PSC REF#:226849 Public Service Commission of Wisconsin RECEIVED: 12/31/14, 6:15:23 PM

The Heartland Retreat Center: A Unique Place for Buddhist Retreat

Why Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way opposes Segment O14C of the Badger-Coulee transmission line Summary of our position on the Badger-Coulee project • Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way opposes Segment O14C of the Badger-Coulee transmission line.

Reasons why we oppose:

• Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way purchased the Heartland Retreat Center (HRC) property specifcally for its inspiring, unspoiled views of nature conducive to Buddhist meditation retreat. • Meditation retreats in nature are an integral part of practicing the Buddhist religion since it was founded over 2,500 years ago. • The Heartland Retreat Center’s topography and scenery are uniquely suitable for private meditation retreats, small group retreats, and large meditation courses. All three types of retreat would be severely impacted by proposed Segment O14C. • The HRC is of great importance to Diamond Way worldwide because it has become a coordination hub for national and international projects. • Without the support of visitors who travel long distances to meditate in the HRC’s scenic environment, the HRC will not be able to maintain its operations.

Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way appreciates the challenges of transmitting and providing reliable cost con- scious electricity to Wisconsinites and our Midwest neighbors. This is no easy decision for the PSC. Therefore we ofer the following observations in order to propose an alternative solution.

• After attending all six PSC Scoping Sessions our representatives observed less opposition overall to Segment N and greater opposition to Segment O. • The CapX2020 Alma-La Crosse 345 kV project (docket 05-CE-136) north of the Briggs Road Substation was authorized by the PSC and is not yet constructed. • Residents in Holmen object to additional lines on Segment P. • Past economic projects authorized by the Commission, such as the Paddock-Rockdale project (docket 137-CE-149) indicate the new transmission line in the area north of the Briggs Road Substation could be constructed in a multiple-circuit confguration.

Based on these observations, we propose an alternative solution:

• A multiple-circuit confguration on the alignment already authorized for CapX2020 north of the Briggs Road Substation would allow the lines to run through Segments P and N without additional hardship to the people of Holmen.

It is our hope that the Commisioners will choose to preserve the Heartland Retreat Center’s unique religious and cultural contribution to the state of Wisconsin in their decision. We believe it is possible to place the power lines on Segments P and N where fewer parties oppose and there are more existing corridors.

Thank you for your consideration of Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way’s opposition to proposed Segment O of the Badger-Coulee transmission line. Please see the pages below for more detailed information about who we are, what we do, why meditation retreat is essential to Buddhists, and how the transmission lines would harm our meditation retreat activities at the Heartland Retreat Center. We will gladly make ourselves available to provide any additional information that might aid the PSC staf in their task. What is the Heartland Retreat Center?

The Heartland Retreat Center (HRC) near Ontario, Wisconsin is a place where Diamond Way Buddhists go for meditation retreats. The HRC hosts private meditators, group retreats, and large courses.

What is Buddhist meditation?

Buddhist meditation means “efortlessly remaining in what is.” Practitioners meditate to uncover their Sweeping nature views at the HRC help meditators forget mind’s natural abilities to be clear, happy, and at their city lives and turn their focus inward. home regardless of circumstances. In the meditation practice, one frst learns to focus and calm the mind. Then one applies techniques to see the mind’s nature. By knowing how the mind works, the practitioner becomes increasingly able to let go of limiting habits and express useful actions that beneft others.

Diamond Way Buddhism keeps meditation practices from alive in the West

Our religious practice comes from the Karma H.H. 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Lama Ole and Hannah lineage of Tibet. It is special because our Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Nydahl became the closest may only be practiced when they are passed directly (1924-1981). He was Western students of H.H. from master to student. The word Kagyu (pronounced known throughout Tibet 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. “Ka-Joo”) in Tibetan means “orally transmitted.” as the “king of the yogis [meditators].” Ole and met the head of the Lineage – the great 16th Gyalwa Karmapa – while traveling the in 1968. After recognizing them as his close students and training them, he instructed Ole and Hannah to teach Buddhism and meditation in the West.

From 1972 to present day, Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl established over 626 Diamond Way centers in the Western world. Hannah died of cancer in 2007.

Among these hundreds of centers worldwide there are Over 626 Diamond Way centers and groups worldwide. a small number of retreat places like the HRC. Retreat The Heartland Retreat Center is the only retreat center in centers are essential. A retreat of a few days or weeks the United States with the right conditions for individual tremendously amplifes one’s meditation results by retreats, group retreats, courses, and organizational activity. creating more distance to everyday life. Practitioners leave the city and go to places with inspiring nature for deep meditation, just like masters in Tibet did for over a thousand years. The HRC hosts individuals on retreat, small group retreats, and large courses

The land at the HRC is uniquely able to support three types of retreast because of its location, topography and surroundings. Large groups (200+) gather in the central open spaces for multi-day courses (area C in the fgure at right). Meanwhile individuals practice undisturbed in the woods to the north (A). The “Pine Grove” (B), a secluded clearing between the two other areas, attracts small groups who meditate together and share special practice instructions. The natural environment at the HRC is critical for producing The sight of power lines at the HRC states of deep meditation using Diamond Way methods. would destroy the inspirational environment that meditators seek Private retreats Small group Large courses retreats The HRC ofers uninterrupted nature views in all Proposed power line directions – a rare treasure for meditators. If these A views are marred by power lines, practitioners will no longer have a reason to travel to the HRC. B Private retreatants on the northern boundary would directly encounter the towers. The noise from C corona phenomena and EMF efects are acutely disruptive to private meditators who practice in deep concentration near the northern border.

The sight of power lines would disturb the HRC’s unique panoramic nature views. Visitors would no longer experience the HRC as an oasis of nature away from the city. Power lines evoke the industrial The HRC is the only Diamond Way retreat center in North surroundings from home that they intended to leave America that can facilitate all three types of retreat. behind.

Large group courses in 2011, 2012, and 2013 were held in temporary structures. Over 200 people attended in May 2013 from North America, Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe. Buddhists travel from cities throughout the Midwest to meditate at the HRC

Buddhists regularly travel from Diamond Way centers in Minneapolis, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago to meditate in nature at the HRC.

A typical weekend gathering includes 15-25 travelers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Special weekends with touring meditation teachers have attracted 60-80 who all drove for hours to participate. The latest national course held at the HRC in 2013 brought over 200 visitors from throughout the Americas and overseas.

It would be extremely detrimental Diamond Way Buddhist centers and groups throughout the to the development of Diamond Midwest depend on the HRC for meditation retreats. Way Buddhism in the USA if the HRC stopped attracting visitors and volunteers

Diamond Way Buddhism is the largest lay lineage of Buddhism worldwide, with over 626 centers in 50 countries established since 1972. However, growth in the USA began only recently. Momentum in the US accelerated in the last fve years thanks to the unique qualities of the HRC and the activities happening there.

Because so many people travel from other cities, the HRC became a central place for coordinating Diamond Way activity nationwide. People who are frst attracted by the inspiring nature meet over meals and between meditation sessions to coordinate projects at a national and even international scale.

Since 2009, teams that formed and now meet at the HRC manage budgets and fnances, book publishing, website operations, and plan course programming that spans North, Central and South America.

This coordination is essential because the Diamond Way organization operates solely through the volunteer eforts of people who share friendship Meditators and volunteers who live hundreds of miles apart and idealism. All the eforts to establish the HRC (listed meet and connect in the free time between lectures and in the timeline below), including labor and construction meditation sessions. projects, were performed by unpaid volunteers. Timeline of eforts to establish the HRC

It took years to fnd a property with the unique qualities of the Heartland Retreat Center, and still more to establish its current operations.

