Gearing Up to the Retreat

“The Merigar East Retreat with our Master is coming soon!”

As the Project Manager of the May 2014 retreat at Merigar East I was asked by the ME gakyil to write a few words about this extraordinary event.

Dear Vajra Siblings, what can I say to encourage you to come to this unique place. For starters I can tell you what you’re definitely not going to get there. You can forget about an Italian style pizza or coffee. All connoisseurs of fine foods should re-define their expectations – there’s not much we will be able to surprise you with in this regard.

Hot springs? No way… moreover, even though the Black Sea is just a 5 minute walk from the Gar, most likely it will still be too chilly an experience in the last week of May.

Want to rest at the Gar under the shade of some 100 trees? Too early, they’re still far too small.

But the bathrooms are good, although bidets are not necessarily a common piece of equipment. Then the older generation of the locals don’t speak much English or Spanish, sometimes a little bit of German or Italian.

There’s no bus stop near the Gar or any type of public transport to take you there – except for a taxi, of course – and the country road that leads to the Gar is no highway.

The Gar itself sits in the middle of nowhere with just this immense empty space all around.

I could go on and on about the long list of things that are lacking there. So why come?

When I’ve spoken with people who’ve visited Merigar East I hear different stories, but most DC members admit that this place is very special. Special? Why is that, I ask. And all their explanations are pretty much irrational: …because it all feels like the original community… you feel you’re part of family there, at ease… because of all the hardship you experience there, your practice develops quickly and helps you face yourself… because the wind swiftly sweeps away all your negative karma… because the space there is so overwhelming you dissolve into it… there are no limitations, openness is everywhere… the sense of freedom is all-embracing. Is that convincing enough? No hard facts, just wonderful feelings, lots of individual experiences. Those practitioners…!

Nonetheless there’s also other practical information that should help you make up your minds. First of all, even though Romania is member of the E.U., prices are still pretty low there. One can get there by low-fare airlines (e.g. Pisa – Constanta).

For all karma yogi(ni)s we provide affordable accommodation and special terms of participation in this retreat.

Three days before the retreat we plan to organize a workshop on modern Tibetan dances and hope to confirm this shortly.

To counteract the potentially cool evenings in May, we suggest some barbecue parties flavoured with your wish-list music & dance.

If this is your first time in Romania, you can count on the assistance of the organizers, especially our marvellous geko, Anatolie, to find suitable accommodation and transport if necessary. This retreat is going to be special because it’s being organized in late spring, not in the summer time as it has been for many years. The weather may be unstable but we’ll do our best to be prepared for the unexpected. I should also add that since our Gar is very young, any help or support will be very much appreciated.

Do you feel convinced now? I hope you don’t… you shouldn’t take into account just the rational or practical aspects when choosing which retreat to attend.

In our innermost essence we all know these are all secondary matters. The only convincing argument to persuade you to come all this way to Merigar East is this: from May 23^rdto May 31^st the greatest treasure of this world will stay in this place. And regardless of the circumstances this treasure will cast the infinite light of wisdom on all sentient beings there. And you’re more than welcome to warm yourself in His light. By joining us at ME, you will make this place complete. The Teacher and His Teachings will be there. To make it all complete, there should be a Sangha – this means You.