Rigpa Amsterdam Centre's Fresh New Renovation

February 18, 2022Rogier (for the Rigpa Amsterdam Team)

In January, Rigpa Amsterdam was re-opened after an extensive renovation and is now ready to welcome sangha and newcomers alike. Rogier, from the Amsterdam team shares the story.

For years the Amsterdam team were looking for a new building for a national centre for Rigpa Holland. But times are tough in a big city. Then the thought came up, “why move when we have a huge place in the middle of town, a place blessed by Sogyal Rinpoche and so many masters and practices over the years...” So two years ago we decided to renovate our old dilapidated centre in Amsterdam.

We wanted an open, spacious, inviting centre for sangha and new-comers alike. The first step was to install new windows opening up and brightening up a very dark and old side of the building. That simple action caused an avalanche of creativity and planning...

COVID gave us the opportunity to rebuild too. Speaking of tendrel, everything came beautifully together: all the funds we needed manifested, an amazing interior architect who translated all our wishes in good solutions, many volunteers came forward, our huge Buddha statue now has a new and higher throne, we built a beautiful Vajrayana shrine room, Lama Yönten and Tenpa came to the rescue filling and consecrating the Buddha and new statues including an amazing life size Guru Rinpoche.

We took the opportunity to also renew the AV system completely so we can now host so-called ‘hybrid’ sessions (both live and zoom) and on the 26th of February the Amsterdam sangha will be streaming the tsok practice to the international sangha!

We opened the newly-renovated centre with a beautiful tsok and Rabné practice presided over by Lama Yönten and Tenpa Rabjé streamed to our sangha too. The pictures tell their own story.

When in Amsterdam, please do not hesitate and visit us!