Windhorse Publications is excited to support Buddhafield, a sister organisation, in their annual festival. This event is a fantastic opportunity to see some of our esteemed authors and immerse yourself in the vibrant community they help foster.

Buddhafield is a collaboration of Buddhists involved with the Triratna Buddhist Community. They live all over the UK, but they run a programme of camping activities in the South of England, focused around the teaching and practice of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation.

So get ready to reconnect with nature, community, and yourself at the Buddhafield Festival 2024, set to take place from July 17–21 in the beautiful English countryside. This year’s theme, With Arms Wide Open, invites participants to embrace the unknown with curiosity and openness, inspired by the words of Rumi: ‘Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.’

Unfortunately Windhorse Publications won’t be able to attend the festival with our usual stall this year, but we will be represented in the shape of talks and books at the festival.

Featured authors in the Dharma Parlour: 

The Dharma Parlour at the Buddhafield Festival is a dedicated space for Buddhist teachings, discussions, and practices. It offers a variety of activities aimed at both newcomers and experienced practitioners.

This year, the Dharma Parlour will host key talks by several esteemed Windhorse Publications authors:

Vimalasara (Valerie Mason-John): Breath as Medicine – We have everything we need to help change our lives. So what's getting in the way? In this session Vimalasara discusses their new book, First Aid Kit for the Mind, which explores spiritual bypassing and the ways we can begin to rewire the mind/heart. First Aid Kit for the Mind will be available for purchase on site at Dhiramati's ‘Buddhist Images’ stall​​.

Shantigarbha: For Love of the Earth – Do you feel troubled and helpless in relation to the climate and ecological emergencies? What support can Buddhism offer to help us love the Earth and protect it for future generations?

Dhivan: The Story of the Universe – Come and hear the story of how all of us and everything have come into being dependent on causes and conditions over 13.8 billion years. Hear how the first raindrop fell on planet earth. Discover how you fit into the biggest possible picture and what it means for your life​.

This year’s theme:

The theme of With Arms Wide Open, which focuses on embracing the unknown and overcoming internal barriers, reminds us of the poem Advent by Sangharakshita, contained in the The Complete Works of Sangharakshita Volume 25: Poems and Short Stories.

Advent

I listened all day for the knock of the Stranger,
And I often looked out from the door.
The table was scrubbed, the brass shining,
And well swept the floor.

The shadows grew longer and longer,
In the grate the fire flickered and died.
‘It’s too late. He never will come now’
I said, and sighed.

I sat there musing and musing,
The spinning-wheel still at my side.
The moonlight came in through the window
White like a bride.

As the clock struck twelve I heard nothing
But felt He had come and stayed
Waiting outside. And I listened –
And I was afraid.

The poem beautifully intertwines with the festival theme through its portrayal of anticipation, readiness, and the emotional openness required to welcome the transformative presence of the Stranger. In the poem, the speaker meticulously prepares and waits, embodying the festival's call to break down barriers and embrace the unknown with an open heart. The arrival of the Stranger, even though met with fear, highlights the profound impact of remaining open to new and potentially transformative experiences. This openness and receptivity, despite uncertainty, encapsulates the essence of living ‘with arms wide open,’ embracing both the anticipation and the arrival of new beginnings with courage and vulnerability, much like the young barn owl spreading its wings to embrace the night air in the festival artwork.

If you are attending the festival this year, we wish you a wonderful, transformative experience!

P.S. If you missed the online book launch of Vimalasara’s First Aid Kit for the Mind you can catch up on our YouTube channel.