News Updates, Page 32

New Year:
Seasons greetings to you all. We had a lovely gathering here at the monastery to see in the new year. The evening was a pleasant mix of chanting, meditation, reflections, bonfire [photos], tea, chat, marshmallows, regrets-aspirations, bonfire, meditation, chanting, blessings, chats [photos], blessings. ‘Tis all a blessing.

Winter Retreat:
This will start on Sunday 6th with a week of group practice. You are welcome to join us for any day(s) [5.30am – 8.30pm]. Residents will then have times set for personal retreat. February will not have a lot of organised activity. All 3 months in noble silence. See ‘Days of Mindfulness’ below.

Moving Moment:
The two new kutis have been occupied for a week or so now but the monks are still configuring the ‘decor.’ Until now there hasn’t been much more than a matress on the floor. Despite the snow and various weathers a piece of furniture was slayed today. Or ought it rhyme with neigh? Prey? Risque? Either way, Ajahn Kusalo’s secretary was moved. [photo]

More Comings:
Lawrence has recently joined the community and will take anagarika precepts, some time late January. He is now looking after the kitchen (Cathy gets a break!) and is generally proving to be an enjoyable and wholesome addition to the community.… Read the rest

Winter Winding:
The winter retreat will start on January 6th and we are winding down – and gearing up. There will be a week of group meditation to begin, with various dhamma reflections and guidance to suppport this. Morning and evening pujas will continue but there will be times of ‘no meetings’ where people can spend more time on their own. These news updates may be somewhat sparse but we hope to keep the online events calendar up to date. You are more than welcome to visit the monastery and join with whatever is going on. We will be observing Noble Silence. The barn meditation module is now heated (see below) and we will be using this regularly. Feel free to come any time and use this space for meditation. Join us for the daily meal at 11.00

New Year:
After much discussion we have decreed that this should be an annual event. An approximate schedule for this year: Puja at 7pm, meditation, dhamma reflection, bonfire, marsh mellows, meditation, cremation, meditation, more march mallows… or something, not necessarily in that order. The general theme will be ‘regrets & aspirations’ – past and future. Regrets, disappointments, short falls, guilt, remorse, blame, self-condemnation, etc.… Read the rest

Newsletter:
Many of you may have recieved this by post. It is now on the web site and a PDF download is available at the end of the second page.

Tax Receipts:
We have managed to streamline this process somewhat and these will now be issued by email – as a PDF file. It saves Marion quite a bit of work and of course saves the monastery the stationery and stamps. Green and clean.

Winter Retreat:
It is still a way off but just to let you know that we will be on retreat for most of January, February and March. We will try to keep any group activities posted on the events calendar.

New Year’s Vigil:
Again, a little early but plan to come should you wish. For the whole day or just for the evening. Program details a bit later.

Kutis:
The continuing saga continues! There is light at the end of the tunnel – and snow all over the porch [photos]. At the time of writing the dry-wall has been fitted (do you know any handy mudders?) and the stoves are in and operational; to be inspected on Friday. There is still a bit of finishing work but they are both pretty much ready for occupation – Ajahn K in one and Bhante Khemmaratana in the other.… Read the rest

Kutis Obsessio Absentia:
Dear Readers, Please excuse Ajahn Kusalo’s absence over the last few weeks. There has been a high degree of kuti obsession.

Constructus Detailium:
Finally! The kuti building permit has been issued and two kutis are underway. On account of the Canadian-freeze the foundations have to be either 48″ below ground, or sit on bedrock. Doug the digger dug up a lot of dirt. [photo] Much concrete was (hand) mixed and poured. We have three men helping us build the kutis and progress is good. We had a lovely blessing ceremony on Saturday with the ‘Day of Mindfulness’ group joining us to place small buddha images in the foundations. [photo] It is planned to have both kutis habitable before winter.

Day of Mindfulness:
The forthcoming DoM at Tisarana will be on Sunday 14th (not Saturday) – 2pm – as Ajahn Viradhammo will be leading a DoM at the Pagoda (see the OBS web site) on the 13th.

Heated Delivery:
A friend very generously gave us a small furnace (complete with tank and oil) and it is planned to use this to heat the meditation module. It was a days work there and back; empty the tank and load everything on the truck.… Read the rest

Dhamma Dates:
Ajahn Viradhammo is resuming meetings at the Pagoda and the Quaker House on alternate Wednesdays and Fridays. The next Pagoda meeting will be on the 26th Sept. and the first Quaker House meeting will be on the 12th October. See the OBS web site for details.

DOM Swap:
There will be a Day of Mindfulness at the Pagoda on Saturday the 13th October. Note that this swaps with the DOM at Tisarana which will be on Sunday the 14th.

Deer Friend:
The deer continue to visit regularly. Mostly it is the fallen apples that brings them close. Cathy has been gradually drawing them nearer with cut apple slices (apparently their sight is poor but smell good).[photo]

Kutis:
After a long discussion at council we now have a building code classification for our kutis. They are classed as “seasonal buildings.” This allows for a simple, kuti-like construction – as opposed to a more ‘residential’ standard. The building plan has been revised and resubmitted to support the permit and, hopefully, this will arrive some time next week.

