a gathering of clouds

a "gathering of clouds" is an ancient expression for the coming together of the Sangha which holds the Dhamma Rain, a rain, a moisture to nourish all good roots and their fruits, and, to end all thirst.

Welcoming the Theravadin Bhikkhuni Sangha to the land

With the proposal of a women's monastic community on the land, Ayya Tathaaloka suggested the idea of welcoming Theravadan bhikkhunis and samaneris from around North America to retreat there, to see if they felt to practice there and whether it seemed a good place to establish a permanent women's monastic hermitage.

This idea was met with warm enthusiasm.

At the first gathering of the Theravadan Bhikkhuni Sangha in North America at the Carolina Buddhist Vihara in November 2007, the bhikkhunis had called for a follow up gathering, perhaps somewhere on the West Coast.

Several bhikkhunis had also mentioned their interest and support for Anagarika Carol Porter's novice ordination or samaneri pabbaja then tentatively scheduled for sometime in the first half of the year 2008.

Additionally, upasika friends had expressed the wish to be able to participate in the meritorious deed of being able to offer Sanghadana to the Bhikkhuni Sangha on the North American West Coast for the first time.

Thus, for these four good reasons, with Jill's blessings and the support of the Dhammadharini Support Foundation, the follow plan was hatched and invitation sent:

North American
Bhikkhuni Sangha Theravada:
Wilderness Retreat on the Sonoma Coast
June 15-21, 2008

Dear friends on the Path ~

Warm greetings to you all. We are planning Anagarika Suvijjana (Carol Porter)'s samaneri ordination in June. A good number of the bhikkhunis in North America who know her have expressed their interest in coming together for that.

We've also thought about having a special Bhikkhuni Sangha camp retreat on the land that has been offered here... laying the sima stones up in the meadow...reciting Patimokkha....ordaining Suvijjana there.... having a chance to spend some good time out in nature meditating, walking, talking and communing together. it would be a very nice, relaxing, peaceful and beautiful North American follow up on the International Bhikkhuni Parisadh upcoming in Maharashtra, India in February and the Bhikkhuni Seminar at Santi Forest Monastery in March, as well as on our last year's first gathering for Bhikkhuni Patimokkha recitation on the east coast at the Carolina Buddhist Vihara.

i can think of no better way to bless the space that has been offered us in Northern California for forest retreat. Friends tell me that the spring wildflowers are at their peak in the high meadow called 'the Saddle' between the peaks where we plan to lay the sima stones then. i think this would be very good for our hearts, as for the lovely present and developing future of our women's monastic community.

the June full moon is the 18th. we have scheduled the retreat from the 15th to the 21st~ with an option to stay and camp longer for who would like a limited number of spaces are available for lay women who would like to camp on the land during this time to offer support and for their own retreat. Everyone is welcome for Suvijjana's novice ordination on the 21st.

WELCOME

Please let me know if you think you may join us there then.

in the great love of the Path,

Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni, Theri

The proposed monastic hermitage site is located on more than 200 acres of mountain forest, meadows and waterfalls directly on the Northern California Coast north of San Francisco. It is 1 and 1/2 hours drive north-west of Dhammadharini Vihara.

RSVP to Ayya Tathaaloka by email or telephone: USA (510) 791-2331.

Here is the basic calendar schedule:

(June 6-15: Monastic Retreat at Spirit Rock with Ajahn Sumedho)

June 11: begin Bhikkhuni Sangha arrival

June 13: visit Ajahn Sumedho at Spirit Rock

June 14: to the land

June 15: being Bhikkhuni Sangha camping retreat

June 17: establish sima at the high meadow (the saddle)

June 18: Patimokkha recitation

June 21: Samaneri pabbaja for Anagarika Suvijjana

June 22: day to honor bhikkhuni Sangha at Dharmapala Institute, Milpitas

June 23: arrival day for Western Buddhist Monastic Conference at Shasta Abbey

June 27: end day of WBMC

June 28: return to Dhammadharini Vihara

first visit

First Visit to the Land

September 18, 2007

Northern California Coast

When asked how she would like to spend her last birthday before 40, Ven Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni's mention of the land that we'd been invited to retreat at brought us up the coast from our home base at Dhammadharini Vihara that day.

