Ajahn Viradhammo and Ajahn Kusalo are currently the resident teachers at Tisarana

Ajahn was born in Germany, 1947, to Latvian refugee parents. They moved to Toronto when he was four years old. Around 1969, while living in India, he encountered Buddhism, meeting the late Samanera Bodhesako, who introduced him to the teachings of the Buddha. He eventually travelled to Thailand to become a novice at Wat Mahathat in 1973 and took bhikkhu ordination the following year at Wat Pah Pong with Ven. Ajahn Chah. He was one of the first residents at Wat Pah Nanachat, the international monastery in north-east Thailand. Having spent four years in Thailand, he went back to Canada to visit his family in 1977. Instead of returning to Thailand, he was asked by Ajahn Chah to join Ajahn Sumedho at the Hampstead Vihara in London. Later, he was involved in the establishment of both the Chithurst and Harnham monasteries in the UK.

In 1985, invited by the Wellington Theravada Buddhist Association, he moved to New Zealand, accompanied by Venerable Thanavaro, where he lived for 10 years, setting up Bodhinyanarama monastery. In 1995 he came to the UK to assist Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati and stayed for four years before returning to New Zealand, where he lived until 2002. Since then he has been living in Ottawa caring for his mother.

Ajahn Kusalo, born in 1952, grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. A chequered pattern of study and work, mostly in the building industry, eventually resulted in qualification as a Quantity Surveyor. However, a general disinterest in worldly gain led to many years of wandering throughout Australasia. Around 1980 he met Ajahn Jagaro in Perth, Australia and joined retreats led by Ajahn Sumedho who visited there for two conscutive years. Because he was still married, with one son, it was not until 1990 that he was able to join Ajahn Viradhammo in Bodhinyanarama Monastery, Wellington. He took bhikkhu ordination in 1992 and remained there until 1994 when there was an invitation to join Ajahn Sumedho in England. Six years at Amaravati Monastery led to a year in Wales which was a precursor to two years of wandering around Europe. Part of this time was a three week trip to Canada and it was this visit that led to a return there in 2004 for a two year stay. This stay was followed by just over 6 months in Australia visiting various monasteries and spending time with his mother. Ajahn returned to Canada in February 2007 and is the senior monk in residence at Tisarana Buddhist Monastery.

On the beach in New Zealand with his mother and son.