Uttaraloka is an opportunity to live and practice with a small group of friends. Like the Anuruddhas.
Uttaraloka can be booked by the week like a solitary hut. Perfect for up to 5 people, you will decide for yourselves whether to have periods of silence and intensive communal practice, to have chapter meetings, discussion, Puja, Dharma study or periods with a very open program where everyone follows their own rhythms.
You can read comments from recent visitors to Uttaraloka here.
For about half the year Uttaraloka will be inhabited by one or more of the team who extend a warm invitation to men* Order members and sometimes Mitras to apply to join them. Contact Achaladeva, Manjuvajra, Priyadasa, Sadhita, Saraha or Uttaraloka.
The other half of the year Uttaraloka is available to small groups. We are calling these Kula Retreats. Self led, one week minimum, Saturday to Saturday. Perfect for Chapters or Going for Refuge groups, perfect for a preceptor with disciples or just for a group of friends who want to live and practice together. Dana, the suggested donation, is 240 euros per person per week. See our calendar and book through the Guhyaloka solitary retreats page.
At some times of the year there will be work to do, mainly harvesting olives and almonds and caring for the trees. See the calendar for working retreats.
The facilities are quite basic; personal accommodation is two wooden cabins and three rooms in brick buildings. The main house provides kitchen, dining and sitting rooms as well as the beautiful shrine room. Most of the time people choose to eat at the outside table with vast views of the sky, mountains and forest. In the distance the Mediterranean can be glimpsed.
2026 Retreats at Uttaraloka
- March 7th to May 30th 2026: Three month retreat with Manjuvajra and Prakasha.
- May 30th to July 18th 2026: Kula retreats. Please book for a minimum of one week from Saturday to Saturday through the Guhyaloka website.
- July 18th to August 15th: One month retreat with Saraha.
- August 15th to 29th: Kula retreats. Please book for a minimum of one week from Saturday to Saturday through the Guhyaloka website.
- August 29th to September 26th 2026: One month retreat with Sadhita – Mula yoga practice month.
The inspiration for Uttaraloka comes from the ideal of spiritual community at practice which is simply and beautifully described in the Culagosingha Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya (31):
Thus have I heard.
The Buddha: “I hope, Anuruddha, that you are all living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.”
Anurruddha: “Surely, venerable sir, we are living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.”
The Buddha: “But, Anuruddha, how do you live thus?”
Anuruddha: “Venerable sir, as to that, I think thus ‘It is a gain for me, it is a great gain for me, that I am living with such companions in the holy life.’ I maintain bodily acts, verbal acts and mental acts of loving-kindness towards those venerable ones both openly and privately. I consider: ‘Why should I not set aside what I wish to do and do what these venerable ones wish to do?’ Then I set aside what I wish to do and do what these venerable ones wish to do. We are different in body, venerable sir, but one in mind.” The venerable Nandiya and the venerable Kimbila each spoke likewise.
The Buddha: “Good, good, Anuruddha. I hope that you all abide diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
They replied: “Surely, venerable sir, we abide diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
The Buddha: “But, Anuruddha, how do you abide thus?”
Anuruddha: We work together, and for, each other. Then every five days we sit together all night discussing the Dhamma. That is how we abide diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
