Activities

Dharma Activities of the Ripa lineage and other groups
The RIC will host guided meditations, courses, retreats, as well as long term curriculums for the intensive study of Buddhist texts, Tibetan language courses, and so forth.

Restaurant
The restaurant will be accessible to the public and thus become a meeting place for visitors from near and far. The openness of the center will create a positive link to the local community. The restaurant will serve organic food, sustainably produced, as well as Tibetan specialties, such as Momos.

Rejuvenation
Activities to reduce stress, to relax and to refresh one’s being will be held, including those of different spiritual traditions.

Health
Tibetan medicine is an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism, and includes a detailed knowledge about the healthy functioning of body and mind. An experienced and well educated Tibetan doctor will be available to provide diagnosis, treatments, as well as courses

Course Center
The facilities (training and meeting rooms as well as the guest rooms) of the Center will be available for rent to course organizers who seek an inspiring and harmonious setting, in natural surroundings, for their events. Sample courses might include, for example: yoga classes, painting, crafts, rest and relaxation, nutrition and healthy eating, Tibetan medicine, foreign languages, life appreciation courses, martial arts, gymnastics and various individual or group therapeutic services.
Course organizers might include private organizations or public institutions (such as clubs, schools, hospitals, companies and ad hoc communities, etc.)
There are sufficient rooms to host guests as well as residents.

Perspectives for the young
Growing up in today’s world has become a multifaceted challenge providing many perspectives simultaneously to the keen mind of a young person. Special courses for the young will be offered. These programs will include practical advice for living life, philosophical discussions, and physical activities.

Arts and culture
Many people are not attuned to spirituality or to spiritual teachers, however they are interested in Buddhist culture and attracted to the arts. One way to transform the RIC into a living Dharma center is to grant access to the rich and unique Buddhist art and culture. Therefore a Buddhist museum with various objects will be opened. A curator will be on site to receive and guide guests.

To age with dignity
As Gyetrul Jigme Rinpoche has said: «Spiritual care can be provided in a spiritual environment during the last precious years of life. »
From the Buddhist point of view it is very important to spend one’s closing period of life within a spiritually oriented community which cares for us. For this reason the Ripa Masters as well as their students will be dedicating themselves to support the elderly, as well as those who are dying, providing hospice care irrespective of the religious persuasion.

Living and working
The RIC provides the place for a local resident community for those people who are interested to share their professional and/or private life within a spiritual environment together with others. There exist many different rooms that are available either for living and accommodation or for various therapy and practice rooms as well for arts and crafts studios.

Support of humanitarian projects
Activities will include support for the Ripa Humanitarian Projects, including schooling, social, cultural and medical projects for the sake of underprivileged people in Asia. More details about the different projects of the Ripa Foundation are available on this website:
www.ripa-international.org/humanitarian

Biodiversity and an ecologically orientated approach to nature and animals
The spacious meadows of the RIC allow animal husbandry. Here the animals can live in an appropriately cared for way. For example cows will provide milk products which will enable self-sufficiency and so directly contribute to the vegetarian-orientated center.
Today the horse stable shelters the horses of private owners, who enjoy the lovely area with meadows and woods during their rides. The horses and the livestock have ample space for grazing on the land.
Vegetables, fruits and herbs will be grown and harvested organically and ecologically.
One of the central aspects of Buddhist teachings is the realization of the interdependent arising of existence. This means that reality is seen as a very complex and permanently changing network of inter-relations (cause and effect) which continuously influences all beings in a positive or negative way.
This point of view is not about sustaining the egoistic benefit of a single person, but rather targets a healthy cooperation. Out of this basic understanding, ecological principals will guide both guests and residents in their relations to their natural surroundings