Surata is the longest standing member of the community and one of the founding members of the Ordination team, arriving here in October 1988 upon the invitation of Subhuti. Surata has been practising and teaching Yoga for more than 35 years, mainly for the fun of it and to keep his body flexible enough to maintain a regular meditation practice.
Although he originally trained and taught in the Iyengar system, he went through a few years of experimenting with other styles of Yoga. In recent years he has been particularly interested in the work of Vanda Scaravelli, as well as taking a broad interest in many areas of bodywork.
Satyaraja moved from Sweden in 2002 to join the Padmaloka Ordination Team. He is now a Private and Public Preceptor helping ordain men into the Triratna Buddhist Order.
Satyaraja leads very well attended meditation retreats and is known for his time spent in the Triratna meditation centre in Wales – Vajraloka. He brings clarity, friendliness and abundant energy. In his spare time he enjoys running, jazz, film and walking in the country.
Padmavajra has lived at Padmaloka since August 1990. He came here to join the team of order members that help men to prepare for ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order.
The personnel of the resident community has changed a lot too, only he and Surata in the present community are from those times, but there is a sense of continuity. Padmaloka has gone through and will continue to go through many changes, but there is a spirit that remains constant.
Dharmadipa was born in 1965 in Germany and got involved with the Triratna Buddhist Community at the age of 20. He was ordained in 1994, from 1997 on he worked 10 years for the Essen Buddhist Centre where he taught Buddhism and Meditation and was also involved with the running of the centre.
He joined Padmaloka in March 2007 as a member of the Ordination Team. He is also the Ordination Team Secretary.
Vidyadaka joined the Ordination Team in 2020 after 16 years of living and working at the London Buddhist Centre, where he first came into contact with the Dharma in 1998. Prior to this he had worked as a graphic designer for various TV channels.
At the LBC he devoted his time to managing the Centre, organising events, leading retreats, teaching the dharma and helping sustain and create a spiritual community through friendship.
Vidyadaka also spends time painting and visiting friends.
Prajnamanas joined the Ordination Team in 2024 after living and working at the London Buddhist Centre for over a decade.
Satyakirti came to Padmaloka following a 5-month Dharma training course at Adhisthana, which he attended after completing an Electronic and Electrical Engineering degree at Sussex University. He's performed a number of responsibilities at Padmaloka, including housekeeper, kitchen manager, deputy manager, guest master and maintenance man.
He has an interest in sculpture, literature and spending time in nature. His name means 'He who's Glory is in Truth', and he was ordained in 2018.
Akashaja arrived at Padmaloka to join the community on March 1st 2020. He has taken on the role of the maintenance man, having previously been self-employed renovating and repairing people's houses and homes where he used to live in West Wales.
He has found at Padmaloka a life that he loves - practising meditation, studying and hearing the Dharma. Maintaining, repairing and improving the condition of Padmaloka - for the sake of Padmaloka and its community as well as for all those who come here on retreat.
Akashaja was ordained in 2021 and his name means 'Man of the sky'.
He also has a passion for motorcycles - tinkering, customising and touring.
Jack is our kitchen manager and is a man who strives to cook the best food he can for the community and retreatants, he has a keen sensitivity for flavours and a lot of energy to put into the work.
Before coming to Padmaloka he completed a fine art degree in Falmouth University, Cornwall. He takes great pleasure in meditation, painting, friendship and Dharma Study.
Amaladasa joined Padmaloka at the end of December 2021. He completed a Dharma life course at Adhisthana in 2021 and was ordained in April 2024.
He has a great passion for the outdoors, and particularly for adventure, having travelled through many countries in his life in various different ways.
In March 2022, Oscar moved to the UK from Sydney in order to become more deeply immersed within Buddhism. After five months of hitchhiking and walking between different communities and centres, he did the Dharma Life Course at Adhisthana before joining Padmaloka as the new bookkeeper.
He is very much into meditation, reflection and study, while also devoted to developing deep friendships. Some of the key themes in his Dharmic life include Faith, the Mythic and Eros.
In his spare time he likes to read and write poetry, study Chinese language and culture, and be immersed in literature and film.
Ricky has joined the Padmaloka community after working as an Architect in Southampton, where he was very involved in the centre and Sangha.
James joined the Padmaloka Community this July. Moving from the London Buddhist Centre where he lived and worked for a year and a half.
In his time involved in the Triratna Buddhist Movement he has lived in three communities, worked for the LBC as their Bookings Manager and then their Digital Content Coordinator, worked at the Mandala Café and has done a Karuna appeal.
He spends his free time reading, writing, dancing, singing and recording the world around him.
James joined the Padmaloka Community this August. He handled publicity and bookings for the Norwich Buddhist Centre for twenty months, before spending time in community at the London Buddhist Centre in the Spring of 2024.
His practice of Buddhism is currently oriented towards meditation and developing close friendships. In his spare time, James enjoys reading, writing fiction, cooking, running and swimming.
Sebastion joined the Padmaloka community in September 2024. He moved from Aryatara, a community that supports the Croydon sangha.
Highlights during his year and a half at Aryatara include: 4 karuna appeals, hosted creative movement workshops, held 1 minute meditation classes on the high street, and organised Turning the Wheel, a 6-week bicycle touring pilgrimage to Triratna centres across England and Scotland.
Sebastion’s expression of the Dharma is to endeavour to hold everything lightly. Except for silliness, silliness is very serious business.
