2000 ARCHIVE - Internationality at Windhorse

Another video from Clear Vision Trusts archive of Newsreels about the wide range Buddhists from other countries and cultures that Windhorse has often attracted to Cambridge. They reflect on what their experience has been like, to be living and working in a foreign country, and how this has can be challenging forcing them to look at what really represents them, and what is inherited from their cultural background.

1998 ARCHIVE - A Period of Consolidation

This video from a Clear Vision Trust Newsreel from 1998 captures the business at a time when rapid growth  had been outstripping our ability to keep up with it, both as a business and as a spiritual work place. We were about to enter what Vajraketu calls in this video 'a period of consolidation.' What's interesting about this video is that it visually captures the atmosphere and character of our old warehouse at Coral Park, four years before it was to be demolished, when we moved to the current warehouse at Coldhams Business Park.

1991 ARCHIVE- A Feature on Cambridge Evolution

A story from an early Clear Vision Trust Newsreel about the opening of the Cambridge Evolution shop in 1991.

1996 ARCHIVE - A Brief History of Windhorse Trading

Here's Vajraketu in 1996 talking about the history of the business up till that point, and what its guiding principles were. Video courtesy of Clear Vision Trust.

2011 ARCHIVE - Team Breakfasts

Every Friday morning from roughly 9 till 10.15am the Buddhist Teams at windhorse have what are known as Right Livelihood Meetings. The content of these meetings varies from week to week. The overall aim is to work collectively and individually on deepening our everyday spiritual practice, but also our understanding of each other, all within the context of our work. Though we may study the Dharma, meditate, do devotional rituals, tell our life-stories, or report in to each other how we are doing,  just occasionally we simply hang out together and have a Team Breakfast.  We pool our money, someone buys the food, someone else does the cooking, whilst the rest of us just turn up for a nosh and a natter.

These photos were taken at a recent Team Breakfast for the Wholesale Team, where after several weeks of depleted numbers in the team everyone was back.  If the slideshow doesn't start automatically then click on 'Team Breakfast' and click on the play button.

2011 ARCHIVE - The Vajrasattva Period

During each year the warehouse engages with various themes to bring focus to  work as a spiritual practice. Compared to the intense level of work in the Padmasambhava period, the following period can seem quieter, more internal and low key. Beginning with the Winter Solstice on the 21st December, this period continues until the Spring Equinox in March. This coincides, at least for the first seven weeks, with a more spacious and slower work pace.

People often use this time to recharge by going on retreat. Its generally a time for taking stock, evaluating what has passed and setting up good conditions for whatever may be to come in the future. Vajrasattva as the presiding archetypal deity is reflective by nature. He's more concerned with the purification of our ethical practice, in our past and present actions. To cleanse ourselves of any unskilful obstructions, and restate, or clarify, the spiritual intention behind our practice.

The Vajrasattva shrine on the Stupa

Well, that's the ideal.  In reality, there is a good deal of reviewing how we did as a business financially because, ironically for a Buddhist company, we make most of our profit at Christmas. It's also during the New Year, in this simpler and less intense easing of the work pace, that we can afford to relax a little and catch up with work colleagues. It also engenders a lot of physical clearing up of the detritus that builds up in a warehouse over a hectic Christmas period.  Then gradually containers start to arrive more frequently with our new stock ranges. Our shops have there own clear out of stock via January Sales. All before the first Trade Show of the year at the NEC in Birmingham, officially kicks off the busy Spring season with a vengance, in early February.

1995 ARCHIVE - We Were Once On National TV

Here's a BBC News feature article about us from 1995 - thanks to Clear Vision Trust for this.

2011 ARCHIVE - Community At Work - No 1

A new video from Sugarbha interviewing people from windhorse about why Buddhists are working so hard in a large warehouse to supply trinkets to the Giftware trade.

Community at Work I from Dharmachari Sugarbha on Vimeo.