Tiratanaloka Retreats 2008
See also
Tiratanaloka Retreats 2009
Our retreats offer an experience of a classic Buddhist context for training, grounded in Kalyana Mitrata and made relevant to contemporary practioners.
The 4 lines of acceptance from our ordination ceremony are the framework for most of our retreats, they cover the essential principles and themes that will give you a thorough training for ordination.
With loyalty to my teachers I accept this ordination
On this retreat we’ll connect with our lineage through the Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice, a ritual enactment of Going for Refuge in our own lives. Entering the mythical context of the Refuge Tree we discover a vast network of historical teachers, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and taste the confidence that comes from knowing where we stand in relation to Reality. These retreats will include a full teaching of this visualisation practice.
21 dec – 4 jan 08 with Candraprabha, Ratnadharini, Sridevi, Vajrasakhi and Vidyalila
30 may – 13 june with Candraprabha, Sridevi, Vajradarshini and Vidyalila.
24 oct – 2 nov with Candraprabha, Vajrasakhi and Vidyalila
In harmony with friends and brethren I accept this ordination
At ordination we take on to train in the ten Dharmacharini precepts that include the more subtle acts of speech and mind. They are at the centre of our relationship with our preceptor. This indispensable retreat offers a chance to explore how to live in accord with Reality and from our deepest values, learning how to use Buddhist confession to bring metta into the ordinary issues of everyday life. Sridevi will be teaching yoga on these retreats.
8 – 17 feb with Candraprabha, Prasadavati, Sridevi and Vajradarshini.
18 – 27 april with Candraprabha, Sridevi and Vajrasakhi.
20 sept – 4 oct with Candraprabha, Prasadavati, Sridevi, Vajradarshini and Vidyalila. [There will be one German speaking group on this retreat]
For the attainment of enlightenment I accept this ordination
The Four Mind Turning Reflections turn our minds towards Going for Refuge and uncover and clarify our deepest motivations for practise. They are a traditional ‘preliminary practice’ and an understanding of them, through study and reflection, establishes the ground for meditation and Insight. They are: the preciousness of the human life, the truth of impermanence, the meaning of karma, and the nature of samsara. Turn your life around this New Year.
18 – 27 jan with Candraprabha, Kalyanasri, Sridevi and Vajrasakhi.
Sridevi will be teaching yoga on this retreat.
Immerse yourself in deep Dharma for a whole month by coming on the Transcendental Principle retreat followed by Reflections on Reality.
4 – 31 aug with Kalyanasri, Ratnadharini, Vajradarshini and Vajrasakhi
This classic retreat is not to be missed. It’s an attempt to grasp the ungraspable through in-depth examination of some of the fundamental teachings of the first chapter of Bhante’s ‘A Survey of Buddhism’. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of conditionality, the essence of the Buddha’s teaching, which challenges the mind and opens the heart. A good basic Dharma knowledge is necessary.
20 june – 4 july with Candraprabha, Kalyanasri, Ratnadharini and Vajrasakhi.
4 – 18 aug with Kalyanasri, Ratnadharini, Vajradarshini and Vajrasakhi.
To understand the Dharma deeply is to let it penetrate our whole being. Using the three levels of Prajna as a framework, we will be listening, reflecting and meditating on a number of essential Dharma teachings. Using our experience as a starting point we can see how our own intuitions connect with the truth of those teachings giving us confidence that Enlightenment is possible. [For people who have previously attended a Transcendental Principle retreat]
18 –31 aug with Kalyanasri, Ratnadharini, Vajradarshini and Vajrasakhi.
For the benefit of all beings I accept this ordination
‘As long as space abides and as long as the world abides, so long may I abide, destroying the sufferings of the world’ – Santideva
Inspired by the Bodhisattva we discover how we too can act from the Great Love in our day-to-day lives. The Bodhisattva Ideal continues to be one of our most uplifting and affecting themes, as we discover how our practice will benefit all beings.
25 jul – 3 aug with Candraprabha, Kulanandi, Maitreyi, Sridevi, and Vidyalila. [There will be one German speaking group on this retreat]
This retreat is looking at transforming our relationship with the world, from that of grasper and grasped, to a greater enjoyment of living in a mandala of aesthetic appreciation. It will emphasise the sunya aspect of the Bodhisattva Ideal and is based on the Ratnagunasamcayagatha and Bhante's commentary from Wisdom Beyond Words. With talks, puja and ritual helping us to live more fully in this greater mandala.
4 – 18 april with Kalyanasri, Maitreyi, Vajradarshini and Vidyalila.
…I accept this ordination.
The Order is a living process and when anyone is ordained the whole Order changes. Taking our place in this Order is itself a practice. On this retreat we’ll uncover the mysterious anatomy of the Order and what it might mean to become a part of it. Going for Refuge has many dimensions; we’ll look at what it means to make our practice effective in each area of our life.
29 feb - 9 mar with Ratnadharini, Vajradarshini, Vajrasakhi and Vidyalila.
20 dec – 3 jan 09 with Kalyanasri, Sridevi, Maitreyi, Vajrasakhi and Vidyalila.
