History
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The Danda is a quiet, magical place. It is a former monastery, and a place where Adi Da twice resided.
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In 1986, Adi Da made His first visit to the European community
of His devotees. He travelled through England, France and
Holland. During His stay in Holland He very much wanted
a place where he could meet with all of His European devotees.
Devotees looked for an appropriate place that could be acquired
as a rural Ashram. In the South of Holland, in the village
of Maria Hoop close to the German border, a former Catholic
monastery was found which could be rented for a few weeks.
The monastery had already been unused for several years.
Devotees swiftly cleaned buildings and the grounds.
Adi Da in the European Danda: July 20, 1986
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Adi Da was invited to
stay in a specially prepared wing of the monastery for several
days — an invitation that He accepted. During this time,
He granted Darshan and held "Question and Answer"
occasions in the chapel (now called Adi Da Kapel) with German,
English, Dutch, French and American devotees.
Adi Da speaking to devotees in Adi Da Kapel in
1986
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Adi Da speaking to devotees in Adi Da Kapel in
1986
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Adi Da after speaking to devotees in Adi Da Kapel
in 1986
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Adi Da leaving Adi Da Kapel in 1986
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Adi Da also gave European devotees His Blessing to acquire
the property for the purpose of transforming it into an
Ashram and retreat centre. However at that time, the community
was still small and was not yet able to generate the financial
means to buy the buildings. It was not until the end of
1989 that the monastery was purchased, with the collective
support of English, Dutch and German devotees.
Adi Da
Blessed the new Ashram with a name: "The European Danda".
"Danda" means "staff" or "cane" in Sanskrit — and the
European Danda was the place where Adi Da Samraj had planted
His staff in Europe.
In the beginning, about 25 devotees
moved there and started to live Ashram life. During the
first year, more devotees moved to the Ashram and the population
grew to about 35 devotees. A retreat centre was created
in the building, and many people came on retreat, especially
during the summer holidays. This had a very inspiring influence
and increasingly more people felt attracted to live in this
community circumstance.
To be able to house all the people and to accommodate different
levels of involvement in Adidam, a plan was developed for
building extra small apartments near the Ashram according
to the Dutch tradition (dating
back to the Middle Ages) of "hofjes": small little houses around a communal
garden near a church. A piece of property at the back of
the Danda was chosen, and a hofje was built. The Maria Hoop
population of devotees grew further as new people moved
into it.
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In 1996, Adi Da visited His European devotees for the second
time. He stayed for almost a month at the European Danda.
Adi Da's Room at the European Danda
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Adi Da
gave Darshan in the garden of the Danda and in the Chapel,
and He visited the hofje as well. He gave extensive
instructions for the use of the main building. He also travelled to Switzerland during His European visit.
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Also during this time, Adi Da endured an ordeal of penance
(for the sake of purifying His devotees and the world altogether),
during which He stayed in the woods behind the Danda. A
shrine, the Da Peace Site, has since been built to commemorate
this period.
the Da Peace Site
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Since Adi Da's visit in 1996, the focus of the European
Danda has shifted from being a living circumstance for devotees
to use as a retreat centre (see below).
The Bright
Room Gallery
The European Danda houses the the
largest collection in the world of Adi Da’s Transcendental
Realist Art, and art tours and presentations can be
arranged.
devotees in the Bright Room Gallery
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photo © Hans
Mahler
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Public
Retreats
Retreats for the public are held
regularly. Filled with Adi Da’s Presence, the European
Danda is a perfect location to retire from worldly stress
and distraction, to take contemplative walks in the Danda's
private forest, and to sink into the deepest feeling of
Reality Itself.
in the private forest of the European
Danda
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a retreat presentation
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retreatants at a presentation
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break time
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gift table
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a delicious vegetarian meal
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Community
Life
Even though the focus of the European Danda is on public
retreats, the devotees residing at the Danda participate
together in a rich community life that is centered on their
shared practice of the Way of Adidam.
