Photos: 1937 — images from the local archive.
SUPPORT THE RENOVATION OF OUR SHARED RETREAT CENTRE
Note: These are visualisations and may change during the renovation.
Saraṇa
Saraṇa (Pāli for “refuge”) began with a shared dream: to create a place where the Dhamma could take root, and where the Saṅgha and lay practitioners could find space to live, practise and come together. Thanks to the generosity of people who believed in this vision, that dream began to take tangible shape in October 2026.
Surrounded by forests, overlooking the mountains, and immersed in silence yet within walking distance of the nearest town, stands a building that will soon begin an entirely new chapter in its story.
Before our monasteries and meditation centre come into being, Saraṇa will serve as a home for the Saṅgha and a meeting place for lay practitioners. A space where people can stay for a while, practise, listen to the Dhamma and simply be together.
AN OLD HOTEL, A NEW LIFE
Saraṇa is a former hotel with a history dating back to the pre-war years. Today, the building needs extensive renovation. It will take more than fresh paint and new furniture. We will need to look deeper, into the plumbing and wiring, the roof and all the places where time and moisture have taken their toll over the years. The building will be cleaned, treated for mould and restored so that it can safely serve its new purpose.
We plan for the former hotel dining room on the ground floor to become a meditation hall. The first and second floors will accommodate guest rooms, while the attic will become the headquarters of PEBS — the place from which we will coordinate the activities of our community.
It is a major undertaking. But we are not starting from scratch.
THIS ISN’T JUST OUR PROJECT.
In June 2026, Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Mudito visited Saraṇa. After they had consulted Ayya Karunika and Ajahn Brahm, our vision for this place received their approval and support. We are delighted that the Saṅgha sees in Saraṇa a space that can genuinely serve the practice and growth of the Dhamma.
In March 2027, Ajahn Mudito will return to Poland for an extended stay and accompany us through the next stages of creating Saraṇa. This means a great deal to us, because we want this place to take shape in close collaboration with the Saṅgha — not merely as a building, but as a living space for practice.
And what about us? We’ve already got started! Our first group clean-up at Saraṇa is behind us. There may not have been a grand meditation hall, finished guest rooms or fresh-smelling interiors just yet, but there was the energy of people who showed up and got to work. There will be more gatherings like this. Step by step, we will bring this place back to life.
Photos: A place that needs our love and care.
SARAṆA NEEDS YOU, TOO.
We don’t want Saraṇa to be a project that someone builds one day while everyone else simply looks at the finished result. We want to create it together, so that everyone can contribute something in their own way, according to their abilities.
Do you have building, renovation or technical skills? Are you a skilled tradesperson who could share your knowledge and experience? Get in touch with us. Your expertise and work could be invaluable to us.
Would you like to help with your own hands? Join us for our upcoming clean-up and work days. Not every contribution requires specialist skills. Sometimes, all it takes is showing up, picking up some tools and doing something good together.
Can you support the project financially? We would be grateful for every donation. There is a tremendous amount of work ahead and many expenses to cover before the building is ready to welcome its first guests.
A PLACE KEPT ALIVE BY ITS COMMUNITY
When Saraṇa is ready, we don’t want it to become just another centre with a price list and paid services. We dream of a place vibrant with life and the Dhamma, sustained through dāna (voluntary generosity) and the commitment and support of the lay community.
This is how we want to understand community: as a space where everyone can give what they have to offer: time, skills, resources, care and presence. Without it, no place can come into being that serves not only us but also those who come after us.
And when the monasteries and meditation centre are eventually established, Saraṇa will not lose its purpose. It will continue to serve the Saṅgha, offering monks and nuns a place to rest, meet and practise.
Today, we have a building, forests, mountains and a shared dream. Ahead of us lie the renovation, a great deal of work and many unknowns. But we also have something that money cannot buy: people whose support makes all of this possible.
We would like to thank all the donors who helped us take this first step. Saraṇa is already our shared refuge, even though we are only just getting its doors ready to open.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO BECOME PART OF THIS STORY, GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
Note: These are visualisations and may change during the renovation.
