I remember what it looked like in the beginning, years ago—a pile of bricks in an uncultivated field. Now it stands as a thriving Dharma center, brimming with activity and promise.
I’ve spent a great deal of time here. I’ve watched it grow. It was built by my family, my Dharma brothers and sisters. Out of their devotion, their sweat, and their tears, this place rose from the ground up. I couldn’t be prouder of what they have achieved, or more amazed at how quickly it all came to be. Every time I return, there is something new, something more refined. Every step forward feels like a leap.
There is something special here, something that radiates warmth, community, and deep practice. From the main hall, a winding path leads to the stupa, opening onto a vast kora that embraces the entire property. Giant statues stand watch over gilded pathways, while cascading switchbacks of gravel weave through flowers in full bloom. It is truly magnificent.
I haven’t seen Karmapa so joyful in quite some time. After such a heavy year, marked by the passing of many precious teachers of our lineage, it was deeply refreshing to see him like this. His laughter fills my soul to the brim. He had the entire room falling apart with laughter, people trembling, breathless from the sheer force of his outrageous humor. Again and again, we dissolved into laughter.
I felt renewed.
Some cried. It was one of those rare moments when you could almost feel the turning of a new leaf. I cannot think of a better place for it to happen. Nestled in the hills outside Prague, this little Sangha was bursting at the seams. Bursting with joy. Bursting with love.
As we walked the kora around the stupa, blessing rain drifted down in gentle waves of mist. Umbrellas appeared all around me, but I welcomed it, letting its cleansing touch wash over me. No one seemed disturbed.
Every time I come back, something has changed. Something has become better, more beautiful, more complete. An endless labor of love in the pursuit of creating a masterpiece of space. What they have accomplished is remarkable.
It feels like home because it is. For anyone. For everyone.
What else could a Dharma center offer the world? A boundless place, filled with Dharma family, gathered together in practice, gazing out across the hills as the sun slips below the horizon.
Sounds like perfection to me.
