Community and visitors

The East West Community is a growing family of spiritual practitioners, educators, and those seeking ways of promoting better and healthier ways of community living.  It runs collaborative programmes  of research and practice with the Budapest Buddhist University, the only state-accredited Buddhist University in Europe. The sister webpage EastWest Interconnect, provides a vehicle for the community to disseminate its ideas and practices, and a connection with evolving practices throughout the globe. As it furthers its international connections across the globe, it is becoming a centre of influence in new ideas and practices.  

IS THIS FOR YOU?

Throughout the year the EWS and team run a variety of courses, workshops, and international seminars. You will need no prior experience to join most of our programmes. They will appeal to:

Spiritual seekers

All of our work is underpinned by spiritual practice. For those seeking a spiritual home, they provide new insights, possibility of spiritual community and new ways of co-creating the world. The EWS is connected symbolically and in actuality to the ancient traditions of Hungary and the East, and combines this with the insights of the Western mind.

Those seeking health, relaxation and spiritual refreshment (sanctuary)

Participants can simply come on one of our spiritual and health retreats, which are relaxing enjoyable, insightful, and often combined with therapeutic massage and visits to the spa baths.

Students seeking university alternatives

For those tired of being fed with bodies of knowledge, and the restrictions of bureaucratic thinking, the EWS offers a radical and exciting alternative, combining the best of scholarly thinking with spiritual practice that opens up creativity and confidence.

Those  leaving university or engaged in career transitions

Our workshops on sustainable business, therapy and health provide an ideal starting point for opening up new pathways of livelihood.

Healers and therapists

Our innovative approaches provide a meeting point for healers and therapists in all areas wishing to find common ground to support their own particular work

Social activists 

Those people concerned about positive  change, and wanting to find a community, methods and ideas  to share this.

Pre-formed groups

If you are part of a group then the EWS can offer either the facilities of thebuilding, and its  location, or can provide input from an experienced meditation, therapeutic or organisational specialist

International invited educators and  spiritual practitioners

From time to time, seminars take place for interdisciplinary dialogue and planning. These are by invitation only, but they inform the unfolding activities and groups.

Our approach is one of flexibility according to experience, and we also offer continuing professional development in the areas of healing and business.

LOCAL COMMUNITY AND PRACTICE

The East West Sanctuary community and building is located in the middle of Central Europe, close to what is considered by many to be the heart chakra of thw world (Dobogókő). The community began with the building of the Yoga Studio which was started and finished in 2003 over a period of 4 months, built entirely by hand, by Kati and Gergely (Gregory)  and four local craftsmen. It was designed by Anthony Gall, a well-known Australian architect, then living in Budapest. It has an unusual ellipsis shape, with no corners and is constructed only from natural materials. It is surrounded by a beautiful garden shared with the Centre of Contemplative Inquiry and Holonomics. In 2005, Bronwen (Sinhagupta) found her way to Nagykovacsi, and this was rapidly followed by the transformation of the Centre house lead by Gergely and supported by many local people into a place of healing and inquiry. 

The aim of the yoga studio is to encourage the calm, reflection and flow of yoga practice which is reflected in the ellipsis shape and the surrounding environs of the Buda hills. Here, practice flows with nature, even though the East West Sanctuary is only 45 minutes from the historic city of Budapest – traditionally the bastion between East and West, now the crucible for integration.

Yoga classes run throughout the year locally, and in addition yoga is regularly taught as part of longer retreats and workshops at the East West Sanctuary. Kati and Gergely( Gregory) have created and run the first national teacher's training course for the training of children's yoga teachers, in association with the Hungarian Yoga association. There are also on-going short workshops for Hungarians such as Kum Nye meditation classes, and classes in astrological psychotherapy. Healing therapies of body and mind are  provided on a regular basis by Gergely who runs health massage and inversion table programmes and Bronwen also has a small psychotherapeutic practice. 

Nestling on the edge of the valley of Nagykovácsi, the East West Sanctuary provides an unusual and beautiful model of how restorative practices can be integrated into modern communities, providing on-going support to local and international visitors in many different ways.