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Turning Arrows into Flowers
We are no longer accepting postal or online bookings.
Phone Taraloka on 01948 710646 between 12.00 and 2.00pm on Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 or Thursday 27 May to book any remaining camping places. (It’s fine just to leave a message to say how many places you want and someone will phone you back to confirm your place.)
Please don’t phone before Tuesday 25 May and please don’t contact Buddhafield for information about the Retreat.
You must book in advance for this retreat — we regret we will not be able to admit those who turn up without prior booking.
Please respect that this event is a retreat, and therefore it is not appropriate to join part way through. Dropping by for a day or two would make life more complicated than necessary for the catering and organising teams, so “day tickets” will not be available.
Retreat Update
As you may know, the WBO recently changed it’s name to the Triratna Buddhist Order. Following on from this, on Buddha Day the FWBO around the world will be changing it’s name to the Triratna Buddhist Community (and local versions thereof).
There’ll be an opportunity for those on the International Retreat at Taraloka to join in the celebrations of our precious Sangha and take part in a large-scale puja led by Padmavajra to ritually mark this significant change.
The main part of the International Retreat programme will still be dedicated to exploring the Buddha Day theme:
- Puja and ritual led by Akasati, Saddhanandi, Vajragupta, and Padmavajra...
- Meditation input from Sona, Tejananda, Vidyamala, and others...
- Talks on “turning arrows into flowers” in our contemporary world:
Everything Matters — Turning Consumerism on its Head by Vajradarshini
An Essential Matter — The Demon of Materialism by Jnanavaca
Individualism — Hearing the Demon’s Comforting Whisper by Saddhanandi
- Study, workshops and discussion led by Kulaprabha, Maitreyabandhu, Padmavajra, plus others to be announced...
- Writing workshops on “turning arrows into flowers” led by Manjusvara...
- Story-telling from Akasati, Lokabandhu, and Ratnaprabha...
- Children’s activities for different age groups led by experienced and qualified folk ... games, art & play tent, bushcraft and more...and also teenagers’ activities...
FWBO Buddhist Centres from across Europe are joining forces this year in the second FWBO International Retreat.
We’ll gather on the full-moon evening of May, when 2500 years ago, the Buddha gained Enlightenment. According to legend, he meditated through the night, overcoming Mara’s army and turning their arrows into flowers. During the weekend, we’ll unpack the meaning of this story, and explore the spiritual transformation of our own lives and the world we live in.
There will be two sessions each day when those with children can bring their kids along to be looked after, allowing them to go to the talks, meditations and so on. Also, in the evening we’ll have storytelling that kids can come to, sometimes join in, and sometimes stay for part of the ritual/puja that follows on from it... Children aged 3 or under can come for free, and 4 to 16 year olds half price.
As on the first International Retreat, we will be providing translation equipment (including microphones for translators and headphones for non-English speakers). These will be available for use during the main talks and events. We’re offering a free place for a translator to all groups of people who don’t have English as their first language. Please contact us for more details.