devotees on the front lawn of the
European Danda
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devotees eating together on the
lawn of the European Danda
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devotees in consideration together
at the European Danda
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children playing characters from
Adi Da's book, Vegetable
Surrender
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consideration on the lawn of the
European Danda
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Outdoor meeting place
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Retreatants in front of the European
Danda
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Devotees "odalesquing"
(relaxing) together
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a puja being performed
by Ruchiradama
Nadikanta at the Da Peace Site
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Tree
trimming for the Celebration of Danavira Mela at the European
Danda
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Cookie
decorating for the Celebration of Danavira Mela
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Cookie
decorating for the Celebration of Danavira Mela
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Celebration of Adi Da's
Birthday in the European Danda
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The Ashvamedha Horse
begins its wandering
for the Celebration of the Divine Avataric Self-"Emergence"
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The Celebration of Da
Purnima (start of the Fire Puja), July 2013
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the Danda garden
(photo courtesy of Rocky Rahke)
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the Danda garden
(photo courtesy of Rocky Rahke)
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the Danda garden
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devotees working in
the Danda garden
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from the Danda's apple trees
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concert in the "Bright"
Room Gallery
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New Year's concert, January, 2016
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meeting
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State-of-the-art screen and HD projector
in the main presentation room
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The European Fear-No-More Zoo
Fear-No-More is an enjoyable and unique environment where everyone can learn about our sacred connection to the natural world by spending time with the non-human residents here. There are Fear-No-More sanctuaries worldwide — in California (at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary), Europe, and Fiji (at Adi Da Samrajashram).
The European Fear-No-More Zoo
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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The European Fear-No-More Zoo is located at The European Danda. Adi Da established this Zoo in 1996, to further His work with the non-humans.
It serves as a place for humans to participate with, observe, and feel the natural spiritual contemplation of the non-humans residing here. Our residents include
horses, alpacas, birds, chinchillas, and cats. The property is 10 hectares (24 acres) of forest and grassland that is also home to various widlife, including
three different species of protected owls, a large variety of other bird species, foxes, rabbits, hares, hedgehogs, and many more non-humans. It is also classified as a rare bat sanctuary.
Our birds live in an aviary just beside the main Danda building.
The Aviary
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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The Aviary
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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At the Aviary
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Dorkus is an orange, blue green Macaw and lives in the bird aviary with the other birds and her macaw friend Tank. She was born in 1996 and the same year Adi Da Samraj purchased her. He spent quite a bit of time with her in Maria Hoop, Netherlands. He even named her Dorkus, and she has an enormous response to Adi Da's Presence. She is a very strong bird with a strong personality. She knows what she wants and likes to be naughty, and push the boundaries from time to time.
Dorkus
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Dorkus (above) and Tank (below)
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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Like Dorkus, Tank is an orange, blue green Macaw born in 1996. He is the bird which Dorkus got as a friend/partner. As a baby bird he was thrown out of the nest and a few toes were bitten. He used to be a very nervous bird but now he has mostly recovered from his anxiety. He is a very sweet bird and responds to the invocation of Adi Da Samraj.
Tank
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Lunch Time
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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Lunch Time
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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Lint is an African Grey that was also born and purchased in 1996. Adi Da Samraj spent time with Lint and gave him the name Lint because he liked to be attached to people! Lint imitates Adi Da's laugh, which is very funny. He is a great devotee and a real sweetheart, always looking for people to visit him. When he spends time with his bird friends, the ringneck parrots, he acts like a normal wild bird, showering in the rain and digging in the grounds, preparing a nest, etc. Lint is very relational and loves visits from people who are on retreat at the European Danda.
Lint
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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Lint
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Our horses and alpacas live on 4.5 hectares (11 acres) in a "Paddock Paradise" system (aka "Track Paddock" system).
Three of the horses and Desperado, the white alpaca.
The horse in the background is Pushpaka.
(photo courtesy of Louis Esser)
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Horses and alpacas
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Horses
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Horse and alpacas
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Snowy weather
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Friends
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Alpacas
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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Desperado is a 10-year-old male alpaca. Since the passing of his alpaca companion Kaira, he has become more integrated with the horses and is doing very well in their close company. He is a very sweet, curious and easy going character. He likes interacting with humans as long as you stay still and allow him to approach at his own pace. He is always up for eating some treats out of your hand, but does not appreciate attempts to touch him. Desperado can be quite vocal, especially when complaining about something. Usually his complaints are directed at those pesky fences separating him from complete freedom, though he is allowed to go exploring outside the pasture every now and then. He is a bright and happy presence to be around.
resident alpaca, Desperado (freshly
shorn)
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Desperado
(photo courtesy of the Fear-No-More website)
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The Natural Beauty of the European Danda