After our first hearing of it at DhammaDena Desert Vipassana, Ayya Tathaaloka had a sort of mental image of the land. Driving in that first day, after miles of astoundingly beautiful coastline, driving in the dirt road and climbing upwards, she was curious to see if it actually looked anything like it. It did. Meeting our host at her lovely home for lunch, we heard some of the older and more recent history of the land and how she came to be there. And then we set out on foot into it.

Such an amazing place. Peaceful, quiet, beautiful. Fairy rings of redwood forest and THE CREEK, the site of so many meditations, the teacher of so many things of the body and the heart.

Our host had lived on the land for 25 years by then as its loving steward. She shared her hope and aspiration that it would never be logged again and that it remain as a refuge, as it had been, for women's spiritual practice.

It was then that she told us again that she would like to welcome all of us, all female monastics and friends, into the nurturing support of the forest, mountains and creek for our meditation, for our calm, tranquility and insight in the reclusive forest practice.

This was the welcome announcement sent to Dhamma Sisters the following day:

My dear Venerable Bhikkhuni Sisters and Dhamma friends,

Warm greetings, with every good blessing. I hope this note finds you well, happy and at ease.
Yesterday, my birthday, we visited a Insight meditation teacher friend living up the coast from San Francisco.

She had invited us to visit the 200 acres of incredibly beautiful mountains and forest several months ago.

The use of the land has been offered for short term or extended retreats for the women of our developing Bhikkhuni Sangha in North America, as well as for our associated samaneris (female novices), anagarikas (8 precept nuns, and postulants/aspirants-in-training), and dedicated upasika (laywomen) practitioner friends.

Of course, approval for retreat time may be on an individual basis.

There are a variety of rustic lodgings: cabins, campers and tent camp sites. Miles of trails, redwoods and madrones, creek and waterfalls, a great high meadow overlooking the ocean... great quiet and wind in the trees. It is for women only, very private and very, very safe with series of locked gates, so i think it may easily be made possible as a Vinaya-appropriate place for bhikkhunis to have relatively solitary, secluded time for practice in the wilderness, unburdened with duties, living simply.

The owner is thinking about the possible building of a few more monastic kutis and a sala/meeting hall/uposatha hall up in the meadow that it may transition into being a women's forest monastery. Just an idea. It has been a place of women's spiritual practice now for the past 20 years. It is her hope and vision and dedication that, if possible, it might remain so for indefinate future time. I have offered my collaboration with her in this.

Thus, on her behalf, i would like to invite all of you to come and spend some retreat time there this coming year or whenever you feel the call to. For bhikkhunis, the land use is completely offered and a kapiya or companion may retreat together or nearby for offering support. For those other than fully-ordained monastics there are no rent or fees, everything is dana, whatever you feel inspired to contribute - one must simply take care of one's own needs and care for the natural space, fellow humans and living beings harmoniously, with honor and respect.

Or come and visit, meet the owner and see the place. Get to know the place and see if it seems suitable. I am happy to go visit together with you. Very welcome.

in love and kindness and great appreciation for the Path,

Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni in Dhamma

the beginning

DhammaDena Desert Vipassana
Joshua Tree, Mohave Desert
Women's Retreat, 2006

It was winter in the high desert. Windswept sand, mind reflecting the great open space. It was there that we met the woman we had been waiting for, walking outside near the zendo. We had heard of her before from Brenda Walsh, and of the 200 plus acres of reforested coastal land that she had rescued a couple of decades back on the Sonoma Coast.

She had been inspired hearing Ruth's offer at the Women's Retreat of Samadhi House at DhammaDena for the use of our women's monastic community.

(see: http://dhammadena.googlepages.com)

She welcomed us and other female monastics -- nuns, bhikkhunis, samaneris, siladharas -- for our retreat time, telling us of the benevolence of the land, of its privacy and safety, and of her dedication to its being open for the spiritual practice of women in nature.

We promised to remember her kind offer and to come to visit the land when we had the chance.