Ekayana-Institut
Why did we start this project?
In 2015, Lama Lhundrup (Tilmann) lived in the Black Forest of Southern Germany up on a little mountain. Students wanted to meditate under his guidance and suggested him to find a place where they could practice together in retreat. They found the hotel “Grüner Baum” in Raitenbuch, which was still in use, but up for sale. The plan was to to immediately start practice. All 28 rooms were to be used for retreats.
However, rules and regulations demand a major renovation work, which still keeps us busy up to this day. And in the meantime our vision of the project has grown.
To offer a liberating understanding of one’s own heart-mind to everyone.
Das Ekayana-Institut
The intention is to share the discovery of our free mind with present and future generations. We wish to do this by offering education and mind training in order to stimulate an ever-deepening understanding. In-depth mind training over several years gives strength to all our activities.
At the retreat centre “Grüner Baum” an in-depth mind training is possible. The Ekayana understanding — that there is but one way to awakening: loving awareness — encompasses all areas of life.
Ekayana practitioners from various countries, with years of intensive training, working as teams, continuously develop further applications of the Ekayana understanding in response to the needs of their times. One Way: Always on the move…
The Bodhicitta Mandala
The Ekayana essence — cultivating loving awareness — expressed in the vision, values and purpose – is the driving force for all activities and the most important reference in the community. It is the foundation for the Institute’s organizational culture, ethics, decisions and services.
All team members have a common understanding of these important basic tenets and collaborate accordingly.
Our goal in whatever we do is to ask ourselves first: How can I act with loving awareness?
A community of practitioners with various activities
The central activity of the Ekayana Institute is to transmit the well-tested Buddhist teachings (the “Dharma”) in an easily understandable, contemporary form. This is done first through personal practice, and then through inspiring and accompanying others.
For the teachings to be well received and integrated, a flourishing community of people practising together (a sangha) is necessary, as well as a connection of trust and inspiration to authentic masters and lineages.
Digitalization offers new opportunities to connect people around the world, but we also need to connect personally in friendly relationships to support each other. In doing so, we see ourselves working together with many others on a common journey toward healthy, respectful living on this planet.
Lichthaftigkeit. In seiner Mitte ist eine gedachte Mondscheibe, die für erwachte Aktivität und den Geist des Erwachens steht. Die leuchtenden Übergänge und das leere Innere weisen hin auf die ungreifbare Natur aller Erfahrungen, ihren dynamischen Aspekt, die Freude des Erwachens und die leuchtende Weite des alles erhellenden Geistes.