Friends and sisters of the Tri-Cities Interfaith Women for Peace drove up the coast and joined us today in the quiet Awakening Forest, bringing abundant food to share for the late morning almsmeal offering, joining us for blessings and the meal, Q & A on everything from Buddha images to God and Nibbana, and then a walking tour of our women's monastic hermitage land, meditation sites and stupa.
The meeting of Ayya Tathaaloka and Sr. Gloria, the abbess of the Dominican Sisters' motherhouse in Mission San Jose, in Fremont two years ago sparked the advent of Interfaith Women for Peace, which has now grown into a lovely and lively contemplative gathering of women religious leaders of multiple faiths in the San Francisco East Bay Area.
Meeting our Interfaith Women for Peace friends here in the forest
Today's visit of Sr. Annette, a Catholic nun of the Order of Notre Dame, Muslim sister Nabeela, Japanese Buddhist Sets and Unitarian Universalist minister Rev. Barbara Meyers to our Aranya Bodhi Hermitage followed on Ayya Sobhana's presentation on Buddhism to an Interfaith Women for Peace gathering at the Peace Pagoda in Fremont last month.
Ayya Tathaaloka, when asked about the concept of God, speaking on Nibbana, "the Unconditioned"
Ayya Sobhana comments ~
"We felt such a connection with these women, who care enough about mutual loving-kindness, compassion and peacefulness. This is so meaningful. It is not just a theoretical interest in interfaith relationships, but a genuine heart connection. Its really beautiful and lovely."
Ayya Sobhana giving a walking tour of the land and speaking on the Dhamma while showing Kalyana Kuti
In the blessings of the good heart
of peace and kindness,
and the bright heart
inclined to truth and the Way,
Yours truly,
Aranya Bodhi Sangha
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