Welcome to the Guhyaloka Website

Founded in 1986, Guhyaloka is an international men’s Buddhist retreat centre run by the Triratna Buddhist Community. Far from the hustle and bustle of the modern life Guhyaloka is a place to relax, unwind, live a simple life, either alone or in the company of others, and discover within oneself deeper sources of satisfaction and energy.

Arriving in the Spanish valley after driving or walking, along ten kilometres of rough dirt road you immediately understand why it is called Guhyaloka - the "secret realm". It is a magical place in a beautiful natural setting in a canyon deep in the mountains.  There are very few vehicles, no mains electricity,  fresh spring water, no phone, no television, no internet, no shops, and no restaurants.  In fact there are no external demands to interfer with one's deepening experience of meditation and one’s understanding and practice of the Buddha’s teaching, or “Dharma” as is it is traditionally called.

The retreat centre was originally set up to provide facilities for intensive 4-month retreats for men about to be ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order.  However, we now also offer facilities for people who wish to do solitary retreats for periods from one week to two years, and we also hold communal retreats for members of the Triratna Buddhist Order and for the general public.

Retreats held at Guhyaloka are only for men, but within the Triratna Community there are retreat facilities for just women , and for both men and women.  See the Triratna Page for more information

For a quick tour of the valley and the facilities see a short introductory slide show

Guhyaloka Trust and OBO

The Guhyaloka Trust is a registered UK charity and the OBO (Orden Budista Occidental, or in English, Western Buddhist Order), its sister organisation, is a Spanish, non-profit organisation. Together they are responsible for holding and caring for the land and retreat centre, and are committed to providing an ideal location for spiritual practice.

Lastest news from Guhyaloka

Working Retreat 2015

Submitted by Maniraja on 2 February 2015 - 1:18pm

This is my sixth working retreat. I arrived during the working retreat in 2010. The retreat is a real delight. We get to do all the usual retreat stuff like study; Saccanama is leading study for the month on the Dhammapada. Puja, meditation, and of course enjoying plent of space and free time. Guhyaloka is stunningly beautiful and while it can get chilly, on lovely days like to day the sun is out, the sky is blue and we are heading towards a barmy 14C. We work most mornings except Thursday when we have a full day of silence with a practice morning. Friday is the day to go exploring.

Guhyaloka Community

Submitted by Maniraja on 14 January 2015 - 7:09pm

2015 - Guhyaloka CommunityHere we are! The current Guhyaloka Community. From left to right. Dridhakarin, Vajrasiddhi, Vidyasiddhi, Dayajina, Maniraja, Bodhidaka and Greg.

Guhyaloka now on facebook

Submitted by Maniraja on 2 October 2011 - 3:49pm

Thanks to everyone who clicked the like this button enabling us to have our very own facebook page.

Take a look at www.facebook.com/guhyaloka

Progress at El Collao

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 7 May 2011 - 1:02pm

Bodhidaka on New TractorDuring our first year a lot of effort has gone into learning how to manage the land and the trees.  This has been a steep learing curve and a lot of hard work - but the generous donation of a tractor,  by friends of Bodhidaka, at the end of last year has made an enormous difference.  The trees - fruit, almond and olive as well as the vines - are now well tended and the management program better underst

New Community Members

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 13 February 2011 - 6:02pm

It is not often that we can announce two new community members.  Saccanama

Achaladeva and Saccanama are brothers, and last year they both decided to join the community at Guhyaloka until at least early 2012.  Achaladeva has lived at Guhyaloka on and off over the last four or five years, and Saccanama has been on several long retreats in recent years - so they know the community well.  It is a great boon that we have these two men with us. 

Change of President

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 11 February 2011 - 2:03pm

The president of a Triratna Community Centre is a senior Order member who acts as a 'Wise Friend' to the Moksanandacommunity. 

For many years Cittapala has been Guhyaloka's President and his knowledge of the history and development of Guhyaloka has been invaluable - but for the last several years he has felt that as he lived in the UK it was time to hand onto someone with a closer regular connection.  Fortunately Moksananda who has lived in Valenica for over twenty years, visits Guhyaloka regularly, has lived in the valley himself, and is a senior and experienced Order member wanted to take on a new responsibility - so a new president was available. 

Additions to this Website

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 1 August 2010 - 9:17pm

You can now see a short slide show with images of the Valley and the various retreat and solitary facilities.

You can also check to see which solitary retreat places are available on line

And there is more information about the history of the Guhyaloka Community

Ordinations at Guhyaloka 2010

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 19 July 2010 - 9:21pm

Guhyaloka Course 2010In the middle of June seven men were ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

Their ordination was in the context of a four month retreat during which all aspects of the 'core' teachings and practices of the Triratna Order are reviewed and engaged with.  As usual the retreat was particularly harmonious, but because of the small number of men on retreat this year we were able to get to know and appreciate each other even better than usual.  The Order team was Manjuvajra, Dharmapriya, Jayaraja and Dhammadipa. 

Changes in the Community

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 9 March 2010 - 7:04pm

BodhiketuThere are two changes in the community this month. 

After six years at Guhyaloka, Bodhiketu is leaving to return to the UK. From September he will be devoting a year to living and working in a community raising funds for the Karuna Trust which supports the Triratna Buddhist Community's social and Dharma work in India. 

2010 Working Retreat

Submitted by Manjuvajra on 5 March 2010 - 7:34pm

We have just finshed the 2010 working retreat. During the month of Februaryworking men relaxing about fifteen men from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Spain and the United States joined the community for a week or more to help with the work at Guhyaloka, and at the same time to enjoy a retreat here in the mountains.  We had a program of meditation, study and puja and each morning we worked together for four hours.