Alfoxton Park - Sub35 Between Roof and Sky

Sub 35 Retreat
Between Roof and Sky

30th April - 4th May 2026

‘Some of the early communities were very primitive. People squatted in derelict, unwanted properties (which was legal then). They were very happy, and that was the formative stage in the development of our movement. These days communities are comparatively lavish, but some people still think back to the good old days when they unrolled their sleeping bags on the floor and set up a little shrine and that was their community’.

Sangharakshita, The Rain of the Dharma

This Sub35 retreat is an offer to practise together in an alternative way. There will be time on the land, meditation, ritual, silence, and discussion, alongside some more experimental elements, including sound installation, open art space and music jams.

We’ll be exploring what it might mean for Triratna to be 'radical'.

Part of that exploration comes from the setting itself. We will look at how the Alfoxton Park project encapsulates (or doesn’t encapsulate) Sangharakshita’s vision for the new Buddhist society. What are the most important questions for young people trying to live a Dharma life? What's the draw about a mixed community? Does it matter if there are holes in the roof? Does disorder add something?

There will also be input from Triratna elders, and space to reflect together on our own aspirations for the movement. If you are interested in an alternative weekend of communal practise, we imagine you'd enjoy being there.

Facilitation Team

The Alfoxton Park community

The space will be held with a combination of structured support and spaciousness/informality. Katherine and Josh are the main ones thinking about this event.

Nagavajri

Nāgavajrī ('she who is a diamond thunderbolt of the dragons') is based at the Sheffield Buddhist Centre. She has been practicing since 2014 and was ordained in 2024. She is a Padmasambhava practitioner and has a deep love of ritual and of play.

Aryadasa

Āryadasā (He who serves what is Noble) is based at Sheffield Buddhist Centre. He has been practicing since 2011 and was ordained in 2017. Āryadasā is inspired by places where individuals practice together to bring into reality a vision greater than themselves.

Who is the retreat suitable for?

This retreat is suitable for any Sub35 Buddhists, who have experience practising within the Triratna context. You don't need to be a mitra, but we do ask that you are actively following the five precepts. You do not need to have been to Alfoxton Park before.

Timings & Travel

Timings

Please arrive between 3pm and 5pm on the first day. Dinner is served at 6pm. The retreat will finish by midday on the last day.

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. Warm and waterproof clothing are advisable, along with gloves and boots or wellies. You may also wish to bring a torch and hot water bottle.

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 £108 deposit will secure your place on this event. 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 & 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

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse