Lama Ole Nydahl in the Beaufoy Institute, April 2013
This April the new London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre at the Beaufoy Institute was fortunate to receive a visit from Lama Ole Nydahl. London was a surprise addition to Lama Ole Nydahl’s crowded schedule of worldwide travel. Lama Ole’s schedule for April included several “project days”, which are often used to focus on specific projects such as writing a book (for example the soon to be published “Fearless Death“). Because of Lama Ole Nydahl’s great enthusiasm for the new London Buddhist centre, which has gained international project status, he spontaneously decided to spend two of his project days working directly with the friends involved in the project and inspiring them with his personal example and teachings. Having heard about Lama Ole’s decision to come over, the friends in London quickly set to work preparing for the visit.
Arrival in London
On Wednesday 10 April, Lama Ole Nydahl and his team arrived and were greeted in the Beaufoy by many friends from London, around the UK, and abroad. They had come to share in the enabling work to prepare for the main construction phase before the building starts to function as a Buddhist meditation centre later in 2013. Lama Ole started almost immediately with the friends continuing the process of clearing out the huge amount of space inside and outside the building, and making areas shine which have for many years been neglected. The two days were filled with this activity. Much work took place in one of the upstairs rooms which was transformed into a social and dining space. A temporary “welfare kitchen” has been installed, which enabled the cooking team to cater for all the guests, providing them with wholesome meals in the breaks between work. Enjoy the impressions of these days by clicking the thumbnails below.
Despite London’s extended cold spell and the chilly conditions in the building, on both evenings, Lama Ole Nydahl gave teachings and Q&A sessions for his students in the beautiful main hall of the Beaufoy Institute. As Lama Ole so aptly put it in one of the Q&A sessions “There is no way to enlightenment for a lazy man.”
On the morning of Friday 12 April, as they waved goodbye to the team and Lama Ole Nydahl, the London Centre Team and all who helped were left thinking of Lama Ole’s advice during his teachings in the Beaufoy: “Try to benefit the most beings for the longest time into the future. There you won’t have much competition; not many people are thinking that way.”
Since opening the new London Buddhist Centre, giving a public lecture, and spending several days with the London sangha in the new Buddhist centre in January this year, Lama Ole Nydahl has continuously been talking about the London project in his lectures in different countries, and has sent the team in London many messages of encouragement and advice.
The work continues on the Beaufoy, and we look forward to many future visits from Lama Ole to London – as well as our other inspiring Karma Kagyu teachers such as Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and of course H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje.
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FollowTags: Beaufoy Institute, Lama Ole Nydahl, London
