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Centro de Retiros Suryavana

Todos necesitamos un respiro de la vida cotidiana de vez en cuando. Un respiro así puede ser refrescante y revitalizante. Suryavana nos abre las puertas al mundo budista, ofreciendo una nueva perspectiva de la vida. Suryavana no es solo una casa rural, es un templo budista en plena naturaleza, amplio e inspirador. No muy lejos de la civilización, con cielos más amplios, unos días en Suryavana ofrecen una experiencia compartida de comunidad, de convivencia y práctica. Esto nos nutre, inspira y nos desafía, ofreciendo una visión renovada de la vida y de la conexión con nosotros mismos y con los demás.

Agradecimientos

Jesu Maraz – gran compañera

Yashomani – nuestro Tesorero 

Padmashalin – Cocinero principal 2025

Nuestros donantes que han facilitado la renovación de la Sala de Meditación y la Estupa y mil detalles más

Todas las personas que nos han ayudado llevar eventos en 2025, especialmente en cocina

Todas las personas y todos los grupos que han organizado y asistido retiros en Suryavana en 2025

Gracias 

Sudaka (Director)

El Sueño de un Retiro en el campo

Durante décadas, la Sangha Triratna de Valencia (fundada en 1990) alquilaba lugares en el campo de los alrededores de Valencia para organizar retiros. El viaje a cada retiro era un arduo y complejo viaje: cargar una furgoneta de alguien con material de meditación y, a veces, nuestro viejo domo geodésica, hacer la compra, cargar otro vehículo y organizar a los cocineros. Nos dirigíamos a una propiedad alquilada, normalmente a una o dos horas de distancia. Luego preparamos el altar. Esto se prolongó durante décadas y, sin duda, tuvo sus ventajas y su propio encanto. Hoy en día, con solo un par de llamadas, o incluso un WhatsApp, llegamos a una casa de campo con calefacción central, las camas hechas, la sala de meditación preparada con cojines y esterillas a juego, la despensa llena y el equipo de cocina listo para empezar. El objetivo principal de Suryavana es proporcionar un lugar de retiro exclusivo para nuestra comunidad Triratna, abierto a todos, así como para retiros de Ordenación (para hombres y mujeres), fines de semana de la Orden y eventos más largos de la Orden.

En 2016, con gran entusiasmo e ilusión, la Junta que gestionaba el Centro Budista de Valencia compró la Masía Novales, una finca de olivos renovada, a una hora en coche de Valencia. Por suerte, la casa ya había sido reformada como “hotel boutique” unos diez años antes, y pudimos celebrar nuestro primer retiro a los pocos días de adquirirla. La propiedad se adquirió con varias donaciones importantes y dos préstamos grandes. Suryavana, como proyecto, se encuentra en su fase de “inversión y amortización”.

Durante los últimos cinco años (desde la Pandemia), el énfasis ha sido generar “viabilidad económica”, así como crear un espacio vital sostenible para el equipo (mi esposa y yo) que gestiona el proyecto. Suryavana avanza a buen ritmo. Cada mes reducimos nuestro préstamo bancario (1129,89 euros al mes), para cumplir en 2032! ¡Solo nos quedan 6 años! El segundo préstamo del Windhorse Trust para comprar e iniciar el proyecto fue de 73.895,64 libras esterlinas. Este préstamo se está amortizando gradualmente (£6000 anuales). La fecha de finalización es marzo de 2036. Falta algunos años aun!

Datos relevantes: En 2025, organizamos 35 retiros.
Unas 500 personas se alojaron en Suryavana.
Nuestra Orden y la comunidad budista Triratna organizaron 12 retiros y amigos de nuestra Sangha, como RespiraVida, Bodhiyoga y otras, organizaron 9 eventos.
Recibimos a 15 grupos “no-Triratna” (yoga, desarrollo personal y otras formaciones).

Podemos notar que aproximadamente un tercio de nuestros ingresos provino de Triratna y amigos, un tercio de grupos no-Triratna, una cuarta parte de donaciones y el resto de nuestra pequeña tienda y Cabañas para retiros solitarios.

