Dec 2: Pema Chodron Pema Chodron was the first American woman to receive full ordination as a Tibetan nun (via the Mahayana community of monastics in Hong Kong). Dec 12: Listening: A Language of Love Thich Nhat Hanh says deep listening is the foundation of Right Speech. Ayya Ahimsa maps out the necessity to listening internally in our meditation, externally in our relationships and the advance skill of being able to listen internally and externally simultaneously. Dec 19: Bud

Nov 11: Energy and Joy We've finished pedalling uphill with Mindfulness and Investigation of Dhamma. Now we're on the downhill run.....the rest of the Factors of Awakening are resultants of the causes we have been inputting. Nov 18: Tranquility and Stillness Sanghamitta talks about the 5th and 6th Factors of Awakening: tranquility and stillness (samadhi/jhana). Nov 28: Looking On - Equanimity The culmination of the Awakening Factors is upekkha, equanimity. Ayya describes what

Oct 3 - Part 6: Giving Up What's Not Yours In the final three verses of the Mangala Sutta the Buddha gives a compelling description of the liberated heart, a heart that no longer ignorantly, mistakenly experiences a sense of self. Oct 1 - Magnificent Metta-cine Metta practice is not just another tool in our meditation tool belt; it is a central foundation for our spiritual lives. Oct 17 - In Search of Kusala: The Seven Factors of Awakening The Seven Factors of Awakening are

Sept 5: Part 4 - More about living the good life In the Mangala sutta the Buddha continues to describe aspects of a good life:...

Aug 1: Part 1 - How to be Happy Ayya Ahimsa draws on the Buddha's teachings called the Mangala Sutta (The Highest Happiness) and Ajahn...

July 1: Hindrances, Part 1: Desire Sanghamitta is initiating a review of the five hindrances (mental qualities) that prevent us from...

June 3: The Flavours of the Wolesome Mind Part 3: Listening to our conscience When we listen and respond to our conscience (in Pali: Hiri...

May 2: Mudita/Rejoicing Mudita is rejoicing in the happiness of others. It's the greatest source of untapped joy as there is always...

April 1: The Primacy of Mind In the opening verse of the Dhammapada the Buddha tells us "All experience is preceded by the mind, led by...

Jan 3: Mudita: being happy for the happiness or generosity of others. Mudita is one of the four Brahmaviharas.....the attitudes we want...

March 14: Finding Refuge The Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha offer a reliable refuge. Ayya Ahimsa talks about Siddatha Gotama's hero's...

Dec 6: The Noble Eightfold Path: Right Mindfulness - the body is the doorway Ayya Ahimsa discusses how mindfulness of our bodies gives us...

Nov 5: Working with Vedana - feeling tone Ayya Anandabodhi from Parayana Vihara in Port Townsend, WA was our guest speaker tonight. She...

Oct 4: The Noble Eightfold Path to the end of suffering - Overview A new series is being started on the Noble Eightfold Path. Today...

Sept 10: Metta Sanghamitta goes over the Metta Sutta, line by line. Recommended is an essay by Ajahn Punnadhammo on Mara, who symbolizes...

Aug 2: The Hindrance of Doubt Sanghamitta discusses the fifth hindrance, doubt about the teachings of the Buddha. She shared similes from...

July 2: Desire to Dismantle Desire The Buddha teaches us that there are three problematic desires, rooted in our ignorance, that are the...

June 11: Good Enough In our fast paced culture of doing and getting, Ayya Ahimsa reminds us of the Buddha's praise of "good enough":...

May 7: What is important and what isn't Sanghamitta discusses two similes of the Buddha: "Being struck by two arrows" and "The Poisoned...

April 2: What Really Happened on my Three Month Retreat Ayya Ahimsa emerged from her first three month winter retreat at CTBC on April...