Resident Monastic
Ayya Ahimsa
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Ayya Ahimsa took Anagarika Precepts in January 2012 and then Samaneri Precepts in 2013 with Ayya Medhanandi at Sati Saraniya Hermitage. In 2016 she joined the nuns’ community at Aloka Vihara and was given Bhikkhuni Ordination in 2017 with Ayya Gunasari Theri as her preceptor. Since 2022 Ayya Ahimsa has had Beth Upton as her meditation teacher.
Sanghamitta (Mary Dumka)
Resident lay teacher
Sanghamitta, a retired psychiatrist who has been practicing Buddhist Meditation since 1991, has done several years of training as a meditation teacher. Currently she is in the Upasika training program at Birken.
Sanghamitta’s first teacher was Mechele Calvert, a student of Bhante Piyadassi of Sri Lanka. Her current teacher is Ajahn Sona of Sitavana/Birken Forest Monastery near Kamloops, BC. She has also done retreats with Bhante Piyadassi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Bhante Gunaratana, Bhikkhu Thanissaro, Ayya Medhanandi and Ayya Santacitta. She spent the 3 month Rains Retreat of 2016 with Ajahn Brahm of Bodhinyana Monastery.