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2014 Programme Classic Taraloka Whether you have been coming to Taraloka for years or it is your first time here, these Classic Taraloka retreats could be for you. The teaching programme will take into account all levels of experience and are unique opportunities to explore meditation and Buddhism in the beauty of Taraloka. Circles to Awakening: Tai Chi and Meditation 24-28 February Jo Sometimes in life it just feels like we’re going round and round in circles. But is that really true? Allow the play of circles, within Tai Chi movements, to lead you to a deeper, kindly awareness of yourself and open you up to your limitless potential for freedom. (No previous Tai Chi experience required; also suitable for Tai Chi practitioners who wish to deepen their embodiment and understanding of the application of Tai Chi for life.) Awakening Loving Kindness: Metta 4-11 April Maitrimala, Varakhanti + Satyajyoti Metta, loving kindness towards ourselves and others, lies at the heart of Buddhist practice. We'll explore how the Metta Bhavana meditation practice can transform our emotional lives into ones more consistently based on love, friendship and interconnectedness. The five days will also include body scan relaxations, talks, workshops, discussions, space for reflection and periods of silence. The Space to Choose 21-25 April Dhammagita We all want to be happy, but often go about it the wrong way. Meditation and Buddhism give us the awareness and kindness to help us see where we need to develop and change, and the space and energy to do it. A mid-week tool-kit for making positive choices. Talks, workshops, led meditations, discussions and a taste of silence. Courage to Change 6-13 June Sanghajivani + Ajayashraddha The Buddha left us many teachings. Their bedrock is the five ethical training principles: loving kindness, generosity, simplicity, truthful communication, awareness. Following these can have a huge affect on our lives, those around us and our world. A week bedded in meditation practices of mindfulness and positive emotion, in ritual and celebration. One Moment at a Time 15-20 June Vidyamala, Saddhanandi + Maitrimala “Your old life was a frantic running from silence. Wake up like someone suddenly born into colour.” Now in its 12th year, join this popular retreat and wake up to the beauty of the moment. With sitting, walking and lying down meditation, mindfulness in daily life and mindful movement based on yoga and pilates. Human and Truly Alive! 4-11 July Saddhanandi Supported by the beauty and simplicity of a retreat environment, we’ll explore the qualities of metta and mindfulness and what it means to be human and truly alive. A thorough introduction for those new to meditation and for others an opportunity to go deeper. A programme of talks, discussion, meditation and silence. Surfing the Worldly Winds 1-8 August Maitrimala, Taravandana + Padmasara The worldly winds, lokadhammas, are Buddhist teachings on how we are tossed around by 4 pairs of opposites: pleasure & pain, gain & loss, praise & blame and fame & infamy. We can't avoid the ups and downs of life but we can learn practical ways to recognise how these winds blow us about and how we can transform our lives by responding to them with awareness, kindness and equanimity. Awakening Loving Kindness: Metta 27 - 31 October Maitrimala, Varakhanti + Viryajyoti Metta, loving kindness towards ourselves and others, lies at the heart of Buddhist practice. We'll explore how the Metta Bhavana meditation practice can transform our emotional lives into ones more consistently based on love, friendship and interconnectedness. The five days will also include body scan relaxations, talks, workshops, discussions, space for reflection and periods of silence. Winter Retreat 23-27 December “It is the pauses which make beautiful the music of our lives” (Sangharakshita). As the year draws to a close, this will be a time to pause: to bring a sense of stillness and quiet to our minds and experience. Through meditation and an exploration of a simple Buddhist theme, we will engage with a deeper awareness of ourselves, others and the world. Weekends Introductory Weekends These weekends offer a special opportunity to be introduced to meditation and Buddhism in the stillness and beauty of the countryside at Taraloka. Loving Kindness (Metta) 17-19 January and 12-14 September Mindfulness 28-30 March and 24-26 October Long Introductory Weekends Meditation 2-5 May Buddhism 23-26 May Drumming and Meditation 7-9 March Sanghajoti Come and experience a weekend of guided drumming, meditation and body awareness, helping us become more grounded and connected with ourselves and others. An opportunity to have fun, make friends, and deepen our sense of being present in the world. No experience needed. All welcome. If possible, bring a drum. Tai chi and Meditation 25-27 July Jo “The human body, at peace with itself, is more precious than the rarest gem”. Enjoy blending meditation in movement, through Qigong and Tai Chi, with sitting meditation. Play with the Tai Chi principles of Rooting, Sticking and Yielding to explore your experience of your body, mind and your life in the world. (No previous Tai Chi or meditation experience required; suitable for Tai Chi practitioners who wish to deepen their embodiment and understanding of the application of Tai Chi for life.) Steering into the Deep Weekends This year we have an exciting range of weekend retreats for women who are already practising the mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana as taught in Triratna. Young Women’s Weekend 24-26 January Singhamati, Vajratara + Karunadhi "Awareness is revolutionary" Sangharakshita. Why? How can we deepen our awareness and start a Dharma revolution? Explore another of Sangharakshita's famous aphorisms and discover the transformative power of awareness. An exciting opportunity for young women to come together, to deepen their practice of the Dharma, make friends and have fun! (For women in their late