiful thangka that can now be found in the main hall.

The lost and found is filled with many items and if they don’t find their owners again, they will make a very interesting second hand shop or lottery.

By lasse

Today Ani Tenzin and Lama Urgyen, who are both here with our wonderful teacher Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, joined us in the kitchen where they showed us how to make Tibetan pastries called “momo”.

It was great fun to cook together and the result was very tasty!

By lasse