Frequently Asked Questions

Online
Our preferred method of registration is online, which is very simple. You may do so in the programmes section of this website. Just click on the "Register now" button and follow the instructions.

In Person
Contact the main registration desk during office hours. Please have your programme, payment, and travel information ready.

Usually we accept registration until late before the programme starts. However, due to organisational reasons, we highly appreciate an early registration, at least 1 month before the first day of the programme. Thank you!

Dechen Chöling welcomes visitors for in-house retreats and day visits. Only during the big summer programmes may in-house retreats be difficult. Free meditation instruction is offered to all visitors. People are encouraged to contact the main desk to make inquiries and arrangements.
Visitors are welcome either to participate fully in community life or to concentrate more on practice. Normal lodging and meal fees apply (€ 30 per day). If people work three hours a day in addition to their practice they get a € 10 discount.

If you'd like to come one or more days prior to the start of your programme and/or stay afterwards, your are very welcome to do so. Please let us know in advance, during the registration process, how long you would like to stay here.
Very rarely in the summertime this option will not be possible, usually only when large programmes are happening. Thank you for your understanding.

Most conveniently for both of us, please pay via our online payment process which is safe and secure.

You may also use the following options:

Dechen Chöling can accept: cash, French bank cheques (payable to: Association Shambhala Europe), deposits through country accounts (see account details below or contact the finance office), Visa and MasterCard or internet banking. Also, you can send French cheques to our mail address.

Please transfer at least a deposit of 30% of the programme price within a week of your registration. Please make sure to transfer the remaining 70% of the price at least two weeks in advance of the programme, unless otherwise indicated in your programme fact sheet. Of course, you may also pay the full programme price right after your registration.
Please note: Dechen Chöling may cancel any registration for which the deposit has not been received within a week of registration.

Bank account information:

FRANCE
Association Shambhala Europe
Banque Tarneaud, 2-6 Rue Turgot, F-87011 Limoges Cedex
Phone +33 5 55 44 58 31
Code Banque : 10558
Code Guichet : 04507
No. De Compte : 11751600200
Clé RIB : 22

OUTSIDE FRANCE
Association Shambhala Europe
IBAN: FR76 1055 8045 0711 7516 0020 022
Swift/BIC : TARNFR2L
Bank: Banque Tarneaud, 2-6 Rue Turgot, F-87011 Limoges Cedex
Phone +33 5 55 44 58 31

NETHERLANDS
Shambhala Centrum Amsterdam
SMCA Dechen Choling
Triodos Bank
Account Number: 784912068

The price listed for your programme includes: the tuition fee, basic lodgings, and meals. Additionally each participant must pay a Dechen Chöling membership fee of 12 euro (once a year only).

For your calculations please consider that in addition to the programme price, you may have one or more of the following costs:
- An additional lodging fee if you choose to upgrade your lodging
- Additional lodging and meal fees if you stay longer than the length of the programme
- A practice material fee (if applicable)
- Childcare fee (if applicable)
- Transportation fee
Note regarding the membership fee:
Dechen Chöling's legal name is "Association Shambhala Europe". This legal entity is a non-profit organization. By French law it is required that everyone participating in its activities should be a member and pay an annual fee. The membership fee is 12 euros.

Young people aged 5 to 17 pay half price; children up to the age of 4 are free of charge.

Programme Scholarships
For Shambhala Buddhist programmes—Sutrayana Seminary, Vajrayana Seminary, Rigden Abhisheka and Warrior Assembly—please visit the Shambhala International website for a scholarship application at www.shambhala.org.

Spring & Summer Season - May to August
Basic lodgings are € 13 per day and this is included in your programme price. It consists of furnished tents sleeping two people.
Upgrades or Savings:
You can book a place in indoor dormitory-style rooms that sleep up 4 to 10 people (+ 5 euros a day), or a double room (+ 10 euros a day), or a single room (+20 euros a day) - all options upon availability.
If you bring your own tent, you pay 5 euros less per day.

Autumn & Winter Season — September to April
Basic lodgings are 13 euros per day and are included in your programme price. In winter time the basic lodgings consist of indoor dormitories, sleeping up 4 to 10 people.
Upgrade: Double room (+ 10 euros a day), single room (+ 20 euros a day). Both options upon availability.

Please note:
- All programme prices listed include basic lodging and meals, if not otherwise indicated.
- Meals and lodging prices are fixed and the graduated income scale does not apply.
- Lodging rates for children are the same as above, except for children under the age of four, who are free.
- All lodgings include shared toilet and washroom facilities.
- Dechen Chöling provides mattress covers and a pillow throughout the year. Please plan to bring your own sleeping bag and pillowcase. There is limited bed linen available for an additional fee of 3 euros, especially for overseas visitors. Please notify the office during registration if you require linen.