2001 • Fundraising for a retreat center in North America kicks of with a $10k donation.

2001-2008 • Pursued properties in California and Colorado. Both proved unsuitable for national retreats.

2008 • Decided to search for a property in the Midwest

2009 • Midwest practitioners held a vision meeting in Madison, WI. Set scouting critiera based on the experiences from the preceding years. • Found and purchased the Heartland Retreat Center. The land was undeveloped except for a hunter’s cabin in disrepair at the front edge of the property and a storage shed.

2010 • Residents moved into the cabin • Developed a plan for the frst fve years. Key points were: 1. Develop the cabin into a home base for operations, from which groups can gather and work until there are permanent structures on the back acres of the land 2. Make the back acres suitable for annual courses held in tents and temporary structures 3. Develop a master plan for permanent infrastructure on the back acres based on the experiences gained from hosting retreats in the temporary infrastructure • Straightened cabin walls • Converted two rooms into a large group meditation space • Moved a window to accommodate the new meditation space layout • Insulated cabin and wrapped in Tyvek to make it suitable for winter • Sanded the foors • Widened a walking path by eight feet to enable vehicle access to the back of the land • Turned fve acres of land into campground for courses by digging and fattening anthills, clearing vegetation and mowing weekly to control ticks • Commissioned a life-size statue of H.H. 16th Gyalwa Karmapa to be built by traditional artisans in

2011 • Installed siding on the cabin • Flattened and graded top of a hill for the main course program tent • Dug drainage ditches to channel water away from the campground area • Laid concrete foundation for an outdoor kitchen to feed 300 at courses • Ran electricity, water, and gas outside the cabin to outdoor kitchen • Installed 1400 gallon water tank for temporary showers and sinks in the camp area • Laid gravel road up the hill to the main course tent

2012 • Built permanent showers in the camping area • Ran potable water line down to the camp area • Built storage shed • Constructed an aesthetic bridge over the creek • Began mowing additional walking paths to reduce the risk of tick-borne illnesses to guests

2013 • Installed new wood and tile fooring throughout the cabin • Installed sheet rock over the original water-damaged walls in the cabin • Began formal master planning for permanent structures on the back of the land • Scientifcally tested a variety of tick traps and analyzed lyme disease risks • Laid 300 “tick tubes” throughout the land by GPS and began monitoring trap levels • Produced 40-page document on tick-borne illnesses and tick management techniques

2014 • Developed architectural drawings and site plans for permanent structures on the back of the land to host year-round retreat activities • Performed major road repair. Hired professionals to grade and install culverts • Finalized master plan for site development • Received and installed the life-size 16th Karmapa statue commissioned in 2010 Artist sketch of a meditation hall on the back 64 acres In progress: master plan for new infrastructure and a meditation hall with wide nature views

In 2013-2014 teams at the HRC worked on a formal master plan to develop the back 64 acres.

Phase 1: New roads, septic, and utility infrastructure Phase 2: “Gompa” (meditation hall) with provisional dormitory and cafeteria facilities in the lower level Phase 3: Dedicated dormitory and cafeteria buildings

Excerpt from a 2014 site planning presentation Architectural drawings of the meditation hall (Tib. Gompa) The HRC makes signifcant investments to preserve ancient traditions

In November 2014 the Heartland Retreat Center installed a life-size statue of the 16th Karmapa. The statue is a clear example of how the Heartland Retreat Center actively preserves traditions before they are lost.

The HRC, in cooperation with an international team, commissioned the statue in 2010. The statue is a result of close collaboration between Western experts and traditional statue-makers in Nepal.

Master craftsmen trained in traditional Buddhist statue- making created the work of art by hand in Kathmandu, Nepal. The art form is at risk of dying out because of economic conditions in Nepal. Sons of master artisans, who historically carried on the tradition, increasingly become migrant workers to support their families. The statue’s presence at the HRC ensures that many will still have a chance to appreciate this cultural phenomenon. The life-size statue of H.H. 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Article from the Ontario newspaper John Christopherson, 35 Madison, WI President of Diamond Way Buddhist Centers, USA Elementary School Teacher [email protected]

As a young adult at UW - Madison, I felt that there must be more to life than merely gaining a degree and subse- quently earning a paycheck. With friends, we fortunately found our answer. Our lives would have real purpose from then on.

One by one, we met Lama . Everyone was grateful to finally have perfect tools for developing mind. It was an incredible feeling to work together in such a meaningful way, building up centers where others could also have that opportunity.

These centers, in democratically free Western countries, provide the best chance for the survival of the wisdom and traditions of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Owning property which offers the optimal conditions for meditation practice is therefore essential to securing the future of this Buddhist lineage. Our “Heartland Retreat Center” is the epicenter of this important historic effort for the entire continent of North America. People travel here from across the world to take part in programs and enjoy the naturally beautiful setting that we have to offer.

Large power lines along the northern border of our retreat center land would ruin the peacefully reflective natural setting for which we bought the place. The center’s presence is itself a statement of collective idealism – donations gathered over several years covered the purchase price, and people continue to support with their time, dollars, and energy year-round. Aside from the practice of meditation, voluntarily working together as friends towards a common goal across cultural boundaries is a valuable expression in the world today.

As president of Diamond Way Buddhist Centers USA, and chairman of the board of the Buddhist Foundation Dia- mond Way (both 501c3 non-profit organizations run wholly by volunteers), much of my time is spent in service to this project. All the activities we do there fill my life with meaning and purpose. The HRC provides the chance to dedicate my life to preserving this tradition for future generations. What means the most to me is being able to work together with friends to help offer the best conditions for people to develop confidence in their own potential. The HRC gives me the chance to act on this wish directly.

The HRC, with its natural setting, is crucial for the survival of Diamond Way Buddhism in the United States, which is gaining momentum. Please support this noble effort by protecting the conditions that are there. Eric Gibson, 37 Minneapolis, MN Financial Advisor [email protected]

From 1995 to 1998, my group of friends and I decided that we needed to find a method for developing lasting happiness, both for ourselves and others. We were all college students at the time, and in 1998 we met a Buddhist Lama who showed us that what we were looking for existed in the meditation practices of a 2500 year old religion. From that point on, we decided to open meditation centers to allow anyone access to these meditation teachings. Since then, we have started Buddhist meditation centers in La Crosse, Madison, Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and our meditation retreat center near Ontario, WI.

It was around the year 2000 that we seriously considered getting a meditation retreat center here in the Midwest. At the time, we thought that Vernon County was the place to look, due the exceptional beauty of the Driftless region of Southwestern Wisconsin. A few years ago, with the help of collective fundraising of friends in other meditation centers around the world, we purchased a meditation center in the Driftless area. We call it the “Heartland Retreat Center” (HRC). Even though it is in Monroe county, it is across the street from Vernon county as we had originally planned, and it is exactly what we had been looking for since 2000.

Since the date of purchase, the HRC has become a destination for Buddhist friends from literally all over the world. There are dozens of meditation weekends held each year, and people come due to its rustic nature and raw beauty. My wife and I personally come down as often as we can. Living in the busyness of the Twin Cities, the weekends spent in reflection and meditation at the HRC are a very rejuvenating and enriching experience.

