One place is now crossed of our bucket list – I am not sure if we have shared my bucket list before? But I have always wanted to see the Buddhist Temple at Eudlo, the Chenrezig Institute. Its been on my bucket list for a very long time but kinda one of those things that I think about doing but don’t actually do anything about it!
I am now very happy because its One Place From My Bucket List that is crossed off 🙂
Chenrezig Institute QLD
The Map of Chenrezig Institute
Chenrzig Institute Buddhist Temple is amazing. I was a bit worried about it not living up to what I was expecting, only because everyone and anyone was always raving about the place…..”Its so beautiful, you love it”, or “You will Love the Gardens” or “Wait to you try the food”!! I was keen to get there and walk amongst the garden, but mostly I was keen to see what would happen once I walked through the gates.
 At the top of the pathway to the “Big Love Cafe”
Everyone kept telling me that I will feel like a different person, and one that will soon take on the feeling of being very calm. It was so spooky – as you drive up the steep hills, you start to “Feel” the place. Have you ever been to a place where you can feel the surroundings? Well that is what Chenrezig Institute in Eudlo did for me.
I was so very grateful as I was able to catch a train to Eudlo station and I was met by my wonderful Friend. Who then took us straight up to the Buddhist Temple. The drive up was so nice…it was very pretty along the way, with lots of land/farms and gorgeous country side. As you drive through the gates, they have the most amazing sign…I so had to get a photo of that one!
Amazing Colour Among The Land
What amazed me was the amount of colour….there is acres of land, with many pathways, and then lots of flags – all different colours, styles, pictures and sayings hanging up – blowing in the breeze.
When we got out of the car, we took the pathway to the “Big Love Cafe” as we were booked in for lunch time. It’s not a cafe where you can turn up and order lunch (or breakfast/dinner) without prebooking as they cook the meals that they know they will need for each meal time. It is also one of my all time favorites…its all Vegetarian Food! For the little amount that you pay for the meal, it sure is good value for money.
Vegetarian Meal at the Big Love Cafe
After our scrumptious meal we walked down the pathway to under the Cafe. The Cafe is high up on a hill, and reminds me off an old Queenslander. Under the Cafe is a little gift store….where you will find anything and everything that relates to Chenrezig Institute (including souvenirs from the time the Dalia Lama visited the Buddhist Temple!) – from clothes, to jewellery, to postcards, inspiration cards, books, music, scarfs, photos, incense, oils…..and so much more!
The Gift Store
The Garden Of Enlightenment
Once we had finished in the Gift store, we took another path to the Garden of Enlightenment! I was stunned…there was so much to look at – I could have spent the whole weekend just in those gardens 🙂 The feeling of peace, the feeling of calm, the feeling of inspiration, the feeling of being one…..there was so much to soak up! I took as many photos as possible, so that I could look at them whenever I need to…but gee the camera so did not do it justice….
The Entrance to the Gardens
The Gardens at Chenrezig Institute – I so could have stayed here forever 🙂
Resting Place At The Gardens
Did you know that you can have your ashes left at the Garden of Enlightenment? There are many different packages available, and many different locations of where your final resting place can be…from inside the building that is located at the front of the gardens, to even up stairs – in one of the holes that are created on each wall of each statue! Or you can have a statue placed amongst the gardens, with your ashes inside, and your name/dates on a plaque….with a glass covering the statue to protect it from the weather.
Final Resting Place among the gardens.
So Very Green, So Very Pretty…..the gardens took my breath away. I havent been up to the main temple (not Yet!) so I can only imagine how very gorgeous that would also be.
Statues at The Enlightenment Gardens – on top of the building that is at the entrance to the gardens!
Gosh I could have easily stayed there for the weekend….they have little cabins, where you can stay for a week, a weekend, or even for when they have retreats that are being held. I so should have been a Buddhist Monk….do you think it’s too late for that?
