News Updates, Page 29

Counting down:
The winter retreat is still a while off but we are counting down the days remaining (see: Home Page). We are considering both the work left for us to do and the opportunity for you to visit. We are not closed over the winter but we are in silent retreat mode. 74 is the current count.!

Ordination:
The Anagarika ordination for Joseph last Saturday went extremely well. Three generations of his family joined us, both for the ceremony and for the meditation Day-of-Mindfulness. He remembered all his lines and delivered them with a strong, confident voice. In counting mode… the ordained sangha now numbers four. Photo to come.

Big Crowds:
As part of the winter count down we have reinstated the end wall of the meditation module. So, if you were thinking of being a big crowd of meditators it might be a bit squeezy, nay, say not so – cosy will it be.! Come as a small crowd; come as a faithful flock, a happy horde, a mindful mob – either way, we will fit you in.

Yet another Count:
Dracula? No, the days ’till new year. We will be having a midnight meditation/dhamma vigil and have already started collecting wood for a bonfire for the ritual burning of regrets, loss, disappointments, attachments, etc.… Read the rest

Anagarika Ordination:
Joseph will officially leave the home life for homelessness on Saturday, October 11th. You are welcome to join us for the meal at 11.30 and participate in the ordination ceremony after that; about 1:00pm.

The WOM Report:
The Weekend of Mindfulness was mindfully held last weekend. The house was (mind)full, the module was likewise with several people dropping in during the day. The regular Day of Mindfulness slotted in seamlessly, the food was great and the weather was – seasonally Canadian.

Laying Foundations:
We have two building projects on the go at the moment. [photo] The utility building is a temporary (5 years?) experiment to see what services work and what else might be required. It is being built using a lot of recycled material; eg. the old pool liner as the roof. Our next kuti has a council permit but no funds. Still, using our own labour, the foundations can be laid for the cost of a few bags of cement.

Softer Sangha:
There was a time when monks confronted wild tigers, slept under trees, mixed concrete in a wheel barrow with a shovel. And now, those Tisarana monks, have an electric concrete mixer. [photo] Is it time to bring back the hair shirt?… Read the rest

Buddha rupa Blessing:
The spirit generated last Sunday was delightful and uplifting with both the morning and afternoon sessions well attended. A dhamma talk by Ajahn Chah (in Thai with English translation) was particularly moving. There was, as usual, a lovely shared meal and even the weather blessed us with sunshine. [photo]

Samanera Ordination:
Anagarika Laurence will take the going-forth as a Samanera on Sunday, December 14th, after the meal (about 1.00). You are most welcome to come to the monastery on this day. Join us for the meal, then take part in this very auspicious event. Laurence has been with us for just over a year now and it is a joy that he feels happy and confident enough to make this ongoing commitment. Huzzah.!

Anagarika Ordination:
We are also very pleased that Joseph will be taking anagarika ordination on Saturday, October 11th. After the meal, before the usual day of mindfulness. You are most welcome to participate.

Jewelled Vassa:
During one vassa, early each morning, the Buddha descended a jewelled ladder from Tavatimsa heaven, where he had been teaching his mother. Tisarana’s ladder is very long. It is kind of silvery. And the trees close by are bedecked with colour and light.… Read the rest

>> White to Brown:
Anagarika Laurence has been invited by the sangha to take the going-forth as a samanera sometime in early December. This is very happy news for all concerned and an encouraging, healthy indicator for the monastery. Sadhu.! We will let you know the date as soon as it has been decided.

>> Big Buddha Blessing:
There will be a dedication/celebration of the standing Buddha in the barn, on Sunday September 21st. Start around 10.30am with precepts and dhamma; the meal at 11.30 with the ceremony at about 12.45. Nuch Tanphaichitr is co-ordinating dana along with many other friends and invites everyone to join in, and bring a dish. Everyone welcome.

>> Hey Day:
It was a little wet which put a bit of a damper on things but a few people turned up and we got quite a lot done. [photo] Wood got shifted, the barn basement got a good tidy, we had a great lunch and generally good fun. Thank you.

>> Ajahn V. transport:
Ajahn Viradhammo needs a ride from and to Ottawa on Saturday for the Day of Mindfulness. Please Contact him if you can help. Because of Vinaya rules, there must be another male in the car.… Read the rest

>> Hey Day:
Omigosh.! It’s *this* weekend. Sunday, September 7th. Just as well we are totally organised 🙂 with lots of fun projects. The main focus will be winter wood [photo] – cutting, splitting, shifting, stacking, supervising. You can have a go at one, all, or none of these. If wood isn’t your thing then there is bound to be something that is. Bring work clothes. See you on the day.

>> Family Camp Success:
Four families spent labour weekend at the monastery camping out in the field. There was a range of dhamma activities (chanting, meditation, making buddhas, a mural, etc.) balanced with free-time to enjoy nature. The weather was brilliant, the kids were great, the parents well behaved and the toasted marshmallows sublime. [photo]

>> Ajahn V needs a ride:
Ajahn Viradhammo needs a ride from and to Ottawa for the Saturday Day of Mindfulness. Please contact him directly if you are able to help. Because of Vinaya rules, there must be another male in the car. See the Event Calendar for more information.

