Saṅgha Day at Vijayaloka
Saturday 15 November 10am – 4pm at Vijayaloka Retreat Centre in Minto Heights
Saṅgha Day is one of our main festival days, and celebrates the bonds of spiritual friendship and mutual support that exist between us as parts of a growing community of practitioners.
This year, Sangha Day will take place at Vijayaloka as part of the Spring Working with Nature retreat*. Come for the whole weekend retreat to help with caring for and maintaining our beautiful retreat centre, or join us to celebrate the Sangha jewel with like-minded friends on Saturday 15 November from 10.00 to 4.00 pm.
The day will involve a morning work period starting at 10am, shared lunch, and then a pūjā. Everyone is welcome to join either for the morning, the whole day, or just from lunchtime.
*Note: the Spring Working with Nature retreat begins on Friday evening and concludes on Sunday afternoon as usual. Book for the retreat here
Programme
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10am | Arrive for morning work period. There will be a range of tasks on offer to suit all abilities! |
| 1pm | Shared lunch – (if you are coming for the day only, please bring a vegan plate to share) |
| 2:30pm | Sangha Day pūjā |
| 3:30pm | Clean-up and departure. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a Buddhist or a regular at the centre?
Everyone is welcome, but as a Buddhist festival day most activities will have a strong Buddhism focus and will be especially suitable for those who have been to the centre at least a couple times before.
Do I need to book?
No, just turn up!
How much does the day cost?
We don't charge a fixed price for our classes but instead invite you to make a donation to the centre to help us cover our running costs.
What is pūjā?
A pūjā is a traditional Buddhist ritual that includes chanting and making offerings.
If you have not done pūjā before, please let the leader know so they can give an introduction.
Do I need to have any special skills? How intensive will the work be?
If you're joining for the morning work period, you don't need to have any special skills. We will be able to find something suitable for almost anyone.
If I'm joining for lunch, what will the food be like? What should I bring?
Many Buddhists eat a vegan diet as an expression of non-violence. As such, all food will be vegan. Bring anything vegan that you'd like to share!
The Team
Where to Find Us
The event is at Vijayaloka Retreat Centre in Minto Heights.
Driving
Vijayaloka's address for use in sat-navs is 36 Howard Road, Minto Heights NSW 2566. Travel time from central Sydney is about one hour.
There is a blue sign at Vijayaloka's entrance. Enter there and then park the car park immediately on your right.
Train
Vijayaloka is very easy to access by train. The closest train station is Minto which is on the T8 Airport Line towards MacArthur and Campbelltown. Travel time is about 50 minutes from Central. You can take a taxi from the bottle shop across the road from the station, or an Uber.
If you are travelling from outside Sydney and don't have an Opal card, you can use any contactless credit/debit card to travel on Sydney Trains.