Activities and events on Lake Constance 2025

26 – 31 May 2025

English, French

09 – 14 June 2025

The following sessions are planned:

09.06. Evening lecture. Scientific research at the Buchinger Wilhelmi clinics.
An overview of the major achievements of the scientific department to document the safety and therapeutic effects of the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting method. Exclusive insights into the current research studies will be provided. / Dr Robin Mesnage.

11.06. from 10:00 – 12:00: 03.12. Microbial art workshop.
Join us for a unique microbiome art workshop where science meets creativity. Using real microscope images as inspiration, explore the vibrant ecosystem of the gut microbiome through collage and watercolor techniques. Let’s transform the unseen world within us into stunning visual art!

13.06. Evening lecture. FastForward for a better understanding of the crucial period following a fast.
The new research study ongoing in our clinic aims to study how to improve the food reintroduction and help our patients adopting a healthy lifestyle after fasting. Practical tips for a better blood sugar control and mindful eating will be offered. / Marie Knufinke

14.06. Evening lecture. The mysteries of the gut microbiome.
Our digestive tract is home to an incredible number of bacteria. Recent scientific discoveries about this microbial world is revolutionising medicine and is opening the way to new therapeutic possibilities. / Dr Robin Mesnage

10.06. and 11.06. from 11:00 to 12:00. The scientific department will be opened for visit. Members of the science team will be welcoming you to answer your questions and explain you their work in the realisation of scientific studies.

English

07 – 12 July 2025

Through dynamic and interactive exercises, facilitated discussions, guided meditations and the supportive embrace of our group, you will embark on an exploration of your unique character strengths. Uncover the inherent gifts that empower you, and identify practical strategies to leverage them in your daily life, fostering a sustainable sense of well-being and flow. With the help of Positive Psychology Interventions targeting forgiveness, gratitude, savouring and optimism we will lay the foundation for your sustained wellbeing. By cultivating a regular practice of experiencing positive emotions, we initiate a powerful upward spiral of well-being that extends far beyond your time at Buchinger Wilhelmi.

Also: Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercise (TRE®).

A series of physical exercises aimed at releasing the tension in the body caused by stress and trauma through a natural neurogenic trembling process. – max. 12 participants

About the facilitator

Saskia Fehr is a Positive Psychologist and Coach. With her passion for a good life, she integrates insights from the science of wellbeing with approaches from coaching, methods from body psychotherapy and teaching from various wisdom traditions in her practice as Coach and Trainer for Individuals and Organisations. In addition to her practice, she teaches Positive Psychology in a Master’s program and is pursuing a PhD in human flourishing and spiritual awakening. Personally, she considers herself a Dhamma student and practices Vipassana Meditation and Hatha Yoga.

English

19 – 26 July 2025: Summer Lights

27 September – 04 October 2025: All about colours

20 – 27 December 2025: Celestial Inspiration

29 March – 05 April 2026: Growing Plants

Art Week “Summer Lights” – July 2025

Our summer Art Week is dedicated to the inspiring concept of “Summer Lights” – a chance to immerse yourself in a world filled with colours, light and summer vibes. The focus of this week-long workshop is on the magic of light that reflects the splendour of summer. Participants can experiment with different media and bring their creative visions to life in the form of painting, drawing and collage.

“Summer Lights” is more than just a theme; it is an invitation to capture the warm, golden light moments of summer. Participants are encouraged to experiment with light and shade and express the vibrant colours of summer in their work. In the same way as fasting heightens the senses, the workshop is an opportunity to focus on the subtle details of light and shade and discover the nuances of summer that are often overlooked.

Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger will guide you through the week, share their knowledge and ensure that it fills you with new ideas and inspiration. The workshop gives you space for personal development and creative experimentation, so by the end of the week, you will have produced a collection of impressive images that reflect the special atmosphere of summer.

The atelier is open for 3 hours a day over 7 days.

The art instructors are Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger

Explore the fascinating world of colours and discover not only how they work on the canvas, but also how they affect us within. “All About Colours” is a creative week-long workshop where you can experiment with colours, pigments and painting techniques.

Under the supervision of artists Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger, you will get an introduction to the basics of colour theory and explore different techniques for applying paint. You will learn to mix pigments with different media, create abstract compositions and dreamlike landscapes, and gain an understanding of the laws of colour mixing.

In keeping with the philosophy of Buchinger Wilhelmi of renewing the body through fasting, the Art Weeks are also a profound spiritual experience. In our creative atelier, you have the chance to rediscover yourself, free your spirit and draw inspiration from the colours and shapes produced on canvas or paper.

Allow space for your creativity and let the power of colour take you on a journey of renewal and inspiration.

The atelier is open for 3 hours a day over 7 days.

The art instructors are Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger

In the special atmosphere of the Christmas season, we offer you the chance to take a spiritual and creative time out. Our “Celestial Inspirations” Art Week is ideal for anyone looking for inner calm, magic and new inspiration during this contemplative period. Look up at the skies and discover the beauty and secrets of the nighttime landscape, the blue hour and the celestial wonders. Be inspired by nature and the history of art, and find new perspectives for your creative journey.