>> Big Buddha Blessing:
If you have been to the monastery recently you would have seen the beautiful, standing Buddha image in the lobby of the barn.… Read the rest

Weekend of Mindfulness:
The last weekend of September – 26th-28th – At Tisarana. Space is limited. This is a first and there are several unknowns; level of interest, kitchen & service facility capacity, etc., but we would like to see how it might work at the monastery. It will be from Friday evening to after dana on Sunday. Come for the day or, if you would like to stay overnight, please fill out the guest form: www.tisarana/docs/guest_form.php specifying ‘RETREAT’ in the comments box at the end of the form.

Day of Mindfulness:
This regular part of our Saturday remains the same. It *merges* with the above weekend. If you want to just come for the 2pm meditation and dhamma talk on Saturday then you are most welcome. There might be such a buddha-buzz happening that you may want to stay on into the evening.

Drawn out House:
A good friend has produced a beautiful drawing of the monastery house. It was done for the new Anumodana card and a small version of the drawing can be seen on the web site home page. You may well see it popping up in other places. Anumodana to the artist.! Anumodana to you all.… Read the rest

>> Ajahn V needs a ride
Ajahn Viradhammo needs a ride to Tisarana from Ottawa for the Saturday Day of Mindfulness. Please contact him directly if you are able to help. Because of Vinaya rules, there must be another male in the car. See the Event Calendar for more information.

>> Ajahn Kusalo Returns:
The mother’s birthday party came and went. There was cake and tea and scones and much merriment. Lots of friends and lots of fun. Several of you gave me gifts for mum and she was surprised and thoroughly delighted to receive those. Thank you. Winter there is pretty nice – 12c mornings 24c afternoons. Despite the rain it is so nice to be back. The place is looking so nice and lush. The tractor is sooooo clean and the barn has no hay, and… great to be back.

>> Chanting CD’s
For a limited time there are copies of the Amaravati Dhamma Threads chanting CD available at the monastery. The CD contains the morning and evening chanting as well as most of the reflections and suttas in our chanting book, as well as the monastic meal chant, etc. etc. They are only available for pick up from the monastery.… Read the rest

>> Schedule Change at Tisarana
The day of mindfulness AT TISARANA has been moved from Saturday to Sunday. The DOM sponsored by the OBS in Ottawa remains unchanged, on Saturday. So the current schedule is: Saturday DOM in Ottawa, Sunday DOM at Tisarana.

>> Drivers wanted
Ajahn Viradhammo needs a driver from Ottawa to Tisarana this Sunday morning for the rescheduled day of mindfulness. He would like to stay over night and would need a driver to take him from Tisarana to Ottawa Monday after lunch. Because of monastic rules, there needs to be at least one other male in the vehicle. If you are able to offer a ride, please contact him directly. You can always check the events page on the website to see when he needs a ride.

>> Ajahn Kusalo mai nei
“Mai nei” is a Thai phrase that means “uncertain.” Ajahn Chah used it a lot as a simple way of giving the Buddha’s teaching. Mai nei, mai nei. Life is uncertain, uncertain. Well what could be more uncertain than Ajahn Kusalo? He missed his flight and won’t be back at the monastery till probably Sunday. Everything is fine; no worries. Just a little mai nei.… Read the rest

Conrad
Our resident cat, Conrad, or very fondly known by his previous owners as Lord Conrad, died on July 29th 2008. He had stomach cancer. Conrad had a full and wonderful life at 1358 Powers Road. He was one of a kind and very much loved and will be missed because he brought so much joy.

How inconstant are compounded things!
Their nature: to arise and pass away.
They disband as they are arising.
Their total stilling is bliss.

Digha Nikaya 16

Much gratitude to Dianne for giving him such attentive and compassionate care in his final days, and gratitude to Marion and Cathy for watching over him when they lived at the monastery. (check out the photo album)

The Hay is Away
The only thing that matches our immense gratitude for the hay volunteers is the immense pile of hay that now lives rotting happily in a back field. No one got hurt in the process. That’s always great, too. Not to be left out are all the folks who, unable to be around old rotting hay (go figure), helped in numerous ways during the hay day events. Check out the Hay Diaries Photo album to see the project start to finish.… Read the rest

Hip Hip Hoo-HAY!
Last weekend’s hay day was a huge success. First thanks goes to our neighbour Doug Goodfellow who lent us his tractor when ours broke down Friday morning. We couldn’t have moved so much without it. Second to Keith for his “Flying Carpet” hay wagon that let us zoom large amounts of hay out of the barn at rapid speed. And of course great thanks to everyone who got in there and pitched and pitched. One more day should do it. (check out the “Hay Diaries” photo album)

The Last Straw
It’s time for the final Hay Day, Sunday 27 July. If all goes as planned, we will surely get the last hay out. Bring work clothes. There are lots of other projects to do if you can’t be around the hay.

News from Ajahn Kusalo:
Greetings from down under where I am currently staying with my mother. It has been several weeks since leaving Tisarana and the itinerary has been quite full. First a week at Abhayagiri Monastery in California to take part in a bhikkhu ordination ceremony. This was my first visit and I was delighted to see how well established the sangha is and how healthy ongoing developments appear.… Read the rest