We know that progress always comes with sacrifices, and the need for more power connecting the Mid- west is understandable. We hope that the PSC decides the northern route is a more favorable decision over the southern route, which would place the lines directly on the property line of the HRC. In a time of con- stant distraction and instant information, the serenity of the HRC is not only protecting a 2500 year old religious practice; it is also protecting the peace of mind and human development of the hundreds of people that call it their home away from home. Ryan Singer, 31 Chicago, IL Software Product Manager [email protected]

Five hours is a long commute from Chicago to the Heartland Retreat Center near Ontario, Wisconsin, but I still do it any weekend I can. Since I started practicing Diamond Way Buddhism in 2004, meditating has become part of my daily routine in the city. But nothing compares to the peace and quiet of the country. When I go to the HRC my heart opens up. That long drive is part of it. It gives me time to shake off the stresses from work and the hustle and bustle of the city.

I usually leave Chicago after work on Friday and arrive at the HRC around midnight. You can see stars in the country! It’s a beautiful welcome. There are already a few friends in the cabin, and we catch up and talk into the night. On Saturday and Sunday there is time for meditation and going deep with lectures or con- versations about our practice. The highlight of my weekend is walking to the “back of the land” -- away from the cabin, away from the neighbors, and back into the expanse of the land. We have a few per- fect places to meditate back there. All you see is trees and sky. You feel like it goes endlessly in all direc- tions. By Sunday evening it’s time for a Spotted Cow, a meal with friends and the drive home, ready to work in the city again on Monday.

These visits to the HRC are a rhythm in my life. From high energy and fast pace to deep peace and nature and back. I try to hold on to that feeling from the HRC and keep it with me in the city. I consider it a great gift that the HRC exists and that I can make this experience part of my life. Sasha Rozenberg, 44 New York, NY Chief Risk Officer [email protected]

I live in New York City and I came to HRC several times. In fact, I’m trying to go there every year. I know of no other place in North America, where so many idealistic people regularly meet in order to develop their full potential and become useful to others. This is the place where people go to learn to meditate and to apply the timeless teachings of Buddhism to daily life.

In HRC, I have had very deep and profound experience of limitless possibilities of human mind and human friendship. After listening to the teachings and meditating well past midnight, we were so inspired by each other that going to the tents to get some sleep was not an option. Sharing life stories and great laugh and dancing, we stayed up till early morning. Coming from many different countries and backgrounds, the uniting power of experiencing the openness and limitlessness of one’s mind removed any cultural barriers. The “here and now”, in the moment, experience of life’s beauty in the company of fantastic friends’, the sky, the stars, the chilly night, the warm tea, the whole nature of that magic place, the dawn are etched in my memory and make me go there again and again and again. Danielle Kicilinski, 27 La Crosse, WI Registered Nurse [email protected]

When we started looking for a retreat center in 2009 I had no idea that we would find a place as beautiful and as perfect as the Heartland Retreat Center. After seeing the land for the first time I knew that I wanted to live there, help upkeep the center and go deeper into my personal meditation practice. After I complet- ed nursing school I got a job at the Tomah VA Medical Center and moved to the Heartland Retreat Center.

The landscape of the Heartland Retreat Center is absolutely breathtaking. I enjoy nothing more than walk- ing onto the land and being completely surrounded by trees with no other houses or people. With the sounds of nature surrounding me my mind feels at ease. In today’s busy society this experience is precious and offers so much to my meditation practice. The sight and sound of power lines would completely dis- turb this peaceful and pristine atmosphere and would greatly hinder ones meditation experience.

Looking back on how we have developed meaningful relationships with the locals has been another experi- ence that I will always treasure. I’ve developed a strong friendship with our next-door neighbor who is an experienced registered nurse and over the past three years has been my mentor at the Tomah VA Medical Center. She encouraged me to apply for a job at the Tomah VA and has given me priceless advice that has helped me build my career.

Above all, living at the Heartland Retreat Center and seeing all of the enthusiastic friends coming to visit from the region nearly every weekend has been the most inspiring. Coming together to develop a common vision, meditate together and enjoy the beautiful surroundings has created life long bonds among my friends. It is inspiring that everyone drives to the Heartland Retreat Center to be surrounded by close friends and flawless nature.

This place has truly changed my life in many ways. I deeply hope that it will remain free from power lines so we can continue to grow as friends and deepen our spiritual practice. I also hope that other people can come and have the chance to experience this one of a kind place and meditate in such ideal conditions. The Heartland Retreat Center is nothing less than a living part of our Karma Kagyu Buddhist lineage here in America. Yomaira Urquia, 36 and Jeremiah Hendren, 29 Munich, Germany Customer Service Rep. at BMW and Editor and Writing Coach at Munich University of Technology [email protected]

For us, the Heartland Retreat Center is a precious space to bring forth our best human qualities through meditation and gathering with close friends who share a focus in life. We have visited the Center five times and feel a strong connection to the land, the Center residents, and even the local community. For me (Yomaira), as a native of bustling Caracas, Venezuela, the vast power of the HRC parcel nurtures deep spiritual practice and evokes, in return, a feeling of stewardship for the nature within and beyond the property lines. Having attended a Mennonite high school in Virginia, I (Jeremiah) felt an immediate affinity to the local Anabaptist culture along with thankfulness that Ontario has so graciously welcomed us. Spending a week on the land in 2011 to build up a course, we made many trips into town for supplies and saw first-hand how the HRC is truly a celebrated addition to the community.

As current residents of Munich, Germany, we included a stay at the HRC in our most recent family visit back to the states. Our persistent draw to the land led us to rationalize a stop in Wisconsin as “on the way” from Munich to Virginia. But for us, such a stopover has meaning beyond our personal plans: We live in Germany to be actively part of the Europe Center, the worldwide seat of Diamond Way Buddhism connecting over 600 centers from Vladivostok, Russia, to Santiago, Chile. In our minds, the HRC – like the Europe Center – has a central role as a meeting place for Buddhists throughout the Americas and the world. In this way, the retreat center is a conduit for the inner wisdom and compassion cultivated in the tranquil Kickapoo Valley to spillover and multiply the world over.

It is our deep wish that the Heartland Retreat Center can continue to develop as it has thus far, that it may foster rich spiritual growth for many generations to come. Noreli Franco, 38 Minneapolis, Minnesota Cancer Genetics Researcher [email protected]

In my case, I visited this land for the first time on February 2011. We came from Venezuela to do a 2-week tour of the Midwestern Buddhist Centers, and HRC was one of our stops. When I say “we” I mean seven Venezuelan friends and myself (as well as one German and one Mexican friend). That weekend around two dozen people from all over the US came to HRC to spend time with us. We felt so honored that so many people drove over! We made a special dinner to thank them all and later celebrated at the local Badger Crossing, which included song, dance, and having a great time with people from the town. Later on the owner told us that night had been memorable! When we returned to HRC and gathered around a fire, the most amazing thing in my life happened... The cutest guy in the group, who I had no idea had been eyeing me for a couple of days, unexpectedly kissed me. One thing led to the next and today, almost two years later, I have moved to Minneapolis and I’m happily married to him. So to me HRC is a place where your dreams come true. Rachelle and Jim Macur, 32 and 31 Denver, Colorado Sustainable Design Consultant and Gym Director [email protected]

My husband, Jim Macur, and I visit the Heartland Retreat Center (HRC) in Wisconsin every summer. It is one of the few chances we have in the year to take respite from our daily life and our children (who stay with grandparents in Madison) and spend some quality time together—recharging our mental surplus, enjoying time with friends, and most importantly having an opportunity to meditate with few distractions. We greatly enjoy the beauty, remoteness, natural ecology (wildlife & wilderness), and tranquility found at the HRC. Our time there is precious and we greatly recognize and appreciate how special the land is. The opportunity the HRC provides to so many people like us is immense and unique; and we truly wish for the activity there to continue to grow through people and connections and for the land to remain as untouched as possible.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Adam Goodberg, 35 Washington, D.C. Analyst [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commission,

For years I considered the Memorial Union in Madison to be my anchor point, but as soon as a small group of friends came together to buy the Heartland Retreat Center it became my home. I was for- tunate enough to help with the project from the start, as we searched for land around the country and finally focused our energy and money on Ontario. Only a few years earlier we had been students together, and here we were with 84 beautiful acres for our own.

