News Updates, Page 25

Hello, here’s the latest news from Tisarana…

Ajahn Viradhammo Departs

Ajahn Viradhammo will depart for a five month trip on Monday. He will return to Canada in mid-May 2012. We wish Ajahn all the best for a safe and happy trip.

Ajahn Kusalo Returns

Ajahn Kusalo will return to Tisarana on December 22nd. He will be present to lead the community until Ajahn Viradhammo returns in mid-May. A warm welcome back to Ajahn.

New Year’s Celebration

We will ring in the New Year at Tisarana on December 31st. There will be a service at seven pm, with meditation and a Dhamma talk. Following the service we will have a bonfire and a marshmallow roast. Bring your own marshmallows. Attendees are free to leave during the marshmallow roast if they have other engagements. After enjoying the bonfire and some marshmallows, we will end 2011 with some meditation and chanting. The evening ends shortly after 12:00am. Come and join us.

Walkway Construction

The foundations have been laid and framing has begun for the walkway to our new meditation hall (Kusala Sala). The walkway will be a very warm way to get from the house to the meditation hall. Take a look next time you’re by.… Read the rest

Atulo’s Ordination:
Everything went so well. There are several traditional, technical aspects around accepting a candidate into the Bhikkhu Sangha and these were well observed by a full assembly of monks. They were also observed by a delightful number of delightful people who came to share the event. This was delightful, joyous, happy. Rituals and ceremonies function both on the practical level and on the level of the communal heart. We welcome Atulo into the community of monks. [photo]

2011 Calendar:
We have been given a quantity of books by our generous friends in Malaysia for free distribution. There is a selection of timeless dhamma and a timely 2011 calendar. These are available from the monastery.

New Year – 1st notice:
December 31st is a Friday and we are planning our usual late night vigil to bring in the New Year. You are welcome at any time of day. Organised events will begin with evening Puja at 7:00pm. The night will be a mixture of chanting, meditation, dhamma talk, reflections, more meditation and closing with a bell at midnight. There will be a warm bonfire with flames and light and levity (and possibly marshmallows). If you are planning to stay the night please book online.… Read the rest

Atulo’s Ordination:
Everything is on track for Atulo’s going-forth on the 14th of November at the Civitan Hall on Craig Street, Perth [Hwy 43]. MAP: Ordinations are such inspiring community events and we would be pleased if you are able to join us. Come and share a meal at 11.00am then the ceremony at (about) 1pm.

Site Development:
The growth of a relatively young monastery involves many stages. We have been observing the dynamics over the last four years and are getting to a point where some informed decisions can be made around infrastructure. The need for a dedicated meditation hall is increasingly obvious. Consideration of what is required for such a hall has brought focus to the more immediate usefulness of an all-season reception room. This will be in the same area and will replace the old pool house. A new area of the web site has been put together to give information about overall development Site Development

Barn:
One part of site development is the barn. We have an engineer compiling a list of work required to make it suitable for assembly use and we should know the financial feasibility before the end of the year. See the new web site area for details.… Read the rest

Atulo’s Higher Ordination:
Having been with the community for over two years it is very happy news that Samanera Atulo will take the going-forth as a Bhikkhu on the 14th November. The ceremony will be held at the Civitan Hall on Craig Street, Perth [Hwy 43]. MAP You are invited to join us and share a meal at 11.00am and then take part in the ordination (about 1.00pm). We are fortunate to have monks from several monasteries joining us; Ajahn Sona from BC, Ajahn Punnadhammo from Arrow River, Ajahn Karunadhammo from California. Ayya Medhanandhi from Sati Saraniya will also be with us. Quite the family gathering. We hope that you can come.

Weekend of Mindfulness:
This was very well attended both by friends staying overnight and by local visitors and people from Ottawa and Toronto. The non-residential format is very easy to organise and we hope to have more of these weekends next year. Thank you to all those who brought food and helped out in the kitchen.

Hotting Up:
That’s what things are doing at Tisarana. We have our new heat pump and should have the new furnace operating next week; we just need to get the propane tank delivered and connected.… Read the rest

Weekend of Mindfulness:
This weekend. Starts at 5:30am Saturday and finishes around 4:00pm on Sunday. Sitting and walking with some instruction and talks. Come for part or all of this time. If you are joining for the meal at 11:00 please bring a dish.

Ajahn Viradhammo – rides:
If anyone is coming to the monastery on Saturday morning and could offer Ajahn Viradhammo a ride please let us know. Generally, if you are coming to Tisarana it would be good to know if you could offer him a ride.

Upasika Program:
A new study program from Tisarana is being initiated for those who would like to strengthen their commitment to meditation practice and the study of Buddhism as presented in the Pali Canon and the Forest Sangha tradition. program details

Engineer:
We need a structural report on the barn as part of our development. It seems as if all the engineers on the planet are sooooo busy with bigger fish to fry. Do you know anyone who might be able to help us with this relatively small matter?

