The Heartland Retreat Center

Latest news

Portal to Chortle

In the company of an old friend and traveling teacher, Jesper Jorgensen, we enjoyed another three days of non-stop laughter at the HRC. Around forty friends filled the gompa for teachings and meditation throughout the day, and we spent the late hours sharing hilarious stories and endless bad jokes. We couldn’t resist watching another round of videos showing the good times at HRC, and then were freshly inspired to see pictures from the awesome time friends had during the Transmission Course in San Francisco and a day trip to the gorgeous Western Retreat Center. Each time we see these breathtaking views, we’re wondering when we’ll get a chance to head out west and put a shovel in the ground with even more friends. Then news came about a likely change in the spring tour that will allow a smoother and more productive travel schedule for Lama Ole: Memorial Day course at the WRC! While we wait for the final confirmation, we’re already brainstorming how we can organize a westward migration in May to help put on a course at another one of our national retreat centers. We’re totally excited about all the upcoming opportunities to overcome distance, broaden activity, and deepen friendships with sangha everywhere. Next on the list: Vaya con Dilia! A dozen friends from Venezuela will travel through the midwest on a tour with traveling teacher Dilia Navarro! Join us at the HRC February 17-19 or check the Heartland calendar to find out when our South American friends will visit a center near you.

January 12, 2012 • Link to this post

Blast From the Past and Into the Future

Last weekend, twenty friends came together and enjoyed time meditating, sharing memories, and making plans as we celebrated the HRC’s 2nd birthday. Most of Saturday was spent practicing together in the gompa, and time between sessions was shared listening to the “Transmission Conversations” with Lama Ole from the Midwest bus tour in 2009. After reflecting on the collaborative process that took place two years ago when friends throughout the Midwest prepared together to receive these precious teachings, we continued sharing memories throughout the night. Old and new friends were inspired to see how much has happened over the years as we watched a series of videos showing the history of activity in the Heartland and the development of the HRC since its purchase. Sunday started with a 16th Karmapa meditation, and the sharing of inspiration continued as we met to begin planning for the spring course with Lama Ole. After the weekend came to a close with a visit to the locals, some friends stayed on into the week and gathered over family dinner to schedule major course preparations. With growing excitement as the calendar is filled, we’re all looking forward to the winter programs ahead and can’t wait to put a shovel into the ground again next spring. Until soon, friends!

December 15, 2011 • Link to this post

Bring your sled!

November 11, 2011 • Link to this post

Ex-siding weekends continue!

Just in case you had to miss out on all the fun at our last work weekend, we saved some of the work so we could all get together again as soon as possible. Check out the photos to see the frame we built for our new 24′x30′ storage shed! It stands bare until November 11-13 when we’ll all get together again to cover it with steel siding and a shiny roof. We can’t wait to see you all at another ex-siding weekend at the HRC!

October 26, 2011 • Link to this post

Back in Action

For the first time since the summer course, we got to spend a weekend outside together laboring under the sun, and remembered how refreshing sweat and sore muscles can be. We disassembled the outdoor kitchen structure and prepared the ground for the new storage shed to be built this weekend. Wood was gathered from all over the land and stored for winter, while the cabin and garage were organized to maximize every bit of space. After meditating together in the evening, we enjoyed the usual late night of roaring laughter, and the joy exploded in a spontaneous brainstorming session to kick-off fundraising for more.EC. With creative juices flowing freely, we built on each other’s ideas and inspiration and developed some fundraising ideas to help fulfill our Lama’s vision. More details to come, but no need to wait — you can get more information and donate here and subscribe to the more.EC blog here.

And don’t forget to join us for another work weekend at the HRC starting this Friday! Hasta pronto amigos.

October 11, 2011 • Link to this post

Friends enjoying Fall at the HRC

Fall is here in full color and the midwest family is again meeting often at the HRC after a summer break of travels and vacations. Last week, over 30 friends came together and enjoyed an inspiring weekend of teachings, laughter, and meditation with Wojtek Tracewski. Wojtek shared stories of centers and friends from all over the world, and we gathered for several practice sessions in between. The sharing of inspiration continued outside of the gompa as we saw videos and presentations of the more.EC project. As usual, we met during breaks to discuss necessary planning and schedule changes, and are excited about our next few opportunities to work outside together before winter comes. We hope to see many of you October 7-9 and 14-16 to help prepare our cabin for the snowy days ahead and build a storage space to protect our newest equipment. Whether you prefer to gather wood, pound a nail, or prepare a delicious meal, there’s no shortage of work to be done and we look forward to enjoying the labor with many friends. See you all very soon!

