Progress Update: June 6, 2008

>>Buddha-phaichitr-sawasdi-mongkol
In case you don’t speak Thai, that means Beautiful Buddha of Good Luck and Blessings. It’s the name of the standing Buddha statue that Nuch Tanphaichitr has sponsored and donated to the monastery. Come and take a look. It certainly is beautiful and will no doubt bring us good luck and blessings. (check out the photo album)

>>Cathy is going, going forth
Our long time kitchen steward is soon entering the homeless life as an anagarika under the training of Ayya Medhanandi. The ceremony will take place the first Saturday of Ayya’s retreat in Pembroke. Following the retreat, Cathy will take up residence at Satisaraniya Hermitage, Ayya Medhanandi’s new dwelling in Ottawa. Best wishes to Cathy and gratitude for her year of service to Tisarana.

>>Can you canoe, Bhikkhu?
Monasteries can sometimes be busy places, so what better way for a monk to find seclusion in Canada than to float to the middle of a lake? Robin and Jim Howe have kindly donated a beautiful canoe to the monastery. Many thanks. (check out photo album)

>>Lawn Devas needed
It’s grass season at Tisarana and the lawns are growing full tilt. Rumor has it that our riding lawn mower is lots of fun to use. And that it is always more enjoyable to mow someone else’s lawn. Contact us if you’d like to help.

>> Surely a Saturday
Our days of mindfulness are happening every Saturday. If you are able, we have a mindful work period from 8:30 to 10:45, followed by a mindful meal at 11, a mindful meditation at 2, mindful Dhamma talk at 3, more mindful walking and sitting meditation after that and mindful tea (and chatting) at 5.

>> From the book _No_Ajahn_Cha_:
First you understand the Dhamma with your thoughts. If you begin to understand it, you will practice it. And if you practice it, you will begin to see it. And when you see it, you are the Dhamma, and you have the joy of the Buddha.