Vajradarshini

I came across the dharma in the form of the Norwich Buddhist Centre when I was in my early 20s. I loved what I heard about Buddhism but doubted that one could actually live that way, I mean is it really practical to try and live an ethical life? At that time the TV and papers, weren’t full of ideas about ethical choices we might make and the supermarkets weren’t full of vegetarian options! I came across something called an ‘evolution shop’ which was a high street business, but run by Buddhists and on Buddhist principles. The next 12 years I spent working for Windhorse:Evolution in various capacities. I remember once telling a customer that our shop was run by Buddhists to which she replied, “really, so where are they then?” as she looked towards the stairs expecting to see some monk in saffron robes.

Over that time I continued to be involved in the Buddhist centre, helping with classes and eventually doing some teaching myself. I’ve always seen practice as something that involves ones whole life; whatever kind of lifestyle one is living and being in explicitly Buddhist contexts just made that more obvious. I was ordained in 1997 and given the name Vajradarshini which means ‘she who sees the vajra or whose seeing is vajra like’, I continue to unpack the mystery of what it would mean to see the vajra, that is what it would mean to see things just as they are.

I moved to Tiratanaloka at the beginning of 2003 and since then have been helping to run retreats. One of the things that I most appreciate here is the opportunities I find for taking my understanding of the dharma deeper, these come about through preparing material for retreats, learning from those of you that come on retreat and through sharing that experience with a team of experienced Dharmacharinis. I love to communicate the dharma and see it very much as a creative pursuit.

When not on retreat, or busy with running Tiratanaloka, some of the things I like doing are – visiting friends, cooking and gardening and all things domestic, music and movies, especially northern European ones, reading, going to the gym and lying in bed with coffee and the Sunday papers!

To find out more of what I am up to you can visit my website