Ofrecemos alojamiento sencillo tipo albergue y comida vegetariana nutritiva. Podemos alojar grupos de 15 a 25 personas. Las habitaciones varían de 2 a 5 camas con baño privado. Disponemos de calefacción central en invierno y una fresca Sala de Meditación y piscina en verano. Condiciones ideales para hacer un retiro! Recientemente, hemos añadido una Estupa de poco más de dos metros de altura para embellecer y santificar nuestro templo budista, Suryavana. Esta servirá para albergar tierra del túmulo funerario de nuestro maestro, Urgyen Sangharakshita, situado en Adhistana (Inglaterra, Reino Unido).

 ¿Qué ofrece Suryavana al mundo?

1. Un centro de retiro para la comunidad Triratna en España, abierto a todos, una oportunidad para que cualquier persona encuentre, explore y profundice su conexión con la práctica budista y la meditación, tal como la presenta Triratna, en condiciones de retiro. Unas 500 personas pasaron por Suryavana en 2025.
2. Un espacio sagrado abierto a grupos afines para alquilar y disfrutar. Para ayudar a generar ingresos y recursos para Suryavana. Generamos una donación de unos 1700 euros para el Centro Budista de Barcelona en septiembre de 2025.
3. Suryavana es un negocio en equipo apoyando parcialmente a dos o tres miembros de nuestra Sangha. 
4. Un taller, espacio creativo para voluntarios, donde explorar el trabajo y compartir prácticas en equipo, durante los retiros, en la cocina y en algunos «retiros de trabajo».

¿Como colaborar con nosotros?

• ¡Ven de retiro!
  El mejor apoyo es venir aquí de retiro. ¡Consulta nuestro programa! También tenemos una cabaña para retiros solitarios a 200 metros de la casa principal.
  
• Apóyanos económicamente
  Una pequeña donación mensual es realmente útil para presupuestar nuestros costos operativos.
  
• Haga una donación para el préstamo de Windhorse Trust
  Debemos £73,895.64 ¿Qué tal si nos haces una gran donación para liquidarla ahora? Esto tendría varios beneficios:
  1. Liberar recursos para reinvertirlos en el proyecto, modernizar nuestras instalaciones y apoyar a un equipo más grande.
  2. Aliviar el estrés y la presión constantes de gestionar un presupuesto muy ajustado.
  3. Suryavana estaría 5 años más cerca de la independencia financiera.
  4. Tu donación tendría un doble impacto, ya que Windhorse Trust reinvierte sus recursos financieros en la comunidad Triratna de todo el mundo.
  
• Sea voluntario
  Si vives por aquí, te invitamos a colaborar en nuestros retiros. ¡Agradecemos especialmente tu colaboración en la cocina! De vez en cuando organizamos retiros de trabajo para cuidar la propiedad y los jardines.

Suryavana Retreat Centre

All us need a break from our everyday lives from time to time.
Such a break can be both refreshing and revitalizing.
Suryavana opens the portal into the Buddhist world, offering a new perspective on life and living.

Suryavana is not just a country house, it is a Buddhist temple situated in the nature, expansive and stimulating. Not far from civilization, with bigger skies, a few days in Suryavana provides a shared experience of community, of living and practicing together. This nourishes, inspires and challenges us offering a renewed vision of living and connecting with ourselves and others.

Agradecimientos

Jesu Maraz – great companion

Yashomani – our Treasurer 

Padmashalin – Main Chef 2025

Our donors who facilitated the renovation of the Shrine Room and the Stupa, and countless other details.

All the people who have helped us run events in 2025, especially in the kitchen.

All the individuals and groups who have organized and attended retreats at Suryavana in 2025.

Many thanks 

Sudaka (Director)

The Dream of a Country Retreat

For decades the Valencia Triratna Sangha (founded in 1990) rented out places in the countryside around Valencia to run retreats. There was an elaborate and arduous journey to each retreat, loading up someones van with assorted meditation gear and sometimes our aging geodesic dome, doing the shopping and loading up another vehicle, organising cooks. We would head out to a rented property, usually an hour or two away.  Then set up a shrine. This went on for decades and no doubt had its benefits and its own charm. Nowadays with just a couple of phone calls, maybe even just a WhatsApp, we turn up to a centrally heated country house, beds made, a shrine room set out with matching cushions and mats, the food store full and the kitchen team ready to go! Suryavana’s primary purpose is to provide a dedicated retreat place for our Triratna community, open to all, as well for Ordination training (for men and women), Order weekends and longer Order events.