Over time, I helped with the rebuilding of the house using local suppliers, the clearing of hiking trails, and the preparation for our courses that have included guests from around the world. In the commu- nity, my blues bland played five shows in the area and made friends in Ontario, Rockton, and Cash- ton. We have really tried to bring the community together, and I believe we represent the best of the Wisconsin Idea.

My favorite memories of the HRC touch on the real feeling of freedom it allows us. There is nothing better than motorcycling through the Driftless region and camping in the hills to the sound of bucks snorting at dusk and owls calling at night. The two months I spent after Peace Corps working and meditating on our land was some of the most precious time in my life.

On a professional level, I have a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from our own Univer- sity of Wisconsin Madison, studying issues such as this. To put it mildly, we all lose should we plow an irrevocable path through the best of our state when a corridor already exists along the highway. If you also call Wisconsin home, then you will understand how this is.

With best regards, Adam Goodberg Eugene Trak, 52 Western Retreat Center, Paicines, CA Web Designer and Principal at Webstrim Design Group [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commission,

My name is Eugene Trak and I am an Advisory Committee representative of the Western Retreat Center owned by the Buddhist Foundation Diamond Way of the Karma Kagyu Lineage located in Paicines on the Central Coast of California. We are a sister retreat center of the Heartland Retreat Center located in Ontario, WI.

A group of our practitioners comes to the Heartland Retreat Center in Wisconsin twice a year for a week-long retreats. Where we come from everything is burnt by the sun most of the year—it’s a cowboy land in the high desert. So we especially enjoy the lush green vegetation and beautiful wildflowers in spring and lots of undisturbed wildlife, multitude of colors and crisp cool air in the fall. We love the quiet rolling hills of the Heartland Retreat Center and it is difficult to imagine that our bi-annual pil- grimages may now be jeopardized by this unfortunate developments in relation to this industrial-size project. We are afraid that the unforgettable feeling and peaceful beauty of rural Wisconsin will be lost forever should the big companies move in and build their posts and towers emitting constant buzzing sound [correct verbiage, proper technical terms] in such a close vicinity to our meditation cabins.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Please help us affect the change and promote the possibility of the alternative routes for the power lines in question. Chris and Susan Bixby, 67 and 65 Edmonton, Canada Lawyer [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commissioners,

We were both very moved by the unique untouched quality of the HRC in terms of it being a quiet place to meditate and also by how that peace and tranquility is manifested by all who have the opportunity to experience the beauty and calm of this unique Retreat Center. When we taught and meditated with everybody at the HRC it was a very special weekend for us. It’s clear that people who come to the HRC leave it with big open hearts and the desire to go out into the world and work to help others to overcome their suffering. It is indeed a special place! When we heard talk of a power line possibly being built across the property it saddened us. With the noise and energy from a power line the purpose of the HRC would be destroyed. Eduardo Goode, 32 Monterrey, Mexico MBA ,Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commissioners,

I’m glad to share my experience in Wisconsin. The Heartland Retreat Center of the Diamond Way Buddhist Foundation is a very special place for me. Let me explain why: I am Mexican and currently live in Monterrey. All this may sound like my general information, but regarding this lovely piece of land, it becomes quite relevant, because someone from Mexico, probably would never have the chance to get to know such a beautiful state like Wisconsin if it wasn’t because I’m a Buddhist and went there for a meditation course in May 2013.

People in my age group are usually looking to just go to the beach, nightlife or shopping... maybe that’s why some of the most popular destinations for Mexicans to travel to are New York, Miami, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Amazing places indeed, but none of them compare to the peace and tranquility you can reach in rural Wisconsin.

The work done by the local Diamond Way Buddhist groups deserves protection and I encourage you to visit this area during a meditation weekend. You will be amazed by the large amount of kind and warm people you can find there, doing just one single thing: looking for lasting happiness for the benefit of all. Ryan Daniel, 31 Chicago, IL Event Planner and Designer [email protected]

HRC’s global impact: The HRC is a very special place. It is considered a “home away from home” for many. My friends and I go there for many reasons but mainly to create a place for people to be happy. We meditate, have BBQ’s together, take nature walks, fuel ourselves up with good impressions. You leave the place feel- ing fulfilled and inspired. Everything is coordinated by volunteers and as a former Peace Corps Volun- teer, I’ve been very happy to continue volunteering in my own country. I find this rewarding on a deep level and found the amount of joyful volunteer work shared at HRC enriching and impressive. Many people help and also come to visit from all over the world. This creates an amazing opportunity for cultural exchanges. This is a great gift to broaden perspective on a worldly level, especially for those who don’t have time or can’t afford international travel. The benefits of HRC do end up reaching many all over the world, I’m sure of this.

Why Installing Power Lines At HRC Has A Negative Impact: Power lines at HRC would be disruptive to the retreat-like atmosphere that makes HRC so special. The disturbance is not only on an outer level with buzzing sounds and eye sores, but also on an energetic level that negatively effects brain, nerves and senses. To disturb a place where ambitious individuals “fuel up” would be unwise. All the friends that go there are productive members of society, discussing ideas and empowering one another to make the world a better place. If the electric lines are installed, the HRC will lose its inspiring qualities and people will too. Instead, everyone should feel welcome to get inspired and enjoy the many extraordinary benefits the HRC has to offer.

Thank you for your time. Douglas H. Hendren, M.D., 63 Harrisonburg, Virginia Medical Doctor

To whom it may concern: It has come to my attention that the American Transmission Company intends to build high-voltage transmission lines between La Crosse and Madison, Wisconsin. One of the two proposed routes, the “southern route” crosses a parcel of land belonging to Diamond Way Buddhism - USA, and known to American and international Buddhist visitors as The Heartland Retreat Center.

The Heartland Retreat Center location was selected by our members for its beauty and tranquility, ideal for meditation practice and personal development. Its location in our nation’s heartland holds special significance and promise for the many people from all over the world who have already made it a travel destination since its establishment just a few years ago. I believe that violating this pristine parcel with power lines will detract greatly from its visual appeal and peaceful ambience. Further, I am well aware of the literature regarding biological effects in the vicinity of power lines, which could discourage practitioners from choosing the HRC for meditation retreats. The Heartland Retreat Center is a unique setting, which we expect will bring thousands of visitors to Wisconsin every year to enjoy the peace and tranquility it offers. Power lines on the property will certainly reduce this appeal, prompting our highly mobile members to go elsewhere.