Dechen Chöling provides a pick-up and drop-off service between 07:00 and 21:00 at the following fees, each one-way:

- St. Victurnien train station: € 5
- Limoges train station: € 15
- Limoges Bellegarde Airport € 12

To arrange for a pick-up, please notify the office at least one week in advance.
Taxis are available at the Limoges Train Station for about € 45, and from the airport for about € 40.

Food is charged at a fixed rate of € 17 per day and is included in your programme price. This includes a self-serve breakfast, two meals and a tea snack.
The cost per day for children’s (5 – 12 years old) meals and snacks is € 8.50.
Visitors wishing to stay for one meal are asked to make a donation of € 6.

1. Deposits and payments are refundable up to two weeks prior to the programme start date, minus a 5% cancellation fee of the full programme price.
2. If you cancel after the two-week deadline, Dechen Chöling will retain your payment for up to one year as payment towards another programme minus the 5% cancellation fee.
3. No refunds are given for cancellations on or after arrival day. Paid programme fees minus the deposit will be retained up to one year as payment towards another programme.

Please note: In the unlikely case of too few registrations for a programme, Dechen Chöling may cancel a programme up to one month before the arrival date of a programme.

By Car
Dechen Chöling is a 30-minute drive from Limoges, 350 km south of Paris.

By Train
From Paris, you will depart for Limoges at the Paris-Austerlitz train station. When arriving by train, please try to arrange to take the following connection, which will allow you to connect in Limoges to St. Victurnien, the closest town to Dechen Chöling. The 14:02 train from Paris-Austerlitz arrives in Limoges at 16:52, where you can take the 17:08, arriving in St. Victurnien at 17:39.

By Plane
The closest airport is Limoges Bellegarde airport, followed by Bordeaux and Paris.
Please note: If you arrive at Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport (Roissy) and plan to use the metro to travel to Gare d’Austerlitz (your departure train station to arrive in Limoges), be sure to allow two hours for the correspondence. Please note that Air France also flies into the Limoges Bellegarde airport for a few dollars more, which may make your travel considerably easier.

For train schedules and more detailed information, please visit the "travel" section on this website and www.sncf.com.

Dechen Chöling provides a pick-up and drop-off service between 07:00 and 21:00 at the following fees, each one-way:

- St. Victurnien train station: € 5
- Limoges train station: € 15
- Limoges Bellegarde Airport € 12

To arrange for a pick-up, please notify the office at least one week in advance.
Taxis are available at the Limoges Train Station for about € 45, and from the airport for about € 40.

Ride Share Board
Dechen Chöling can be a long way from where you are living. Share a ride with fellow participants of the programme that you are attending. Start the fun early and let it last longer!
Visit our Ride Share Board.

Arrival day is the first day listed for your programme on our website and departure day is the last day listed on the website.

On Arrival Day
Please plan to arrive by 18:00 on arrival day and notify the main desk with your travel information as soon as possible. There will be a DCL hospitality person in the dining room area to help you find your room or tent and to answer other questions.
If you plan to arrive or depart outside of normal hours, before 07:00 or after 21:00, please plan to take a taxi or contact the office to arrange special transport. You may also wish to take our emergency transportation number +33(0)6 72 85 82 16 in case you experience difficulties.

On Departure Day
Remember to make your return travel arrangements before arriving at Dechen Chöling. If you wish to remain after the programme has ended, please notify us well in advance of your arrival.
For international travelers, you may also wish to spend a few days in Paris or France before or after your programme. The Paris Visite website www.ratp.fr provides excellent information to start your plans.

Share a ride with fellow participants of the programme that you are attending. On our Ride-Share-Board you can easily offer or search for rides to or from Dechen Chöling: http://rideshare.dechencholing.org/

We very much appreciate your support and generosity!
You may use our online donation form to make a donation with your Visa or Mastercard, or a money transfer to one of the bank accounts below. Also, we accept French cheques.

Please always make your payments to "Association Shambhala Europe" if not otherwise indicated below. Thank you!
Usually you will receive a receipt automatically. If you do not and you need a receipt for your taxes please get in touch with us by emailing to finance@dechencholing.org.