Sridevi will be teaching yoga on this retreat.
Other retreats
Tiratanaloka belongs to those of you who come here. For a week in the autumn our community invites you to roll your sleeves up and come and work with us: gardening, decorating and generally helping to keep our retreat centre abundant and beautiful. We’ll start the day with meditation and in the evenings there will be study and puja.
There is no charge for this retreat.
11 oct - 18 oct with the community
For those of you who come regularly these weekends are a chance to keep in touch; for those of you who have not been before it is an opportunity to meet us and get a sense of what we do here. Themes will be created around whatever is currently exciting us and will be advertised nearer the time.
21 – 24 march
18 – 20 july
28 – 30 nov
Come alone, with friends, your GfR group, or team. Enjoy silent mornings, use our Dharma library, hang out in deckchairs, walk in the Brecon Beacons… holiday or retreat: an open space to create your own weekend. Vajradarshini and Vidyalila will be hosting once again.
2 - 5 may
Order retreats
9 – 18 may
This is a two-themed retreat delving into the essence of the Dharma through three (Bhante) key texts. Though you choose which text to study we’ll all come together for a programme of meditation and devotion.
Transcendental Principle – Study on the first chapter of Sangharakshita’s Survey of Buddhism, an in-depth look into the most essential teachings of the Buddha. With Maitreyi, and Vajrasakhi.
Nature of Existence – A look at one of Sangharakshita’s classic teachings on the Three Laksanas from chapter 11 of The Three Jewels. With Kalyanasri and Ratnadharini
“It wasn’t until I came on the Post Ordination retreat that I felt I’d fully entered the order.”
These retreats play a significant part in the process of becoming a Dharmacharini. Reunited with the women you were ordained with you get to look back on that extraordinary event, share your experience of the past months and look ahead as you take your place in the Order.
11 – 18 jan Dharmacharinis from Spring 07 at Akashavana – with Ratnadharini, Padmasuri, Vijayasri, Dhammadassin and Subhadramati
13 – 20 june Dharmacharinis from Summer 06 at Dunkeld
11 – 18 July Dharmacharinis from Summer 07 at Tiratanaloka – with Parami, Maitreyi and other preceptors.
This is an international training retreat for preceptors and those in the consultation process to become a preceptor. Through shared experience, Dharma study and collective practice we can deepen our understanding of what it means to be a preceptor and how we can carry out that responsibility in the most beneficial way.
4 – 11 October
These invitation only retreats are run by preceptors for the women that they have privately ordained.
13 – 20 sept - for women ordained by Maitreyi
9 – 16 nov - for women ordained by Ratnadharini
A gathering of Dharmacharinis from the western region.
4 – 6 july
7 – 9 nov
| 2008 Retreats |
| Date |
Code |
Retreat Name |
| 21 dec – 4 jan |
L1 |
Lineage of Loyalty |
| 11 jan – 18 jan |
P1 |
Post Ordination – Akashavana 07 |
| 18 jan – 27 jan |
E1 |
The Four Mind Turnings |
| 8 feb – 17 feb |
H1 |
Ethics to Insight |
| 29 feb – 9 mar |
A1 |
The Heart of Ordination |
| 21 mar – 24 mar |
GW1 |
Going for Refuge Weekend |
| 4 apr – 18 apr |
B1 |
The Greater Mandala |
| 18 apr – 27 apr |
H2 |
Ethics to Insight |
| 2 may – 5 may |
CW |
Country Weekend |
| 9 may – 18 may |
D1 |
Dharma Study for Dharmacharinis |
| 30 may – 13 jun |
L2 |
Lineage of Loyalty |
| 13 jun – 20 jun |
P2 |
Post Ordination – Dunkeld 06 |
| 20 jun – 4 jul |
E2 |
Transcendental Principle |
| 4 jul – 6 jul |
RW1 |
Regional Order Weekend |
| 11 jul – 18 jul |
P3 |
Post Ordination – Tiratanaloka 07 |
| 18 jul – 20 jul |
GW2 |
Going for Refuge Weekend |
| 25 jul – 3 aug |
B2 |
The Bodhisattva Ideal |
| 4 aug – 18 aug |
E3 |
Transcendental Principle |
| 18 aug – 31 aug |
E4 |
Reflections on Reality |
| 4 aug – 31 aug |
E3+E4 |
Dharma Month |
| 13 sep – 20 sep |
PP2 |
Maitreyi’s Preceptees Retreat |
| 20 sep – 4 oct |
H3 |
Ethics to Insight |
| 4 oct – 11 oct |
PP1 |
Private preceptors Retreat |
| 11 oct –18 oct |
W1 |
Working together |
| 24 oct – 2 nov |
L3 |
Lineage of Loyalty |
| 7 nov – 9 nov |
RW2 |
Regional Order Weekend |
| 9 nov - 16 nov |
PP3 |
Ratnadharini’s Preceptees Retreat |
| 28 nov -30 nov |
GW3 |
Going for Refuge Weekend |
| 20 dec – 3 jan 09 |
A2 |
Heart of Ordination |
top
