Extension Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Dhammacari Vipassana Meditation Center

Call in the time of Spring awakening

Dear friends of meditation and the Sonnenthal,

we are happy to inform you about the progress that we have made with the extension of the meditation centre so far, and about the next steps.

Two phases of construction will be possible for this year. We still need the financial means to realise them, and will give you more details about this as well as about the renewed call for Dana later in the email.

This week we was working on the side building again.

Over the past few months, a lot of the planning for the extension has been happening in the background. Our two architects Ellen and Karl Heinz, who give their services as Dana, have already worked out many details for the construction plan and have consulted other specialist planners.

Während der letzten Monate wurde im „Hintergrund“ fleißig an den Plänen für den Anbau gearbeitet. Unsere beiden Architekten Ellen und Karl Heinz, die ihre Dienste als Dana geben, haben viele Details für die Werkplanung bereits ausgearbeitet und weitere Fachplaner hinzugezogen.

Next steps

During the first construction phase in August, we plan to create the foundation with a base plate, supporting wall and an earth cellar. The costs for this are estimated at around € 195,000. This amount also includes various additional expenses that will accumulate until then.

In order to start this first phase of construction, around 40,000 € are needed in order to have planning security.

With the second construction phase starting In October, we are planning to create the shell of the building with roof and windows. This is the biggest step that has to be completed in one go. The costs for this are estimated at around € 1,100,000.

The further construction phases can then be carried out in smaller steps.

It is a giant step that we are taking with the shell of the building. Some companies have already reserved production capacities for this. If the necessary amount is available by the end of April, the order can be placed. If this is not the case by then, this construction phase will be postponed.

We have every confidence that everything will happen at exactly the right time and we remember the recommendations of our Most Venerable Ajahn Tong to always take the steps that are possible.

This is how we have proceeded up to now and unexpected doors have opened again and again.

The call goes out to everyone to participate in this great work.
To be there with all your financial and spiritual possibilities.
To tell other people about it.
To send metta to all those who give Dana.

For the first construction phase “Foundation”, another 40,000 € are needed.

Who can contribute? Who can, together with friends, relatives, colleagues, collect an amount of € 1,000 for example?
Who has the opportunity to give a larger amount?

For the second construction phase “shell construction”, a larger amount of € 1,100,000 is required.

Anyone from our circles has the opportunity to make a larger contribution?
Anyone from our circles knows people who appreciate a special project like this one and are willing to give a larger amount, or even the entire sum for it?

The bank account is:

DHAMMACARI VIPASSANA MEDITATIONSZENTRUM E. V.

SPARKASSE ERDING – DORFEN

IBAN: DE74700519950010183903

SWIFT-BIC: BYLADEM1ERD

Please reference as: “Erweiterung Dhammacari”

For the entire project, Buddha statues will be created for the Dana gifts. As we have already shared in previous emails, the artist M. Lena shows her great ability as a sculptor in making the Buddha statues.

Buddha statues are created in different sizes and designs, depending on the amount of Dana given. Here, you can witness the “birth” of one of these statues and marvel at how delicately M. Lena creates it.

This diagram shows the amount of donations that have already been received since we started this extension project.

With Metta
Your Dhammacari-Team

Dana…Buddhaimages…and the construction site

Dear friends of meditation and the Sonnenthal,

We are happy to report on the progress of our construction site:
The concrete plaster for the barn could still be laid in October. Robert, Christian, Kuzma and Artur were a top team. Together, they completed the task in about 3 days.

About two weeks ago, the carpenters set up the barn and a few days later we could start with the completion ourselves. So we laid cables, installed insulation and wall cladding together with a few helpers. Many thanks to everyone who has helped up to this point: Ajahn Phra Ofer, Robert, Christian, Kuzma, Martin, Andreas, Sabrina, Felix, Richard, Katja, Lena, Elisabeth, Lisa, Angelika, …
Despite the cold we don’t let ourselves be deterred from assembling board by board …
In the next few days we want to finish the wood paneling and the gates.

In the meantime some bills could be paid:
€19,944 for the sewage treatment plant,
€46,999 for the dredging work (parking lot, sewage treatment plant, sewer, barn substructure and access roads …),
€8,896 for the concrete foundation of the barn.
Following this, there will be the bills for the plumber with €3,199, the carpentry with around €20,000 and the electrical work including the PV system.

Thank you very much also to everyone who is giving Dana, whether as a one-time or a recurring donation or as a standing order, so that this growth is possible.

As you can see, over €180,000 has already been given.
For every amount of €1,000 or more, a Buddha statue is created; the higher the amount, the larger the Buddha statue. The graphic shows how many statues of Buddha are already coming together.
It is planned to bless the Buddha statues at the ceremonial blessing after the completion of the extension building and to present them to the sponsors.
Lena gives her skills as a sculptor and creates the Buddha statues in diligent precision work. Several work processes are necessary before a statue is completed.