Sincerely, Douglas H. Hendren, M.D. David Shawn Loudermilk, 43 Albuquerque, New Mexico. Plumbing Contractor (505) 980-9367

TWMC, My family and I travel to the Heartland Retreat Center as much as 2 times a year if not more for meditation retreats as well as Buddhist teachings . Each time we visit is a special time where sublime memories are made and new friends of all ages and many countries are found and direct, profound spiritual experiences occur. As lay buddhist practitioners the key to spiritual growth happens in a group setting, hence the HRC, as it provides the perfect arena for spiritual awakening and inner development to people from all over the world.

What is really special to me are the unimpeded views of the rolling hills and undisturbed nature that help contribute to the relaxed and open setting there. The people that live there are exceptional in that they always make us feel at home and are quite the accommodating team. HRC- Heartland Retreat Center is an appropriate name not only in the geographical location but that it really holds a special place in the heart of whosoever visits there.

Please come and visit and we hope to see you there, Yours, The Loudermilk Family Chris Lofton, 25 San Antonio, Texas School Teacher [email protected]

I have visited the Heartland Retreat Center in Ontario, WI five times since it was established, and I look forward to visiting it again soon. The HRC is one of my favorite places on this earth because of the friends that established it.

When I first visited the HRC, it was during New Years of 2010. I was exhausted after a 23 hour drive in a blizzard. When I arrived, I was welcomed with one of the warmest hugs of my life. I will never forget it. I felt so welcome. I felt like I was part of the family there, and that feeling has only grown. I grew up in Texas and have very little experience with snow. The HRC was the first place I ever went sledding. Exploring the forests with friends was an incredible experience. The natural beauty of the land there is spectacular. The quietness and the nature make it wonderful experience for those seeking to know their mind through meditation. I have some of the best memories of my life at the land there. Please protect it. Sincerely, Chris Ellen Sokolow, 60 Oneonta, New York Retired Architect [email protected]

The Diamond Way Buddhism Heartland Retreat Center is a focal point of all of our religious centers in the United States, the heart.

We rely on the visual beauty and tranquility of our retreat centers to facilitate the depth of meditation and thereby increase the beneficial effects to the surrounding communities as well. See: “Maharishi Effect”—Since 1975, Scientific research found that in cities and towns all over the world where as little as one per cent of the population practices the meditation, the trend of rising crime rate is reversed, indicating increasing order and harmony. Research scientists named this phenomenon of rising coherence in the collective consciousness of the whole society the “Maharishi Effect”.

I emphasize that the current conditions of our land support our ability to practice our religion through meditation, which requires a peaceful and natural setting, and that the sight and sound of power lines would be intolerably disruptive to our practice and to our religion.

Please feel free to contact me at any time, and I look forward to your wise and appropriate decision. Garold Rabinovich, 42 Albany, New York Thin Film Process Technician Superconductor Reasearch at Super Power, in Schenectady NY

My wife Yulia Koval and me traveled to Ontario WI for a retreat in September 2012. We will never forget the clarity of nature and would love to see a swift development of multifaceted community services on this pristine territory, as a passive recreation site with stunning trails and landscape, as well as a continu- ity of the 2,500 year old but applicable to nowadays society teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. There are so many blessings to come from this endeavor of Diamond Way Buddhism that future generations may benefit from. Please let it be an undisturbed by urbanization site. Yulia Koval, 44 Albany, New York Personal Care Aid for elderly and disabled

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commissioners, I went for a retreat in Heart Land Retreat Center in 2012. What a beauty this place is inside out and all around. There are few strategic plans for a site development to be completed and powerful regarding Diamond Way, Karma Kagyu transmission lineage usefully implementing Buddha’s teachings all the way from about 500BC. As a world community we would love to see an untouched natural physical development in Ontario, WI location. There is a plan to establish a shrine in geographically speaking Northern part of this land and we will see it happen if it is not ruined by industrialization from outside company. Please assist us to keep it the way it is intended to be for the benefit of many for mainly Mid West generations to come. Thank you. Manuel Teodoro, 27 Oaxaca, Mexico Forest Restoration Engineer [email protected]

As a Mexican, my visit to Heartland Retreat Center (HRC) helped me break cultural concepts, and to approach wondeful people who are now good friends. I was fortunate to have an enriching cultural exchange which allowed me to realize that deep inside, all of us are seeking for happiness by different ways. People who visit the HRC share the same way on this search, which strengthen our bonds as good friends in life. Szabi Dobos, 37 Miami,Florida Personal Trainer [email protected]

I have visited the Heartland Retreat Center many times and continue to go back at least once a year to practice meditation in a peaceful and tranquil environment. I’m saddened to hear about ATC plan of building a transmission line crossing the retreat land.

Traditionally in the Himalayas, where our linage originates, practitioners had achoice to withdraw from the busyness of every day life and meditate at remote and quiet places. Our organization has put a lot of effort and time finding such a wonderful piece of land here in the USA in Wisconsin.

Having the transmission lines cross the land would ruin the peace and quietness provided by the HRC’s land.

The HRC is especially close to my heart because it reminds me of my homeland Hungary where I grew up. Also I have gone to the HRC at times where no official programs were organized just to get away from Miami and to concentrate on my meditation practice.

Please consider and respect the opinion and wishes of the members and friends of Diamond Way Buddhist Centers and don’t build the high voltage lines over our land!

Best Regards, Szabi Dobos Pablo Romay, 37 Monterrey, Mexico Pilot [email protected]

Hi, I have been to retreats and know how important it is to be in a peaceful, clean and natural environ- ment to achieve the goals of any retreat, be it spiritual, physical, mental, psycological, business, etc.

I believe it is very important that the boundaries of the HRC remain clear of towers and electrical cables. Please revise the paths where these developments will go through so that the HRC can continue to be a place of development, peace and harmony.

Sincerely Pablo Romay Renata and Ben Ritchey, 33 and 38 Chicago, Illinois student in physical therapy assistant program and metallurgical engineer [email protected], [email protected]

Ben and I saw the land that became the Heartland Retreat Center for the first time on Valentine’s Day 2009, and we fell in love! This might sound like a fairy tale, but it was exactly this way! The magical feeling of the surrounding snow and ice-covered forests took our breaths away when walking down into the valley that early February morning. The feeling has not changed since then.

In the five years since, Ben and I have made countless trips from our home in Chicago to the HRC. We put over 30,000 miles on our car in the first year alone! Many friends from throughout the Midwest region and also the country have done the same, and the retreat center has developed much from this surplus. But even more, our friendships and connections have deepened and grown beyond what anyone could have imagined. Connections among people and personal development count the most for us, and I don’t mean just among existing Buddhist friends, but connections with new friends in the community as well. The retreat center has organized several community events, but mostly it’s just the normal interaction at the local bars, restaurants, grocery stores and hardware stores that has allowed friends from around the world the opportunity to make lasting connections with locals in Ontario and Cashton, WI. To see this happen is truly inspiring.

In addition, such a beautiful natural environment creates an unforgettable feeling for people like my husband and I who come from big cities to visit. The atmosphere of the HRC is just so peaceful and quiet, which is truly rare for our modern times. This is a very special community that is important to so many people on so many levels, and our strongest wish is to continuously keep it as natural and as beautifully inspiring as we found it! Madelyn Christopherson, 37 Madison, Wisconsin Bilingual Teacher Leader Madison Metropolitan School District [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commissioners, My husband and I have been practicing Diamond Way Buddhism for over 14 years and we feel fortunate to be part of a strong group of young idealist who consider strong friendships and meditation their priority in life. These strong connections and shared values where the basis for our Heartland Retreat Center.