Not Quite Pink:
We have been investing in the energy efficiency of the house. Following the energy audit earlier this year we now have a new propane furnace and heat pump along with a well foamed basement and attic roof.… Read the rest

MONASTIC MEALS:
With Kelvin and Tina’s change of plans and venerable Atulo’s impending bhikkhu ordination it is unclear how the mid-day meals at the monastery will happen, especially through the week. There are several possible solutions.
Someone comes to the monastery in the morning and either cooks or offers a prepared meal.
Meals are prepared and frozen at home and delivered to the monastery. Delivery could easily be by another person.
Someone comes to the monastery and prepares a meal using the above meals.
Someone comes to the monastery and offers food to the monks from our freezer. NB. Monks can’t cook but are permitted to (re)heat food.
The committee discussed this issue last Sunday and it was generally felt that the food itself was not the principal hurdle but that the key issue was more ‘someone coming to the monastery.’ So, there are likely two groups of people:
those who can prepare the food – frozen or otherwise
those who can come to the monastery to offer it – in the morning
Delivery is another group but there are always people coming weekends so this is just a matter of coordination.
If you feel you can help in any of these three areas – preparing, offering or delivery – then please contact Tina Prudhomme:
This item probably breaks the record as the longest update ever.… Read the rest

Moving News:
Many of you may already know of Venerable Sumangalo’s decision to put down the Bhikkhu training and take up lay life again. His warm and generous presence will be missed in the monastery and we wish him well in his new life.

Canoe Retreat:
The rain fell unceasingly, accompanied by wild lightning and hellish thunder for the first twelve hours; the purifying prelude to a serene and sunny calm that held for the remaining five days of the retreat. An awesome metaphor for our diligent practice. All so rewarding on many levels. [photo] see homepage for ‘textures’

Ajahn Sumedho Talks:
It has been a while but well worth the wait. Titling dhamma talks is often a challenge but we resisted listing these as… “The Way It Is: Part I” – – the Part II, etc. These will be added as part of the podcast system or you can download the first of these files

Moving On:
Kelvin and Tina are in popular demand. Unfortunately, for us, it is their work commitments that will whisk them away to Hong Kong much sooner than the completion of their intended year with us here at Tisarana. They have been incredibly supportive and giving over the last year plus and there will be a visible gap come the end of September.… Read the rest

Wonderful News:
The latest Wow Jones index shows that the relationally enhanced division of statistical dhamma ratios between pre- and post-meditative experience has extensive increases of mindful in-breaths to mindful out-breaths at 1.375:1.375 – and counting. The release of this news last week has seen significantly more people taking stock and actively leveraging their share. An opportunity not to be missed. [photo]

New Stewards:
Kelvin and Tina Stephenson-Chin have taken up residence at the monastery as stewards. Their intention is to stay for a year. They have been involved with monastery activities for quite some time already helping with any number of things and their extended commitment is most welcome.

Site Menu Change:
The monastery web site menu has been revised. The two main changes are: ‘photos’ is now under ‘news’ (also ‘about us’) and ‘visiting’ is a seperate heading. We have been having a lot of guest inquiries and the thought was to make this information more clearly visible. A good many pages have been updated to reflect the changes taking place at Tisarana and if you spot any anomalies please let us know.

Shining Summer Sundries:
The site has been cleared for the new kuti [photo] and excavation for the foundations will get underway on Monday.… Read the rest

No News:
After the wonderful whirl what was Ajahn Sumedho’s visit things at Tisarana have settled to a fairly gentle pace. Venerable Khemaratana has left to take up residence in Toronto. Venerable Sumangalo is visiting with family. This leaves vens. Kusalo and Attulo with 54 acres of serenity each. But… there are things afoot. For some that means toes, for others it means work. Read on.

New Kuti:
With a view to future community growth we will be starting construction of a new kuti quite soon. Depending on available labour this year may only see the foundations – or, roof only – or, finished and ready to go. Watch this space.

Dhamma Hall:
Following the incredible generosity earlier this year from Thailand, Malaysia and Canada we are now considering plans for a purpose-built dhamma hall. There are SO MANY options but the general location is clear (on the old golf course) and capacity is reasonably agreed. A secondary consideration is a dana sala (dining hall). LOTS of possibilities here. We are still very much in the conceptual design stage and would be happy to talk with any monastery-friendly architects or engineers that you may know – or even be.

Aj Kusalo Away:
Just returned from two weeks in the US teaching in Boston – weekend kids group + discussion group + talk and Q&A – then a week co-teaching a family retreat at IMS in Barre.… Read the rest

Family Day:
This Sunday, 20th. Join us for lunch at 11:00. There will be a children’s class at 12:30 (bring painting clothes). If you would like to be included on the family mailing list please contact Vivienne:
There will be a weekend family camp over Labour Weekend – September 3-6. More on this later.

Up Up and Away:
After just over three weeks at Tisarana Ajahn Sumedho is winding his way West. What an incredibly rich time it has been, not only the scheduled events but impromptu teachings as well. The public talk in Perth on Sunday 6th was attended by over 200 people and everything went very smoothly. The talk on Friday 11th at OttawaU was brilliant. A copy of this can be downloaded here: The weekend retreat was awesome. With eyes closed it was hard to imagine there were 250 people in the hall it was so quiet. With eyes open it was a joy to see many old friends and many new faces. Most of Ajahn’s talks were recorded and these will be available shortly. Lots of images can be downloaded in any size from Jim Roy’s web site. Prints can also be ordered at cost. Please request US Postal service for lowest cost shipping.… Read the rest