-
8/6/2019 Looking Ahead Winter 2011
1/4
ews from maravatiWinter 2011
HE ARRIVAL OF LIGHT, STILLNESS AND SILENCE
LOOKINGAHEAD
Inside: Calendar, Announcements, Retreat Schedule & more
hree-monh Winer Rerea held during he monhso January, February
and March. Tese periods osabiliy encourage he developmen o
qualiiessuch as harmony and communiy which Luang Por
Chah sressed in his syle o monasic raining.Tis season is ypied
by shor days, long nighs
and low emperaures. However, wih he arrival ohe winer solsice
here is, as Ajahn Amaro likes oreec upon, he reurn o he ligh, ha
poin inime when he days begin o lenghen once again.Even wih he
reurn o he ligh elemen, his imealso marks he rue deph o winer, wih
an increasedsense o he plane Earh a is quiees. I is duringhis ime
ha we a Amaravai will begin our win-er rerea, on he evening o
January. Winer in
his par o he world naurally lends isel o qui-eude and sillness
looking inwards insead oouwards. Naure, a his ime, ends o oer
litlein he way o disracion, apar rom uncharacer-isically heavy
snowalls and slippery pahways!
Many people, and undersandably so, conusehe Rains Rerea wih our
rerea in he winer. Teseare, hough, wo disinc periods o ime wihin
our
yearly calendar which we approach very dierenly.Te Winer Rerea
is when we, as a monasic com-muniy, can ruly lay aside all o our
non-essenial
duies, eaching engagemens, amily visis, unnec-essary ravel and
work projecs. Te monasery alsodoes no accep overnigh guess or oer
rereas dur-ing hese hree monhs. I is a ime o more ormalmediaion
pracice, ocusing inwards on he hearand mind and developing he Pah o
Dhamma.
Each year we are blessed by he generosiy,kindness and dedicaed
skills o he weny-veor so members o he lay communiy who comeand live
here a he monasery o suppor us dur-ing his ime people who, in his
way, are able o
coninued on page 3
UST AS THE MARAVATI COMMUNITY BEGAN THEPROCESS OF READJUSTING
ITSELF AFTER THE DEPAR-TURE OF UANG OR UMEDHO on November, sooo
began he period beween he Kahina Fesival
and he sar o he Winer Rerea when manySangha members se o
ravelling. Afer he setledamosphere o he Rains Rerea (Vassa) here
wasa noiceable ucuaion in he numbers o Sanghamembers here a he
monasery on any given day,
wih monks and nuns making use o he absence ohe resricions on
ravel ha are one o he obser-
vances o ha rerea period. And o course herewas he very palpable
non-presence o Luang Por.
Following a moving series o paring cer-emonies or Luang Por, he
se o or Asia o begin
his reiremen. Tese ceremonies oered all ous he opporuniy o pay
respecs and expressgraiude o our beloved eacher. We wish him
well as he begins his new phase o his lie. In hisabsence we are
lef o carry on wihin he now-maure srucures he developed as leader o
ourcommuniies over he pas hiry-our years.
Apar rom his Dhamma eachings, one oLuang Pors mos valuable gifs
o us recenly
was his inviaion o Ajahn Amaro o assume heduies o abbo afer his
deparure. Ajahn Amaros
seady and skilul presence, and experience as co-abbo o
Abhayagiri Monasery in Caliornia overhe pas oureen years, has been
grealy appreci-aed, wih wha appears o have been a seamlesshandover
o leadership and responsibiliies.
One oher aspec o our communal srucure isha our monaseries in he
Norhern Hemispherehave no one bu wo periods o relaive sabil-iy each
year: one during he ormal Rains Rerea
which akes place rom he ull moon o July unilhe ull moon o
Ocober, and he oher during he
-
8/6/2019 Looking Ahead Winter 2011
2/4
maravati etreats 2011R1 1517 April Weekend Ajahn Kalyano
R2 2226 April 5 Days Ajahn GandhasiloR3 615 May 10 Days Ajahn
AmaroR4 2731 May 5 Days Ajahn AnandoR5 1012 June Weekend Ajahn
BodhipalaR6 1719 June ai Weekend Ajahn PreechaR7 110 July 10 Days
Ajahn JayantoR8 29 July7 Aug. 10 Days Ajahn VajiroR9 214 Sept. 13
Days Ajahn AmaroR10 2327 Sept. 5 Days Ajahn SucioR11 79 Oct.
Weekend Ajahn JutindharoR12 1423 Oct. 10 Days Ajahn CandasiriR13
1820 Nov. Buddhist/Christian Weekend
Ajahn Sukhacio & Brother Nicholas
R14 2529 Nov. 5 Days Ajahn MeaR15 24 Dec. Weekend Ajahn
DhammanandoR16 27 Dec.1 Jan. 6 Days Ajahn Sundara
Participation is restricted to those who have previously aended
a 10-day retreat.We encourage applications throughout the year for
all retreats with a waiting list in
operation, as cancellations can occur please visit
www.amaravati.org orphone for updates nearer the time of the
retreat.
General GuidelinesAll weekend retreats are suitable for people
new to meditation as well as thosewho have not aended a retreat
before. It is advisable to aend a weekendretreat before booking a
longer retreat. Due to high demand there is a limit
of three retreats per person per year. Places on retreats with
Ajahn Amarowill be drawn by loery at the beginning of January 2011.
