Queen’s Birthday Retreat:From 7pm Friday 31st to 3pm Monday 3rd. A wonderful opportunity to further explore the teachings and your own mind. There are still two accommodation spaces (use the guest booking form). You are welcome to join all or part of this time we just ask that you respect the silence as you come and go.
Vesak:A lovely crowd of dhamma friends came to the monastery to celebrate the Buddha’s life on the 19th. The monastery looked both serene and festive; in a misty-mountain kind of way. Spirits were not dampened and the joy flowed as freely as the rain. There were monks from the Thai, Burmese and Cambodian temples with any number of nationalities present in the laity. With the marquee up the rice pindapat was dry with the usual range of interpretations of ‘form an orderly line’ adding to the hearty exchange. Ajahn Tiradhammo gave an inspiring dhamma talk followed by Ajahn Nantawat offering dhamma in Thai. We closed the afternoon with a circumambulation of the sala, paritta chanting and the aspersion (water sprinkling blessing). view photos
Ajahn Tiradhammo:We have been delighted to have had Ajahn with us for nearly three weeks and have enjoyed both his company and dhamma. And, as all things do, the end has come and he is now off to Dhammagiri Monastery in Brisbane then… and then? Probably spend the vassa in Thailand. He has another book coming soon so keep an eye out for that. Bon voyage Ajahn.!
Venerable Hiriko:One out and one in. So now we are three monks in residence. Ven. Hiriko will be with us for a year or so and we look forward to getting to know him and to share his dhamma and monastic presence. It was auspicious that he arrived on the Vesak full-moon which meant we had four monks and the patimokkha was chanted for the first time in quite a while. There were also a large(ish) number of lay friends and guests here to celebrate the full moon observance. This culminated in a very sublime candle lit procession to the stupa chanting “Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa” under a radiant moon. view photos
Asphalt:The preparation continues for the sealing of the carpark and drive with the creation of a transition between the driveway and the courtyard. Do you recognise the robe-cloth design? view photos Unfortunately our contractors have postponed (again) and the work won’t now begin until after vassa.
Annual General Meeting:This will be held at the monastery in the main sala on JUNE 9th at 3pm. Agenda items include: financial report, sangha report, ratify Memorandum (draft agreed last AGM) for constitution, development plans for 2013/14 and the election of the committee. We are very fortunate that the majority of existing committee members are able to continue for another year. All are welcome.