Back in January of 2009 a group of 50 Diamond Way Buddhist friends got together, on a chilly winter’s day, to craft a vision for a retreat place where we could deepen our spiritual practice. It was an amazing experience to be part of a common dream. We devised a plan and the first action step was to look for the ideal place. Since we all agreed that Wisconsin’s driftless area is one of the most beautifully inspiring places in the State, we decided to start our search there. My husband and I were part of the scouting team that drove around every weekend looking for potential properties. We looked along the Wisconsin and Mississippi River, but early on our search we found our land outside of Ontario, WI and fell in love.

We have been closely involved with the Heartland Retreat Center from the very beginning. After closing on the property, we have spent almost every weekend there. It really is our second home. Some of our most precious moments there have been meditating on the land and snowshoeing in Wisconsin’s winter wonderland. As a native of Cuba, I appreciate the experience of four seasons and pristine nature.

Being on the land is an amazing experience of freedom and space unlike any other. Many of us, who live in the city, greatly enjoy and appreciate the peaceful nature of our retreat land. Since we purchased the land in 2009, we have had many amazingly fulfilling experiences in nature with friends from around the world and with our Buddhist teacher. Therefore, together with friends from around the region and the world, we continue to make improvements on the property and the land in order to have the right envi- ronment to practice our Buddhist religion. By having the power lines on our property, all the qualities needed for deep meditation practice, such as peace, quiet and inspiring landscape would be jeopardize.

Thank you for your thoughtful attention. Please give us an opportunity to continue our practice surrounded by inspiring nature without the giant electric power influence of city life. John S Lentz, 33 St. Louis, Missouri Graduate Student, Public Health and Business at Washington University at St. Louis [email protected]

The very first time driving onto the HRC property I felt like I was home. Having never been there, and only having seen pictures that some friends took of some grass on a hill, I had no idea what I was getting into, and I was amazed at how natural and at home I immediately felt. The more I explored the property, the more this feeling became natural, which was very surprising to see something I had never seen before, yet be so comfortable with it all. I was, for lack of poetic justice and overuse of repetition, home.

As I am sure that you know, the reason that our group has purchased the land is so that we may meditate in an inspiring place. Anyone who has spent time in the transition forest of Wisconsin knows that it is already like sitting around a campfire - there’s something magical that draws you in and allows you to remain with your thoughts and build wisdom. For us to have dedicated space in such a beautiful environment goes beyond what I normally refer to as inspiring - I actually imagine this space when I meditate where I live in the city.

If there are high power lines close to the property, the energy of the space would be destroyed. The style of meditation that we do ends up working with energy that corresponds with modern science’s magnetic fields, and high power lines disrupt those magnetic fields. The natural feeling, the whole reason for being there, would be diminished and over time destroyed.

Though I am one person, I have a lot of friends around the world, and like any good friend I tell my friends about the things that inspire me. I plan on traveling to various parts of Europe to visit my friends’ favorite places to meditate, and hundred of my international friends have already made it to Wisconsin to meditate here with us. Besides the obvious influx of economic advantage of visitors utilizing regional resources and paying for them - this is helping put Wisconsin on the map for what it already has: an abundance of natural beauty and the community that comes with that.

Please let us keep this space pristine. Kari Goebel, 32 Edmonton, Canada President of the Diamond Way Buddhist Society of Edmonton and General Manager for TISI Canada Inc. [email protected]

For over 2,500 years, what can be called Buddhism has wrapped itself in the culture of the time. The core principles migrate and the cultural trappings dissolve. Thus, Buddhism is not solely transmitted; it is also built and produced. Places like the Heartland Retreat Centre (HRC) in Wisconsin and our centre in Edmonton represent such bedrocks of new activity. Conservation of the land is not the sole consid- eration; development is the focus. The undisturbed setting provides a framework for deep individual inner development and the promotion of philosophy within a new culture.

The proposed power line construction across the northern border of the HRC and the expansions I encounter in the Northern Oilsands have a similar flavor. Both will have an impact on the landscape. Both can be seen as development at the cost of preservation. It would be naïve to say that there is one clearly correct path in either case. As with Buddhism, the real question becomes what is most useful? What will bring the most benefit? What will allow people to be independent and free and develop into mature human beings?

In the case of the HRC we are not only concerned with maintaining the landscape, but also allowing the space to grow as a culturally relevant, and religiously important landmark. This is the beginning of a place that transcends purely environmental considerations and ventures into the realm of human potential. We are building places that will become as identifiable as any historical sites in India or Tibet.

Our society is structured around the responsible management of our energy infrastructure and the development of resources. It is no secret that we make potentially damaging choices each and every day on large and small scales. May we continue to make decisions that support our development as free nations, while maintaining what we have built and can enjoy. These are not easy tasks, yet they are exceedingly important. Ildiko Kasza, PhD, 36 Madison, WI (originally from Budapest, Hungary) Breast cancer researcher, Postdoctoral fellow at UW-Madison [email protected]

My connection with the Heartland Retreat Center started about 4 years ago in 2010 during a meeting with my Buddhist teacher, Lama Ole Nydahl. My husband and me asked him where we could be the most useful for our lay Buddhist community. He advised us to move to the US, and support a newly bought retreat center next to Ontario village in Wisconsin. After 2 years of organization, traveling here, doing work inter- views, leaving our Hungarian life and making new connections with Buddhist friends finally we could manage to move to Madison and start to support the activity on the retreat land.

Living here for 2 years I see that land as a functional hub. It connects together our Buddhist city centers through the Midwest, from Minneapolis to Chicago. Friends are traveling there every weekend just to meet and meditate, experience the remote but gorgeous environment back in the woods and time-to time have fun with the locals in Ontario and Cashton. From the perspective of the whole Buddhist organization in the US this region is an extraordinary example for Diamond Way Buddhists. Here as a common effort we estab- lished a functional place to meditate, a place where we can invite and receive our great Buddhist teachers and inspire several national and international friends to travel there.

Personally I feel a very strong connection with that land. Not just because I spent many hours on the land to meditate, but that is the place where I first opened up in a foreign environment, started to communicate on a different language and made international friendships.

Our plan with my husband is to stay here longer and be part of the development of Buddhism here in the US. I believe that supporting this organization, maintaining that retreat center, we can give meaning to others, teach them how to meditate and support the their personal well being. Jody Rader, 31 Minneapolis, Minnesota Community and Architectural Designer/Research Fellow [email protected]

As a lifelong resident of Wisconsin and Minnesota, I do not believe I have experienced such beauty in this region as I have at the Heartland Retreat Center. Since 2011, I have spent many weekends and vacation days here, meditating with friends, eating deliciously cooked family dinners and exploring this pristine landscape through the prairie and forest. This property contains rich biodiversity that is difficult to find in such high quality anywhere else, thanks to growing agricultural and commercial developments. As a city dweller, the Heartland Retreat Center has served as a sanctuary for seeking fresh air and sunshine, along with inspiring views and glimpses of wildlife.

The Heartland Retreat Center has even influenced my career path; as an architectural designer I recently decided to pursue a career in landscape architecture. This was decidedly after spending time at the HRC and realizing that the experiences shared here have long-term and lasting positive impacts on all who visit; I aspire to replicate these types of experiences through all of my future proposals.

My experiences have been affirmed internationally as well. On a recent trip through Europe, visiting other Diamond Way Centers, I would often tell new friends that I am from the Midwest. More often than not, the response was not “Chicago?” or “Minneapolis?”, but would emphatically resound, “Heartland Retreat Center?!?” I was totally impressed at the notoriety and respect that this piece of land has across the globe.

