Adhisthana has been delighted to be hosting small self-led retreats over the course of the last year. There have been a few camping weekends, but as the temperatures have now dropped, it’s also lovely having friends come together here and use indoor spaces, alongside our programme of other events and retreats.
The three ‘jits’ came together for a weekend in October, and a couple of them reflect on their time together below. Adhisthana would love to welcome more small self-organised events like this one in the future.
Aryajit writes:
I recently spent a weekend with other ‘Jits’ – Dharmajit and Sanghajit – to celebrate 5 years in the order. We overlapped with a Precious Guru Padmasambhava retreat and we mingled with other order members on that event. Padmavajra invited us to a Sadhana lead through and Puja. This really made our weekend even more special- the Adhisthana team seems to be very happy to accommodate events like ours and is open to order members coming staying at Adhisthana, staying indoors or camping- not only coming on retreats. We ended the weekend by visiting Urgyen House, where we read one of Bhantes’ short stories.
I have been to Adhisthana three times this year, as well as doing some events online – and it’s become a very special place for me. It really is living up to its vision of being a focal point, and meeting place for the Order and movement, as well as a place to explore and be inspired by Bhantes legacy. It’s now hard to imagine the movement without such a place! The gardens are beautiful also. The team are doing a very good job!
Sanghajit:
Adhisthana is rapidly becoming a very important place, perhaps the most important place, for my deepening of inspiration, faith, and practice of the Dharma. Bhante showed incredible clarity and foresight in the final phase of his life to move to and quicken the establishment of Adhisthana so that it now truly is a place of pilgrimage.
The team that work at Adhisthana have a strong sense of the purpose and position this lovely place holds for so many of us in the Order and Triratna Buddhist Movement. I was fortunate enough to attend Adhisthana for a small Ordination anniversary retreat that was arranged individually for myself and my two brothers Dharmajit and Aryajit. Caroline and the Team made our stay feel fully integrated into the vision of the retreat centre and made us feel incredibly welcome and well cared for.
I look forward to the future of Adhisthana and I’m excited perennially at what the Order and Movement continue to offer me as a Dharmachari.