Taraloka Retreat Centre offers retreats and other events to women from all over the world.

A team of women live and work here, manage the property and run a programme of retreats throughout the year. There are events for newcomers to meditation, yoga and Buddhism as well as retreats for experienced Buddhist practitioners.

It’s hard to sustain a real sense of inner potential and stay true to that. Even when we want to change, it’s hard to know how best to start. A retreat can help with both those dilemmas. If you come on a retreat with us, we aim to give you an environment in which you can refresh yourself, mentally and physically.

All our retreat leaders are ordained members of the Triratna Buddhist Order (formerly known as the Western Buddhist Order). Taraloka itself is a charity (Registered Charity No. 274500) operating under the general constitution of the Triratna Buddhist Community which was founded in 1967 by Sangharakshita.

Started in 1985, Taraloka is a Women’s Buddhist Community and Retreat Centre of the Triratna Buddhist Community set on the Welsh/Shropshire border. It was a run-down farm when we bought it and has been gradually renovated, rebuilt and adapted over the years with the help of many different women with many different skills. The importance of providing a context for women, in which the practice of meditation and Buddhism could be developed and deepened, was and still is a strong motivating factor for everyone involved.

Women come here and explore what meditation can bring into their life; learn something about the relevance of Buddhist teaching to contemporary life; and experience themselves in a different setting to usual. We try to bring friendliness and a sense of ease to our retreats.

The name ‘Taraloka’ means ‘Realm of Tara’ and Tara is an archetypal female figure representing the Enlightened qualities of Compassionate Action.