Spiritual power is required to make progress on the path to Enlightenment.
'The vajra represents power, spiritual power, the power, we may say, that is inherent in Reality itself'
The Symbolism of the Sacred Thunderbolt, Sangharakshita
The Vajra, also known as the diamond thunderbolt, is whatever cuts through our habitual tendencies toward defensiveness and acquisition. On this Great Gathering, through the tantric symbolism of the Vajra, we will be exploring how to uncover and direct those forces which lead to a more radical embrace of life itself.
Details and Timings
The retreat starts with dinner on the first day at 6:30pm and finishes on the final day at around 2:30pm.
This weekend is directly followed by the Men's Open Retreat. Consider making the most of your journey to Padmaloka by booking onto both retreats for a reduced rate here.
Health and Hygiene
It is vital that you don't come on retreat if you have any symptoms of Covid-19, including a cough, loss or change of smell or taste, a temperature, or any other cold or flu-like symptoms; or if you have been in contact with anyone who has within the past 14 days.
We ask that you take two Lateral Flow Test, one 48 hours before arrival and a second within 24 hours of the retreat starting.
If you haven't taken one by the time you arrive at Padmaloka, we will ask you to do one upon arrival and you will have to wait for the result before entering the buildings.
You can order them free from the UK Government here: Lateral Flow Tests, or from most pharmacies.
We will be observing enhanced hygiene protocols during the retreat, details of which you can find in our Padmaloka Risk Assessment, which is accessible from the Coming on Retreat page.
We will be taking every measure we can to prevent the spreading of Covid-19 during retreats, but despite this, there will remain a risk to those who attend; please consider this when coming on retreat.
If you are unable to attend the retreat due to illness or local lockdown measures then your booking can be transferred to the online aspect of the retreat, or to a future retreat.
Banner and thumbnail image: cropped painting by Aloka © from the Padmaloka Shrine Room