Cabins at Chenrezig Institute Eudlo
Flags along the pathways 🙂
The best part of going to Chenrezig Institute was being able to walk around, and absorb the atmosphere. I want to take David and the boys very soon…not sure how I can – maybe I can sticky tape their mouths? Or maybe I can bribe them? I know that I wont to be able to walk as slowly as I did on Saturday….but I am still very keen to share the experience with my family.
Love the sign….please No Killing, No Stealing, No Alcohol, No Drugs 🙂
They do offer a supper of soup at 5.30pm Wednesdays to Sunday, so I am thinking maybe one Friday night…that way we can have a very early dinner, walk around the gardens, feel the peace within, and then come home for a very big sleep!
To Visit Chenrezig Institute at Eudlo here are the details…..
Location :- 1 hours drive north of Brisbane. 33 Johnsons Road  Eudlo QLD 4554
Phone :- (07) 5453 2108
Chenrezig Institute Big Love Cafe – open 7:00am – 6:30pm from Wednesday to Sunday for day visitors
                                     Meals are provided at the following times & prices:
                                     Breakfast 7.00am $6.50
                                     Lunch 12.oo noon $9.50
                                     Supper 5.30pm $6.50
Please Book Ahead on 5453 2108 or email info@chenrezig.com.au with your details – your name, number of people eating, dietary requirements and your contact phone number!
Have You Ever Been To Chenrezig institute at Eudlo?
Cheers
Lisa
——————————————-
All thoughts and opinions are our own. New Life on the Road visited Chenrezig Institute Buddhist temple at Eudlo as part of their Bucket List.
The Chenrezig Institute looks beautiful and the meals are so reasonable. Duct tape is good to tape up mouths, they won’t be able to make a sound lol
Jackie Stenhouse recently posted..Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies
Hi Jackie,
Its is gorgeous…I am not sure about the duct tape – would that be against there temples rules!!! But I sure like the sound of using it 😉 We are going to be brave and try supper on Friday night – that way we can an early dinner, walk amongst the gardens and have a good night sleep 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Hmmm sticky tape for the mouths maybe we could go as a family after all. Sounds heavenly…
xx
lisa chiodo | renovating italy recently posted..An Italian Man – a hot summer
Hi Lisa,
Sounds like a great day! Lets get together soon 😉
We are going to be brave and try this Friday for super!!!
Cheers
Lisa
Yay! Go Lisa! Sounds fabulous! I don’t have a bucket list. Maybe I should have one!! 🙂
Kellie recently posted..My Tasmanian Backyard: Princess Theatre Launceston
Hi Kellie,
You so need a bucket list – they rock 😉 It was the best day….cant wait to go back, and show our boys!
Cheers
Lisa
At first sight, it’s beautiful! then as you become mindful of your surroundings you notice the rats that run from the other side of the counter at the cafe, or even worse, when you switch the lights off in your motel only to see a rat run out of your bin. Some of the staff there looked like they needed a lesson in customer service. Although i must say the food was pretty good on the Saturday, tasteless on Monday. I never really saw any of the female monks or to say the least any of the male monks out and about doing any kind of gardening. I thought that that was a ritual of there’s..? Either way, my experience there was “not” a spiritual one but rather a realization that not all Buddhist retreats are genuine. I drunk with one of the female monks, got hit on by a french man, But not all was bad, one of my most genuine moments there was with a volunteer who i still think was a “true” holistic person in disguise. Looked more like Jesus than a Buddhist (hehe), but words more wise than most passed his lips. Sometimes when you least expect it, a voice captures your attention. His presence was powerful, but his heart was beautiful, and his words were mesmerizing. I never got his name! shame on me! It never crossed my mind to ask… I wish he had hit on me!Helen
Hi Helen,
WOW – never ever saw rats while I was there for Lunch/walking around.
Guess it would happen though because it is the countryside!!
I loved the feeling of peace that came over me while I was there for the day. Never did try one of the weekend retreats even though I wanted to. Maybe one day.
Cheers
Lisa