Dzogchen Beara facts for kids
Dzogchen Beara is a special place in Ireland where people go for quiet time and spiritual practice. It's a Tibetan Buddhist retreat centre located on the beautiful Beara Peninsula in West Cork. A teacher named Sogyal Rinpoche started it in 1987. It also has a "Spiritual Care Centre" that helps people, which was opened by Mary McAleese in 2007.
Contents
How Dzogchen Beara Started
Peter and Harriet Cornish bought the land for Dzogchen Beara in 1973. In 1992, they gave the land and its buildings to a special trust. This trust was guided by Sogyal Rinpoche.
Harriet passed away in 1993. The care she received inspired the idea for the Spiritual Care Centre. This centre officially opened its doors in 2007. In 2006, Dzogchen Beara made history. It was the first Buddhist centre in Ireland to host a Christian Mass. Father Laurence Freeman led this special event.
What Happens at Dzogchen Beara?
People come to Dzogchen Beara for "retreats." These are times when they focus on spiritual practice and study. The first long retreats, lasting a whole year, began in 1994. These follow traditional Tibetan schedules.
Visiting Teachers
Many important teachers, called lamas, from the Tibetan tradition have visited. These include Dzogchen Rinpoche and Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. Other teachers like Garchen Rinpoche and Orgyen Tobgyal have also shared their wisdom.
The centre has also welcomed teachers from other traditions. These include Father Laurence Freeman and Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. People like Sharon Salzberg and Andrew Warr have also led events here.
The Spiritual Care Centre
The Spiritual Care Centre opened in 2007. Its main goal is to help people. It supports individuals who are nearing the end of their lives. It also provides comfort and care during and after someone passes away.
Plans for a New Temple
There are plans to build Ireland's very first Buddhist temple at Dzogchen Beara. Orgyen Tobgyal is guiding this big project. He performed a special fire ceremony in 2010 to bless the site. Work on the temple's foundations started in April 2016. The walls of the three-level building are now complete.