In 2016, with much enthusiasm and hope the Council that ran the Valencia Buddhist Centre, we were ten at the time, bought the Masía Novales, a renovated late 19th century olive farm, an easy one hour drive from Valencia. Fortunately for us the house had already been refurbished as a “boutique hotel” some ten years previously and we could run our first retreat within a few days after acquisition.

The property was purchased with several substantial donations and two large loans. Suryavana, as a project, is in its “investment and pay back phase”. 

The emphasis over the last five years (since the Pandemic) has been to build economic viability, as well as create a sustainable living space for the “team” (myself and my wife) running the project. Suryavana steadily proceeds forward with our Spanish bank loan (1129,89 euros every month), concluding in 2032! Only 6 years to go! The second loan from the Windhorse Trust to buy and start the project was £73,895.64. This is being paid back slowly (£6000 per annum). The completion date is March 2036.

Some data: In 2025 we ran 35 retreats. Some 500 people stayed at Suryavana.
Our Order and Triratna Buddhist community organised 12 retreats and friends of our Sangha; RespiraVida, Bodhiyoga and others ran 9 events.
We hosted 15 non-Triratna groups (Yoga, personal development and other trainings). 

It is worth noting that about third of our income came from Triratna and friends, a third from non-Triratna groups, a quarter in donations and the rest from our little shop and solitary cabin facility. 

We offer dates to other groups that want simple hostel style accommodation and nutritious vegetarian food. We can accommodate groups of 15-25 people in all weathers. Rooms vary from 2-5 beds with ensuite bathrooms. We have central heating in Winter and a cool Shrineroom and a swimming pool in Summer!

Most recently we have added a Stupa, just over 2m high, to beautify and sanctify our Buddhist temple, Suryavana.
It will serve to house some earth from our own teachers burial mound situated in Adhistana (England UK).

 What does Suryavana offer to the world?

1. A retreat centre for the Triratna community in Spain, open to all, an opportunity for anyone to encounter, explore and deepen their connection with Buddhist practice and meditation as presented by Triratna in retreat conditions. Some 500 people came through Suryavana in 2025
2. A sacred space open to like-minded groups to rent and enjoy. To help generate income and resources for Suryavana.
   We generated a donation of some 1700 euros for the Barcelona Buddhist Centre in September in 2025.
3. Suryavana is a team based business to partially support two or three members of our Sangha. 
4. A workshop, or “playground” for volunteers, to explore working and sharing practice in teams, in the kitchen and some “working retreats”.

Do you want collaborate with us?

1. Come on retreat
   The best support is to come here on retreat. Check out our programme!
   We also have a solitary cabin facility, 200m from the main house
   
2. Support us financially
   A small monthly donation is really helpful to budget our running costs
   
3. Make a donation towards the Windhorse Trust Loan
   We owe £73,895.64 to be repaid by 2036.
   How about giving us a large donation to clear this now?
   This would have a number of benefits:
   1. Free up resources to be invested back into the project, to upgrade our facilities and support a bigger team
   2. Relieve ongoing stresses and strains of running a very tight streamlined budget.
   3. Suryavana would be 5 years closer to financial independence
   4. Your donation would have a double impact, as the Windhorse Trust reinvests its financial resources around the Triratna community worldwide.
   
4. Be a volunteer
   If you live locally, we invite you to come help out on our retreats. Especially welcome is collaboration in our kitchen! From time to time we organise “working retreats” to take care of the property and gardens.   

Suryavana Retreat Centre, Spain 

Hi all. We just had a really “full-on” run of activities leaving me a little “Frito”. “Fried”. If you had spoken to me Sunday morning at 8am when we were preparing breakfast for our guests I would have been in a very different mood to now. Six events one after the other with a few days to recover in between each event. Padmashalin did a great job of running the kitchen. We were blessed by a couple of young volunteers, “making lighter work with many hands”. The extra challenge was that nearly all the groups were new non-Triratna folks, that rent out Suryavana. I see them as “collaborators”, helping us pay the bills. We have to try to explain what we are trying to do here; Buddhist ethical values, team-work, offering a friendly service. Not easy in a culture of “we pay, you make the coffee!”. Hospitality, just like everywhere else; long hours, poorly paid, rude customers. 

