And Then There Were Three! :-)

Welcoming 2 Aspiring Bhikkhunis To Anukampa’s Community!

On Sunday 16th March, Anagarikaa Upacala renewed her training precepts with me as her teacher, which also meant formally joining the Anukampa community as my first trainee. This step marks a pivotal point for Anukampa as we now have another long-term resident at the monastery ~ a precious new kalyanamitta (spiritual friend) for everybody here! It is also a turning point for Buddhism in the UK, because this is the first time that a woman has been able to take up anagarikaa training with a wide open path ahead to becoming a full member of the monastic Sangha as the Buddha prescribed, with no glass ceilings limiting her growth within that Sangha. In other words, she can train as a bhikkhuni who will eventually be empowered to train her own nuns, meaning there will be more well-trained bhikkhunis to spread the Dhamma far and wide! My heart is full of mudita for An. Upacala, as well as gratitude towards the countless good hearts who helped create the conditions to make this possible. 

Establishing monasteries is always hard work. Navigating the extra challenges intrinsic to an environment where bhikkhunis face discriminatory attitudes and the entrenched view within some Buddhist traditions that monks are a greater “field of merit” than nuns, makes it far harder still. Some people non-sensibly argue that women don’t “need” to be fully ordained and train in adhisila (higher virtue) as the Buddha recommended, yet support fully ordained monks without question! It is therefore understandable that some of our early supporters (and I) underestimated the challenges involved in establishing a Bhikkhuni Sangha in England, and I commend those for whom the challenges served to strengthen your resolve. 

I am so happy that I never gave up! Serving Anukampa means so much to me, not only because it serves female renunciates but also because it offers a me way to express my immense gratitude and respect for Ajahn Brahm’s teachings and the sacrifices he made to enable women (like me) to be fully ordained. His unconditional friendship and support have been a constant source of inspiration that kept me going when times were tough. Not only have we now established a beautiful monastery, I’ve learned things I’d never have otherwise learned ~ about myself, and by extension the human mind ~ that have helped me grow in wisdom and compassion. I am continually learning how much resilience, courage and tenderness is required in a leadership role ~ a willingness to break and be stitched back together again, (and again and again) ~ in order to continue against the odds. I’ve learned to ask for help, as well as to extend a strong supporting arm to others.  

Witnessing budding aspirations developing in young women has been another huge energy source. I knew there may be women who, like me, sustain a strong aspiration to practice as renunciates and search for an opportunity to ordain, yet I didn’t know who they might be. In retrospect, it was a bit like giving metta to a stranger or invisible being. I trusted they existed (somewhere out there!) and I wanted it to be easier for them than it was for me. I have also come to realise that as we speak, there are women who may not know they have a monastic calling ~ because such a choice has never felt real. How can we choose a vocation ~ mundane or spiritual ~ when it is not even on our radar of choice? With so few bhikkhuni monasteries worldwide (and the array of wrong views that regard female monastics as lesser than, or “fortunate guests” of, monks), there is no wonder the Bhikkhuni Sangha is sparse. And obviously this has consequences for the accessibility and reputation of Buddhism. I’ll never forget the Chinese student who came to our previous Vihara and whose eyes melted with tears, as she uttered: “I never knew this could be possible for me,” or the young Norwegian man who said: “Bhikkhunis are redeeming Buddhism.”

In the years before we had a Vihara, I met women for whom the idea of monastic life was novel, yet remote. I started realising that, given the necessity of playing an upfront role in strengthening the systems that support female alms mendicants, before they can go forth, my first aspirants would need considerable maturity in meditation coupled with a deeply compassionate, sustained intention to serve. Did such women exist and where? I also appreciated, by putting myself in their shoes, that it could be challenging to train with a single senior nun and no peers. Wasn’t all this a long shot? At large monasteries with established communities, an anagarikaa or junior nun would have ample pre-existing support, few responsibilities and many sisters in robes. Taken together, these realities meant we needed great patience and trust, and I thank you all for yours. 

