Luang Por Viradhammo and the community are delighted to report that after several
years of careful pondering and planning (and a two-year delay) Tisarana’s Dhamma
Hall is now formally under construction.

Following the excavation work which began in early May, in the past two weeks, the
final surveying has been done, the forms have been laid, concrete poured, and the
first rows of eco-friendly, insulated blocks have been set in place for the foundation.
On June 2 these blocks were filled with another round of concrete. When cured,
this will leave the site ready to be backfilled and have established the level of the
Hall’s floor. Far from the site, meanwhile, massive Douglas fir and pine posts and
beams are being meticulously crafted. Many architectural elements of the Dhamma
Hall make this building unusual, recently prompting one of the workmen to remark
that for him the project may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Proving that it’s
not only the monks who are enjoying the show!

As admittedly absorbing (from our on-site perspective) as it is to watch these skilled
workers ply their trades, our pleasure in witnessing these ‘bricks and mortar’ details
is animated by an ongoing appreciation for the myriad forms of encouragement,
generosity, and hard work that have brought us to this stage.… Read the rest

We are delighted to announce the resumption of our New Guest Orientation Weekends. This is a great opportunity to welcome new guests for an overnight visit and to experience life at Tisarana.

Please refer to dates on our calendar.

Please note that those registering are required to attend for the full duration – arriving on a Friday afternoon and departing on the following Monday morning. … Read the rest

Reflections on 2020

Ajahn Pavaro

December at Tisarana. Each day we walk by the deer in their thickened fur – the does with their observant young, foraging on grass and congregating at the salt lick near our main buildings. The Canada geese have now flown South with their happy racket. Only a few hardy species of birdlife remain, like the chickadees with their pinprick eyes, darting between the low bushes to feeders we fill for the simple pleasure of seeing them thrive.

I’ve now been at Tisarana for half a year; it’s my first Canadian winter after living in Thailand for nine years. Each morning’s community meeting contains a brief weather update – seldom a pressing matter in S.E. Asia. Since returning my supply of clothing and footwear has tripled. Snow has come and gone… and come and gone, and come. Almost without noticing, my acquaintance has returned with the crackle of ice underfoot, the moods of a wood stove, and the uncanny compaction of sound in dense cold.

Yet for all the differences, living as a bhikkhu in this tradition ensures a fair continuity of purpose and practice, something that differing weather, and alterations of flora and fauna, do not disrupt.… Read the rest