The Winter Retreat

The Community has gone into Winter Retreat, having starting on Monday 5th January. This Blog is now slowing down into hibernation mode, but will quicken again with the Spring flowers at the start of April. The Sunday Night Puja will continue throughout the winter and all are welcome to attend.

If you need to contact the monastery it is still possible to phone and leave a message on the answer service, which is being checked every day.

The New Year

Evening puja

The New Year's Eve Forgiveness and Aspiration Ceremony was very well attended with about fifty people staying until midnight to see out the old year and see in the new. Many stayed over until New Years Day. The Dhammapala Leeds Group were represented by Daniella, Joyce, Brenda and Mui Weng. From the Edinburgh group there was Alex, and also Ray came bringing his daughter for a first visit. There was also plenty of space for some locals to be accommodated in Kusala House.

Ajahn Abhinando gave some reflections on the theme of generosity and there was the option of drinking tea and warming drinks in the Reception Room or sitting quietly in the Dhamma Hall in preparation for the Forgiveness and Aspiration Ceremony between 11.30pm and midnight.

New Years Day saw a minibus of Thai students from Newcastle University coming to offer dana along with Namtip, Sompong and Sugert. At 4pm the Sri Lankan community gathered, fifty strong, to take the Five Precepts and listen to Ajahn Abhinando talking about New Year's aspirations and the Lord Buddha's teaching on the precepts. People had traveled from as far a field as North Yorkshire and West Scotland; from the Glasgow Group Rangit had made the long trek across the border.

During the week Mo from Catterick brought her mother-in-law to offer dana, and Cesare and Chandima brought a taste of Italy to the kitchen. Herman has made a significant dent in Ajahn Abhinando's carpentry job list and, as is the tradition, he again tolled the midnight New Year bell; there is a rumour he may well have single-handedly upheld this tradition for much of the past eighteen years.

The Community will be going into Winter Retreat starting on Monday 5th January. This Blog will slow down into hibernation mode, but will quicken again with the Spring flowers at the start of April. The Sunday Night Puja will continue throughout the winter and all are welcome to attend.

N.B. the dana list will still be maintained even when the report/comment becomes thin (or non-existent).