After a week of hard organisational work led by the Buddhafield and Adhisthana teams, the fourth Triratna International Retreat took place at Adhisthana.
Between 6 and 6:30 in the morning, the cuckoo awakens us to attend the first meditation of the day. At 7am the enormous shrine room tent shelters 300 hundred people from many countries.
The green field looks alive. Smiles, hugs and shaking hands give a flavour of deep friendship. Children play and enjoy while learning some Dharma teachings.
At 11am Order members give talks about the main topic, "The Bodhisattva's Reply", on individual and social initiatives. In the afternoons there are different workshops to learn skills and give tools to spread the Dharma.
Lots of volunteers are cooking, organizing and tidying the whole retreat centre, a good opportunity to make new friends and hang around. The young Order members and the Karuna Appeal Team give us a taste of a energetic and inspired new generation.
In the evenings, beautiful pujas are led by the members of the Adhisthana community. In the late afternoons, we've seen Bhante sitting in his conservatory looking at the green field where the retreat takes place. His presence drives us to a deep dimension, a cosmic dimension. He is our reminder that everything can be possible. As long as we all continue practising the Dharma together there will be a context for the arising of the Bodhicitta.
Watch Mariana's short film about the Young Women's Dharma LIfe course members.