My Journey to the Indian City of Dharamsala, or How I Took Part in a Buddhist Course at the Tushita Meditation Centre.
Dharamsala is an exceptional place. After the Tibetan uprising in 1959, part of the Tibetan refugee community settled here, led by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who still resides here today. One of the largest Tibetan communities outside Tibet was established around Dharamsala. To this day, Tibetans here continue to preserve their language, culture, traditions, and spiritual heritage.
But the story of Tibet is not merely a story of political conflict. There is much more hidden within it – questions of identity, freedom, faith, courage, and the ability to preserve one’s own culture even in times of enormous pressure. And even today, this story is not over. Many Tibetans continue to point to restrictions on cultural and religious freedoms.
But what fascinates me so much about this place is not only its history. There is something deeper hidden within it – its spiritual atmosphere and its connection to the Buddhist tradition.
It was here, a year ago, that I took part in a ten-day Buddhist course, which for most of the time took place in complete silence. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I simply listened to my inner voice and signed up.
And then came a wave of events, realizations, and emotions that have stayed with me ever since.
Buddhist courses are regularly held at the Tushita Meditation Centre, where people from all over the world come with a single goal – to get to know themselves better. And it was here that I began to understand much more deeply why Buddhism fascinates me so much. Not so much as a religion, but above all as a philosophy and spiritual tradition that places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility. It does not simply tell us what is right or what we should believe. On the contrary, it encourages us to ask questions, to doubt, to observe ourselves, and to seek our own answers. Because what we consider to be the truth is often much more subjective than we are willing to admit. And even scientific facts do not necessarily remain true forever – with new discoveries and technologies, we may realize that what we considered an unquestionable fact yesterday is no longer valid today. And I believe that this is a completely normal part of human understanding.
On the other hand, some religions are based on the belief that there is one single truth that we should accept. I sincerely believe that such faith genuinely helps many people find their way through their own thoughts and fears. At the same time, however, it also often becomes a tool of control and manipulation. And that is something I am not so comfortable with.
If you do not know the story of Buddha, I recommend reading it – it is not difficult to read and is, above all, very inspiring. I am not saying that you should start practicing Buddhism. It may simply open up new perspectives for you and perhaps help you begin a journey toward a truth that makes sense to you.
And what was the course itself like?
It often happens in life that we go looking for one kind of insight and end up gaining something completely different. And that is exactly what happened to me in India. My journey toward Buddhism had begun six years before this trip, but I realized it in Tushita. I was not there to discover some new knowledge. I came there to understand that I had already carried part of the Buddhist way of thinking within me for a long time; I had simply never called it that.
My journey began after my divorce, when I fell into depression and was trying to figure out what to do next. That was when I began asking myself what the meaning of my life was and why I was here. And that was also when I encountered death for the first time. Since then, it has no longer been something frightening to me, but rather an old friend who watches over me. Accepting death set me free back then. And I began a new chapter of my life, in which I finally started getting to know myself. It was in Tushita that I realized I had been on a similar journey to Buddha. Over the course of six years, I questioned everything I saw and heard and searched for my own answers and meanings. Why does religion exist? Why do people suffer? Why are they afraid to be themselves? What is happiness for us? And many other questions.
No, it does not mean that I am Buddha or that I am something more. Quite the opposite. It means that through dedicated work with our emotions, we are capable – just like Buddha – of finding answers that make sense to us. And then something incredible happens. We stop worrying so much about what other people think of us, we stop denying ourselves and our fears, and we begin to live a life that truly belongs to us. In Buddhism, this is called stepping out of samsara, and I believe it is possible. It simply takes courage and faith – not faith in a particular religion, but above all, faith in ourselves.
The course was surprisingly led by a Buddhist woman from England. It was unexpected, but all the more interesting. Throughout the day, we had regular meditation, lessons like at school, time in the afternoon to be alone with ourselves, as well as duties that fell under what is known as karma yoga. For ten days, approximately 70 people of different nationalities and faiths functioned as one community.
If you feel that you need to step away from your current reality for a while, give yourself some time just for you, and at the same time experience Buddhist philosophy, I definitely recommend visiting Dharamsala and Tushita. The teaching at Tushita is conducted in English. And if you do not speak English but still feel that Dharamsala is calling you, I would be happy to go with you as your guide. Not only will I show you places that are not particularly well known, but we can also take a closer look together at what you are currently experiencing, your emotions, or the questions you are asking yourself in life. Because for me, Dharamsala is not just a place worth seeing. It is a place that can open something within you as well.
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