Blake’s Mandala: Integration through Imagination

Led by Atula, Prakasha, Ratnaprabha, Saccanama + Satyalila

Blake's Mandala: "Integration through imagination, or how sensation, passion, reason and imagination can be reconciled.”

For Blake, these aspects of humanity became imaginatively embodied in his vivid images of the ‘four Zoas’ - something that fascinated Bhante (& Atula) for decades. Bhante has often spoken of the significance of Blake for us as Dharmafarers evolving our practice in a Western cultural context. We’ll further explore and clarify this by connecting with our own direct experience and looking at psychological process Blake describes and encourages.

In particular, ‘Blake’s Mandala’ will explore the correspondences which Bhante has seen between Blake’s four ‘Zoas’ and the five Buddha Mandala, with particular emphasis on the resonance of Blake’s ‘fall of the Zia’s’ with the ‘paravritti’ or ‘turning about in the deepest seat of consciousness’.

The retreat will build on the previous two Blake retreats, where we’ve co-created a Blake ‘realm’ in which to dwell and connect with our own direct experience of the states and possibilities Blake describes.

No prior knowledge or experience of Blake is required, just a willingness to engage and co-create by practising open-heartedly alongside fellow Order Members.

For optional background reading see Bhante’s essay ‘Buddhism & William Blake’ in ‘Alternative Traditions and/or The Triratna Blake Reader which includes Bhante’s essay.

Note: this retreat runs Thursday - Thursday, preceding the December Women's Area Order Weekend.

The retreat will start with dinner at 18:00 and you are welcome to arrive on site after 16:00, it will end at 10:30 on the last day.

For: Order Members

Start date: 28th Nov 2019
End date: 5th Dec 2019
Event Type: Residential

Price: Waged/Supported £259  |  Unwaged/Unsupported £182
Non-refundable deposit: £74 (included in prices above)

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