Started in 1985, Taraloka is a Women’s Buddhist Community and Retreat Centre set on the Welsh/Shropshire border. It was a run-down farm when we bought it and has been gradually renovated, rebuilt and adapted over the years with the help of many different women with many different skills. The importance of providing a context for women in which the practice of meditation and Buddhism could be developed and deepened was a strong motivating factor for everyone. Taraloka Retreat Centre offers retreats and other events to women from all over the world.
All our retreat leaders are ordained members of the Triratna Buddhist Order (formerly known as the Western Buddhist Order). Taraloka itself is a charity operating under the general constitution of the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly known as the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) which was founded in 1967 by Sangharakshita.
A team of women live and work here, manage the property and run a programme of retreats throughout the year. There are events for newcomers to meditation, yoga and Buddhism as well as retreats for experienced Buddhist practitioners from all traditions.
It’s hard to sustain a real sense of inner potential and stay true to that. Even when we want to change, it’s hard to know how best to start. A retreat can help with both those dilemmas. If you come on a retreat with us, we aim to give you an environment in which you can refresh yourself, mentally and physically. The friendliness of our retreat leading teams is important to us. So is taking care of the beauty in our grounds.
Taraloka was voted “Retreat Place of the Year” in 2006 and again in 2008 by The Good Retreat Guide.