Diamond Mountain is a retreat center located south of

Bowie, Arizona Bowie is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census the population of Bowie was 449. History The Southern Pacific built a rail line through eastern Arizona in ...

in the

Chihuahuan Desert The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lower P ...

. Inspired by the

Gelugpa 240px, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Bodhgaya (India). The Gelug (, also Geluk; "virtuous")Kay, David N. (2007). ''Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantati ...

school, it was founded by

Michael Roach Michael Roach (born December 17, 1952) is an American businessman, spiritual leader, and former Buddhist monk and scholar who has started a number of businesses and organizations, written books inspired by Buddhism, and translated Tibetan Buddhis ...

in 2000 and opened to students in September 2004.Silent treatment
''

Arizona Daily Star The ''Arizona Daily Star'' is the major morning daily newspaper that serves Tucson and surrounding districts of southern Arizona in the United States. History L. C. Hughes was the Arizona Territory governor and founder of the ''Arizona Star'', ...

'', June 25, 2005Yoga and meditation mix to improve business acumen
'' Idaho Mountain Express'', April 9, 2004 It is not an accredited university.Making Their Own Limits in a Spiritual Partnership
''

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'', May 15, 2008 The site was purchased in October 2001 and was formerly known as "Bear Springs Ranch".Home sweet hut: 'Mud woman' hopes poor can benefit
''

Arizona Range News ''Arizona Range News'' is a weekly newspaper in Willcox, Arizona, United States, which started its publication in 1882.Vernon B Schultz, ''Southwestern town, the story of Willcox, Arizona'', Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona Press, 1964, p. ...

'', April 12, 2006Ettenborough, Kelly
Arizona's Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places
p.114-15 (Westcliffe Publishers 2003) () Diamond Mountain is run by volunteers as a not-for-profit organization and does not charge tuition. Its official mission statement reads: :“Our mission at Diamond Mountain is to provide you with everything you need to lead a wise and good life, and to become nothing less than a being who can go to all worlds and serve all living creatures, all at once. To get you there, we take you through all the traditional training that a monk or yogi would get in a demanding, major monastery in Tibet or ancient India.” Diamond Mountain holds three five-week academic terms per year on its campus, and additional classes in

Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

. Diamond Mountain is affiliated with the Asian Classics Institute. Diamond Mountain made headlines when a retreat member from Three Jewels Outreach center died in the desert after being expelled from the campus.

Three year retreat

On 30 December 2010, Diamond Mountain commenced a 3-year meditation retreat in which 40 students enrolled. The official retreat leader at that time was Christie McNally, former spiritual partner of Diamond Mountain founder

. In February 2012, while still leading the retreat, McNally confessed how she stabbed her husband Ian Thorson three times. Her confession was seen as a cry for help. Whilst McNally later issued a confusing public statement in which she minimized the event as a "game", the wounds required serious medical attention. In an inquiry by the Diamond Mountain board, there were allegations of violence and abuse from Thorson toward McNally and others. Refusing to cooperate with Roach or the board, the two were asked to leave Diamond Mountain University and its properties for at least one year. Unknown to the board, the couple retreated to a nearby cave on public land, supported secretly by some followers. In April, Thorson was found dead in the cave after a distressed McNally made a cell phone call for help to Diamond Mountain. McNally was hospitalized and treated for dehydration, the likely cause of Thorson's death (police do not suspect foul play, though an investigation is ongoing.)

References

External links

* {{coord, 32.1557, -109.4230, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-AZ, display=title Asian-American culture in Arizona Buddhist schools in the United States Buddhist universities and colleges Educational institutions established in 2000 Tibetan Buddhism in the United States Unaccredited institutions of higher learning in the United States 2000 establishments in Arizona