11th European Ordination Program participant

I already knew about the program from last year. I knew what the program would entail as I had participated in prior programs. I have been interested in Buddhism for a long time and here are some of the best opportunities to learn about Buddhism and the Buddhist tradition.

I get to practice mindfulness and I get to practice meditation. We have so many great monks here that teach us the Dhamma and the groups are always nice so you feel like you've gained a familty at the end. We also have a more intensive time to practice, not like at home, here it's more intensive, and when I see especially for the ceremony all the effort that people do, all the laypeople to help build up the whole place with all the flowers, tents, and work behind it. The monks that teach us all the time, that push me to put more effort in my practice. It's much more than a normal retreat I would say, and that's why I'm here again.

Everything about the laws of karma, I like the basic steps about universal goodness and how everything builds up like a big puzzle. You tend to always come back to something you learnt before, and as you go on and on, you can pick it up and it's linked together like a big puzzle. Later on it's going to make more sense. I read books about the life of the Lord Buddha before, but when Venerable Vichai shared more stories, then you have so many small stories, pieces, and examples that I never heard about before. That was something very special to hear from him about the life of the Lord Buddha.

Watch the full video on YouTube