We are experiencing a lot of enquiries in these troubled times and we are far from being able to meet this high demand. It shows more than ever how important it is that there are places that allow us to come back to the present moment and to experience healing.

From the gratitude and generosity of the meditators who could experience this, the Dhammacari Vipassana Meditation Centre has been able to come into existence and to grow.
Also this current major growth step is only possible thanks to the Dana that we are all giving to this project.
It is a special kind of effort.
Only through the joy of giving and appreciation will this place and the Dhamma become accessible to many more people.

If you like to donate, please indicate the reference of your transfer as follows:

„Extension Dhammacari“

Account details:

DHAMMACARI VIPASSANA MEDITATIONSZENTRUM E. V.
SPARKASSE ERDING – DORFEN
IBAN: DE74700519950010183903
SWIFT-BIC: BYLADEM1ERD

With Metta

Your Dhammacari-Team

Construction project started in September

Dear friends in the Dhamma,

we have got some good news for you:

On the 10th of September we received the full building permit for the expansion of the meditation centre.

This is great because a few points regarding fire protection still needed to be clarified beforehand with the authorities.

In the last few weeks and months, many decisions have been made, details have been polished and various solutions weighed against each other …. craftsmen have been contacted and offers obtained.

We have had lively exchanges with our architects – Karl-Heinz and Ellen – and Ellen is still busy with the drawings for the last details of the barn to be passed on to the builders.

At this point, I would like to take this opportunity to thank both of you very much for the generous contribution of your architectural work, which you are giving to the project as Dana.

On the Sunday – the 13th – before the construction started, we had a small ground-breaking ceremony.

As planned, construction work began on Monday, September 14th:
The excavator company moved in with some machines to create the parking space and the area for the barn, and also to prepare the installation of the new sewage treatment plant.
As you can see in the photos, a few cubic meters of earth were moved, a trench was pulled from the terrace to the meadow, and cables and pipes were laid …

Beginning of last week the 4 large concrete tanks for the new “small sewage was delivered and lifted into the large, prepared excavation pit.

After completion of the sewage treatment plant, the foundation for the barn will be concreted. The barn itself is planned to be constructed in October. With your support, we want to do the concrete plastering and the wooden planking on the outer walls ourselves. Builders have already contacted us to offer their help. Nevertheless, we would be delighted if there were still helpers who would be happy to give their energy as Dana.
Please contact us by phone or email for further information

And as you can see here, there is a lot of meditation practice happening in parallel with the construction work.

Status as of September 23rd:

Status as of September 29th:

Since our last message, the Dana on the account of our association has also grown. Thank you very much. It is great to see so many of our Sangha contributing in this way to promote growth in the Dhamma.

Please indicate the purpose of your Dana as follows:

„Extension Dhammacari“

Account details:

DHAMMACARI VIPASSANA MEDITATIONSZENTRUM E. V.
SPARKASSE ERDING – DORFEN
IBAN: DE74700519950010183903
SWIFT-BIC: BYLADEM1ERD

With metta

Your Dhammacari-Team

We continue…

Dear friends of meditation and the Sonnenthal,

We are happy to inform you that we have been accommodating meditators again since Friday. However, the hygiene requirements currently only allow a slightly smaller number of participants, so unfortunately, we cannot give a place to everyone who wants to come.

The last two months have flown by and a lot has happened:

We were given a small used garden shed, which we have almost completely rebuilt in the meantime. Another small area that somewhat alleviates our lack of space.

We are still broadcasting our evening chanting once a week via zoom, usually on Sundays. A small online Sangha has already developed and regularly participates in it. We only send the access details to the group of people that have registered for it. If you would like to receive an invitation to this event regularly, simply send us an email.

The planning for the large extension has now also been completed and has already been submitted to the district office for approval.

Our architects have worked with us with great commitment to create a plan that has been refined with many details to accommodate our growing needs. So in the end, the planning stage has taken more time than expected.

But now we are all the more pleased because the extension naturally fits with the existing building and a harmonious overall structure can be created.

This creates a large dining room and a kitchen on the garden floor. An entrance hall, an apartment for Hildegard, a reporting room and office on the ground floor, and a large meditation room on the upper floor, together with 8 additional rooms on the ground floor and first floor.

Here in the house, we are enjoying the design model that was built by Cora:

The next steps will be to get offers for the barn and for the sewage treatment plant. After the planning has been approved, we would like to accomplish these two parts of the project this year. With regards to the extension of the house, the next step is going to be the implementation plan.

Even if it is very urgent for us, the extension will not be built until next year.

Current events in the world make retreats like this more important than ever in order to create and maintain a clear mind.

Funding is still required to implement the project. Dana has been given generously in the past few months, as you can see in the following graphic:

In our previous emails we had already announced that a Buddha statue will be created for every Dana amount of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 … etc. The buddha statues will be presented and blessed as part of the blessing ritual of the extension once it is completed.

Lena is already working hard on the Buddha statues: