Retreat Center Vinica

Its purpose is to host retreats and courses, allowing Diamond Way practitioners to deepen their understanding, stabilize their view, work intensively with their mind through the precious methods of our noble lineage, as well as practice generosity through helping with the development of the center.

the Vinica Retreat Center is a part of the development of Diamond Way Buddhism in the West in the Karma Kagyu Tradition under the spiritual guidance of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, and directed by Lama Ole Nydahl.

Located on a high plateau near Varna, Bulgaria, it offers a 108 degrees view over the Black Sea. In four steps since the mid 90s, we reached an area of over 25 thousand sq.m., half of this acquired in the last 8 months. Constantly somebody lives there, despite the harsh conditions and friends are welcome to join.

Facilities are for authentic yogis. Water is from reservoirs; electricity from petrol generators; there is a toilet and gas cooking and heating facilities. Accommodation is ascetic. You can stay in a tent, the caravan, or in the bunker if you are doing a retreat.

Contact: VRC diamondway.bg; retreat center mobile:+359 878 219 108 (always somebody picks it up, but he/she might not know English, the phone stays in whoever is at the retreat center)

Major past events include Phowa courses with Lama Ole Nydahl in 2000 and a recent one in 2008 with 650 friends from 25 countries; a 5 days Ngondro course with Jani and 30 friends this spring; and numerous working and cleaning courses over the years.

The name given to the center by Lama Ole Nydahl is "Light Rays of Great Bliss" and he often says it is a place providing for clarity.