Imagine my delight today. Conditions have finally conspired to bring us together in such a way that I have not one, but two excellent aspirants! I could not imagine nor wish for a finer pair and I am stoked that they have each other as peers. There also exists a beautiful dynamic of three-way support ~ respectful yet relaxed, allowing for fun. Our current Polish guest Joanna said the energy between us reminded her of the story of Anuruddha, Kimbila and Nandiya ~ three monks in the Buddha’s day who “blended like milk and water,” regarding each other with loving eyes (paraphrased from Upakkilesa Sutta) ~ and that’s how it feels to me.

Which brings me to Chie. Another beloved member of our community, who stayed with Ven Upekkha and I for many months last year, even completing the move with us to Anukampa Grove, Chie will take her anagarikaa precepts on 20th April, at 3pm. If she continues her training (and may it be so!) this will make her the first British woman to train right through from anagarikaa to bhikkhuni ordination in the UK! Not wishing to get ahead of myself, nor anyone else, the joy is in the voyage and I feel utterly blessed to have Chie on board. 

I know that more learning, growth and challenges (not always immediately inviting!) lie ahead. And whatever is to come, we will face. I take heart knowing that together, as three kalyanamittas open to feedback, willing to be honest and vulnerable with each other, we can journey further on this path than we could alone, if not to the journey’s end. Going forth for the complete freedom from suffering and the highest happiness of Nibbana is the ultimate way of paying back our debt of gratitude ~ to the Buddha, our teachers and all those who support us in our aims. Thank you from the depths of my heart and on behalf of everyone who has benefitted from our work so far, for your inspirational, steadfast support. I hope you are rejoicing with us!

Post golden-hued ceremony, with Liz, Ginny and Nigel as special (local) guests



I share these touching messages of support from my Dhamma “big brothers” and sister: 

Dear Ayya,
Sādhu!!! This is great news! A real monastery taking shape in real time!
Much metta and very best wishes to you and your new kalyānamitta,

Ajahn Brahmali

OMG I am so happy for her! Ayya, you are doing an amazing job, and it was truly heartwarming to witness your community. May our sister Bluejay* fly free!
with metta

Bhante Sujato

Anumodana!!!!
You both – us all – deserve it SOO much. 
Sabba dukkha nissarana – nibbana sacchi karanattha ya
May your friendship bear great fruit.
With muuuuch happiness (and a great deal of excitement)

Ven Upekkha

And Ajahn Brahm, via Zoom, has pledged that: “You both have my full support.

*Bluejay (or literally, “little sister bluejay” is the meaning of Upacala, who was also an arahant bhikkhuni and Ven. Sariputta’s middle little sister, in the Buddha’s day 🙂

Shrine to another female arahant, Patacara Bhikkhuni, alongside gifts and inspiring pics!

Disclaimer & Scam Warning

We have recently become aware that Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, the BSWA, Ajahn Brahm and Ven Canda’s (Ayya Canda) name and images have been posted on a website called “Open Sangha Foundation”. We are not affiliated with “Open Sangha Foundation” in any way. We did not create any user profile nor account on their website.

Anukampa, the BSWA, Ajahn Brahm, and Ven Canda have not given permission for any account or user profile to be created, or for the use of Ajahn Brahm and Ven Canda’s name and images on the their website. Both have been done so without our permission.

Please be aware that our official channels are only those listed on our official website.

Prospective Monastery So Close: Donate Now to Bridge the Gap!

Your help is still needed us to make our vision of an inclusive, welcoming Buddhist community come true!✨

Ajahn Brahm’s visit this year was exceptional in many ways and most notably for an unexpected property find! On the long train ride back from visiting his extended family north of Liverpool, inspiration struck and we discovered an affordable prospective monastery property online.

Two days later, Ajahn, Ven Canda and volunteer Shel, went to view it and thought the layout and location ideal for a Forest Monastery – secluded yet accessible, with potential to expand. The prospective monastery is on Boars’ Hill just 5 miles from Oxford station. This location would enable us to stay near our main hub of support – and our friends, the Oxford Buddha Vihara monks – bringing the four-fold assembly to Oxford.

Happy volunteers with the Sangha at the end of Ajahn Brahm’s UK tour, 20.11.23 🙂

We and our loyal supporters have been running high on inspiration due your heart-warming response so far, in the form of donations, loan offers and messages of support. You have shown us that when intentions are aligned to Dhamma, they have power to spread the Buddha’s teachings and build safe, beloved communities. You have shown us how dedicated to practice you are. You have shown us that as a Buddhist community, we are ready to develop a monastery that will benefit us all – and so we celebrate and rejoice!