We also ran the first “working retreat” in years and built a Stupa! Pure magic! We want to inter earth from Bhante’s burial mound from Adhistana. 

Juan Castell, an old friend and Mitra from the Valencia Sangha, designed and built, with the help of others a beautiful new addition to Suryavana. It is a modest size, around a metre and half base and just over two metres tall. You have to gently look up to it, when standing near, which feels appropriate. It’s the first outwardly evident Buddhist structure here at Suryavana.

We also added some radiators to the newly refurbished Shrine-room downstairs.

Then there has been the crazy juggling act of trying to pay for everything. Suryavana accounts are always “on the edge”. Just like many Triratna projects around the world and probably many other projects based on idealism and not current market values. There’s no Artificial Intelligence here. Just simple hostal style accommodation and nutritious vegetarian cuisine. 

As “el Responsable”, the Chair, the “responsible” person, I do end up losing sleep at times, which is really no joke! My wife tells me sleepless nights go with middle age. Maybe that’s the reason heh? 

We are trusting there is forward movement, progress. Suryavana is in the “build stage”. Repayment of debts, til 2036! That’s . Monies invested in the infrastructure make the place more attractive to anyone wanting to come and do retreats here. This seems to be the case, as everyone delights in the new Stupa , and they love the refurbished and heatable practice space.

The Stupa, I see as a “halo” project. It wasn’t costly (250 euros). It gives the Centre a truly “spiritual” atmosphere, a “consecration” of our Buddhist temple. It shifts Suryavana more concretely into the mythical realm of the Buddha. One more step!

In fact, as Juan, and others, were erecting the stupa, it felt like the Stupa had always been there and Juan was carving the bricks and mortar out of the ether, manifesting something that was already present but Invisible! It was like a condensation of matter into the world from another dimension, rather than picking up construction materials, cement, sand and so forth from the builders yard and adding them into an empty space in the garden! I am curious to see what happens as a consequence of it’s “force field”.

We are now into the colder winter months. Dropping to near zero at night. Who would have believed it after the long hot summer? Such is Alta Palancia. Fortunately bright sunny days. Our wood burner is alight 24 hours. I take the chain saw to some felled almond trees across the way and stock up on logs. A deep sleep prevails after a morning of carting wood across the terraces. We prepare the house for a Silent meditation retreat organised by the Valencia Buddhist Centre. 

Some of us here in the Order in Spain are working through the Heart Sutra retreat material led by Vessantara last year at Adhistana. For me it’s ideal. Remote study. It’s actually been surprisingly beneficial to weave sessions into my outwardly very busy life of activity. Sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to finish her music class, I am guided through a “skandha” meditation, a pause in the morning communications with clients and friends, I lie back on the sofa in the retreat centre lounge and listen to a talk on the deconstruction of Buddhist practice. Wonderful! We are meeting up Online to discuss the material every two weeks. It nourishes me. 

The last five years of picking up the project and running with it has been working out how to live and work here sustainably. Me as Dharmachari, me as Chair, sustainable for my family. Sustainable as a viable project, which is essentially a small business enterprise in a tricky economic climate. I am taking one month at a time. Which is just as well.

Fortunately, being here brings me into contact with lots of people both within and outside of our Triratna community, so though physically isolated I feel connected. I would not be able to be here without my family and the support we receive from many others.

My main intentions for the next period on a personal level are to get the kids through school. Eight years to go! 

On a “professional” level, there are two major projects I would like to realise before I leave Suryavana. One is to clear the Windhorse Trust loan. Secondly, build a larger shrine room. We are running fund raising campaigns for both objectives. I plan to send out a more detailed “Directors report” at the end of the year for anyone interested.

Vessantara’s gentle reminder of Bhante’s teaching on the Greater Mandala of Uselessness seems so appropriate these days. A life of activity. Where is the calm? Where is the Aesthetic appreciation?

All the best. Happy New Year!