Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre

The Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre was founded by the revered Tibetan master and healer Lama Gangchen Rinpoche in 1999. Situated at an altitude of 600 metres on the edge of Val Grande National Park, near Bee in the province of Verbania, Italy, the centre is enriched with the serenity of Lake Maggiore and surrounded by lush pine and chestnut woods.

Since founding this centre based on the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Gangchen has made Albagnano his home while he tirelessly works towards spreading the Dharma and alleviating the sufferings of people, both physical and spiritual, temporal and ultimate. Primarily through the continuous efforts of Lama Gangchen, Albagnano has flourished as a platform where a community of people who share similar interests in spirituality and who wish to live in harmony with nature come together, carrying out numerous projects that contribute towards revitalising the village and rural culture.

H.E. Drubwang Gangchen Rinpoche

Albagnano is open to the general public and offers a range of services as well as courses and seminars on a variety of topics including:

1. Regenerating and healing the energies of body and mind, as well as developing human potential through ancient spiritual and healing methods;
2. Undertaking retreats in a pure environment;
3. Individual consultations on ancient Himalayan medical traditions, therapies for physical and mental wellbeing, Reiki, Yoga, Indian and Tibetan astrology, art therapy and other activities to develop personal qualities, increase happiness and inner peace;
4. Courses on Buddhist philosophy, psychology and meditation including the meditative techniques of NgalSo Tantric Self-Healing; and
5. Humanitarian aid for Himalayan countries, pilgrimages to the sacred places of Buddhism and inter-religious meetings for world peace.

According to its website,

Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre is administered by Kunpen Lama Gangchen, which is affiliated to the Italian Buddhist Union and member of the Forum of Religion of Milan. It works under the aegis of the Lama Gangchen World Peace Foundation (LGWPF), a Non-Governmental Organisation affiliated to the United Nations, with United Nations Economic and Social Council (“ECOSOC”) status. The LGWPF operates throughout the world promoting a culture of peace, inter-religious dialogue, a cultural, spiritual and material exchange between East and West. It also promotes the diffusion of non-violent medicine and protection of the environment. In Italy it is affiliated to the Fondazione Lama Gangchen per una Cultura di Pace and cooperates with the ONLUS Association ‘Help in Action’ for humanitarian aid.

The exterior of the Temple of Borobudur in Albagnano

It is said that the Temple of Borobudur in Albagnano not only reflects the essence of Borobudur in Indonesia but also serves as a magical place that represents countless different mandalas of various deities.

In the words of Lama Gangchen about the structure and uniqueness of the Temple of Borobudur in Albagnano during the initiation of Kurukulla on 15-16 October 2011,

For us practitioners in search of the attainments of the Grounds and Paths to Enlightenment, Borobudur of Albagnano is a Temple of Heaven (its structure is similar to that of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing). A temple of heaven as it contains all the features necessary for meditation, therein dwell many statues and paintings of Buddha, which possess all blessings. They are not, in fact, simple artistic representations, since these images of the Buddhas (Commitment Beings) are enhanced by the blessings of Enlightened Beings (Wisdom Beings). In addition Albagnano is a place that enjoys the immense benefits of being a “pure land”, a pure and pleasant natural environment.

Inside the circular Temple of Borobudur

The interior of the Temple of Borobudur in Albagnano

Albagnano also houses a Peace Culture Museum which features statues and paintings from various Buddhist countries and even some Western Buddhist works of contemporary art, such as those of Leonardo Ceglie and Andy Weber, a conference room to host inter-religious meetings and other congresses, a restaurant and non-alcoholic bar, a gift shop as well as a Wisdom Planetarium reflecting positive scientific and humanitarian contributions to the spiritual world wherein each star to be put on its dome roof is meant to commemorate the efforts of organisations or individuals who have carried out a project for the benefit of humanity and the environment.

Peaceful and lush gardens dotted with Buddha statues surround the Temple of Borobudur

Lama Gangchen Rinpoche’s success with Albagnano as a platform of alternative healing therapies has drawn international attention. Deepak Chopra, a world-renowned healer and prominent advocate of alternative medicine paid a visit to Lama Gangchen at Albagnano. The visit culminated into a meeting of healing masters attended by other renowned lamas including Lama Michel, Geshe Wangyel, H.E. Drupchen Rinpoche and the great Abbot Emeritus of Shar Gaden Monastery, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende.

A meeting of healing masters including Lama Gangchen Rinpoche and Deepak Chopra