Hi, my name is Varvs and I am fundraising on behalf of my dear friend Dora who is trying to raise £3,330 to attend the DharmaLife Course at Adhisthana in August! Here is Dora's story.

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When I first began my Buddhist journey a couple of years ago, I found myself holding an inner conflict that felt difficult to resolve. I was deeply drawn to practising effectively and wholeheartedly as a Buddhist in the context of Triratna, whilst also feeling a strong sense of responsibility and wish towards my grandparents and my family as they grow older and wanting to move back to Budapest to be able to spend more time with them. Amalaśrī at that time suggested I should look into the the Dharma Life course, which made me curious, always wanting to live on the country side, as well.

At the time, I didn’t know very much about it, so I began speaking to people around the Centre to understand more. I met several people who had already completed DharmaLife Course, and they generously shared their experiences with me. Hearing them talk about the course — about their love for the Dharma, the friendships formed, and the way the experience continued to support them afterwards — made me feel increasingly certain that this was something I wanted to do myself. Living a life oriented around practice, learning from different Order members, and building friendships with such intensity feels like a rare and precious opportunity to focus and practice more deeply.

Apart from my practice, I think bringing the Dharma home with me in any form is another aspiration of mines. My mum joined me at the Winter Retreat last year, and the experience had a significant impact on her. Seeing her connect with the Dharma and the Sangha was very moving for me and strengthened my wish for her to have access to a community like the one I have found at the London Buddhist Centre — a place where she can practise, feel supported, and continue to explore Buddhism and meditation. So maybe even if it would just be a few of us studying with some guidance, I’m hoping I could bring this back home with me to her in some form.

I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to attend the Dharma Life Course, and any contribution, no matter how small, would help me immensely in making it possible. Thank you so much for giving whatever you can to support this journey.

Lots of love,

Dora xx