History of the retreat center Amden
In October 2003 we bought an inspiring object, which fully meets our defined requirements for a retreat/course centre and leaves nothing to be desired! It seems that Tsechu Rinpoche’s wishes for a great meditation place have manifested themselves.
Karma Dechen Öser Ling – “place of the rays of light highest joy”, this blessing name was given to the place by Lama Ole. He himself completed a longer book retreat at Bellevue, is enthusiastic about the place and actively supports the project. Jigme Rinpoche visited the Bellevue and described it as an ideal retreat place due to its location and construction.
Furniture, kitchen equipment, etc. could be taken over and are in good condition. We have been running the Bellevue as a Buddhist retreat and course centre since the beginning of November 03. The members of the center operator group have gradually moved in. They and another group of committed friends take care of the meditation center intensively. The implementation of group retreats and courses as well as the upcoming renovation work are supported and carried out with the active help of the whole Swiss Sangha and the neighbouring friends from southern Germany and Austria.
Very popular and always possible when the weather is fine: meditation at the Enlightenment Stupa.
This stupa has an inspiring history: In 2001 we Swiss built 7 stupas with Lopön Tsetschu Rinpoche, who also initiated them all in Zurich. Each centre in Switzerland was to receive one of them – the Enlightenment Stupa was destined for Lucerne. When Rinpoche heard about it, he did not agree. “The Enlightenment Stupa,” he said, “shall stand at your retreat site.” We were somewhat dismayed, neither had we a retreat place, nor the intention to acquire one, and furthermore the Lucerne people had financed the Enlightenment Stupa. Rinpoche did not respond to our objections and insisted. So the Lucerneers received the Stupa from Buddha’s Descent from Tushita, and the Enlightenment Stupa awaited its destiny in the Stupahof of the Zurich Centre.
Half a year later, on the occasion of a Swiss Mandala meeting on the Schwarzenberg, the desire for an own retreat place arose. We were thinking of renting a holiday home with 6 to 8 rooms. We asked Rinpoche for his blessing on the 2002 Pentecost course in Karma Gön. He did not agree with this idea and insisted that we buy a big place. Again he did not let objections apply and described us the place, which characteristics he should show and how he should look like.
Unfortunately Rinpoche did not live to see this beautiful place in Amden. Only a few weeks after his death on Whitsun 2003 we visited the Bellevue for the first time – the place looked exactly as he had described it! However, we are convinced that he showed us the way when we found the retreat place out of the pure countries. When we called Lama Ole directly from the viewing appointment and enthusiastically told him about the place – “that’s her! -he announced the same day in front of over a thousand Phowak course participants in Kassel: “Swiss are happy, you have a retreat place! That was a strong piece of “dynamic truth”, we were deeply impressed and motivated. Although at that time we only had 5000 francs on the high end, three months later we moved into Bellevue as happy owners, hardly believing what happened to us. There was just an incredible amount of blessing behind it: from Lopön Tsechu Rinpoche, from Lama Ole – and from the Enlightenment Stupa.