Country bank accounts:

FRANCE
Association Shambhala Europe
Banque Tarnaud, 2-6 Rue Turgot, 87011 Limoges Cedex
Phone +33 555 44 5831
Bank code: 10558
Code Guichet: 04507
No. de Compte: 11751600204
Cle RIB: 10

Transferring from OUTSIDE FRANCE:
Association Shambhala Europe
IBAN: FR76 1055 8045 0711 7516 0020 010
Swift/BIC : TARNFR2L
Banque Tarnaud. 2-6 Rue Turgot 87011 Limoges Cedex
Phone +33 5 55 02 21 08

GERMANY
To: Shambhala Vajradhatu GmbH
Koelner Bank, Im Ferkulum 4, 50517 Koeln
Bank code: 37160087
Account Number: 535 586 071
IBAN: 37160087535586071
BIC/SWIFT: GENODED1CGN

NETHERLANDS
To: Shambhala Centrum Amsterdam / SMCA Dechen Choling
Triodos Bank
Account number: 78.49.12.068

CANADA
To: Vajradathu Buddhist Church
Operating Account: CIBC, 1809 Barrington St, Halifax Nova Socita, B3J 3A3
Account Number: 93 05211
Transit Number: 00003-0010
IBAN: CC0010 00003
SWIFT Code: CIBCCATT
Routing Number: 026009593

UNITED STATES
Association Shambhala Europe
Bank of America,
ABA Number: 011000138
Account Number: 000026297745

By cheque: payable to Shambhala; put in the memo section DCL-VS #??? and mail it to:
Patricia Bennett
Office of Finance and Development
Shambhala International
1084 Tower Road
Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 2Y5
Phone +1 -902-425-4275 x12 Fax +1-902-423-2750

SWITZERLAND
May Isler
Bank: Berner Kantonalbank Bern
Bank Code: PC 30 106 9
Bank Account: 423 557 001 25

UNITED KINGDOM
London Shambhala Meditation Centre a/c no. 2, Dechen Choling
Bank: Co-operative Bank, PO Box 250, Delf House, Southway, Skelmersdale,
WN8 6WT, UK
Account Number: 651 516 48
Sort Code: 08 9299

Dechen Chöling relies on donations for its continued operation, growth and scholarship fund. Donations of work, material and financial support are all appreciated. You can find out more on this website in the sections "About Us/Future Development", "Jobs" and "Contact/Donate".
Please consider making a one-time gift or monthly donation. Thank you very much!

Your donation for Dechen Chöling is tax refundable in Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. You will receive a receipt automatically. If you don't receive one, but need one,please get in touch with us by emailing to finances@dechencholing.org.

Thank you again for your support!

Dechen Chöling offers different accommodation opportunities:
- There are six campgrounds situated around the land. During the summer months we offer large two-person tents. Each tent is built on a platform, allowing it to be carpeted and furnished with a bed and shelf. You may also bring your own tent.
- Indoor dormitory-style rooms that sleep up to 10 people, located in the Chateau as well as in other buildings.
- Double shared rooms.
All lodgings include shared toilet and washroom facilities.

During your online registration process you can choose different accommodation options.

Please go to "Prices & Payment" to find out about lodging prices.

There are also private accommodation possibilities around Dechen Chöling. Please contact the registration office to find out about private rooms, guest houses, and hotels. You will need a car if you choose an off-land accommodation.

Please bring your own toiletries, towels, sleeping bag and pillowcase. A little number of towels and bedding are available to rent for overseas guests for €8.

Also, we recommend bringing house shoes for use inside the chateau. A raincoat and outdoor boots are useful too.

You will be informed by email in advance of your programme if there are additional items you should bring.

There are various private accommodation possibilities around Dechen Chöling. Please contact the main office to find out about private rooms, guest houses and hotels. You will most likely need a car if you choose an off-land accommodation.

Dechen Chöling generally offers buffet-style meals, three times a day, plus a teabreak. Usually there are always fresh fruit and tea offered during the day.

Due to the season and down to the cooks whim we serve a variety of international dishes. Since 2010 Dechen Chöling has gone 100% organic and prefers food supplies from local farmers as well as from its own garden.
A vegetarian option is always available, meat or fish is served irregularly, but mostly 2-3 times a week.

Every programme and even every day is unique and different. Thus the format depends on the programme and how the teacher sets up the schedule, as well as responds to the group's needs and other considerations. Nevertheless, to give you an idea of a "typical" programme day, here is a description and sample schedule.

The day usually starts with a wake-up call at 7:00, followed by morning meditation practice (some programmes start at 9:00). Breakfast is served from 8:00 - 9:00. Then, starting at 9:00 there is time for practice, talks, study or discussion groups. Usually there is a break for lunch at 12:30 followed by some free time or a work period until 14:00 or 15:00. In the afternoon another practice period is scheduled, sometimes including a tea break, until 19:00 when dinner is served. In the evenings there are occasionally talks or other activities scheduled.

