F.A.Q.
F.A.Q.s LAMDRE 2016
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) or Questions and Answers (Q&A), are listed questions and answers, all supposed to be commonly asked in some context, and pertaining to a particular topic.
Program registration and Payment
How many participants can your centre take?
Do I need to sign up right now?
Is there work exchange, discount or free participation for helping?
Do ordained sangha need to register and pay?
Is my seat confirmed if I register on the website?
Can I register now and pay later?
Is it possible to pay by instalment or to make a deposit only to secure registration?
Should a cancellation take place (before March 31, 2016), will I get a refund?
Can I give my paid registration to another friend if I cannot make it?
May I attend only part of the program and pay the pro-rata fee?
Accommodation, Food and Logistics
What kind of accommodations are available?
Is there any accommodation available in the centre?
Are you able to help us make accommodation arrangements?
When can I book these options?
How do we arrange for accommodations, foods etc.?
Should I bring my own food to the event?
Is it possible for me to heat up my food at the centre?
Are there bistros and small restaurants in the vicinity of the centre?
Is there parking at the centre?
Is there easy access from the centre to public transport?
Event and site related questions
Is there a cloakroom? Is there a space for storage?
Will there be free Wi-Fi on the centre grounds?
Are photos or recordings allowed during the event?
What are the basic amenities that I will receive on the first day?
Is there a space for sitting and relaxation?
In what language His Holiness will teach and in what language it will be translated?
Will H.E. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche also teach in English?
What are Re-Teachings and why are they necessary?
What is the starting and ending times each day?
Program registration and Payment
How many participants can your centre take?
We have only limited amount of sitting space for the program in our shrine hall at the centre. As it is His Holiness’ wish that the program be hosted at the centre, registration will close once we reach the full capacity.
Do I need to sign up right now?
There is no onsite registration and all participants need to register prior to the event. It is advisable that you make plans and sign up as soon as you can. The available spaces for Lamdre 2016 participation are limited and early registration is recommended to avoid disappointment.
What discounts are available?
The only discount that is offered for this event is the early bird discount— if you pay before 31 December, 2015. Please know that even the main organizers of this event pay the same amount. This is in addition to their time-consuming organizational activities for this event.
We welcome nuns and monks to participate free of charge. However, they must be pre-registered with our centre prior to 31 March, 2016 to be considered for attendance.
Is there work exchange, discount or free participation for helping?
There is no further discount offered other than the early bird discount.
We encourage people to volunteer to help us in facilitating the smooth running of this program. This will help all of us to accumulate the merits, a vital and necessary element in our spiritual pursuit. Active assistance in daily work in the Gompa, garden, lounge area and restrooms is very much needed.
Do ordained sangha need to register and pay?
Ordained monks and nuns must register prior to the event in order to attend the program, we do not accept onsite registration. Please register with the centre by 31/3/2016 in order to facilitate our planning. Late registration may be refused due to lack of space.
The registration fee is waived for ordained sangha.
What if I am an ordained person who registered and can’t make it to the event— do I need to notify the centre if I can’t come?
Due to the limited hall capacity, we request all registered ordained sangha members to be considerate, to inform us if they find that they cannot attend Lamdre after registering. This will help free up precious space for other participants on the waiting list. As participants need to make travel and accommodation arrangements to come, please inform us as soon as you can to facilitate planning.
Is my seat confirmed if I register on the website?
No. Space is reserved but not confirmed on registration of the program only. Space is confirmed and guaranteed only when full payment is received and registration confirmed via email by the centre. In the case for ordained sangha, registration is only confirmed when the centre provides an email confirmation.
Can I register now and pay later?
Yes, you can register now. But as mentioned, it is not guaranteed until full payment is received.
If you would like to pay later, please register again at the time of payment and inform us. Then you can use Paypal and we will delete the previous incomplete registration. Or you can transfer the fee by bank transfer to the account of the foundation:
Jetsün Sakya Foundation e.V., Sparkasse Wuppertal, BLZ 33050000
Account 310904, BIC: WUPSDE33, IBAN: DE79 3305 0000 0000 3109 04
Should we have an overwhelming number of applications, we will advise you of the deadline for payment (if you have not paid yet), in order to facilitate the registration process for all students interested to attend the program. The payment deadline will be two weeks from the date we request for your payment. Failure to pay by the date requested will result in your registration being cancelled by the centre to make room for the next interested attendee who can confirm their attendance through payment of registration fee. We thank you for your kind understanding in this matter.
Is it possible to pay by instalment or to make a deposit only to secure registration?
No- we are sorry, only full payment with registration is offered. Space is also only guaranteed based on full payment of registration fee.
Should a cancellation take place (before March 31, 2016), will I get a refund?
Yes. After deducting an administration fee of €100 to cover the costs of preparation, €500 will be refunded to you. However, the cost for Paypal or bank transfer that you have incurred will not be reimbursed.
Can I give my paid registration to another friend if I cannot make it?
Due to the administrative issues (such as preparing the packages, name badges for participants), waiting list (if registration is full), registrations are not transferable.
May I attend only part of the program and pay the pro-rata fee?
Part attendance is subject to approval by the centre, as the parts you wish to attend may have some pre-requisites. The fee will be decided by the centre as more work will be incurred to facilitate such special requests.
Accommodation, Food and Logistics
What kind of accommodations are available?
The accommodation available includes hotels, hostels, camps, privately arranged bed and breakfast, sublets and dormitories.
For camping or camping with your own bus' : City-Camp Frankfurt, GPS N 50 ° 09'48 "- 08 ° 38'59 E", An der Sandelmühle 35.