Plucky Lad:
We are trying a small experiment at storing apples. The basement might be a bit warm, the barn too cold but we have an abundance so it is worth giving it a go.… Read the rest

Raise the Roof:
The weather has been kind and Harry and crew have been kinder, giving generously of their time and skills to the building of the little kuti. The roof has been framed, big window in, door and other windows on site. [photo] It should be fully weather-proof in a few days.!

A Little Potty
The kitchen has had a wee upgrade – in the form of a hanging pot frame over the work table. The kitchen can be a bit small, especially on weekends, and this frees things a little. So far no heads have been banged while leaning over the table. [photo]

Site plan:
For those of you who have been following this aspect of the monastery it must seem as if this whole business has been going on for ages. It has. BUT… the zoning has finished, the site plan has now been approved and kuti permits are in [see photo for locations]. It could be a week or more before permits are issued and then work will begin toot sweet. If anyone has time to help – labouring and up (especially through the week) – please let us know.

Round the Bend:
We’ve been here long enough to make comparisons (however banal 🙂 Have a look at: www.tisarana.ca/photos/photos.php?act=show_pic&album=zw-june07?c=zv4_path.jpg&pg=2… Read the rest

Kuti Walls:
The little kuti has a third dimension – walls. [photo] And, by the time you read this much of the roof and cladding will have appeared. What a joy it is to see this first kuti take shape.

Shoe Rack:
It has been a delight to see the increasing number of visitors to the monastery, especially over the weekends. This has invariably meant more feet on the premises. This in in turn has produced more shoes at the front door. Anagarika Alan’s aesthetic arborial architecture to the rescue. [photo]

Heaped Hole:
What was the hole that was the car park infront of what was the office is now two heaps of soil. [photo] This of course means another hole – in a hill out back – but we won’t go there here.

Green Fuzz:
The ‘back lawn in progress’ is progessing well. [photo] The weather has definitely turned and the showers we have had save on the sprinkler.

Levitation [photo]:
Thoughts come and go, emotions rise and fall. Keeping the heart leavened throughout is the ever-present possibility we have. AK … Read the rest

Tiny Kuti:
Harry and Anagarika Alan have been putting in good time on this and the wall frames should be going up this week. The roof has been prepared in advance and this should also come together quite soon. [photo]

Site Plan:
This has finally been submitted to council and, with luck, should be cleared in a week or two. The application for three kuti permits has also been submitted but a permit can’t be issued until the site plan is approved. The paticca-samuppada of construction.!

Heated Discussion:
We are still deliberating on how to heat the kutis. It is clear that there is not enough wood on the property for this. Does anyone have any direct experience with small oil-burning stoves (space heaters)? A quick search on the net shows several companies selling these. The units are cheap enough and we have oil regularly delivered for the house. If you have used one, or know someone who has one we would be please to hear from you.

New Back Lawn:
Raked, seeded, mulched and watered. We eagerly await the green stuff – hopefully well before the white stuff. The new front lawn is, alas, still a hole-in-waiting.

Gutless Barn:
The process of clearing the old barn continues.… Read the rest

Workshop Electrics:
We recently had the electricians around and our workshop wiring is now done. Lots of outlets and a couple of fluorescent lights. All that now remains is to find a place for all the tools and stuff (the easy part) and have them remember their place (the hard part). The barn will be next — when we are clear what we need.

Harry is Here:
No, not Potter the boy but Hill the man. He was at Bhavana in West Virginia for about a year and will be with us for a couple of months. He has the skills and has very generously offered to help out with the kuti building. The wheel is turning.!

Log Splitter:
We are slowly getting our winter wood together and a good friend donated an electric log splitter. [photo] Feel free to offer us a demo next time you are visiting 🙂

Hole & Non-hole:
The swimming pool is no more. That hole that once was is not. No more. All further discussion will be of ‘the new (back) lawn in progress.’ [photo] The parking area in front of what was the garage, but is now the office, is now a hole. [photo] All further discussion will be of ‘the new (front) lawn in progress.’… Read the rest

Vassa 2007:
It was delightful to have so many people join us on Saturday for the meal and the days dhamma activities. Ajahn Viradhammo gave a fine talk and the community meditated until midnight. The vassa was formally established on Monday.

Site Plan:
The next step, following on from the zoning approval, is submitting a site plan of intended works. Initially this will be three kutis. We need to establish their precise location on site. Our consultants have kindly agreed to show Ajahn Kusalo how this is done so that for our next submission we can be somewhat more independent. The short of this is that we now have a (cheap) GPS unit.

Being here Now:
Where here is 44 degrees, 47.029N — 076 degrees 19.060W — 523 feet above the sea, and now is, well, now.

Fading Pool:
Slowly, by degrees (N, S, E & W) the swimming pool is not-being. We are fortunate to have a neighbour (Doug) with a big digger. Yes, that’s Dougs Digger doing the deed. [photo]

Adorable:
Anagarika Alan has been, and is, as well as his monastic duties, doing some great work around the place. A set of doors for the workshop being one of them.… Read the rest