Kunselling:
the home of the Dzogchen Community in the UK

Introduction
Background
Events at Kunselling
Losar 2008 Photo Album
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Introduction

Background

When we first purchased the property, in the late summer of 1997, there was simply a traditional 300-year old Welsh farmhouse, a ruined stone barn and a few animal pens on the site. Today, the centre consists of a well-equipped four bedroom farmhouse, a spacious 'gompa’ converted from the barn, four individual retreat cabins including a comfortable dark-retreat cabin, and a dance mandala situated in the central courtyard. In rain or cold weather, we use our inflatable transparent blue dome to provide shelter and warmth for the dancers on the mandala. We have a small office and shop selling Shang-Shung products, as well as other Buddhist books and ritual items.

Before: house, barn & farmyard	After: gompa & vajra dance mandala

The Community also owns over ten acres of south-facing land surrounding the farmhouse, which adjoins thousands of acres of wild and beautiful common land, making it ideal for walking. This makes Kunselling a perfect location for both group and personal retreats. We plan to develop our existing facilities further to include a glazed dining area, a library, and more individual retreat cabins. Although the gardens around the farmhouse look beautiful, especially the white garden surrounding the mandala and the recently-extended terrace on the south side of the farmhouse, we plan to do further landscaping by planting many more trees, building a stupa and a sang burner, as well as providing a self-sufficient terraced camping area.

Rinpoche visited Kunselling in 1998 during his teaching retreat at Clyro Court, naming it ‘Kunsel Ling’, the ‘Place of Total Luminosity’ and consecrating it as a sacred place for the continuation of the Dzogchen teachings and transmission. On a mundane level, light and clarity completely suffuse Kunselling: the hills stand out in perfect sharpness, while patterns of sun and cloud race over them. The space around is vast, constrained only by the distant Black Mountains, the Brecon Beacons to the south, and the Mynydd Epynt with other vaguer ranges of mountains away to the north. Rather than the sound of traffic or televion, there is only the occasional caw of a hungry raven, the mew of a buzzard wheeling in the sky and the sheep in the fields around. There is the constant presence of the elements, and a sense of connection with the spirits of the land which surrounds us.

Since the completion of the gompa and retreat cabins a few years ago, we have hosted many memorable retreats and courses. These include Santi Maha Sangha retreats led by Jim Valby and Costantino Albini; Vajra Dance courses led by Prima Mai, Stoffelina Verdonk and Cindy Faulkner; Yantra Yoga instruction led by Laura Evangelisti and John Renshaw as well as numerous other events, including those on Tibetan medicine, creative writing and the visual arts.

Group practice retreats take place regularly and the personal retreat cabins are more popular than ever Some events, like our annual Open Day celebration, are aimed specifically at local people and members of the public. Other events, such as the closed webcasts, are limited to members of the International Dzogchen Community.

In the UK Community, we have a diverse range of members from many countries, with different age groups and a rich variety of talents and interests. Wherever you are from, members are invited to visit Kunselling and participate in our many activities. You are all very welcome!!!

Practical Information

Accommodation for members at Kunselling for personal retreat: £5 per night. Led retreats £12 per night for first 2 nights then £5 thereafter. And invited teacher led retreats £12 per night throughout.

Karmayoga: People engaged in Karma Yoga at Kunselling will be provided with free food as well as free accommodation. Do please contact the Red Gakyil - Nick Segust and Robin Russell - if you would like to come and dedicate a day or two to the upkeep of our retreat centre. You don't have to wait for a formal Karma Yoga event.

For all bookings to stay at Kunselling whether for personal retreat, collective practice or karmayoga, please contact Nick Segust . 

For information on membership options go here.

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Please send any additions or amendments to: barry@dzogchencommunity.org