Information on hotels and guesthouses and addresses of Mitwohnzentralen (a central service to offer living/staying as a cohabitant for low-budget, some kind of “couch-surfing”), Airb&b and apartments, please see our website for some suggestions and links.
Is there any accommodation available in the centre?
Our centre is small and could only host His Holiness and his entourage. There is no accommodation onsite for any participants, helpers, monks or nuns attending the program.
Are you able to help us make accommodation arrangements?
Due to manpower limitations as well as the range of accommodation available, we can only assist in providing information to you on accommodation. However, you need to secure your own accommodation arrangements yourself directly with the relevant supplier.
When can I book these options?
Many internet sites offer bookings from now while some options such as sublets and apartments may become available next year. Hotels generally accept bookings from now. Rooms and apartments in Mitwohnzentralen (a central service to offer living/staying as a cohabitant, low-budget, some kind of “couch-surfing”), and holiday flats, subject to availability, can mostly be booked in 2016 onwards.
How do we arrange for accommodations, foods etc.?
Our website provides you with suggestions and resources on what is available for accommodation, food stores, bistros and restaurants. You are free to choose and make your own arrangements.
In the welcome bag that you will receive upon arrival, a map will show supermarkets, groceries and bistros that are located near the centre for your convenience and planning.
Should I bring my own food to the event?
You are responsible for all your own meals. For full day programs, you may wish to bring your own lunch to the centre if you do not wish to go to the bistro or restaurant for meals. Please be considerate, heavily scented foods could interfere with your neighbor’s well-being.
Is it possible for me to heat up my food at the centre?
No, sorry we are not able to offer this possibility at the lounge. There is no washing and cleaning facility. The centre’s kitchen, sinks and facilities are reserved for preparation of His Holiness and entourage meals, as well as for event use by the lamas only. Please bring your own food container and utensils back to your place of accommodation to wash.
Are there bistros and small restaurants in the vicinity of the centre?
Yes, information about it can be found in the pocket of the information package. We are still investigating the possibility of arranging a daily vegetarian lunch at a reasonable price with the restaurants nearby. Information will be available closer to the start date of Lamdre.
Is there parking at the centre?
None at all. Our centre is located in a narrow one-way street with apartment buildings and commercial enterprises. The few parking spaces are shared by local residents and merchants.
Hence the urgent request to you that in order not to burden this situation, please use the parking on the outskirts of Griesheim, direction industrial area. (10 min walk) - Thank you for your care and assistance.
Is there easy access from the centre to public transport?
Yes, there is a very good suburban train connection with S1 + S2 (stop, Griesheim '). From the main station Hbf (deep), it is one station in the direction “Wiesbaden” with S1 or S2 in the direction “Niedernhausen”. To the main station Hbf, it is only one station with S1 direction “Rödermark-Ober-Roden” or S2 direction “Dietzenbach”.
Event and site related questions
Where will Lamdre take place?
In our centre —Sakya Kalden Ling, Linkstr.66, 65933 Frankfurt, Germany.
Is there a cloakroom? Is there a space for storage?
No - we ask you to choose your clothing useful, please bring only necessary items with you to the teaching hall as there is limited space capacity. It is intended that you accommodate all your personal interests at your seminar place. Shoe-shelters will be outside the tent.
Will there be free Wi-Fi on the centre grounds?
We will set up Wi-Fi to facilitate your communication such as emails. The Wi-Fi is not intended for heavy usage, such as downloads or watching video online and we request participants to be considerate in their usage. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi may not work as well due to the heavy internet traffic by the many number of participants using it. We will evaluate the situation at that time, and if necessary, restrict the Wi-Fi access.
Are photos or recordings allowed during the event?
No. For more information, see the Code of Conduct which you will receive on the first day.
What are the basic amenities that I will receive on the first day?
Each participant will receive on the first day a bag with documents for better orientation in Frankfurt-Griesheim area, together with a cup, a prayer book for the first part of Lamdre, an admission name badge and a booklet with important information about the program. Costs including the prayer books and sadhanas: €20.
Note: The sadhanas will only be distributed after the relevant empowerments are given.
Is there a space for sitting and relaxation?
Yes, behind the Gompa, a lounge area will be set up.
In what language His Holiness will teach and in what language it will be translated?
His Holiness teaches in English and will be translated into German.
Will H.E. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche also teach in English?
No, he teaches in Tibetan and will be translated into English, and into German.
What are Re-Teachings and why are they necessary?
Re-teachings are revisions/reviews of the teachings given. The teacher providing the Re-Teachings may provide further explanation of the teachings which will deepen one’s understanding. During the Re-teachings, the teacher may also guide the students through the meditational practice and do the practice together with the students.
What is the starting and ending times each day?
The daily schedule is not confirmed yet. However, looking at previous Lamdre schedule, a typical day may be: 9.00 am-12.30pm and 14.30pm-18.00pm. On days where empowerments are given, the timing will be different and will be advised accordingly.
During Lamdre, you will find the current information and schedules for initiations etc. displayed at the Gompa and the office.
Other Miscellaneous Questions
For our foreign guests - What weather will be that time?
In German summer, it can be both hot and dry, and cool and rainy.
Via mailed questions (final note):
Please review the FAQ above which answers most participants’ questions and only write to us if you don’t see your question being addressed in the FAQ. Questions that are already answered in the FAQ will not be attended to.
Our helpers will try to help you as best as they can to answer your questions. Please keep in mind that as our helpers are all volunteers who are also responsible for various other tasks in the centre in addition to their regular jobs, your emails may take time for response and your kind understanding in this matter is appreciated.