Padmaloka Community
Akashaja is the esteemed Padmaloka maintenance man. In the past, he lived in West Wales where he was self-employed renovating houses and practising the Dharma.
He has found at Padmaloka a life that he loves - practising meditation, studying and hearing the Dharma. Maintaining, repairing and improving the condition of Padmaloka - for the sake of Padmaloka and its community as well as for all those who come here on retreat.
Akashaja was ordained in 2021 and his name means Man of the Sky.
He also has a passion for motorcycles - tinkering, customising and touring.
Alan joined the community in April 2023 and took on the role of gardener. Before then, he lived in Shrewsbury.
He completed the Dharma Life course at Adhisthana in 2019 and has been keen to live in community ever since. He is focused on increasing his embodied mindfulness, in addition to studying the Dharma, building friendships and serving others.
He also enjoys board gaming, D&D and martial arts.
Dharmadipa was born in 1965 in Germany and got involved with the Triratna Buddhist Community at the age of 20. He was ordained in 1994, and from 1997 on he worked for 10 years for the Essen Buddhist Centre where he taught Buddhism and Meditation and was also involved with the running of the centre.
He joined Padmaloka in March 2007 as a member of the Ordination Team and also performs the role of Ordination Team Secretary.
Jack is our kitchen manager and is a man who strives to cook the best food he can for the community and retreatants, he has a keen sensitivity for flavours and a lot of energy to put into the work.
Before coming to Padmaloka he completed a fine art degree in Falmouth University, Cornwall.
He takes great pleasure in meditation, painting, friendship and Dharma Study.
Jeremy is our Guestmaster and he joined Padmaloka at the end of December 2021.
He has completed a Dharma life course at Adhisthana in 2021 and spent some time living at the London Buddhist Centre.
He has a great passion for the outdoors, and particularly for adventure, having travelled through many countries in his life in various different ways.
Maitripa is Padmaloka’s Deputy Manager. In his work, mindfulness, sustainability and loving-kindness are the cornerstones. Maitripa encountered the Dharma in 2013 in Istanbul and got involved in the Ghent centre, Brussels Sangha and Metta Vihara.
After 5 years of building and running a sustainable enterprise on food waste, Maitripa chose a simpler and more integrated life at Padmaloka. He rejoices in the opportunities for friendship, spiritual and personal development, physical work, and living closer to nature.
Maitripa's name means 'he who protects loving-kindness' and he was ordained in May 2022.
In March 2022, Oscar moved to the UK from Sydney in order to become more deeply immersed in Buddhism. After five months of hitchhiking and walking between different communities and centres, he did the Dharma Life Course at Adhisthana before joining Padmaloka as the new bookkeeper.
He is very much into meditation, reflection and study, while also devoted to developing deep friendships. Some key themes in his Dharmic life include Faith, the Mythic and Eros.
In his spare time, he likes to read and write poetry, study Chinese language and culture, and be immersed in literature and film.
Padmavajra has lived in Padmaloka since August 1990. He came here to join the team of order members that help men prepare for ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order - what we now call the Ordination Team.
He is extremely committed to his work here, to Padmaloka and indeed to the men's wing of the movement, and has affected the lives of many men over the years he has lived here.
Padmavajra also has a discerning and varied taste in music, from musicians like Pharoah Sanders to Rod Modell.
Rick is originally from Doncaster, but most recently has been living in the Sheffield Buddhist Centre where he stayed for 3 years in the men's community before moving to Padmaloka, where he is currently our Housekeeper.
He has a passion for community living, friendship and real communication, as well as studying and reflecting upon the Dharma.
He's a keen long-distance cyclist and heavy metal fan.
Sanghanistha became interested in Buddhism in his teens and made contact through the Colchester Buddhist Centre aged 22. Inspired by the ideal of a 360° Dharma life, he has lived in community in Colchester, worked in the Ipswich Evolution shop, as well as helping start and run the Buddhafield East project before coming to Padmaloka in 2008. Sanghanistha started life here as cook and kitchen manager and has also been the maintenance man and centre manager. He is now the Centre Chair.
Sanghanistha was ordained at Guhyaloka in 2011, his name means he who is intent on, depending on, grounded on and devoted to the spiritual community.
In his spare time Sanghanistha enjoys physical exercise and dance.
Satyakirti came to Padmaloka following a 5-month Dharma training course at Adhisthana in 2014, which he attended after completing an Electronic and Electrical Engineering degree at Sussex University. He's performed a number of responsibilities at Padmaloka, including housekeeper, kitchen manager, deputy manager, guest master and maintenance man.
He is currently the centre manager and safeguarding officer.
He has an interest in astronomy, sculpture and long walks in nature. His name means 'He who's Glory is in Truth', and he was ordained in 2018.
Satyaraja moved from Sweden in 2002 to join the Padmaloka Ordination Team. He is now a Private and Public Preceptor helping ordain men into the Triratna Buddhist Order.
Satyaraja leads meditation retreats and is known for his time spent in the Triratna meditation centre in Wales – Vajraloka. He brings clarity, friendliness and abundant energy. In his spare time, he enjoys running, jazz, film and walking in the country.
Surata is the longest standing member of the community and one of the founding members of the Ordination team, arriving here in October 1988 upon the invitation of Subhuti. Surata has been practising and teaching Yoga for more than 35 years, mainly for the fun of it and to keep his body flexible enough to maintain a regular meditation practice.
Although he originally trained and taught in the Iyengar system, he went through a few years of experimenting with other styles of Yoga. In recent years he has been particularly interested in the work of Vanda Scaravelli, as well as taking a broad interest in many areas of bodywork.
Vidyadaka joined the Ordination Team in 2020 after 16 years of living and working at the London Buddhist Centre, where he first came into contact with the Dharma in 1998. Prior to this, he had worked as a graphic designer for various TV channels. At the LBC he devoted his time to managing the Centre, organising events, leading retreats, teaching the dharma and helping sustain and create a spiritual community through friendship.
Vidyadaka also spends time painting, drawing in nature and visiting friends around Europe.