Buddhism 05 July, 2026 · 7 min read

Introducing Sīlavāpi

Over the last three months I’ve attended an 11‑week residential ordination retreat up in the mountains of Aragón in southern Spain. During this retreat I was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order and given the name Sīlavāpi by my preceptor, Acalavajrī…

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A photo of three women wearing blue robes, Sīlavāpi in the middle with a white strip of cloth called a kesa around her neck with the symbol of the Triratna movement - a yellow, red and blue drop on a lotus surrounded by a ring of flames - the woman on the left is wearing a saffron coloured kesa. Both women on the left and right of Sīlavāpi are much older. All three are smiling to the camera.

Over the last three months I’ve had the great privilege of taking a sabbatical and attending an 11‑week residential ordination retreat up in the mountains of Aragón in southern Spain. During this retreat I was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order and given the name Sīlavāpi by my preceptor, Acalavajrī.

It was around 16 years ago that I decided that Buddhism was the path I wanted to follow in life, and asked for ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order. I could never have imagined the twists and turns my life would take from that point to today - it’s been quite a wild ride! Here’s a bit of an explanation as to the name Sīlavāpi and what it means, why my preceptor gave me the name, and what that means going forward.

TL;DR:

The name means 'she who is a lake of virtuous conduct’.
It’s pronounced see‑lah‑vah‑pee.
I’d like to be known as Sīlavāpi everywhere, but it’ll take a bit of time. If you forget and call me Ruth, that’s fine - we’ll get there together.
You can read more about what ordination means in Triratna.
The website will be updated soon - my lovely friend Chiara Aliotta-Baras at Until Sunday is already working on it.

Why Sīlavāpi?

Here’s the explanation that my private preceptor, Acalavajrī, gave when she shared my name publicly for the first time at the public ordination:

Ruth’s new name is rich with meaning. It comes from the Pāli words sīla, meaning ethical conduct or virtue, and vāpi, meaning a reservoir, lake or pond. It gives me great joy to introduce Sīlavāpi - ‘ she who is a lake of virtuous conduct.’ [It’s pronounced see-lah-vah-pee].

A lake isn’t fixed or permanent but it is sustaining - something that gathers and holds what is essential, and quietly nourishes life around it. It does not fill itself. It depends on what flows into it, and what is allowed to drain away. Every act of attention, every moment of reflection, every choice to repair harm or extend kindness adds something back. No lake remains at its fullest forever. But neither is it ever beyond replenishment. Ethical behaviour is not a fixed achievement. It is a living thing which we are responsible for sustaining.

And this feels like a perfect reflection of who Sīlavāpi is. She is someone who brings integrity, kindness, wholeheartedness and care into the world - not in a dramatic or showy way, but in the quiet, consistent way that truly sustains others. She truly is a ‘lake of virtuous conduct’ a source of nourishment, refreshment and an inspiration to all that know her.

Sīlavāpi’s journey has been shaped not only by dedication, but also by courage. She has lived with physical pain and real uncertainty and rather than turning away from difficulty, she has met these conditions with courage, determination, and care, rebuilding strength and continuing to live fully and actively. Her resilience is deeply inspiring.

She brings this same spirit into every part of her life. Through her work leading the global Mautic community she brings people together across countries and cultures, creating spaces of collaboration, trust, and shared purpose. She publicly ‘blogs’ about her practice of taking the precepts into her work and into the world. She shows, through her actions, that ethical practice is not separate from everyday life - it can guide how we work, how we lead, how we care for one another and how we contribute to the world.

Perhaps most importantly though, she has done the deep inner work of transformation. Through her practice, she has learned to open to experience, to grow in self-awareness, and to cultivate trust - in herself, in others, and in the Dharma. Her practice of ethics is not theoretical; it is lived, day by day, in how she relates to the world.

Sīlavāpi is also a musician, an endurance athlete, a community builder, and a devoted member of the sangha - someone who brings energy, generosity, and sincerity wherever she goes. She gives herself wholeheartedly - to her friends, to her community, and to the path she has chosen. There is a sincerity and depth to her commitment that is both moving and inspiring.

Her new name, Sīlavāpi, reflects both her aspiration and the qualities she already embodies - but we are not just celebrating her new name, but a deepening of a lifelong commitment - her commitment to live ethically and to grow in wisdom and compassion for the sake of all beings.

Quite a name, eh!

As soon as I heard it in my private ordination ceremony, it just felt right. It felt like it really represented all that has led to the most transformation along my path, and where I’m at now – but it’s also a strongly aspirational name and a lifelong call to practice.

People who know me well also commented how well the name fit with what they know of me.

Going forward, every time someone calls ‘Sīlavāpi’ it’s a reminder of that moment in my private ordination, a reminder of why Acalavajrī gave me that name, and a reminder of the importance of ethical practice in my journey towards Enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

What now?

About the name

Going forward, I’m planning to use the name Sīlavāpi in all contexts – work, personal, and everywhere online. I don’t want to have some people know me by one name and others by another. I know it’ll take a bit of time and that it’s not an easy name to get your head around. There’ll be a transition period and it’s completely fine if you still call me Ruth accidentally - we’ll just work our way towards Sīlavāpi over time.

So what, are you a nun now?

In our tradition (the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order), ordination doesn’t mean you become a monk or a nun (you can read more about what ordination means in the Triratna Buddhist Order if you’re interested). I’ll be continuing to work and to live with my partner (and of course, the two cats!) ‘in the world’. I may have some more responsibilities at my local Buddhist Centre, but for all intents and purposes, things will continue much as they were before I left. I might write a bit more in this part of my blog, though.

One thing that will be visually a bit different is that I’m trying out wearing my robes and kesa all the time.

This isn’t something people tend to do in our order – we only had an official order robe relatively recently, and as a more Western‑focused movement people usually wear ‘civvies’ so as not to put people off and to stay close to everyday reality. During the retreat, though, I felt a really strong connection with all the women over thousands of years who have taken ordination and worn their robes for the rest of their lives.

Wearing robes also feels like a very practical way I can explore renunciation. Working in the tech industry and living in the world, there are a lot of things it isn’t practical for me to let go of. Fashion and how I dress is something I can simplify quite easily. The robes are also a very visible reminder of my time on retreat – of wearing them all day, every day, of the vows I took during my ordination ceremony, of the precepts we aspire to follow, and of the centrality of my Buddhist practice and commitment in my life.

I won’t be wearing it when I’m training (robes + gym equipment/running/swimming/cycling isn’t a very sensible combination!) but on the whole I expect to be wearing them most of the time (yes, in all this heat!)

I’ve committed to this for a period of ~6 weeks up until and including the Order Convention, and will see how it feels at that point as to whether I’ll continue it as a practice, or not.

Website / brand updates

I’ll make some updates to the website, domain and brand fairly soon, but for the moment I’m just settling back into life after three months with 23+ women, a few ibexes, lots of lizards, some very friendly little hares, and a lot of cicadas for company! The world feels very loud and busy and a little overwhelming right now, so forgive me if you encounter me and I resemble something like a rabbit in the headlights.

I start back at work on Monday 13 July, so until then I’m fairly ‘out of the loop’. My good friend Chiara Aliotta‑Baras at Until Sunday is cooking up some ideas for my branding, so watch this space for updates.