Please help us to keep this place as beautiful and undisturbed as possible, for many generations to come. Thank you for your time and consideration. Gabor Szarvas, 36 Madison, WI (originally from Budapest, Hungary) Classical Guitar Teacher

My name is Gabor Szarvas. In February of 2010 we were on a meditation course in India with my wife. There we asked our teacher, Lama Ole where to go if we want to travel and be active in a Buddhist center abroad. He said without hesitation, ‘Midwest, Heartland Reatreat Center’. The Heartland Retreat Center in Wisconsin was just bought at that time. According to Lama Ole it was in the heart of the main activity of Diamond Way Buddhism in America.

So we started to organize our journey, and first we saw the land in June of 2011. We spent two weeks there, including a great course with a few of hundreds of people. It was very decisive, the potential of the place and the idealism of the people convinced us, we felt ready to change our life and organize the necessary things to live in another continent. We moved to live in Wisconsin in February of 2012 to contribute to this activity.

I had been taking part in a similar retreat center in Becske (Hungary) between 2002 and 2012, and I saw the development during the years, how focused and dedicated activity and idealism can bring in thousands of people, and how a simple corn field and a house can grow into a fully functioning meditation center with many buildings and a . (A stupa is a building of enlightenment filled with with relics and all kinds of precious substances. Building a stupa is not a small thing, it requires a lot of outer conditions, and most importantly a qualified Lama, who has an authentic transmission and meditation experience. These build- ings are usually built in places where there is an upheld activity. are beneficial for the whole area around them.) We were and are ‘growing trees’. Sometimes literally, but nevertheless we are building for the future generations and with the understanding that things are not just happening, they are not just appearing in space by themselves but we need to grow them.

The roots of our ’Heartland Retreat Center tree’ have been deepening for almost 5 years by now. I see it as a a nice, strong and healthy place, a well of inspiration from where practitioners of this 2600 year-old lineage from all over the world can dip. Scott, Liz, Clare and Mirren Stine, 33, 31, 3 and 9 months La Crosse, WI Academic Advisor, Mental Health Counselor [email protected]

After the members of our Diamond Way Buddhist centers came together to develop a vision of what we were looking for in a retreat center my wife and I were fortunate enough to be part of the group that was tasked with finding the land that would help realize this vision. After much searching we were fortunate enough to find the land we now own. Because we had seen so many other properties we knew from the very first visit that this piece of land was special and would be able to fulfill our groups vision.

My family and I have lived in La Crosse WI for the past 15 years and after our organization purchased the land my family and I have been fortunate to be able to spent dozens of weekends at the retreat center meditating, developing the land and creating memories. In the few years we have owned the retreat center it has become a second home and a place of great meaning and joy in our lives. We truly love this property.

One of the many reasons we love this property so much is because of how it has affected our meditation practice. In Buddhism, one of the main points of a retreat center is to have a place where we can leave behind our everyday worries and stress and focus solely on realizing the nature of our mind. Being able to walk any part of the land and see nothing but perfect nature is a kind of refuge and has helped us go deeper into our meditation practice. If the power line goes through the back of our property it would great- ly disturb the feeling of being completely secluded and would very likely have a negative impact on our meditation practice.

When my daughters are older I hope to bring them to this land and teach them about meditation and the benefits of retreating from our hectic lives if only for a weekend. Please choose the northern power line route and keep our Heartland Retreat Center a place where future generations are able to explore mind and find joy and peace.

Sincerely, Scott, Liz, Clare and Mirren Stine Amelia Rivera Barreto, 25 Minneapolis, MN Singer-songwriter [email protected]

My first time at the HRC was in the fall of 2011 when I moved to the Midwest. I didn’t know what to expect, as I had never had the opportunity to live so close to a retreat land and visit one. It is definitely a blessing! The HRC for me was a way to put in perspective my Buddhist practice by meeting so many other people who shared values, views and methods from all over the world. I immediately felt at home.

Being a full time student the HRC is not only a place to practice Buddhism, but also a place to recharge my batteries and relax with my Buddhist family. I’m also an outdoors lover and being able to walk the land and enjoy the quiet and freshness of the place is priceless. The land as it is now is definitely conducive to a clear and productive mind, and great times!

At the HRC I’ve met so many wonderful friends, meditated, fallen in love, hiked, camped, learned some landscaping and cooking skills, and have performed music for friends. This land is full of amazing memories and it is a symbol of our hard work, strong friendship and idealism. I really hope we are able to continue strengthening our bonds, developing our minds and spreading joy at the HRC!

Please consider and respect our wishes to protect this beautiful space from the power lines, which would destroy it. I encourage you to come visit the HRC on a meditation weekend to see the power and joy this place provides, and the amazing community formed around it. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more about my experience at our beautiful HRC.

Best regards,

Amelia Rivera Barreto Erin Appel, 34 Minneapolis, MN Mental Health Practitioner [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commission,

I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology in February 2013, and one of the most exciting devel- opments in my field is in the area of meditation research. Meditation programs of only a few weeks are being shown to increase feelings of wellbeing, reduce levels of stress hormones, and enhance the immune system. As the study of the mind turns from not only a focus on pathology to a focus on mental health, meditation is one of our primary tools to promote positive feelings and quality of life.

So where can we get some? YouTube videos and apps abound, but what if we want authentic teachings that haven’t been diluted to sell online? What if we want a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, a peaceful setting without noise, and a truly accessible and affordable window into the inspiration and power of ? Then the options get much smaller.

The Heartland Retreat Center is just such a rare gem. No one will ask you to be a vegetarian, or give up your favorite beer, or to be formal, religious or boring. You can be yourself… and gain access to methods that can transform your life. Right here in Wisconsin!

The HRC is the result of over ten years of patient, gradual fundraising and searching by Diamond Way Buddhists from around the country. Our hopes and dreams for Buddhist retreats in the Heartland are firmly planted and growing just outside of Ontario, WI. If giant power lines descend upon our small acreage, the calm and serenity that made this land our dream will be lost. We will need to start over.

Please consider placing your lines on I-94, where technology is already carving through the land. Please consider preserving a small and precious place designed to promote love and human development.

My eyes tend to well up with tears each time I leave the HRC. Not because I’m sad, necessarily, but because after a long weekend of hard work, meditation, and fellowship with the finest friends you can imagine, I think to myself, “Life doesn’t get any better than this. May everyone find something so meaningful!”

Sincerely, Erin Appel Kenneth Maly, 70 Prague, Czech Republic Retired university professor [email protected]

I was one of the first people from the Heartland to become a Diamond Way Buddhist. It was in 1998. Soon after that the Buddhist community in the Upper Midwest grew rather rapidly. From Chicago to Milwaukee to Madison to La Crosse. When the Heartland Retreat Center was bought and developed, it provided a rich place for us all to practice meditation and to work together as a community. The land was bought because of the amazing natural setting, as well as the opportunity for us to practice our Buddhism in a rich environ- ment.

If I had to measure what things were most important and essential to human development during my seventy years on the planet, I would put the existence of Diamond Way Buddhism in the Heartland as well as the Heartland Retreat Center as Number 1. Together they provide a richness for our lives and an oppor- tunity and methods for our being of benefit to other people and to the natural world.