Our finances team once again would like to thank you for all your generous loan offers, including that of the BSWA. Our Treasurer Manori will be getting in touch with you again soon with more updates. We are now inviting donations of any amount to bridge the critical difference between loans and costs, so we can put in a successful offer (there are two other parties putting an offer in too)! For options on how to donate, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/

Trustees Elena and Manori with Ven Canda, close to the prospective new Forest Monastery! 22.11.23

An Ideal Forest Monastery is Available Now!

Ajahn Brahm’s visit this year was exceptional in many ways and most notably for an unexpected property find! On the long train ride back from visiting his extended family and “scouser” (i.e. Liverpudlian) roots, inspiration struck and we discovered an affordable property online. Two days later, before the Bristol talk, Ajahn, Shel, and I went to view it. The layout and location ideal for a Forest Monastery – secluded yet accessible with potential to expand. The property is on Boars’ Hill just 5 miles from Oxford station. This location would enable us to stay close to our main hub of volunteers and supporters – and our friends, the Oxford Buddha Vihara monks! 

Autumn on the River Thames in Oxford

Since then and during our last weekend retreat ending 19th November, an overwhelming amount of support has been pouring in from so many of you. Our local and international communities have mobilised to help put us in a position to make a cash offer using personal loans, (just until these can be repaid when we sell our Vihara). We will have more information on whether we can proceed with an offer very soon.

At this point, we can only accept a limited number of loans due to the time frame and paperwork involved. We are therefore encouraging contributions of any amount so that we can move forward at this critical juncture. We have been searching for a property like this for years and know how rare a find this is – a peaceful yet central place to fulfil our mission of growing a Bhikkhuni Sangha here in the UK and develop a welcoming and inclusive spiritual community around that, which you can be a part of!

The monastics and their loyal supporters have been running high on inspiration due your heart-warming response so far. You have shown us the power that Dhamma-aligned intentions have in spreading the Buddha’s teachings and how dedicated to practice you are. You have shown us that as a community, we are ready for a monastery that will benefit us all – and for that I celebrate and rejoice!   

What You Can Do Next

If you would like to make a one-off donation, by bank transfer, PayPal, card, or to make a regular monthly donation, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate

For those of you who have so kindly offered loans, thank you! Manori will be in touch soon to update you on the next steps, or you are welcome to write to finances@anukampaproject.org if you have any questions.

Cute & Cuddly Monastics on Ajahn Brahmali’s Tour! 

by Casey

Monastics from behind

When I first started my journey along the Buddhist Path, I was intimidated by monastics. They looked too grand and holy silently lined up in their orange robes on the early morning streets of Vientiane, Laos, where I live and work, or solemnly chanting unintelligible Pali blessings while sitting stone-faced at funeral ceremonies. I dared to get close enough only to drop a handful of sticky rice into their alms bowls, but not to make eye contact, much less start up a conversation about the Dhamma. I steered clear of these bald-headed figures as best as I could even after I started going to monasteries to practice and serve, afraid that I would say or do something improper, or otherwise disrespect them by accident. I rationalized that there was no need for me to associate with monastics anyway. I had my books of suttas and my daily meditation practice. Besides, in this modern day and age I could just pull up a talk by Ajahn Brahm on YouTube and watch from a safe distance. Surely I could do without direct interaction with monastics so long as I had the word of the Buddha and the internet.

Yet as anyone who has been fortunate enough to spend time around fellow practitioners has probably already discovered, there are a lot more layers to the Dhamma that come out when it is a living, breathing essence flowing through the lifeblood of a community of monastics and laypeople that is far more vibrant and nuanced than when it is exclusively absorbed from the pages of a book. If I had not started to figure this out for myself, I probably never would have ended up here at the Anukampa Vihara for the tail end of Ajahn Brahmali’s recent UK teaching tour in the first place. And if I had not realized the beauty of this treasured living Dhamma ahead of time, I certainly would have felt it when I arrived at the vihara in Oxford, at which time I was immediately swept up into the flood of peace, generosity, and metta that this community of Dhamma friends had been building up long before my arrival in the UK. The people I met who had joined Ajahn Brahmali’s retreat emanated auras of gentleness and tranquility, greeting me with the bright eyes and warm smiles of those who have been able to touch something deeper and kinder in themselves than any of us are typically able to reach on our own in our usual busy lives.