Overview:
7:00 - practice
8:00-9:00 - breakfast
9.00-12.30 -practice, study, talks, discussions
12.30 - lunch
13:00-15:00 - free time
15:00-19:00 - practice including a tea break around 5pm
19:00-20:00 - dinner
20:00 - evening activities

At most programmes a working period, also called "rota", of about one hour per day is requested from participants. Rota can take place in the kitchen, household, in landscaping and other departments that need support. As always, it is a great opportunity to put meditation into action, in our everyday life, as well as getting a glimpse of community life. Dechen Chöling very much appreciates you joining and supporting our work.

At all Shambhala centres throughout the world, you will encounter an established system of so-called "rota" which is an abbreviation of "rotation" which is used to refer to chores. During programmes participants are asked to join in short working periods. This could be helping out in the kitchen, household, clean-ups after meals, etc. Typically each participant is asked to contribute up to one hour a day.
In a Buddhist perspective, working is always considered as part of mindfulness practice: a good opportunity to bring meditation into action, into daily life.
Participants tend to enjoy this part of their stay here very much, since it is always also a opportunity to join in community life and meet fellow participants and staff in a different context.

Programmes are taught in English, unless otherwise announced. However, we provide interpretation into French, German, Spanish or other languages when requested well in advance and when interpreters can be obtained.
If you need interpretation, therefore, we kindly request you to make yourrequest during the registration process at least two months in advance of the programme date so that we have time to find a suitable interpreter.

Our kitchen is prepared to accommodate vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. For participants who have special dietary needs for medical reasons, we request that you contact the office well in advance of your visit and let us know what your special needs are. We will try to accommodate them to the best of our ability, but please be aware that our limited kitchen staff may not be able to meet all your needs. It would be advisable to bring some special food items with you.

Dechen Chöling has people who are responsible to care for everyone's health and wellbeing. In the event that you become ill, we will help you to get necessary medication from a pharmacy, take you to see a doctor, or, in the event of an emergency, take you to the hospital in St. Junien, which is about 15-20 minutes away. Please inform us in advance if you have any chronic illnesses that you think we should know about. It is also wise to have health insurance information with you.

People from outside may contact participants via the contact information provided on this website. Please indicate clearly to whom you would like to speak and if it is an emergency. Thank you.

There are no cash machines available at Dechen Chöling. Thus you want to bring enough cash to cover your various needs, such as purchasing items from the Boutique, a coffee, offering a donation or a teacher's gift. We also accept VISA, MasterCard and French cheques.
ATMs are available in villages and small towns nearby that are about 10km from Dechen Chöling and accessible by car. Limoges (20km distance) and St. Junien (15km distance) are towns nearby with banks, supermarkets, etc. There are buses going daily to these towns.

Most of the mobile nets are accessible here and you may use your phone to stay in contact with your family or other important cases. In general we recommend that participants not use phones unless it is absolutely necessary and that you respect the need and desire for tranquility and enjoy some time away from our usual speediness that is the reason many people come here.
In the event that you have to use your phone, we ask that you please go to places that are not frequented by many people in order to not disturb them.

You should not expect to use the Internet at Dechen Chöling for two reasons: 1) we are a place dedicated to retreat and renewal as well as giving oneself and others the time and space to focus on our programmes and practice. Thus we don't provide Internet access terminals or WLAN access, 2) due to our rural location we have only a weak Internet connection which is needed by the staff to do their work.
Please note: If you need Internet access to make travel arrangements for departing Dechen Chöling, we highly recommend that you make those arrangements before you arrive here.

Thank you!

We offer laundry service for a fee of 5 Euro per load. Since there are only a few washing machines here and mostly reserved for the staff and household, we suggest that you please try to bring enough clothes for your entire stay or plan to do hand washing. We have open air places to dry your washed clothes.

We love pets, but we're sorry to say that, for various reasons, Dechen Chöling has a no-pet policy, so please do not plan to bring your pet with you.

For each programme held at Dechen Chöling, there are numerous staff positions that need to be filled. The level of experience and practice required varies with the programme and staff position. All applications are very welcome.
Programme staff are expected to pay a fee of € 10 per day which covers food and lodging costs.

If you have questions or would like to discuss upcoming opportunities, please contact our head of programmes at programmes@dechencholing.org.
You'll find more information and an application form in the "Jobs" section of this website.

Dechen Chöling regularly needs volunteers and long-term staff members, which is an excellent opportunity to live and work in a contemplative community.
Positions vary according to season and projects, so please visit the ‘jobs’ section of this website for more information. You may also contact our personnel office directly at personnel@dechencholing.org.
For short-term commitments there is also the possibility of a "working guest". If you'd like to spend some days or a few weeks here while joining in with our work for 6 hours a day, please contact the registration office. Please also see your "jobs" section.