Wabi-sabi and the Three Doorways to Freedom with Vajradarshini

Wabi-sabi and the Three Doorways to Freedom with Vajradarshini

A meditation and reflection retreat

November 21-25

The Buddha taught that there are three doorways to freedom. These doorways open when we turn towards our experiences of impermanence, insubstantiality, and suffering. Known as the lakshanas—the marks of conditioned existence—they can seem uninviting. After all, who wants to look closely at the more painful aspects of life?

Back in the 90s, Vajradarshini came across Leonard Koren’s Wabi-sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers, which begins with these lines:

Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. A beauty of things modest and humble. A beauty of things unconventional.

Could wabi-sabi mean finding beauty in the lakshanas themselves? If so, perhaps they become easier to embrace. This realisation set Vajradarshini on a path she is still walking today: the path of finding beauty in truth—even in life’s painful truths.

Rooted in Japanese culture, wabi-sabi invites us to cherish the fleeting, the worn, and the understated. It reminds us that life’s most precious moments often lie in simplicity. We are encouraged to notice the magic in everyday rituals— a cup of tea, watching the seasons change, or tending to small creative acts.

Every moment can reveal profound truths. Moments of impermanence, insubstantiality and suffering are like cracks in our everyday world. Through these cracks, we glimpse chinks of light—three doorways into a new reality: signless, wishless, and open.

During this home retreat, we will reflect deeply on these truths with the help of our most cherished wabi-sabi objects—perhaps the socks our mother knitted, or the bowl we once broke and carefully repaired.

What to expect

Join us for 5 days of meditation, led reflections, Dharma teachings, poetry, small and large group discussions and creative Buddhist ritual.

First daily session (2 hrs): USA & Canada PST 1:00 am | México CST 3:00 am | USA & Canada EST 4:00 am | IE & UK GMT 9:00 am | Europe CET 10:00 am | India IST 2:30 pm | Australia AEDT 8:00 pm | New Zealand NZDT 10:00 pm

Second daily session (2 hrs): USA & Canada PST 7:00 am | México CST 9:00 am | USA & Canada EST 10:00 am | IE & UK GMT 3:00 pm | Europe CET 4:00 pm | India IST 8:30 pm | Australia AEDT 2:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 4:00 am (next day)

Third daily session (1 hr): USA & Canada PST 11:00 am | México CST 1:00 pm | USA & Canada EST 2:00 pm | IE & UK GMT 7:00 pm | Europe CET 8:00 pm | India IST 12:30 am (next day) | Australia AEDT 6:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 8:00 am (next day)

Attend any or all conversations in Zoom.

This event will be recorded and may be published online for others to access. Only the leader's video will be used except where users consent to appear spotlighted in a public conversation. Private conversations in breakout rooms will not be recorded.

Suggested donation:

£175 / $230 / €205 for the whole retreat, or drop in for £35 / $45 / €40 per day.

Get one ticket and come to any session you wish!

Like all our events, this retreat is offered by donation rather than charging a compulsory ticket price. We want to do this because we never want money to be an obstacle to taking part in a supportive community, and we know many people are struggling financially. The amount we suggest reflects the huge amount of work and love that goes into putting on events we hope will benefit everyone attending. If you can, please donate today. Thank you!

About Vajradarshini

Vajradarshini is known for her down-to-earth yet insightful approach to Dharma practice. With her real love of people, she creates retreat environments where participants feel at ease and able to fully be themselves—conditions that allow for a natural and deep encounter with the Dharma.

She is currently writing a book on wabi-sabi in relation to the teachings of the lakshanas and vimokshas. For nearly 30 years, she has been exploring and teaching this wabi-sabi approach to Dharma, drawing not only on the Buddhist tradition but also on contemporary art and culture. Weaving these influences together, she creates retreats that are both engaging and transformative—serious in their depth yet spacious, creative, and enjoyable.

She is based in the countryside of southern Sweden and will share something of her life there during the retreat. From her home setting, she’ll bring a flavour of wabi-sabi beauty and it's connection with nature, offering a personal backdrop to our reflections together.

Find out more on her website here. https://www.redladderstudio.com/

Resources

Download the free guide, Wabi-sabi, the Path of Beauty, from Red Ladder Studio. While you’re there, you can also sign up for her newsletter and explore Dharma-inspired blog posts and articles.