For anyone seeking a special place of tranquillity, far from the hectic and restlessness of busy urban life will discover a place of stillness and withdrawal in the Milarepa Retreat Center. Here, one can above all find what constituted the vision of H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and H.E. Garchen Rinpoche. A place with the energy of the celebrated Mount Kailash where everyone, regardless of confession or spiritual tradition, can step back from worldly demands and concerns. One needs no longer journey far abroad to regenerate and meditate at Kailash, the way the Tibetan yogi Milarepa (1052-1135) did long ago. “No place is more wonderful than this,” he is said to have declared after years of long, solitary retreat.
The meditation hall, is the heart of the Milarepa Retreat Center. Built with great sensitivity towards both the local cultural landscape as well as meditative requirements, it stands on a spot where one can see it from all buildings at the Center. It thus reminds one with its presence of the teachings of the Buddha that one wishes to realise in this place. |
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Entering the temple via a brightly lit entry area, one is enfolded by a spacious, light-flooded room, completely of wood. The furnishings are simple, although decorated with the Tibetan joy in colours, expressions of a mystical transcendent symbolism. |
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Buddha Shakyamuni, to his right Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu tradition and to his left Padmasambhava, the founder of Buddhism in Tibet, radiate an unshakeable presence from the shrine. |
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Participants in regular, personal, and flexible retreat segments, spend the night in the Milarepa Retreat House.
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The 12 rooms are spacious and brightly lit, and simply furnished. Except for one room, all rooms have a bathroom. The rooms are spread over the ground floor and the upper storey. In addition, the Milarepa House has two large, beautiful and bright attic rooms with two bathrooms. In each room, 10 persons can spend the night on mattresses and with own sleeping bag. |
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Meals are taken in the cafeteria. The kitchen is completely equipped and is used for both large-scale events as well as during personal retreats. Table and benches in the cafeteria, made of warm wood, lend the room a friendly and inviting atmosphere. A small scullery adjoined to the kitchen enables stress- free washing-up, drying and putting away the dishes and cutlery without getting in the way of activities in the kitchen and cafeteria. Ladies’ and gentlemen’s toilets as well as a handicapped-friendly toilet are located in the passageway to the cafeteria. |
The Three Year retreat participants live in the Amitabha House. |
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A small adjoining temple and kitchen, used only by retreaters to prepare their meals, adorns the building. The small temple is used for teachings and empowerments for Three Year Retreat participants. |
H.H. Drikung Kyabgon and other High Lamas reside here together with the monks who accompany them on their journeys. |
Tara House, the oldest building of the farmstead, was first inhabited following completion of the Milarepa Retreat Center. Fitting out the building was done speedily, to enable on-schedule organization and implementation of the opening. It became the focal point of all activities connected with the completion of the Center. To this day, along with all organizing and planning activities, a relaxed and communicative atmosphere towards everyone seeking information or advice here has been maintained. |
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On the first floor of Tara House are two attractive, quiet and well-lit flats. Each flat has sleeping accommodations for several nuns, who share a nice living room, kitchen and bathroom. |
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On the second floor of Tara House one can have some time in tranquillity, enjoy bibliophilic studies or simply sit down, relax and read a book in a most inspiring atmosphere. Sometimes this place is reserved for the group of translators when they are at work on a translation project and exchange thoughts and interpretations. Milarepa Retreat Team members enjoy residing in two flats in Tara House, one of them on the ground floor and the other on the second floor, as these flats are also well-lit, spacious and quiet, with a view on the woods and the vast heathland surroundings the Center. |
Achi House, built of light brown beech wood, offers space for those, such as couples, who wish to do joint retreats. It has two bedrooms, a pantry-kitchen and a bath. |
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Adjoining is the small so called Achi Temple, a small meditation room, a place for contemplation of Achi Chokyi Drolma, the protectress of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. |
The apartment on the first floor in the Chenrezig House is for guest teachers. Quite spacious, with an attractive living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. The comfortable wooden balcony, a spot for sitting outdoors in all seasons, offers a view on the woods and the whole area. |