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Aryapala

Having lived and grown up in Melbourne Australia, and having known I’d been adopted from London, there was always strong curiosity to want to live in the UK. Partly ancestral and partly spiritual as well I. Shortly after arriving in England 1995I started working in a Buddhist restaurant in E. Croydon. I started working at Padmaloka late autumn 2001. I frequented Padmaloka over the years training up to join the Western Buddhist Order and to help cook on big & important events here. And through my connections with the team I built up some good friendships and a strong feeling that I'd like to live and work here.

A typical day for me is up at 7.45am -meditate through to 8.30. Breakfast is at 8.45 (toast & coffee maybe with one of the community or I’ll email my mum in Aus). Team or community meeting next at 9am…work… tea break 11am…work… lunch at 1.15- where I sometimes exercise or do a bit of reading. Work to 5 (another tea break at 4!) then maybe catch up on personal emails before 6 O’clock dinner. In the evening I might train capoeira, go to the movies, stay in and watch a dvd, read a book or meet up with friends. Bed at about 10.30 - 11pm after a read. On my two days off a week I might have a swim, go for a walk or have coffee in town with a friend. I try and get on retreat 3, 4 times a year but without fail I do a 2 week solitary retreat. Life at Padmaloka can get pretty intense sometimes and with so many guys coming through the doors it’s important to get some time on my own. I travel to Australia every other year to visit my Preceptor, family and friends.

The most important thing for me is that I'm living and working with friends, and through that lifestyle life has meaning and a sense of enjoyment: To have friends and work with them in a Buddhist context means I can practice the Dharma: live ethically, meditate, study and reflect with like minded men and exemplify an alternative way of live.

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