Applications for the Anuruddha Project 2024 are now closed. You can read about the project below and look out for applications for 2025 towards the end of this year.
15th April - 8th August
The Anuruddhas were a group of friends living and practicing together in the Buddha's time. When the Buddha visited them, he was very moved by their harmony and compassion, as they had made living together a deep part of their practice. The Anuruddha Project aims to follow this example, providing a place for people to come together to practice deeply together. This is an opportunity to join and help create a small community that will spend four months together learning about the ways of Buddhafield and ways of Buddhism.
The aim of the project is to equip the successful candidate with a set of skills and provide them with a set of connections that will enrich their lives significantly, opening up new avenues of exploration that will be extremely wholesome, relevant and, potentially, very profound.
The course will last for four months and will be mainly embedded - though not exclusively- within Buddhafield events. It will include getting thoroughly involved with all the practical aspects of what we do: setting up a retreat, learning to hammer in storm pegs, cooking in a make-shift kitchen, loading lorries, putting up geodesic domes, learning how to run a sauna, building a compost loo and much more.
However, there is more to understanding Buddhafield than just knowing how things work of course. What is Buddhafield really? To understand this, we will be exploring the bigger picture.
People involved in Buddhafield have come from all kinds of backgrounds and have come together, many for decades, to explore:
- how to live together as an effective and harmonious community (is that even possible?)
- how to live with a kindness that extends beyond the human community to the land on which we live, and to all living beings
- how to live sustainably, authentically and honestly in simple, straight forward ways, though requiring much creativity and innovation.
This exploratory journey thus far has borne much fruit and raised many questions, as well as a few answers which will provide us with much good material to chew over.
People often experience a strangely familiar, and yet, mysterious magic at Buddhafield events. It is mercurial, ethereal though tangible. It is related to the softening of our defences and the opening of our hearts. We call this 'something' the Dharma. It is what makes sense of everything else we do. To dive more deeply into this we will undertake:
- regular mediation and understanding how to work in meditation will be an important part of this course.
- learning how to turn work into play, play into practice.
- studying together. Looking at traditional Buddhist texts, being on retreat together, learning about ethics, deepening friendships and ways of cultivating wisdom.
Who is the project for?
Well to get the most out of this project you will be an adult of any age with a keen interest in community living, being outdoors soaked in nature, and have a sincere wish to understand the Buddhist teachings and how to put them into practice. You will have some experience of Buddhafield and Triratna. You will also be familiar with meditation.
If you would like to join us on this spiritual adventure please submit your application form, and we will invite you for an online interview.
A few words about us...
The two main people that will be facilitating the course will be Alobhin and Caz.
Alobhin is a member of the Triratna Order. He was ordained in 2006 and is currently living an itinerant life supporting Buddhafield for much of the summer months. He facilitated the Anuruddha Project for the first time last year and is keen to develop and improve the project going forward.
Caz is a going for refuge Mitra who has been practicing for 19 years at the Bristol, Brighton and Worthing centres and within the Buddhafield sangha. She loves the alchemical potential of the Dharma to transform experience and is particularly is inspired by the teaching of the interconnection of all beings and places. She has been a teacher and a gardener and a mum and is now training to be a transpersonal therapeutic counsellor.
FAQS
Is this work paid? Or does it come with any allowance etc?
This is not a supported role and does not come with any allowance. However, all your food and drinks will be provided, alongside costs for transport between events. You will need to provide your own transport, or lift share, to the first event.
Will I need to pay anything to take part in the Anuruddha Program?
We are offering the Anuruddha Project in the spirit of dana and will not be charging anything to take part. Previous participants have found that they needed money to cover their personal costs during the breaks in between events.
What food is provided?
3 organic vegan meals a day, plus snacks and drinks.
Do you cater for special diets?
Yes, we do. This will need a more person-specific conversation during your application process.
Are you open to those with accessibility needs?
Yes. If you disclose your needs on your application form, we can have a conversation about how the program could work for you.
What will the work involve on a day-to-day basis? How many hours a week will I be working/studying?
This will change a lot. Setting up a retreat, you might work 6-8 hours a day, while on retreat, it might only be 1 hour. Study is similar - it will ebb and flow with the needs of the program. You will have a week-long study retreat, and there will be teaching during the programe, with lots of Dharma discussions.
An average day might look like this during the set-up of a retreat:
7.30am - meditation
8.15am - breakfast
9am - morning circle and check-in
9.30am - 12.30 pm - work period, with breaks as needed.
12.30pm - meditation
1pm - lunch
2pm - reconvene for work
5.30pm - meditation
6pm - dinner
8pm - shrine activity
Will I need to provide my own accommodation?
Yes, a tent or van, plus your own bedding.
What teaching support is provided?
There will be one order member overseeing the project all the way through, and a going for refuge Mitra will also be providing teaching support.
Multiple other order members will drop in for one or more events through the season.
Are there any behavioural agreements when taking part in the programme?
Yes. No drinking alcohol or taking drugs while taking part. Also, no fish or meat on any of the sites or events.
The aim of the project is to create a spiritual community together and we will be working with the 5 Precepts (These are: I undertake the training principle of abstaining from taking life. I undertake the training principle of abstaining from taking the not-given. I undertake the training principle of abstaining from sexual misconduct. I undertake the training principle of abstaining from false speech. I undertake the training principle of abstaining from intoxication.)
Can I bring my pets?
Unfortunately we can't accommodate pets.
Can you accommodate children?
We will take it on a case-by-case basis.
When will I find out if my application has been successful?
Applicants will be invited for an online interview. We would aim to give a response within a week of the interview. All applicants would have a response by the end of January.