Thirteen women braved driving rain-showers, high winds and steep places to do three pujas and climb the second highest mountain in Wales – and they raised £4,557 for ‘Tiratanaloka Unlimited’! Thanks to everyone who took part, and everyone who gave money! Here are some comments from those on the event.
‘Exhausting, fulfilling, really satisfying – I loved doing pujas outside! It was so beautiful!’ – Alice (London)
‘It was really special to be part of the team – it felt like everyone was there for everyone else for the whole of the journey – from the bottom to the top and right back down again again. Very supporting. I had so much fear beforehand – I was worried that I wouldn’t be fit enough. But then I realised that even if that was the case, it would be handled with such love and kindness that I didn’t need to worry about that in the first place.’ - Clarissa (Southampton)
Below: Maitrisiddhi and Maitridevi helping people across a stream (whether or not they needed help!)
‘Challenging in a way that I hadn’t expected. The pujas outside – that’s just really magical! to have the backdrop of mountains. And the sangha – that was a really important and beautiful part. It took me from my usual mode of walking on my own to walking within a sangha.’ - Joely (Oxford and Buddhafield)
Above: The gang try not to get blown away.
Below: No paths and a brooding sky..... atmospheric!
‘Doing pujas outside when you can appreciate the wildness of the environment, and with like-minded friends.’ - Sue (Aberystwyth)
‘My favourite moment was seeing everyone laid flat out on the grass at the last puja site, with light rain falling on their faces.’ - Maitrisiddhi (Taraloka)
If you’d like to support Tiratanaloka’s fundraising appeal to find premises large enough to train all the women who want to deepen their practice and join the Triratna Buddhist Order, Natalia (one of Taraloka’s community members) has taken on the challenge of performing 108 Pujas – one a week – for the next two years or so. Sponsor her here, or follow her progress with her blog where she uploads pictures of the shrine and audio of the mantra.