teens, 20s and 30s.) Silent Weekend 18-21 April Samantabhadri + Guhyaprabha What is a really good way to spend a long bank holiday weekend? Come to Taraloka at this transitional time of the year for almost 3 days of silence. Appreciate time for yourself as you relax, meditate, walk, share ritual and devotion, and quietly enjoy the beauty of spring. Body and Breath; Earth and Air: Meditation and Bodywork 25-27 April Dhammagita Earth and air are such different elements, yet their manifestation as body and breath is the most natural connection there is. Focussing our awareness in our physical experience of these different, interdependent aspects of our being, we can experience them in harmony together and discover new delights in both of them. Weekend Retreat for Mothers 13-15 June Karunagita Karunagita wrote A Path for Parents as a working mother and Buddhist, keen to practise. Like the book, this retreat embraces the gifts and challenges inherent in parenting as a context for spiritual practice. All with lightness, spaciousness and invaluable time out with other mothers. Steering into the Deep Want to Steer into the Deep? These retreats are for women who already have a regular practice of the mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana, as taught in the Triratna community, and offer many exciting opportunities to take your practice deeper. The Radical Embrace 14-21 March Singhashri + Bodhilila Practising Anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) and Metta (loving kindness), we invite all our disparate selves into a space of acceptance and calm abiding. From this foundation, we begin to see into the true nature of experiencing and thus deepen confidence in our ability to embrace the open dimension of being, full of beauty and potential. Spring Retreat: Meditation 11-18 April Samantabhadri + Guhyaprabha Explore sitting and walking meditation, reflection and devotional practice, while experiencing mindfulness in the beauty of the Taraloka garden and the Spring landscape. Supported by presentations, meditation guidance, poetry, silence and the inspiration of the Dharma. Consider continuing this retreat experience by staying on for the Silent Weekend 18-21 April. Imagining Tara 16-23 May Samantabhadri + Taravandana Tara is compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, protection, beauty, and an intimate presence in the Taraloka landscape and buildings. Whether artistically skilled or unskilled, explore creative ways of imagining Green and WhiteTara or just simply give time to contemplation. Then let this connection flow into meditation and reflection, into ritual and devotion. Silent Retreat 27 June – 4 July Samantabhadri + Samadevi “There is a silence of words, a silence of desires, and a silence of thoughts” (Sangharakshita). A precious opportunity for almost a week of continuous silence. Enjoy the timelessness of meditation, reflection, devotion and relaxation, within a simple supportive programme and amid the passing richness of summer days. Body of Awakening: Body, Movement, Meditation 11-18 July Dhammagita Teacher, guide and doorway to awakening, the human body tells the truth. Opening fully to sensation, physical awareness brings us into the present moment and helps us feel our lives; knowing the depths and delights, pleasure and pain of a fully human being buzzing with life. Meditation, movement, arts, awareness exercises, breath and energy work. (Please check suitability before booking if you have physical/ energetic problems.) The Wisdom of the Awakening Heart 18-25 July Vijayamala + Maitrivajri The innate wisdom of the heart is simple and direct. Meditation practice connects us with this creativity and compassion. Mostly in silence with meditation teaching and ritual, there will be careful guidance on what limits our practice and what really supports it. Yoga on the Path to Insight 15-19 August Prasadavati + Ratnadevi How can our practice of Yoga become an inquiry into the way things are: interconnected, insubstantial and impermanent? Change old habits. Develop and embody attitudes of openness, curiosity, acceptance, creativity and compassion through mindfulness in movement, reflection and creative writing. (For women with 6 months yoga experience). Brahma Viharas: Meditation 5-12 September Saddhanandi Exploring responses to ourselves, other people and the world, we begin to understand how 'selfgrasping' complicates life! This is the heart wisdom of the four Brahma Vihara meditations: love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Including short workshops or talks, with periods of formal silence and individual meditation reviews. Sounding Nature 15-19 September Suchitta An exploration of three things - meditation, chanting and mantra – together with working outside in the Taraloka gardens. Traditionally there are three kinds of action in Buddhism and we will look to create a smooth flow of mindful, expansive energy between all three, creating a synergy of body, speech and mind. Intriguing! Facing Death, Embracing Life 3-10 October Samatabhadri + Ratnavandana Deepening our spiritual vision around physical death, we will engage with our impermanence within a supportive context of meditation, reflection, shared activities, silence, nature, ritual and devotion. With this perspective, we can also discover all that we value in the richness and potential of life here and now. (We do not recommend this retreat if you are currently experiencing intense bereavement.) New Year Retreat: Meditation 27 December - 3 January Samantabhadri + Guhyaprabha After the bustle of Christmas, come to this quiet place and peaceful landscape. Turn to stillness, contemplation, inspiration and the true significance of New Year. Practise sitting and walking meditation, reflection and devotion: supported by presentations, meditation guidance, special ritual, silence and the wisdom of the Dharma. For Mitras We are excited to be offering this new range of retreats specifically for mitras. These retreats are a great opportunity to deepen meditation and dharma practice with other mitras who are also committed to practising in the Triratna Buddhist Community. Contemplating the Six Bardos 7-14 February Saddhanandi, Vajragupta + Vijayamala Spiritual death and spiritual rebirth are the themes of this reflection retreat. Using verses from The Tibetan Book of the Dead we are instructed to give up self-limiting habits and turn towards the antidote and a particular quality of freedom. Includes short talks, some discussion and periods of meditation and silence. Seven Point Mind Training 8-15 August Saddhanandi Based on a set of proverbs from 12th century Tibet, this practice demands that we connect with our world in an unconditionally skilful way, taking full responsibility for our experience. At its heart, it teaches the Bodhicitta and the need to overcome the habitual tendency to centre the world around ourselves. Bodhicaryavatara 17-24 October Saddhanandi The Dalai Lama uses this text as his main inspiration. It is a guide to the Bodhisattva Path: a restatement of basic Buddhism that emphasises concern for others and practising for the welfare of the world. Each day Saddhanandi will give a talk, drawing out the relevance for us as presentday practitioners, followed by discussion and reflection. For Women who have Asked for Ordination These intensive meditation retreats for women who have asked for Ordination will be held mostly in silence with some talks, led meditations and meditation reviews. They are a precious opportunity to reduce input and develop a deeper experience of ourselves, using awareness and kindness to transform the habits of the mind. It is recommended that you have attended at least one week long meditation retreat before coming on these more intensive retreats. Reflection: A Path to Wisdom 14-23 February Suchitta + Samantabhadri Is reflection an essential part of your practice? Here is an opportunity to live with reflection in a meditative retreat context, discovering and holding deeper Dharmic truths in both contemplation and the flow of living. Refining our consciousness in this pivotal space, we discover what we believe to be true and find ways to express our deep values in daily life. Wisdom Heart 6-16 May Ratnavandana Sitting within the mandala of the Five Jinas, in the shrine room and outdoors, our hearts open more to their transcendental wisdoms which in turn draws us towards a deeper experience of the profound beauty and purity of the Divine Abodes, the Brahma Viharas: those attitudes of heart and mind that connect with our deepest heart wish of how we can manifest in the world. Awareness is Revolutionary 19-28 September Vidyamala Discover the radical brilliance of the Satipatthana Sutta as a practical guide to freedom. Meditate on the various gateways to mindfulness: body, sensations, thoughts and emotions, and Reality. As greater awareness and wholeness arise, taste the universal quality of Metta. Open your heart and allow love to pour out. With teaching input, meditation reviews and deep silence. Bookings and General Information To book: Either send a Booking Form and a non-refundable Booking Fee (cheque payable to Taraloka) of £50 for weekend events and £70 for longer events to: Bookings, Taraloka, Bettisfield, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 2LD or call the office on 01948 710646 between 12 and 2pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays to book with a debit card. Please note that we are unable to accept credit cards. Confirmation and additional information will be sent out on receipt of your Booking Fee. Cancellation policy: Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel your booking, as there may be other women waiting for a place on that retreat. If you give us at least 6 weeks’ notice when cancelling, it may be possible to transfer the Booking Fee, providing there is space on another appropriate retreat within the calendar year. Please note that Booking Fees are nonrefundable under any circumstances. Practising generosity (dana): As a Buddhist Centre we wish to give everyone access to the Buddha’s teachings as freely as possible. In the Buddhist tradition this is called practising ‘dana’ and our retreats are offered in the spirit of that generosity. At the end of each retreat there will be an opportunity for you to also practise 'dana' by giving a donation to Taraloka. Any donations will help us continue to offer Buddhist and meditation teachings freely and to further develop the facilities of the Retreat Centre. Thank you. Other ways of practising dana: You can also give to Taraloka by volunteering to do some work in the gardens, organising or cooking on some retreats and distributing brochures in local libraries and cafes. Please contact the office for more information. Accommodation comprises four-bedded rooms, twin rooms, and a limited number of single rooms which are often needed for those with health concerns and are therefore reserved on a firstcome-first-served basis. We have some facilities for the disabled; please contact the office for more details. There is also plenty of space to camp. Food: At Taraloka we believe we can change the world and ourselves by what we choose to eat. Our vegan principle, together with sourcing organic and local produce where possible, corresponds with our commitment to non-harm and loving-kindness to all beings. Restricted Diets: We can cater for some restricted diets for genuine medical reasons (e.g. Coeliac and Nut allergies) and we need to be informed each time you book. To help those cooking on the retreat, please keep food requests to absolutely essential requirements only. There will be one alternative to the main meal for all restricted diets e.g. steamed vegetables, a simple protein and simple carbohydrate. Health: It is essential that you inform us of any physical, emotional or mental health issues, which could effect your participation on the retreat, each time you book. Any information will be treated with strict confidence and will not be communicated to other retreatants.