Diamond Way Buddhism and the Heartland Retreat Center provide to the community, to Wisconsin, and to the Upper Midwest something that is not available anywhere else in the region. I hope that the pristine beauty and richness of this retreat land can be maintained, for the benefit of all. Blakesley Burkhart, 28 Madison, WI / Boston, MA Astrophysicist, Harvard University [email protected]

Dear Wisconsin Public Service Commission

I am writing regarding the possible selection of the power line route through Ontario, Wi. This route passes through an international Buddhist retreat land called the Heart Land Retreat center (HRC) which is known and visited by thousands of people around the world. It is a retreat center that is connected to one of the oldest lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the Karma Kagyu, whose roots trace back to the historical Buddha more then 2500 years ago.

The HRC is an international retreat land; a place where people come to meditate in a natural setting away from city life and modern distractions. A power line being place on this land would devastate the pristine and meditative nature of the property. As an astrophysicist, I teach the public and my students about the detrimental effects of light pollution for observing the night sky. Similarly, the presence of the power lines near the property would pollute the use of this place as a retreat land.

There are precious few places left in Wisconsin that are untarnished by modern life. The southern route interferes with two religious groups (the Amish and the Diamond Way Buddhist) on this point and I urge you to consider an alternative choice.

Sincerely,

Blakesley K. Burkhart Jeremy Kunzinger, 35 Austin, Texas Teacher [email protected]

I’ve visited the HRC three times. One of the best memories I’ve had on the land was when we were walking through the woods and discovered a tiny cave and meditated there. It was very peaceful and quiet with no other disruptive noise, but just the sound of nature.

Tammy Lee, 32 Austin, Texas Pharmacist-in-Charge [email protected]

I have visited the HRC two times. The serenity of the land and the kindness of the people was truly inspiring and very meaningful. Meditating with my teacher and friends gave me a lasting connection to the place and the people there. Tom Olson, 59 Lake Geneva, WI Web Marketing Technician [email protected]

Being “off the grid” at the Heartland Retreat Center (HRC) truly allows one the opportunity to go deeper into spiritual practice. I share the wishes of of Diamond Way Buddhists from around the world that the alternative northern route will be taken rather than run the transmission lines near the HRC.

The HRC was selected because of it’s natural beauty and seclusion so we can continue the retreats as have been done in secluded locations like this for several thousand years. Diamond Way retreat meditations work on very subtle levels that would be disturbed by the power lines.

It would be wonderful if the “powers to be” find a way to preserve the natural beauty and harmony of the Heartland Retreat Center so that it can continue to provide the essential needs of Buddhist activity now and for future generations. Whatever economic considerations that come in to play regarding the selection of the transmission line route, one thing is for sure, the spiritual experiences of Diamond Way Buddhists at the HRC, and the value to society that these activities represent is priceless! Gretchen Newmark, MA, RD Portland, Oregon Clinical Nutritionist, private practice [email protected]

I have been helping with Diamondway the Retreat Center Project in North America since 1998. In the beginning land such as ours at the HRC seemed like a dream. We couldn’t imagine that we would find such a beautiful, peaceful place. But now it is a reality, and it has been a joy to come together there for Buddhist teachings and meditation.

The Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism that we practice specializes in meditation. Most of the time, we meditate in our homes and urban centers. But whenever it is possible, it is very beneficial for us to be able to meditate, alone or with a group, in a setting in which the beauty is inspiring and the sounds and sights peaceful. The HRC is such a place for us.

The first event I was able to attend there brought people from all over the world. It is amazing to consider that this land in Wisconsin can provide for the spiritual needs of Diamondway Buddhists from every conti- nent. On behalf of all of us, from our some 700 centers around the world, I ask you to enable us to keep it in its pristine and natural state. And on behalf of us all, I thank each one of you deeply for your consider- ation and willingness to work with us to preserve our precious retreat land.

Gretchen Newmark www.gretchennewmark.com Christopher Michael Witt, 25 Whitewater, WI Software Developer [email protected]

Last summer I attended a meditation course at the HRC and was thoroughly impressed by the experience. Walking down the hill behind the house and into the area where the course was set up was like entering a little paradise removed from civilization. As a software developer, every day I sit in front of a computer, for hours on end, under artificial lighting. Having breaks away from technology and all the distractions of modern life is really a wonderful relief. Those few days in the back property were unreal. It gave me oppor- tunity to look inward for happiness and the chance to strengthen friendships with some very special peo- ple. The HRC has a place in my heart. Maria Alexandra Celis Esquivel, 45 Maracay, Venezuela Dentist [email protected]

I would like to share a marvelous experience I had at the Heartland Retreat Center with my husband and Venezuelan friends in February of 2012. I was able to share with approximately 80 friends from different parts of the world and United States in this marvelous place during a weekend. As a matter of fact, this was the first time I was able to fly to the USA with my husband and travel with other Buddhist friends from our Diamond Way groups in the US.

Our trip was organized and supported by our Diamond Way Buddhist groups from the Midwest. They even provided us with winter clothing (in Venezuela it is always summer). They were always taking care of our transportation and all our needs. Our friends bought and helped us prepare a spectacular meal with deli- cious typical Venezuelan dishes that we all shared at the Heartland Retreat Center. There we received teachings, meditated together, and shared our different experiences from our countries and cultures, which gave me great inspiration for learning and developing. In our Buddhist practice, we accomplish this by working together every day. I give many thanks for this opportunity to solidify our bonds with all our Buddhist friends from the Americas as we’re part of the Americas project. May we continue to work to- gether as a unified continent for the benefit of all sentient beings.

A place like the HRC allows us to deepen our Buddhist practice through beautiful natural views, silence, and tranquility of the surrounding, which benefit our personal meditation practice immensely. Also it was great inspiration to meditate so diligently with so many friends, an experience I will always remember and fills me with joy and inspiration to continue meditating so diligently in order to become a better person to help others daily. Thank you for maintaining and protecting retreat centers like Heartland Retreat Center, which is really for all our Buddhist friends around the world and a great jewel that benefits many future generations. I wish with all my mind and heart that all the effort joyfully brings great fruits to allow the HRC to continue as a marvelous place full of blessings and that we can continue creating the conditions so that other people have access to these marvelous teachings from Diamond Way in North America and the world. Brian Noy, 32 Minneapolis, MN Director of CityKid Foods [email protected]

I grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota before moving to Minneapolis to study at the University twelve years ago. At the beginning, I always imagined moving back to the country where I feel at home, but in the Cities I discovered the Diamond Way Center and established a meditation practice. Ultimately, having a community of practitioners was more important than a country home, so I’ve decided to make my home in the city.

In that time, I met my wife at a meditation course in Wisconsin. She had recently moved to New York from her home in Hungary, and fell in love with the Midwest. Shortly after, she moved to Minneapolis where she also feels at home, but we both long to get out of the city to refresh our minds. It’s the Heartland Retreat Center that gives us that balance.

Six years ago I was part of the initial group that started talking about what a retreat property would look like. I couldn’t have been happier when we discovered the Ontario site. The landscape is gorgeous and the community has been incredibly welcoming. It’s a blessing that we have this to share with anyone that wants to visit the land and enjoy the serenity and breathtaking, unspoiled views.

Since taking ownership, I have spent time each month there meditating, hiking and exploring with my wife and four year old daughter, gardening, renovating the cabin, visiting our Amish neighbors, and feeling more at home every time we visit. I look forward to years of deepening my relationship to the land and sharing this place with anyone who appreciates the wilderness and using the space to deepen their medi- tation practice.