Open Sky House

Latest Newsletter

India Retreat 2024 Aftermovie

Spiritual Shortfilms: 

Teachings, Inspirations, Motivations

 by John David

Kommende Events: 

Weekly Zoom Meetings

Tuesdays 8pm

Public Live Satsang

Every Friday!

New Book
about Self Realization

Mantra Music

with the Open Sky Band

Darkness Retreat

The Sangha

Sangha: A Satsang Community with Truth as Priority

... is a community of people who have the perfect right to cut through your trips and feed you with their wisdom, as well as the perfect right to demonstrate their own neurosis and be seen through by you.    
   The companionship within the Sangha is a kind of clean friendship – without expectation, without demand, but at the same time, fulfilling. True Sangha is only possible within a container of love, intimacy and trust. It takes commitment, willingness, time and patience to create this much-needed environment. 

Chögyam Trungpa

The International Sangha Group...

…is a group of people who have committed themselves to working more closely with John David and with each other. The Sangha Group members come together because Truth, Satsang and Awakening to our True Nature is the first priority in their lives.

The core of the Sangha Group is a series of four weekends per year, which all Sangha Members commit to attend regularly. These weekends are centred around Satsang meetings, which include dialogues with John David, Meditations, Self-Enquiry and other exercises. Yoga and Mantra Singing are also part of the daily program. The weekends take place at the Open Sky House Hitdorf near Cologne.

Truth as Priority

The point of this Sangha is to be in close contact with John David and be a constant Reminder for each other. The Sangha is a wonderful support to work on yourself. Deciding to make a commitment to this Inner Work is a deep decision, coming from your Essence.

Contact with Like-Hearted People

Spending time together in a Sangha group provides mirrors that offers us the chance to see ourselves and to know who we are. 

Interactions and Satsang meetings with people who are also interested in knowing themselves provide a profound mirror in which we can see all the things we are not, which is not always comfortable. In this process, we then have the opportunity to see who we really are. This mirroring is one of the greatest values of becoming part of a Sangha group, as it needs an environment of Love and Trust where the Heart can open.

 The danger of being alone for a long time is that you might not really know what you have to look for. In the Himalayas there are many famous caves where people have stayed for many years, and surely, they got their benefits. However, if you choose to live in close contact with like-minded people, then you have the advantage of a beautiful energetic support.

Energy of the Community

Over the years the Open Sky Community has become a strong Energy Field of Silence and Love and we have noticed that Sangha members get a great benefit connecting to this Field.

Therefore it is also encouraged to stay in touch with the Community for example through volunteering in the Open Sky House or other volunteer tasks.

John David says, “the Sangha members are my closest group, therefore I am always available for them by e-mail, phone or personal talk.” As a member of the Sangha Group you are automatically part of an emailing, which John David sends out. The regular Zoom Satsang Meetings are another possibility to have contact with John David.

As a member of the Sangha Group you can take part in all of John David’s Satsang Retreats at a reduced rate of 20% (in Hitdorf/Germany, Denia/Spain, Trypillia/Ukrain and India). This is to encourage members of the Sangha to have a regular ongoing contact with John David throughout the year.

Joining the Sangha

art of living germany ashram

The Sangha group is always open for new people. The first Sangha meeting you can join as a guest without commitment, after this you decide to join. The agreement is an open ended one and can be cancelled in writing after one year with a two months notice. If the contract is not cancelled it automatically continues for another year. It is recommended to stay at least for two years in the Sangha Group. In exchange you give a monthly Donation paid by a regular bank draft. This donation will be used to organize the four Sangha weekends per year.

Taking a Step

Joining the Sangha is a strong  opportunity to deepen the connection to your true Self. The Community and John David will support you on this journey.