The Heartland Retreat Center

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April in a Nutshell

April kicked off with an historic event: our first national meditation weekend, which connected the sangha in ways like never before. Centers throughout the Americas connected online eight times throughout the weekend to meditate together, and traveling teachers shared evening lectures over Skype with friends across the country. On Saturday afternoon, over 200 friends in the US, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and Czech Republic met over a webcast to hear the latest updates on the upcoming release of Buddha & Love. Lama Ole joined us from Germany to greet all the shining faces and shared some words about the meaning this book can bring to people’s relationships. That evening we stepped outside to enjoy another majestic sunset at HRC when a beautiful rainbow appeared perfectly over the cabin. Check out the photos below for a taste of the joy.

Without a doubt spring arrived and we eagerly began laying out our project list for the next few months. The longing to awaken the indestructible lawnmower from hibernation was fulfilled, and every weekend in April has been dedicated to mowing 84 acres of space is joy. We agreed on our next focus for HRC development, and fundraising began to build a cabin addition with a kitchen and bathroom. With a statue on the way and a tractor somewhere in our minds, we look forward to seeing what creative fundraisers we’ll come up with this time. As the month comes to end, friends are planning trips to California in May to indulge in the excitement of preparing a course with Lama Ole. Get the details about this year’s WRC course and register early for a discount here.

And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the release of Buddha & Love on May 15! Stay updated on Facebook or sign up for an email reminder on the day of the release at buddhaandlove.com.

April 30, 2012 • Link to this post

First of Many

This weekend brings the first of many more to come: National Meditation Weekends! We’ll join friends online across the US, Canada, and down south to Venezuela to meditate together, plan activity, and hear the latest updates on Lama Ole’s new book, Buddha & Love: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Relationships. We can’t wait to see our friends shining faces and connect with so many regions throughout the continent. Overcoming distance once again!

April 3, 2012 • Link to this post

Full Contact

March is in like a lamb at the Heartland Retreat Center, bringing summer-like weather and tents in the yard.

St. Patrick’s Day weekend was surprisingly… romantic! A small team of nerds with laptops gathered on the second floor of the cabin to cuddle, talk about their feelings and prepare for Lama Ole Nydahl’s book tour throughout the United States in May of 2012. Buddha & Love: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Relationships will be available for purchase on Amazon on May 15th! The team spent hours on marathon conference calls with wise friends from Europe, learning how to prepare for and accompany Ole on a media tour. The website is up at buddhaandlove.com, and you can like the book on Facebook, too!

Julianne Ferenczy, a travelling teacher from Germany, visited the HRC from March 23rd through the 25th. She spoke with warmth and humor about love (“All relationships turn from love to compassion in three months.”), impermanence (“I am sorry to tell you – you are all such nice people – but you are going to die.”), and friendship (“friends in the way – I mean, on the way, of course”). She described compassion as being in “full contact” with other people, even if they are unpleasant, or worse – happier and better looking than us! Julianne kept us on a prompt schedule, charmed us all with her wit, and looked both intelligent and friendly in every photo.

Next on the horizon is a Meditation and Activity retreat at the HRC over Easter weekend, April 6-8. This is North America’s first nationwide retreat, featuring meditations guided by friends all over the continent, and a special live message from Lama Ole on Saturday afternoon about Buddha & Love. Don’t miss it!

March 29, 2012 • Link to this post

Weekend Program March 23-25

We’re looking forward to spending another weekend together at the HRC March 23-25 with traveling teacher Julianne Ferenczy from Germany! We’ll enjoy a program of meditation and lectures Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.

And while all programs at the HRC are open to the public, we’d like to extend a special invitation to those in the local area who want to check out the center to join us on Saturday, March 24 at 8pm for a lecture on “Buddhism in the Modern World”. If you’ve never been before, visit our our Location and Contact page for directions and feel free to contact us with any questions.

March 15, 2012 • Link to this post

Iaaaaa….gotta good feeling!

This weekend the Heartland met South America, as 10 friends from Venezuela (and one from Mexico, two from California and two from New York!) joined traveling teacher, Dilia Navarro on a historic tour through the U.S. A manifestation of Lama Ole’s wish to for the Americas to work together, our South American friends brought an explosion of joy to the HRC and shared their warm Latin family feeling with us. The HRC was the third stop on Dilia’s Midwest tour, which has included stops in Minneapolis and La Crosse and continues on this week in Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago. On Friday evening we were treated to a delicious Venezuelan feast by our South American friends. Soon the cabin was completely full of friends from all over the region. Over 70 attended the retreat weekend, deepening their bonds and connecting with new friends. With so many bodies in our 1500 square foot cabin with only one bathroom, it became evident during our afternoon vision meeting that our next project would be an addition that would house an industrial kitchen and a second bathroom. After a lecture on “carrying out the lama’s activity,” the sangha did just that and shared their joy with the town of Cashton at “Buddha Fest” (as the locals referred to it), which featured our very own Kagyu Blues Band and Karoke. After a wonderful evening of singing, dancing, and playfulness, we had one last lecture with Dilia, who was joined by local travel teachers to share their wisdom and experience on the topic of sangha. Before we concluded the weekend’s program, our Hungarian friends (now living in the midwest) made a touching gift to the HRC of a replica of the enlightenment stupa at Becske. It was the perfect ending to an incredible weekend filled with inspiration!

February 22, 2012 • Link to this post

This weekend: ¡Vaya Con Dilia!

The HRC is getting ready to host a Venezuelan voyage! A dozen friends from Venezuela and more from around the country will spend this weekend at the HRC as part of the Vaya Con Dilia tour with traveling teacher Dilia Navarro. Check out the weekend’s schedule below, and take a look at the Heartland calendar to find out when they’ll be in Minneapolis, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago!

¡Vaya Con Dilia!
February 17-19 at the HRC

FRIDAY
6 pm Dinner
8 pm Lecture with Dilia: “Practice in Daily Life”
followed by 16th Karmapa Meditation

SATURDAY
9 am Breakfast
10 am 16th Karmapa Meditation
followed by Q & A with Dilia
12 pm Lunch
2 pm Walk 84 acres of Space is Joy
3 pm Personal Practice
5 pm Dinner
6 pm Lecture with Dilia: “Carrying out the Lama’s Activity”
followed by 16th Karmapa Meditation
9 pm Go to Badger Crossing for concert and celebration

SUNDAY
9 am Breakfast
10 am Lecture with Dilia: “Sangha as an Extension of the Lama” followed by 16th Karmapa Meditation
12 pm Lunch
1 pm HRC Vision

Cost: $60 for the whole weekend
or $5 per meal and $10 per lecture/Q&A

February 12, 2012 • Link to this post

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!