Monastics at the Vihara

As I travelled with Ajahn Brahmali and the Anukampa community during the last week of talks, I experienced the same kinds of feelings for myself. From the first talk I attended at the Oxford Buddha Vihara to the day retreat hosted by London Insight Meditation at the Jamyang Buddhist Centre, and even back to the small community at the Anukampa Vihara itself, I found myself constantly surrounded by other people sincerely striving to reduce their own suffering and that of all other beings through thoughts, speech, and actions steeped in what is wholesome–moral sila, peaceful samadhi, and sharp wisdom.

It seemed that each new space I stepped into was awash in good intentions and the positive energy of all the people who inhabited them, allowing me to share in the peace, joy, and energy of a community that had come together to rejoice in the teachings of the very monastics who had once so intimidated me. The monastics were the core of the community, and the community pulled me to the very doorstep of the Dhamma. After years of practice during which I had mostly sat striving alone, holding onto some distant awareness of the breath through a raging sea of agitated thoughts, this community of practitioners proved to me what teachers like Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali, and Venerable Canda had been saying all along. The practice is not an act of willpower, but a natural unfolding of mind that occurs when we incline ourselves in the right direction. Surrounded by so many people well-inclined towards kindness and letting go, my mind naturally followed suit. I finally felt like I was getting a taste of the true flavour of the Dhamma–not the spicy burn of forced effort, but the soft, sweet flavour of the natural underlying joy that all of us find when we put everything down and make space for it. It is one thing to read about such a thing and another thing entirely to be immersed in it at the centre of a crowd of spiritual friends, laypeople and monastics alike.

Lay guests at the Vihara with monastics

To watch the monastic life lived sincerely is to see echoes of the Buddha himself. It is true that many things have changed since the Buddha’s time. Now instead of walking barefooted down dusty paths, our retinue of monastics and lay supporters waited on a platform for our delayed train to Bristol, checking for updates on our smartphones while Ajahn Brahmali sat on a bench translating Pali texts on his laptop. Yet the heart of the monastic lifestyle remains the same. To travel and share the Dhamma lies at the core of monasticism, and for me, being able to witness this process in action was a priceless gift. Just as the Buddha and his supporters did more than 2500 years ago, still we were traveling from town to town, wherever there were people willing to lend an ear to the profound Dhamma and practice with good will and sincerity. I could tell that in spite of the whistles and bells of modern communication and transportation that I was witnessing Buddhism in its truest, oldest sense. It is thanks to the compassion and hard work of monastics like Ajahn Brahmali, Venerable Canda, and Venerable Upekkha that even after thousands of years, we still have the opportunity to witness this noble way of life in person to this day.

After a week of Dhamma talks, traveling, dana meals given and received, and quiet tea time with the monastics, I got to see not only the Dhamma as a logically sound philosophy or even as a strictly causal path that ultimately leads to cessation, but as something that was very much present and very much alive. Just as all living things, I also saw how the Dhamma was growing wider and deeper, putting its roots down in new territory. It is an amazing and wonderful thing to see the strong foothold this practice holds here in the UK, on a piece of land so far in time and geography from the land where the Buddha first taught, but where his teachings are just as valid and precious as ever. It was a special treasure for me to witness a room full of people discussing the integral importance of the bhikkhuni ordination as part of this tradition, a simultaneous return to the roots the Buddha himself laid down for women practitioners as well as an integral part of the new growth that is possible in the practice and in the community when all people have the opportunity to undertake the practice in its full scope.

Ven Upekkha, Ajahn Brahmali, and Ven Canda.

