The Dhamma of Sewing

Ajahn Saweang and Ajahn Go

Having spent most of June with us, tomorrow Ajahn Go is heading down to Amaravati along with Tan Hiriko and Samanera Visuddhi, who has been working hard in preparation for his coming ordination as a monk. Ajahn Go very generously spent most of his time teaching and helping Samanera Visuddhi and Tan Tejananda to sew robes and jackets. We are all very grateful for his selfless help.
In a little over a week Samenera Visuddhi will be returning as Tan Nyanavisuddhi. His ordination or "upasampada" is due to be on Saturday 4th July in the Amaravati Temple and everyone is welcome to attend.
The community was very happy to welcome Ajahn Saweang back to Harnham on Sunday and he is settling in and adjusting to our British Summer Time and British summer weather.

Returning

Ajahn Munindo, Ajahn Achalo and Tan Nyanamoli in Cumbria

This week Ajahn Munindo, Tan Nyanamoli and Skipper returned via Cumbria from their travels down South and on Wednesday we celebrated what would have been Luang Por Chah's 91st birthday.

David Barker's Health and Heritage walking group came to visit and A.Punnyo explained the monastery to them. Also the county council biannual Bolam Lake walk was led by Francis Povey and Ajahn Abhinando with Brian Povey and Ajahn Punnyo as back markers. Some years there can be as many as seventy people, the line of walkers streching across the fields. However this year, due to inclement weather there were only about ten.

We look forward to Ajahn Sawaeng arriving this weekend to spend the vassa with us.

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Silent Week

Ajahn Achalo visiting the Hill

The Community has been on silence this week so there has been very little of the usual external activity. An exception was made for Samanera Visuddhi and Tan Tejananda who have been using the time to sew their bhikkhu robes under the expert tutelage of Ajahn Go, who has kindly travelled over from Italy to help them.

Ajahn Munindo and Anagarika Skipper have returned from their 3 week tour of the Southern monasteries and brought up Ajahn Achalo, an Australian Thera who trained in Thailand, from Amaravati to visit for a few days.

Also Ajahn Abhinando and Anagarika Michael have returned from their time in Germany visiting their respective parents. So the monastery is full again with a community of thirteen sat around the breakfast table.

The New Kusala Fire Escape

Safety First

Over the weekend Alex Ewing came down from Scotland to work on the computers and brought his son Simon. They returned after the Committee Meeting on Sunday. Along with the rest of the country the community was sweltering in Monday's exceptional heat, and feeling connected to our sub-tropical Asian roots. Having very competently carried the mantle of sole anagarika for a fortnight, on Wednesday Anagarika Tomas was rejoined by Anagarika Michael returning from his visit with his parents in Germany. On Thursday Ajahn Punnyo headed up to Scotland to visit the Edinburgh and Glasgow Meditation Groups.

This weekend we are expecting Ajahn Go to arrive. He has very kindly offered to help Samanera Visuddhi preparing his robes for his upasampada in July. Having prepared the dormer in the Kusala dormitory Tan Nyanamoli is looking forward to the fire escape steps arriving next week.