October 3, 2011 • Link to this post

Weekend course with Wojtek Tracewski

We’re very excited to invite you to a weekend at the Heartland Retreat Center with long-time Polish traveling teacher Wojtek Tracewski. Wojtek took refuge in 1980, has translated for Lama Ole since 1989, and since 1990 he has been traveling and teaching throughout Poland, Russia, Germany and the US.

WHEN:
Friday September 23 – Saturday September 25

PRICES:
Meals are $5/each
Lectures/Q&A sessions are $10/each

REGISTER:
You can register and pay online with our easy registration form: Register online
(Couples: You can now pay for two people at the same time)

SCHEDULE:
Friday, September 23:
8:00 pm Lecture with Wojtek

Saturday, September 24:
8:00am: 16th Karmapa Meditation
9:00 am: Breakfast
10:30: Question and Answers with Wojtek
11:30 am: Personal Practice
1:00 pm: Lunch
2:00 pm: Ngondro Explanations or Questions with Wojtek
4:00 pm: Personal Practice
6:00 pm: Dinner
8:00 pm: Lecture with Wojtek

Sunday, September 25:
8:00am: 16th Karmapa Meditation
9:00 am: Breakfast
10:30 am: Question and Answers with Wojtek
11:30 am: Personal Practice
1:00 pm: Lunch
2:00 pm: Lecture with Wojtek

September 18, 2011 • Link to this post

A look back at the course

In June we had our first ever national course with Lama Ole Nydahl at the HRC. Over two hundred friends joined from across the world to pitch their tents and enjoy a weekend of lectures and meditations with Lama Ole. In only two and a half days there were many highlights: extreme weather, stories of the lineage, Tilopa’s “Ganges Mahamudra,” meditations, cookouts and more. Especially the local sangha noticed with deep feeling how the land transformed from a promising piece of earth to a living Karma Kagyu place. As he left, Lama Ole noted that the place was now “alive.”

And so we are very excited to carry the energy forward. Please see the events section for an updated list of activities, including a weekend with Mike Freeland July 29-31, EC streaming Aug 8-10, Labor Day program Sept 2-5, and a course with Polish teacher Wojtek Tracewski September 23-25.

Below are a few photo impressions from the course and the “Dig It!” video that we used to kick off our membership campaign. We hope to see you soon!

July 28, 2011 • Link to this post

The HRC is on the map!

Here’s a cool little milestone: The HRC now shows up as a point of interest on Google maps of the Ontario area. Check out the screenshot below!

June 3, 2011 • Link to this post

Final two weeks to the course

Last weekend we made the most of a holiday with many people and a big push on all projects: inside the cabin, outside the cabin, and out on the land.

The gompa was the focus inside the cabin. A new wood ceiling with inset lighting, fixes to the drywall, patches and baseboards all brought us closer to the fine quality gompa we’ve imagined. It is really so close now.

Outside, the cedar siding remained high priority. The siding looks very lovely, especially with a layer of shingles completing the outline of the cabin on the north side. On the east side of the cabin, a new concrete patio is poured and the man-made hill shoring up its side was seeded with grass. Beyond the garage, giant piles of gravel became a proper parking lot, edged with heavy stones.

There was also time for finer things. Flowers and ferns from the land now hug the corners of the cabin and spring from the corner of the rock path. The rock path itself is touched up, with some loose rocks solidified. The whole area feels transformed.

Out on the land, the showers are standing and were tested by a few brave gentlemen. It’s a joy to see the swales and drainage strategies working: long areas that used to be thick with mud are now dry and clean, waiting for tents. Across the pedestrian bridge, a new fence adds both safety and charm.

And of course, we managed to taste some New Glarus throughout the days and squeeze a little dancing here and there. The to-do list remains miles long but our enthusiasm is apparently without limit. In only two weeks we’ll be welcoming friends from all over the world. What a joy!