Aloka Vihara News

The wonderful Robert and Matty, who are working hard in the forest to build an insulated kuti (meditation hut). Dream Team!

In this time of great fear, it is important that we think of the long-term challenges—and possibilities—of the entire globe. Photographs of our world from space clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet. Therefore, all of us must take care of it and work to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a…

Listen here to a beautiful message from Mary Ann Gallo and Emily Carpenter of ‘Friends of Aloka Vihara’. www.friendsofalokavihara.org

At 20, she experienced the arrival of the third messenger, the death of her first love, which broke open the question what is life. She began searching by reading spiritual literature and Buddhist writings, and going to her first Goenka retreat in 2005. Five years ago she discovered the distinction of Theravada Buddhism. She was graced to find Bhikkhu Bodhi’s ‘In the Buddhas Words’ in her hands and felt she…

Dear friends & supporters of Aloka Vihara, Warm greetings from all of us ~ we hope our message finds you well in these times of distance socializing & covid. All is well here at the vihara and we are in touch to let you know that our kitchen steward Heather, who stayed with us for over 1 year, is preparing to leave at the end of this month. We are…

From June 12-22 the Aloka Vihara community will be in silent retreat. We are sharing the blessings of our practice with you and thank you for your kind support!

  The Buddha taught that it is the quality of our attention that determines the quality of our experience in the moment, whether it begins as neutral, unpleasant, or pleasant. When compared with some of the usual ways of understanding human experience, this is a very different perspective, one that requires a degree of clarity and openness we might not ordinarily have. Beginning July 5th, Ven. Dhammadipa will offer an…

The below message was written by our dear friend Dr Elizabeth Day, who has been a nun with us in Amaravati and Chithurst Monasteries in the UK. Please read her message, if you would like to help. With metta from Ayya Santacitta & Ayya Anandabodhi I usually don’t ask for help in emails like this however my dharma friend, Venerable Tenzin Sangmo, called me recently to let me know that…

Ayya Santacitta will be teaching in German: Dienstag, 17.11., 16.00: Meditationsgruppe Wien* ‘Willkommen in Wien, Ayya Santacitta’ Voll Interesse möchten wir Dich und Deinen Weg kennenlernen, würden gerne Fragen stellen, erste Unterweisungen erhalten, gemeinsam mit Dir meditieren. Sonntag, 29.11., 18.00: Meditationsgruppe Vösendorf* ‘Therīgāta – die älteste bekannte Frauenliteratur der Welt’ Zugang und Praxis für Leute von heute. Freitag, 11.12., 19.00, Samstag, 12.12. & Sonntag, 13.12., jeweils 9.00 – 17.00: Meditationsgruppe…

The Aloka Vihara Nuns are offering our 3rd Sunday teaching at Berkeley on Zoom during this time of ‘shelter in place’: June 21 (Ven Dhammadipa), July 19 (Ayya Anandabodhi), August 16 (Ayya Santacitta)   Schedule of the evening 6:00 pm: Meet & greet ~ if you have issues with Zoom, please call Lynne at 510 478 0760 for support. 6:30 pm: Chanting and Refuges & Precepts (see below or via…