Dear Friends and Supporters of Vimokkharam,

 

I hope everyone is keeping warm, well and safe.

We are coming up to the third Sunday of July, and so we will have modest hopes for our regular working bee tomorrow, Sunday July 17th, from 11am-1pm. The weather forecast may dampen our ambitions for outdoor work and forestry maintenance, but we will still have some jobs set aside for a rainy day ;-)

 

As always, anyone is welcome to join for all or part of the time, and to join the communal meal offering beginning at 10am.

 

In news for the rains' retreat, Ajahn Bom has not returned to Vimokkharam as expected since he has been asked by his teacher to continue looking after the monastery in Seymour -- Nigrodharama Forest Monastery -- until the abbot is able to return to Australia. Ajahn Bom said it pleased his heart to be able to express his debt of gratitude and do something for his teacher, so he will be staying there until further notice. He may return to Vimokkharam in time for the '2nd rains' retreat' in August, or he may be there until much later in the year.

 

Anyone who wants to visit Ajahn Bom is most welcome to join in the daily meal offering there at 10am.

 

Ajahn Alan is settling in here and we have made our vassa determinations, so there will be a steady routine of morning meal offerings at 10am and evening chanting/meditation sessions at 7:30pm for the next three months.

 

For the first time in several years, we hope Covid will allow us to re-start an annual tradition for monks and communities in our lineage: to be able to go together and visit many of the local senior monks to pay our respects and renew our bonds of friendship. I've made appointments in past years but snap lockdowns kept foiling our plans. For anyone interested in joining us in going as a community to visit these Theras, stay tuned for more details...

 

Very best wishes,

Ajahn Hāsapañño