Manjushri Buddha Retreat Center in Himmerland will construct Scandinavia’s first dedicated facility for a traditional 3-year retreat. This is what we are raising funds for. Here is the story behind it — and why we believe it can be done right here.

What we are building

We are raising five million Danish kroner to construct dedicated retreat buildings on the centre’s grounds in Vesterbølle. The buildings will house a defined retreat area with accommodation for the yogis, a shared temple and the practical facilities needed to complete three consecutive years within the boundary.

No such facilities exist in Scandinavia today. Practitioners who wish for this opportunity must travel to France or Asia — or go without. We want to change that.

The goal is to begin construction in 2027.

Floor plan: the yogis’ rooms along the sides, shared space in the centre beneath the large vault.

Why this place

The centre in Vesterbølle has four decades of experience with Buddhist practice in the Karma Kagyu tradition. It is an established place with a living sangha — a community of practitioners — and a strong connection to the teachers who will carry such a retreat.

But the place also has a quality that reaches further back than the centre itself. The grounds have been cultivated organically since 1981 — three years before the centre was founded. No pesticides have ever been used on this land. The greenhouse operation, run by Eva Bjerrum on the grounds, helped found the Danish Organic Association and has since produced crops, bread and meals for the local community. This is land that has been tended with care for more than four decades.

The place is quiet. It lies in Himmerland with a view of the Limfjord, surrounded by fields and forest. It is the kind of place where deep immersion is possible — and can be sustained over three years.

Who carries it

Dupseng Rinpoche is the third in a reincarnation lineage with deep roots in the Karma Kagyu tradition. He completed a traditional 3-year retreat himself from 2008 to 2011 and is today retreat master at Karma Ngedon Palbar Ling in Nepal. Bokar Rinpoche — one of the great teachers in the lineage — advised him early on: in both your previous incarnations you have been a retreat master. It would be ideal to resume that role in this life.

That is the role Dupseng Rinpoche takes on in Denmark. He will visit the yogis within the boundary and give teachings — not as a distant authority, but as a teacher with personal experience of this very practice.

Eva Bjerrum and Claus Hermansen — two of the centre’s founders — have lived and worked on the grounds since 1984. The daily operations, the organic garden, the café and the shop: all of it is carried by people who have chosen this place as their life’s work.

The common room beneath the large vault — where the yogis gather for meals and shared activities.

What we need

The foundation is there. What is missing are the buildings — a physical framework designed specifically to house a long retreat and protect the practice that takes place within the boundary.

With your support we can begin building in 2027. Every contribution counts — a one-time gift, a monthly amount, or a named contribution that marks that you were part of it from the beginning.

See how you can support the project

Frequently asked questions

What will the money be used for?

We are raising five million Danish kroner to construct dedicated retreat buildings on the grounds of Manjushri Buddha Retreat Center in Vesterbølle — the first facility in Scandinavia capable of housing a traditional 3-year retreat.

Who is Dupseng Rinpoche?

Dupseng Rinpoche is the third in a reincarnation lineage with deep roots in the Karma Kagyu tradition. He completed a 3-year retreat himself and is retreat master in Nepal. He will give teachings during the retreat in Denmark.

Why is this place particularly suitable?

The grounds have been cultivated organically since 1981 — before the centre was even founded. No pesticides have ever been used. The place is quiet and surrounded by nature, situated in Himmerland with a view of the Limfjord.

When will construction begin?

The goal is to begin construction in 2027. That requires five million kroner to be raised beforehand. You can contribute with a one-time gift or a monthly amount — every contribution counts.