AWAKENING CREATIVITY
Meditation, nature connection, play and ritual
26 - 29 September 2024
How can we live more open, loving, creative and engaged lives? What supports and inspires us to do this?
How might meditation with an ancient oak and making contact by means of beauty, love and gratitude lead us towards a deeper understanding of the nature of creativity and of Buddhahood?
These are some of the questions we will be asking during our time together on this retreat, as we mark the season of harvest and equinox.
Being creative is not confined to making things or writing poetry, painting pictures or making music. It's available to all of us, all the time. It’s a state of mind characterised by the qualities of openness, aliveness, empathy and a sense of play.
Enlightenment is the state of irreversible creativity.
- Urgyen Sangharakshita
During this long weekend retreat, we’ll explore the creative mind at play as a basis for cultivating a deeper connection with ourselves, the community and the land at Alfoxton. Beyond the current view of landscape as a mere backdrop for human activity is a relationship with the living earth as a source of guidance and inspiration.
We will draw inspiration from the Buddha Amitābha; exploring the enriching symbolism of this figure to develop the qualities of love, connection and creativity in our lives and in the lives of all beings.
Expect an atmosphere of playful inquiry, creative expression and contemplative musings around the fire.
Come and join us for a few days to nourish the heart and soul.
FACILITATION TEAM
AMITAJYOTI & SARAHA
Amitajyoti is an artist, tutor and mentor specialising in drawing, meditation, creativity and the imagination.
Saraha is a "foolish" meditator who enjoys spending time in remote and wild places and connecting with community.
Both she and Saraha have been practising meditation and Buddhism for over 30 years and enjoy supporting people to connect with their innate creativity through meditation, dharma and play. Each bring a passion for looking at life and practice through fresh eyes and finding depth in ordinary places.
Timings & TRAVEL
TIMINGS
Unless otherwise stated, please arrive between 3-5pm on the first day. Dinner will be served at 6pm. Our retreats usually finish by midday on the last day.
The exact schedule will be provided either in your confirmation email or when you arrive.
TRAVEL
The nearest railway stations are Bridgwater and Taunton. We are about 1h 15min from Bristol by car.
The 15 bus leaves Bridgwater at 16:50 during college term dates and stops at the Plough Inn in Holford. We are a 15min walk from there.
Please get in touch for further advice with public transport, or for help arranging lifts / carpools.
Make sure to put "Coach House 2, Alfoxton Park" into Google Maps. Other variations will take you to Alfoxton House nearby which is not us. Otherwise use grid reference 51.165187, -3.220080.
The What3Words for our car park are ///soup.candy.huddling
Accommodation & Food
ACCOMMODATION
This is a camping retreat - bring a tent or live-in vehicle. Toilets, showers and a sauna are available. We have limited accommodation indoors for those with specific needs. Please let us know when you book if this is the case for you.
FOOD
Delicious vegan meals will be provided throughout the retreat.
accessibility & diets
We are committed to Alfoxton being a fully accessible venue and are working hard to achieve this. However, while the renovation work continues, visitors with specific mobility or accommodation needs may experience barriers to accessing all areas of the building and land.
If you have any questions or concerns, just get in touch, and please inform us of any significant dietary or accessibility requirements before submitting your booking request.
Costs
Alfoxton Park is a charity and works on the principle of Dana or a 'gift economy'. Read more about Dana here.
A deposit of £75 will secure your place. You will be invited to make a donation to Alfoxton when you attend.
If you are an Triratna Order member and need financial support to pay a retreat deposit, you can apply for a grant from the Abhayaratna Trust.
Technology, alcohol and drugs
All of our events are alcohol and drug free. During the meditation retreats we ask you to turn off your mobile phones and other devices and not contact people outside of the retreat. For all other events and workshops we ask you to be mindful of the use of devices and stay present, in order to make the most of your time here.
Any Questions?
Check our FAQ page or send us an e-mail at events@alfoxtonpark.org.uk