At his last talk, Ajahn Brahmali voiced his wish that the audience might see the monastics as cute and cuddly (cuddly from a distance, he specified). It was an image of monastics that would have been almost impossible for me to even a year or two ago, and yet, I can say that during my past week with the dual Sangha of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, I have finally felt that (distant) cuddliness. The warmth, metta, and goodwill I experienced in the presence of beings so dedicated to the Path the Buddha laid out was undeniable. Indeed, this is another echo of the Buddha, reminding me that while monastics may look intimidating, through them one can find a reflection of the true compassion of the Buddha, passed down through the Dhamma and Sangha to reach us in a very close and personal way even to this day. To show us the way to this compassionate path and help the Dhamma come alive to each of us is the gift that the Sangha gives. This is why the Triple Gem is necessarily triple and not double. By looking into the gem of the Sangha, we can see the reflection of the Buddha looking back at us through the generations of his students, the bhikkhunis and bhikkhus who continue to offer us teachings to this day. It is here in this gem that we can get a glimpse of the very compassion that motivated the Buddha himself to teach the Dhamma that continues to bring us all together, leading us closer to each other, closer to ourselves, and closer to the Truths that the Buddha unearthed.

by Casey

Ajahn Brahmali

Live-Streaming Ajahn Brahmali Retreat!

Dear Friends,

We have decided to broaden the reach of our upcoming week-long residential deep dive into breath meditation retreat with Ajahn Brahmali by livestreaming the morning and evening session on the Anukampa YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNIW229Hx4MOF_ahakA67EA.

The livestream will begin from Day Two through to Day Seven (14th May to 19th May) as follows:

09:00 – 10:00 Morning talk

20:15 – 21:30 Anonymous Q&A from “the box”

The final day’s morning session will close the retreat on 20th May:

Day 8

09:00 – 10:30 Closing talk and loving kindness meditation

All recordings will also be made available on the Anukampa YouTube channel following the conclusion of the tour.

Bhikkhunis on the Witches’ Pendle Hill!

by Paul (Anukampa Facebook Coordinator), 19th April 2023

What a blessing it has been to host Venerables Canda & Upekkha in our little cottage here in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire for a few days this month. Their presence transformed our humble abode into a mini Bhikkhuni Vihara while my partner Richard, our little beagle Amber and I vacated the house for their ease. Breakfast and lunch dana was offered daily, the regular Friday Night Sutta Discussion Class was broadcast live from our lounge and we got to know the learned Ven Upekkha a little better.

Lunch dana offering

We also had the opportunity to do a memorable hike up and over nearby Pendle Hill. With its infamous connection to the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 and the beginnings of the Quaker Movement with the divine vision of George Fox in 1652 on its summit, Pendle Hill has seen some important historic events including the sojourn of Mahatma Gandhi in a village close by in 1931. The visit of Britain’s only known resident Theravada bhikkhunis at present is no less significant, in particular for the History of Buddhism in Britain. They are probably the first ever fully ordained Buddhist Nuns to ascend her heights!

Hike at Pendle Hill

Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project has brought a lot of joy to my life since becoming a volunteer back in 2016 and this has been a highlight for us. Long may the Bhikkhuni Sangha continue to grow and flourish for the benefit of all living beings!

Paul Burton 🙂

Why Do You Support Bhikkhunis? Three Male Perspectives

In this thought-provoking and spontaneous interview, Ven Canda & Ven Upekkha speak to three male guests visiting Anukampa Bhikkhuni Vihara about if and why bhikkhuni ordination matters to them as male Buddhists, and what they feel bhikkhunis offer to them – and to the Buddhist world at large.

The conversation is mainly directed toward Ananda (Luke), a devoted 21 year old Buddhist aspiring to ordain as a bhikkhu, and Erlend from Norway, a 47 year old Buddhist who is heavily involved in supporting Ajahn Nitho to develop a monastery in Norway. Ananda’s father Patrick, who came to Buddhism through Taekwondo, offered a few words as well – so the voices of three generations are heard here. We thank Ananda, Erlend and Patrick for their kind participation and thoughts on this important matter.

May all beings fulfill their spiritual aspirations!


Ven Upekkha’s Musings

Crawling out from under a rock in Gidgegannup, I felt like a neanderthal arriving at Heathrow airport. Prepared with a stack of letters proving that it was alright to enter a country without money, I stood on the 300 or so long e-immigration line that was manned by two people. It may have been Ajahn Brahm and Ven Canda sending metta at the time, but more likely that immigration officers were on strike – I arrived in the UK safely, and my long-awaited visit to Ven Canda had finally come to be.