Under the supervision of artists Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger, you can look forward to a week filled with experimenting and experiencing art. Explore the world of experimental printing, work with monotypes and discover new forms of expression through painting and drawing.

This Art Week gives you space for personal development and inner reflection and the opportunity to create your own art projects.

Experience a magical time of creative fulfilment and inner renewal – a journey to the stars that will enhance your art and lift your spirit.

The atelier is open for 3 hours a day over 7 days.

The art instructors are Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger

The topic of this springtime Art Week is “Growing Plants”, symbolising the natural processes in art, nature and the body. Inspired by the beauty and diversity of the shapes, colours and structures of plants and flowers, we will explore the world of creative inspiration.

You will learn to create unique images using techniques such as acrylic, gouache and oil painting, drawing with pastels, charcoal and ink, and experimenting with plants and printing inks. Layers of colour, textures and overlays give rise to an organic, intuitive creative process that is constantly changing and evolving. As we capture the plants’ growth, we also reflect on our own inner transformation.

The combination of working creatively on you own and together with the group allows you to grow and progress artistically – similar to the inner processes of renewal of our mind and body that we experience when fasting. Just like nature, humans also undergo different phases of life. We experience this process particularly intensively during fasting: it gives the body the chance to regenerate, sharpens the senses and opens the mind to new inspirations.

The atelier is open for 3 hours a day over 7 days.

The art instructors are Joanna Klakla and Ursula Erchinger

The focus is on experimenting with different techniques and materials. The aim of the Art Weeks is to discover and foster your own personal artistic expression. Let yourself be guided by the artists’ inspiring ideas and develop your own creative works in a supportive and open atmosphere.

Immerse yourself in the world of art. Your creative journey begins here!

Buchinger Wilhelmi has a well-equipped atelier with a wide choice of materials for painting, drawing, modelling and printing. Outside of the Art Weeks, it is open twice a week for creative work and offers an inspiring environment to develop your own artistic ideas. Like fasting, doing art helps the mind and body to regenerate. It heightens the senses and opens the mind for inspiration and creative development. Let the unique combination of art and therapy inspire you!

INSTRUCTORS

The atelier is run by Joanna Klakla, an experienced artist and teacher. She studied art and art education at the University of National Education Commission in Krakow, Poland, and now lives and works as an independent artist and art teacher on Lake Constance. Her techniques include painting, woodcuts and collage. Under her guidance you will develop your creative skills and learn new techniques.

The second instructor at our atelier is Ursula Erchinger, an independent artist with a studio in Überlingen. She completed an academic degree in art and education and her work focuses on painting and drawing.

Use this unique opportunity to start your artistic journey in a professional and supportive environment!

German, English, French

29.03. – 05.04.2026
12.07. – 19.07.2026
27.09. – 04.10.2026
20.12. – 27.12.2026

11. – 15. August 2025

24. – 28. November 2025

Practising mindfulness plays a central role in Buddhism. Being mindful means being in the present moment. According to Buddhist teachings, we are conscious of our emotions, thoughts and actions in the here and now. At every moment, our mind is alert and knows what impact our actions will have on others and on the environment. Mindfulness is considered a clear, neutral spirit that does not judge or appraise.

There are four aspects to mindfulness: mindfulness of one’s own body, one’s feelings, thoughts and actions. Those who practice mindfulness are aware at all times of samsara, the repetitive everlasting cycle of habit, and live their lives for the good of all sentient beings.

Mindfulness Meditation Week is run by Tenzin Kalden, who was born in Tibet and grew up in Europe. He studied at the Sera Monastic University in South India for 17 years, where he graduated in the five great sciences of Buddhism. He was awarded the title of Rabjampa and achieved the highest scholastic title of Lharampa. For the last nine years, Lharampa Tenzin Kalden has organized training courses in Buddhist philosophy and meditation retreats in Europe.

Content of the mindfulness seminar:

• Meditation and Tibetan Lu Jong yoga for the five elements
• Mindfulness meditation and walking meditation
• Buddhist psychology for more harmony and health
• Healing mantras and chakra cleansing exercises derived from Tibetan Buddhism
• Meditation and exercises against stress and burnout
• Lecture: “Dealing with sorrowful emotions using exercises for mindfulness meditation”
• Lecture: “Buddhist philosophy as a basis for meditation”
• Lecture: “The therapeutic benefits of buddhist tantra

German, English

07. – 21. September 2025
with Dr. Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo

02. – 16. November 2025
with Dr Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo
Theme: Spiritual fitness and commitment to living life to the full

French
Partly in English

07. – 21. November 2025

Irina Brook is an internationally acclaimed opera and theatre director known for her bold and innovative productions. Her work in opera has garnered attention at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, with recent highlights including her return to the Wiener Staatsoper for Don Pasquale and to Teatro alla Scala for La Rondine. She is set to make her Japanese opera debut with Carmen at the Tokyo Nikikai Opera.

Brook’s opera career began with a successful debut directing Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte for the Nederlandse Reisopera. She has since directed a diverse range of operatic works including Tchaikovsky’s Yevgeny Onegin at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Rossini’s La Cenerentola at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Verdi’s La traviata at Opéra de Lille and Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Other notable productions include Handel’s Giulio Cesare at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at Deutsche Oper, and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Wiener Staatsoper. Her work at Teatro alla Scala includes Die Sieben Todsünden & Mahagonny-Songspiel and Il matrimonio segreto.

Born in Paris, Irina Brook grew up immersed in the arts, as the daughter of director Peter Brook and actress Natasha Parry. She moved to New York at 16 to study acting with Stella Adler, making her stage debut in Off-Broadway productions before transitioning to directing. Her breakthrough as a director came in London in 1996 with Beast on the Moon, followed by several successful productions including Mrs Klein and All’s Well that Ends Well. Her French adaptation of Beast on the Moon, Une Bête sur la Lune, received critical acclaim and won five Molière Awards, including Best Director and Best Play.

In 2003, she founded Irina’s Dream Theatre in Paris, through which she has toured globally with productions like Brecht’s Der gute Mensch von Sezuan, Marivaux’s L’Île des Esclaves, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her work at major festivals includes the Salzburg Festival, Barbican Centre, Spoleto Festival, and her acclaimed production The Island Trilogy, which toured internationally.

From 2014 to 2021, Brook served as the Director of the Théâtre National de Nice, where she continued to push artistic boundaries. In 2021, she was appointed Artist-in-Residence at Teatro Stabile del Veneto, where she premiered The House of Us, an interdisciplinary installation based on Hamlet. She was also named Artist-in-Residence at Château d’Hardelot’s Elizabethan Globe Theatre in 2023.

Brook’s contributions to theatre and opera have earned her numerous accolades, including the Chevalier and Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and most recently, in 2023, the Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

English

08. – 13. December 2025

*Gilbert Grimeau is a yoga and meditation instructor. He has practised yoga for more than 22 years as a life philosophy. Gilbert started training as a yoga instructor in the Sivananda tradition 16 years ago. Following this, he completed further courses in modern styles like Anusara, Yin and Vinyasa yoga. His courses are designed to be integral, incorporating elements from various yoga styles. He learned and experienced meditation in various ashrams in Germany, India and South America. He is currently deepening his knowledge by training to become a yoga therapist.

Since 2021 he has been an Inspiration Coach at Buchinger Wilhelmi, where he offers our guests various meditation and yoga classes, breathing therapy classes and therapeutic dancing.

 

The following classes are planned:

Daily

7:30–8:10 a.m.: Pranayama – Peace Chanting

8:15–8:50 a.m.: Meditation

9:00–10:15 a.m.: Yoga Level I

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: Yoga Level II

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday:

5:15-6:30 p.m.: Yoga therapy (digestive system, heart, respiratory system, musculoskeletal system)

 

Saturday afternoon:

5:15-6.00 p.m.: Dance It Off (Embark on a journey through the elements and move intuitively to inspiring music. Without judgement, you develop your own, individual dance and activate your self-healing powers.)

 

Wednsday, Thursday, Saturday evening:

7:30-8:30 p.m.: Mantra yin yoga / Mantra meditation / Mantra with sound

English

05. – 10. January 2026

With support from Positive Psychology, you will explore the topic of meaning and purpose in life and identify what is most important to you in life. Let go of what no longer serves you and devote the energy and resources you have gained to what lies ahead. Through interactive exercises and in exchange with the group, you will gradually create your meaningful life.

 

About the facilitator

Saskia Fehr is a Positive Psychologist and Coach. With her passion for a good life, she integrates insights from the science of wellbeing with approaches from coaching, methods from body psychotherapy and teaching from various wisdom traditions in her practice as Coach and Trainer for Individuals and Organisations. In addition to her practice, she teaches Positive Psychology in a Master’s program and is pursuing a PhD in human flourishing and spiritual awakening. Personally, she considers herself a Dhamma student and practitioner of Vipassana Meditation and Hatha Yoga.

 

The following sessions are planned:

Introduction to the Programme
Introduction to Positive Psychology and the topic of meaning and purpose in life.

Letting go of what no longer serves you.
Detaching ourselves with gratitude from the things that no longer serve our growth and development – guided meditation and reflection closed by a fire ceremony.

Your sources of meaning in life.
Everyone perceives different things as particularly meaningful in life. We want to identify these sources of meaningfulness together. Please bring your phone.

Core Values.
Everyone has a personal value system that underpins perception, action and identity. We want to clarify those core values together.

The Good Life.
Wellbeing and the good life ultimately lie in the subjective judgment of the individual. This session is about your personal idea of the best possible existence.

Vision
Through a guided visualization exercise, we will create a strong vision of a meaningful life and design our own visual aid: Your vision board.

Intention.
At the end of the week, we will reflect on what we have developed for ourselves and create a plan for how we can integrate our insights into our lives in a sustainable way.

Also
Evening: Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercise (TRE®).

A series of physical exercises aimed at releasing the tension in the body caused by stress and trauma through a natural neurogenic trembling process. – max. 12 participants.

English