The Aloka Vihara Resident Community will be in Winter Retreat this year again from January 15 – April 15, 2019.

Visitors are welcome to join us for the Evening Puja & Dhamma sharing at 6:30 pm on Full, New and Half Moon days:

• January 20/27
• February 5/12/19 (Magha Puja)/26
• March 6/14/20/27
• April 5

We welcome meal offerings during Winter Retreat ~ if you would like to offer a meal for the nuns, please get in touch with the Vihara Steward at <retreatresponse@gmail.com> or call 530 647 8262 and leave a message.

Please click here for the Aloka Vihara Dana List.

Please be aware that the nuns and resident supporters will be observing Noble Silence during this time, but you are most welcome to stay for the meal and meditate in the shrine room.

Here is a link to our last newsletter on January 14 before entering the Winter Retreat.

Please click here for our Photo Gallery of 2018 ~ enjoy!

More and more Buddhist groups are offering programs in Spanish and doing outreach in Latinx communities. That means stronger community for everyone.

Lion’s Roar interviewed Ven Dhammadipa, who is Colombian American, and has just finished teaching the San Francisco Zen Center’s first online Dharma class in Spanish, Imágenes del Ser, or Images of the Self.

From November 10 through December 4, Ayya Santacitta will visit Canmore again, on invitation of Sanghamitta (left), the founder and resident teacher of the Canmore Theravada Buddhist Community. Sanghamitta is a retired psychiatrist and is also trained in Chinese medicine and sound healing. Jill Boone (right) accompanied Ayya Santacitta for a couple of days and attended a board meeting.

During her stay Ayya Santacitta will teach regularly on Tuesdays & Fridays at the center in Canmore and also at various venues in Calgary, please contact Sanghamitta for more info at <ma48an49@shaw.ca>

The photo above shows the ‘Three Sisters’ towering above Canmore, about 20 km from Banff National Park.

The Nuns’ Sangha at our Kathina Ceremony on November 4th at Aloka Vihara, click here for more photos.

We have been invited to teach regularly on 3rd Sundays at the newly formed
‘SF Dharma Collective’ in the Mission, 2701 Folsom, San Francisco.
This community-led sangha is a continuation of the recently disolved
‘Against The Stream’ sangha.

We will continue with our series on the ten paramita, ‘Getting On Board For Liberation’, starting on December 16 with Ayya Santacitta speaking on ‘Adhitthana ~ Resolution’.

After our annual Winter Retreat (Jan 15 – April 15) we plan to return again for 3rd Sundays, starting on April 16, 2019.

On Full Moon of October (Pavarana Day) Carol Ennser formally started one year of Anagarika training with the Nuns’ Community at Aloka Vihara.

We are very glad to have a new sister ‘on board’ and share blessings with Anagarika Carol for an insightful and nourishing year with us.

The Essence of the Path

Our community will be in Silent Retreat from November 26 through December 4.

If you wish to offer a meal, please click here.

Besides the meal time, the vihara will not be open for visitors during this retreat.

Last week Ayya Anandabodhi & Ayya Santacitta & Khenmo Drolma co-organized the 24th Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering, this year held at Spirit Rock.

Here is a photo gallery for you to enjoy!