Booking forms forAjahn Amaros retreats should reach us by 31
December 2010. Booking formsreceived aer that wil l be added to the
waiting list.
Booking ProcedurePlease consider the retreat dates and your
availability carefully before
booking, to avoid cancellations. Bookings are only accepted on
receipt ofa completed booking form, which can be obtained by
downloading from the
website, emailing or writing to the Retreat Centre. Please note
that book-ings cannot be made over the telephone. Please supply an
email address forcorrespondence. On receipt of your booking form we
will send you a bookingconrmation or inform you about your place on
the waiting list. For availabil-
ity and further information, please check our website.
Start and Finish TimesRegistration is from 4.007.00 p.m. on the
rst day of the retreat. Weekendretreats end at 4.00 p.m., longer
retreats at lunchtime. Aendance is expectedfor the whole
retreat.
DonationsNo advance booking fee is required. e Retreat Centre is
funded solelythrough donations. Donations are welcomed at the end
of the retreat.
Contact InformationRetreat Centre, Amaravati Buddhist
Monastery,
Great Gaddesden, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP1 3BZ , UKEmail:
[email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1442 843 239Skype:
amaravati.retreat.centre
Retreats
Winter 2011 2 ooking head
Announcements
ntroductory
editation
Workshops
maravati uddhist onastery
aturday afternoons 24 p.m.
Meditation instruction for beginners,
with an opportunity for questions and
dialogue. eel free to come along
no booking is necessary.
hese weekly workshops will continue
throughout the Winter etreat (see
above), led by an experienced lay teacher.
lasses are held in the emple
Winter etreat ~ 3 anuary to 31 arch
Rainbows long weekend: April MayJune weekend: JuneSummer Camp:
August
Young Persons Retreat: Nov.Creative Retreat: Dec. (age +)
Booking forms and further information aboutthese and all family
events can be found at
www.family.amaravati.org or
[email protected]
aturday night hamma talks
Please note that during the Winter Retreat Saturdaynight Dhamma
talks will only take place when the
Lunar Observance Days fall on a Saturday (please seethe calendar
on page 3). e evening programme onthose evenings commences at 7.30
p.m., and includeschanting, silent meditation and a Dhamma
talk.Everyone is welcome to aend.
amily events 2011
From January to March Amaravati will be hold-ing its annual
winter retreat (please see cover article).Overnight guests are not
permied during this time,and the Retreat Centre is closed until
April. However,
people are very welcome to come along for a day visitto
participate in the meal oering, aend the weeklySaturday aernoon
meditation workshops, spendsome quiet time, etc. People are also
welcome to joinin with the meditation schedule (which will alter
asthe retreat progresses), with the formal practice of sit-ting and
walking meditation. Please note that this aperiod of Noble
Silence.
-
8/6/2019 Looking Ahead Winter 2011
3/4
Calendar
ooking head Winter 2011
2011
3 an ~ Winter etreat begins, through until March
4 an (ue) ~ new moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
12 an (Wed) ~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
16 an (un) ~ jahn hah Memorial ay
19 an (Wed) ~ full moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
27 an (hu) ~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
3 eb (hu)~ new moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0 p.m.
11 eb (ri)~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
18 eb (ri) ~ Mgha Puja ~ full moon day ~ hamma alk &
Precepts, 7.0 p.m.
26 eb (at) ~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
4 arch (ri)~ new moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
12 ar (at)~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
19 arch (at) ~ full moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
27 arch (un) ~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
31 arch (hu) ~ Winter etreat ends
3 pril (un)~ new moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
10 pril (un)~ iladhar ordination (see notice on page 4)
11 pril (on)~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
18 pril (on) ~ full moon day ~ hamma alk & Precepts, 7.0
p.m.
26 pril (ue) ~ half moon day ~ hamma alk, 7.0 p.m.
ravel and each. Work projecs begin again, schoolgroups come or
visis, he Rerea Cenre reopens...
Te end o he rs week in April will see heannual gahering o elders
here a Amaravai orSangha meeings. Tis also is a special even as i
bringsogeher senior Sangha members rom our amily o
Wesern monaseries. I is ofen he only ime o heyear ha various
elders are able o see one anoherin person, so some o he underlying
hemes o hisgahering are hose o communiy, joy, harmony andmuual
respec. Tis years elders gahering will beimmediaely ollowed by a
sladhar (nuns) ordinaion,scheduled o be held a Amaravai on Sunday,
April.Everyone is welcome o atend his auspicious even.
Amaravai wishes each and every one o you apeaceul New Year, and
we hope o see you here ahe monasery someime in he near uure.
coninued fom page 1
sep ou o heir own rouines or he sake o oh-ers. Tis, along wih he
coninued generous supporo people who come as day visiors o oer ood
andmaerial suppor, is a gif beyond measure ha isgrealy appreciaed
by all here. Amaravai also has adedicaed group o lay managers
living a he mon-asery who all provide essenial help hroughou he
year. Te monasic communiy, as well as our manysupporers and lay
residens, approach his upcomingspecial ime wih graiude and a mued
anicipaion.Is a period o our year ha we all look orward o.
Bu looking ahead afer ha, whas nex?Te rerea is scheduled o end
on March, afer
which he rouine resumes is regular patern. Wihhe arrival o
spring, and he new aciviy i brings,guess can once again say a he
monasery andSangha members are able o accep inviaions o
-
8/6/2019 Looking Ahead Winter 2011
4/4