Peering into a computer screen in the mornings and putting on my thick coat to walk down the quaint streets of Iffley towards the Thames in the afternoons, I wonder at how transient life can be.  Having joined a forest monastery almost 14 years ago, I would never have imagined I would be sitting in front of a computer in a small terraced house in Oxford. As our abbot at Dhammasara, Ajahn Hasapanna often says, ‘Whatever you least expected – is probably what will happen’.

Ven Canda and Ven Upekkha in the dana hall

It has been a privilege to be part of and witness the growing community taking shape around Anukampa Bhikkhuni Vihara. Having known Ven Canda since before we took bhikkhuni ordination together in 2014, I know how hard she has worked (and still does). A Bhikkhuni Vihara in the UK is a reality.  There is a dana hall, a meditation hall, and rooms for nuns and lay guests.

More inspiring than the Vihara (not to be under-estimated, a roof over our heads!) are all those who have come by. Some long-term Buddhists and others inspired by Ven Canda’s ongoing Zoom sessions; the generosity and sincerity of everyone involved is palpable.

The highlight for me so farwas an invitation from the Oxford Buddha Vihara to teach on their eight-precept day. We were warmly welcomed by the bhikkhu community and Venerable Mahasena proudly introduced the two bhikkhunis in the neighbourhood to his supporters.

A long-term supporter of the OBV wrote afterwards in an email:

“It’s just dawning on me how yesterday was such a historical moment – the four-fold assembly meeting together at the Oxford Buddha Vihara in joy and harmony! Because it was so relaxed and informal it might be easy to miss the significance of the event, but I will always remember it.”

Oxford Buddhist Vihara visit in early April

I have been very fortunate in my monastic life – to have the opportunity to practice as a fully-ordained nun, in a harmonious community in a vast forest. But I stand on the shoulders of giants. Those who had the guts to make it possible for women to live the Holy Life to its fullest – and those brave women and bhikkhunis who went before me.



May I be able to give back some of all that I have received,
Venerable Upekkha 🙂

What’s Happening at the Monastery?

Here at Anukampa Vihara we have had many delightful comings and goings, with each and every visitor enriching the community. Guests notice the peaceful, harmonious atmosphere – ‘It feels like a sanctuary, a spiritual home,’ they say. Perhaps it is the silent afternoons, the regular meditation and Dhamma talks, or the faith of the guests who might have driven hours to offer a meal; whatever it is, Anukampa Vihara has become more than the house that was occupied in November – it has become an oasis of calm in a busy and fast-paced world.

Three guests at the Vihara with Ven Canda and Ven Upekkha

There has been a growing stream of overnight guests and drop-in visitors. Venerable Upekkha has doubled the Sangha’s presence and Grace looked after us well for seven weeks. The years of community building through “Zoomi Bhikkhuni” are finally bearing abundant fruit, with the majority of our residential guests having first met us online and since developed a lasting relationship with the community. From Norway to America (and this coming month from Perth!), everyone arrives with a heart of service, united in their aspiration to see the Bhikkhuni Sangha flourish and thrive.

After years of a solitary uphill slog, Anukampa is bursting to life, like the blossoms and leaves on the trees of Iffley Village. Thank you for supporting us in every way, both seemingly small and large.

Several day-visitor supporters with two overnight guests

Finally, to start the month of May on a high, we had the fortunate opportunity to invite two of the Oxford Buddha Vihara monks for lunch dana with us – Ven Mahasena from the Shan state of Myanmar who is currently acting abbot, and Ven Tuan from Vietnam who is studying for his PhD. The meeting was informal and filled with joy (and delicious food!). After lunch we had a fascinating discussion with Ven Tuan about the historical context of the Sarvastivadin and Early Mahayana teachings. We look forward to meeting our Dhamma brothers again at Ajahn Brahmali’s Oxford events – and hopefully seeing you there too!

Supporters with Ven Mahasena and Ven Tuan

Here are some fun photos of the day and you can click to listen to our five minute welcome and two minute blessing chant  captured on Manori’s mobile phone!

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhuuuuuuu!