After the poignant memories of the transformative 8-day residential retreat at Belsey Bridge back in 2018, we had eagerly planned another at the beautiful Belsey Bridge Centre in 2022. However, when the Centre unexpectedly ceased operations at the last minute, we had to adapt and host an online retreat instead…which we have been doing ever since.
Now, six-years from the last residential retreat, we are thrilled to offer an in-person retreat with Ajahn Brahm! His dedication is unwavering and he is generously returning for a second time to the UK this year!
Joined by Ven Canda, Ajahn Brahm will be offering a series of Dhamma talks in various cities across the UK, and two retreats in the tranquil surrounds of Oxford this November. The highlight of this tour is undoubtedly the 5-Day Residential Retreat.
Due to the lack of retreat venues and high cost of hotels, we are being adventurous and hiring a Scouts Centre, which involves catering for ourselves. We have found active participation serving in this way on retreat to be extremely strengthening for the meditation practice and hope that you will willingly participate! Be sure to register early so you don’t miss out on this rare opportunity – we just do not know if an opportunity for a residential retreat with Ajahn Brahm in UK/ Europe will happen again! Priority is given to our volunteers.
Live Bookings Links:
Tues 18th Nov 19:00 – 21:00: Dhamma Talk: “The Nature Of Perception” (details TBC in next letter, London)
Wed 19th Nov19:00 – 20:30 Dhamma Talk: “Forgiving Ourselves With Compassion” (details TBC in next letter, Sheffield)
As ever, Ajahn is coming to the UK for one reason only- to support Anukampa Grove Bhikkhuni Monastery. This year marks another major milestone, as Ven Canda trains two anagarikaas at Anukampa Grove – and a samaneri ordination will likely be happening during Ajahn Brahm’s tour! To sustain this lofty pursuit of growing bhikkhunis, your continued support is essential.
All proceeds from the tour will help cover venue hire and other arrangements. Any surplus funds will go be used for administrative costs. There will also be a chance to donate towards the Sangha’s requisites, building projects and ongoing running expenses of Anukampa Grove. We strive to keep costs as low as possible, thanks to the heartfelt efforts of volunteers who generously give their time and energy as an act of pure charity and love.
Anukampa residents and volunteers at our recent London Insight day retreat 🙂
Ven Dhammasami, Retreats & Thai Restaurants ~ by Ven. Candā
Never a dull day passes at Anukampa Grove ~ unless, that is, one may consider our weekly silent meditation days dull. For me, those “stoppings” are deeply relished as we enter the busiest time of our years’ cycle ~ demanding of energy yet benevolently serenaded by birdsong and the rustling of delicate new leaves.
My main activities have included organising the upcoming tours for Ajahn Brahm, newsletter composition, creating a colourful new leaflet with (the now) An. Chie, updating our visitors guidelines with An. Upacalaa, and excitingly, (very lightly) assisting Erik in producing an Anukampa Podcast channel! When not standing at the computer desk, I am of course mentoring my new anagarikaas, and introducing them to the various aspects of the project including how Mailchimp, our bookings systems and website’s events pages work. And, of course, how to keep a large white robe on one’s shoulders!
Our new leaflet is being designed, ready for Ajahn Brahm’s June tour!
Quiet meditation, Dhamma inspiration and lots of laughter is our fuel, and our visitors ~ those who drop by and those who stay for a while ~ bring richness, learning and the warm spirit of service. Torben, one of my very first non-Indian, non-Nepali teachers in the Goenka tradition, stayed for two full days, with a mission to pressure wash the entire sandstone patio which had become quite slippery over many years. Task completed, he gave our conservatory (walking meditation room) a thorough hose down too! The tile shade has brightened many tones and everything looks sparklingly new.
April brought the special gift of Sayadaw K Dhammasami’s visit to the UK from Myanmar. Formerly known as “Oxford Sayadaw” he is generally based in Myanmar at the International Buddhist University of the Shan State. He was across for just two weeks, which included teaching in Hungary and Gloucestershire, so the two meetings we had felt all the more precious. The first was his impromptu visit for tea at Anukampa Grove, accompanied by Ven Pannyavamso. The first thing Sayadaw wanted to do was have a photo taken under our gorgeous blossoming cherry tree ~ and who can blame him?!
After some Dhamma conversation over tea, with deep sincerity Sayadaw said that he felt “much much mudita (rejoicing or altruistic joy) for the hard work and efforts that have gone into our monastery.” As a touching gesture, he gave then anagarikaa-to-be Chie the small rosary he had carried with him and said with a twinkle in his eyes that the next time he visits he will listen to her Dhamma Talk…who knows?
The next week, I had the blessing of an hours’ Dhamma discussion with Sayadaw at Oxford Buddha Vihara (just 10 mins by taxi) centering on mudita, his main practice, and the insights it brings into non-self. Hearing how he applies mudita not only on the cushion but in developing student centred education ~ using mudita to develop positive empathy, disrupt top down models, instill a spirit of enquiry and heal trauma ~ was extremely inspiring and profound. When a person who lives in the most volatile of situations says: “there is a choice ~ you can focus on what is wrong in the world or look at what is beautiful and good,” it hits deeply. And to prove the integrity of his practice and humanity, his philosophy extends to his views about bhikkhunis. When I asked him his perspective he made three salient points:
1.He was at the Hamburg conference 2007 and realised that its not an academic problem but one of institutional tradition 2. You can be part of the problem or the solution and he wanted, in “whatever small ways he could,” to be part of the solution 3. It would be a loss for Oxford if I left and this is where I belong 🙂
In these three simple eloquent ways this noble-hearted monk expressed compassion, wisdom and spiritual integrity and I realised he had a lot to do with me being here. The first time we met, in 2019, he told his supporters who were present that he’s “rooting for me to stay in Oxford” which felt supremely welcoming. And here we are, happily abiding near Oxford, with good monastic friends just a short drive away at the Oxford Buddha Vihara 🙂
Other notable visitors of late have included Venerable Vimala (they/them) of Tilorien Monastery, Belgium, who it was a delight to spend sisterly time with. No one understands a bhikkhuni quite like a bhikkhuni, and our paths have been running parallel and interconnecting for decades. We met on a Goenka retreat in 2000 and subsequently both started bhikkhuni monasteries in our home countries. Within the week that they were here, they painted two bathrooms walls in cheery colours, plus diagnosed ~ and provided possible solutions for ~ many of our heating issues!
On a local walk through fields with friendly horses
We also hosted two women from South-East Asia, who flew all the way from Singapore and Malaysia respectively to practice with us for a while. Even in their home countries, there seems to be a lack of bhikkhuni monasteries for them to practice in, hence they travelled so far to be here. With all these budding nuns and only five bedrooms we will be full for aspirants in no long time and may (entually) need to send some of our metta-full home-grown nuns “outwards and unbounded” in the way true metta spreads, to plant more monastery seeds.
We have had a few big dana gatherings too. A UK-based Sri Lankan group who said they have been following us for many years offered a lovely lunch and impressed me with their knowledge of and respect for bhikkhunis. Long term supporter Amalsha (with her friend) was also present that day. If you have been following us for a while, you may remember that Amalsha kindly stored our retreat mats for many years at her home, before we got a base with storage space. It has been so satisfying to to meet her and other good friends like Hiranthi, Samantha, Paul and Richard again recently and be able to show them around the beautiful house and grounds that they helped bring into being.
Last but not least, a big shout out to our local Thai supporters, Mali, Mukh and Achala. Mali invited me and all my visitors to her Thai restaurant, in nearby Eaton village for Songkran, Thai New Year ~ and put on a feast. As her friends said “Mali does not know how to do small!” After a delicious meal at The Eight Bells, we were invited to participate in the traditional water ceremony which involves chanting blessings whilst having water poured over our hands, which we then splash on those willing!
This was our first invitation to a Thai restaurant and we are very grateful to Mali for making it so special.
A long time ago in Harare, in the days when I first walked home from school alone, without siblings or any older person, I remember how being alone heightened my sensory experiences of the tropical atmosphere. The sunlight seemed brighter, the shades cooler and the tree foliage above so dense. One of these trees was a yellow magnolia with a strong fragrance. In fact, I often paused and stood beneath it, feeling enveloped by the scent and also mystified about its origin. Until one day, I noticed the fallen flowers on the ground and the air filled with pollen and petals. Connecting the dots, I understood the source of the musky and sweet tones. I also decided that although it was like a beautiful perfume, I would hold my breath as I passed under it because the same pleasant scent could also feel overwhelming.
This childhood memory has some parallels with my recent reflections and interpretation of recent events. After the anagarika “ceremony,” I feel much the same in many ways. I like to reflect on the blessings in my life as usual (taking a pause to look away from strife for some time) and take in those blessings like inhaling a fragrant flower. However, one thing that has changed is the type of blessings and the intensity of those that are the same. For example, I used to appreciate having parents and elders, friendships, education, and employment, as well as being in a safe geographical location and in my own space. I still have parents, elders, and friendships, but now also a teacher and sister renunciates – and instead live in the heart of a Buddhist community, in a safe monastery for female monastics. The apparent differences are that my learning no longer exists within an educational system and my decisions are a little less influenced by familial pressures and expectations. There’s more flexibility within the friendships and the safe space I live in isn’t “mine” but “ours.” There’s more of a sense of being free and less of a sense of “me.”
If the blessings are comparable to a scent, I think these changes mean it’s a simpler, lighter and a more delicate one – I don’t feel I need to hold my breath, cautious that the intensity of the beauty will be too overpowering and complex. It’s fragrant, inhalable and I can breathe it in fully. I hope that with this year and season, the blessings and smells gently uplift us all.
On Sunday 20th April, whilst many people were celebrating Easter with family members, our spiritual family grew. It was an occasion to be remembered forever ~ personally and as the first time a British woman had taken up the anagarikaa precepts with a view to bhikkhuni ordination ~ yes, yet another first!
It took an evening to shave Chie’s head, owing to the care needed to ensure that her hair was kept in good condition as a precious donation for cancer patients ~ our friend Karin told us that afro hair donations are in short supply in the UK. This intention gave the shaving ceremony additional meaning and Chie’s exuberance at the end, as she touched her freshly shaven head ablaze with sensations, was a sight to behold!
“I can feel everything!” “Its like having a whole new limb!” “I never knew I had so much head!!” were some of her humorous and jubilant exclamations 🙂 The metamorphosis from lay woman to nun had begun!
The next morning she already seemed comfortable with her baldness and there was a purposeful buzz in the air, as we went about preparing our largest room, the danasala, for the visitors coming later. All our available parking space was booked, with some of our most devoted supporters and eight members of Chie’s family. Inspiringly, one of her elder sisters had flown with her family all the way from Zimbabwe (where they spend most of the year) for just two or three days to show a loving supportive presence.
An. Chie requesting and taking her anagarikaa precepts, with a view to going forth 🙂
Traditionally, the aspirant enters bearing a tray of gifts for her preceptor, which she presents before requesting the eight precepts. This tray contained a beautiful hand drawn picture of Ajahn Brahm and I, at my bhikkhuni ordination, surrounded by English wildflowers! It was very supportive for me personally, to have the presence of Venerable Vimala (visiting from Belgium), as well as Anagarika Upacala, as I must admit to feeling slightly overawed!
Amazingly, neither An. Chie nor I shed a tear during the recitation, probably because we had already done that in the lead up several times! The ceremony is relatively simple and short, yet there was a powerful sense of joy and inspiration that continued building as An. Chie received her visitors’ blessings and gifts ~ including a gigantic box of “Dazz” washing powder from her family, which made us chuckle!
Traditionally, the aspirant enters bearing a tray of gifts for her preceptor, which she presents before requesting the eight precepts. This tray contained a beautiful hand drawn picture of Ajahn Brahm and I, at my bhikkhuni ordination, surrounded by English wildflowers! It was very supportive for me personally, to have the presence of Venerable Vimala (visiting from Belgium), as well as Anagarika Upacala, as I must admit to feeling slightly overawed! Amazingly, neither An. Chie nor I shed a tear during the recitation, probably because we had already done that in the lead up several times! The ceremony is relatively simple and short, yet there was a powerful sense of joy and inspiration that continued building as An. Chie received her visitors’ blessings and gifts ~ including a gigantic box of “Dazz” washing powder from her family, which made us chuckle!
Since that special day, An. Chie’s radiance has only increased. She looks so ready for this step, this renunciant path, and wears her white robes like a natural, their multiple folds continuing to soften around her.
As for me, I can barely believe my good fortune. Our community now has two excellent anagarikaas, whose easy-going natures, genuine love of practice and readiness to serve make them super-easy to train. The conditions at Anukampa Grove are ripe and the Dhamma-Vinaya (the teachings and their application) is our unsurpassed guide.
Since that special day, An. Chie’s radiance has only increased. She looks so ready for this step, this renunciant path, and wears her white robes like a natural, their multiple folds continuing to soften around her.
As for me, I can barely believe my good fortune. Our community now has two excellent anagarikaas, whose easy-going natures, genuine love of practice and readiness to serve make them super-easy to train. The conditions at Anukampa Grove are ripe and the Dhamma-Vinaya (the teachings and their application) is our unsurpassed guide.
Messages from the community:
“I’m beaming with mudita for Anagārikā Chie! It’s an honour to have such a steady, kind-hearted anagārikā sister to grow with on this path. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community!” Anagarika Upacala
“Dear Chie, Sending you very much metta for Sunday. And for many thousand mornings afterwards as you follow the Buddha’s path. I hope you find the poem’s I’ve marked in Mary Oliver’s poetry book inspiring. You are fulfilling your life’s purpose and that of Anukampa Grove, which brings great joy to so many people. Many Blessings with love.” Lynne
“Dear Chie, I don’t really know what to say on such a great occasion as its definitely a very new one for everyone. I feel extremely privileged to meet you, to witness a part of your spiritual journey, to share giggles and occasional eyeroll, lol. Thank you for letting me be a part of this day that will change our lives and officially open doors to ordination to women! I feel very proud of you, in awe of your commitment to the path, and I cherish your friendship, kindness and wisdom. Wishing you all the best and I can’t wait to observe the next leg of your spiritual journey. With lots of love & metta” Karina
“Dear Anagarikaa Chie, I am back home now, and still deeply moved by yesterday’s events. It was such a privilege and blessing to witness this milestone on your spiritual path and in the Anukampa and UK Bhikkhuni history. I could not think of anything to say, that sounded ‘good enough’. I hope you did not mind me speaking with your mum instead. My mum would have felt the same, probably not come or shown this level of composure. I also got caught out on the present side. I did not realise it was allowed. Therefore, to be entrusted with your hair feels even more special. When I had my hair cut off for my first chemo in 2012 I did not know about this charity. I left some outside for the birds’ nest building. Until I send it off, your hair is on my main shrine. I have looked at the form, which I can fill in for you. They will want to email you a certificate. Therefore, I need the name you wish to appear on the certificate and the email address you want them to use. I will then do the form and post it securely with your hair to them. With much metta and blessings for you.” Karin
“I think there is so much positiveness, gentleness and cleanliness of both the place and, I think, the aura in there ~ love it! I will be learning more on meditation. You look like you where even born there lol ~ so perfectly fitting to who I have known.” Chie’s Sister
