Visit - Spring 2024

Issue 29: Celebrating A Special Birthday and Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Greetings,

Ajaan Geoff’s students are organizing a special evening of meditation on Wednesday, December 27th from 6:30-8:00PM Pacific Time (PT) to celebrate Taan Ajaan Geoff’s birthday (on December 28th).

The patipatti-puja (homage through the practice), will start with participants recording their good wishes to Ajaan Geoff. This recorded message will be sent to Taan Ajaan on his birthday. The evening will then follow the usual format for the Uposatha evenings: chanting with a recording from the Wat Mettā Sangha, a recorded Dhamma talk from Ajaan Geoff, and silent meditation.

To join the session:

  • Zoom Meeting ID: 878 3693 7349

  • Zoom Passcode: Appamada

Registrations are open for Aranya Refuge's Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month' from March 18 to April 14, 2024. 

Consider staying as an Overnight Guest, joining as a Day Visitor, or offering food to the monks.

Overnight Guests
We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one-week periods, Monday to Sunday:

  • March 18-24

  • March 25-31

  • April 1-7

  • April 8-14

Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins (bed only).

👉 Apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors
We welcome applications for Day Visitors from Monday, March 18, through to Sunday, April 14, 2024.
👉 Apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.
👉 Learn more about offering food here.


For any questions or concerns, please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young

Issue 28: Important Update on Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Greetings,

We have an update regarding our 'Monastery for a Month' event. The new dates are now set for Monday, March 18 to Sunday April 14, 2024. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause.

Overnight Guests

We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one week periods, Monday to Sunday: Mar 18-24, Mar 25-31; Apr 1-7, Apr 8-14. Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins (bed only).

Please note that registrations for the first week are close to being complete. There is room for males interested in dormitory stays.

Given the demand, we advise registering soon to secure your place. Should spots fill up, a waitlist will be available to accommodate any last-minute openings. Apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors

We welcome applications for Day Visitors from Monday, March 18, through to Sunday, April 14, 2024. Apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.

For any questions or concerns, please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young

“Note the importance of using your sense of humor to—as we say in English—“make light” of difficulties. We’ve already seen the element of humor in the story of Lady Vedehikā. But the use of humor in developing endurance is something universal and contains an element of folk wisdom.

There was a British explorer in Canada back in the 1830s who wanted to find a copper deposit that was said to be in the Northwest Territories. He couldn’t find anyone to guide him there except for a group of Dene natives. So, he decided to go with them. It was one of the first cases of a British explorer entrusting his life to the natives. As they were going across the territory, they lived off their hunting and fishing skills. He noticed that on the days when the hunting and fishing were bad, those were the days when the Dene were telling the most jokes, to keep their spirits up in spite of the hunger.

These are some of the ways that you use your knowledge of fabrication to help you endure a situation.”

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
Good Heart, Good Mind, Maintaining Concentration

Issue 27: March 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Update: New Dates for Our Spring 2024 ‘Monastery for a Month’ – March 18 to April 14, 2024.

Greetings,

Aranya Refuge Monastery for a Month - March 2024

We are excited to announce that Aranya Refuge will have a temporary monastery for the month of March 2024. The monastery will be located at Earthspring Sanctuary, a retreat centre 40 minutes from Victoria, BC. Earthspring provides a wilderness refuge suitable for forest monks and for those wishing to participate in the daily schedule of a Theravada Buddhist monastery. 

Taan Ajaan Geoff and Taan Mike were the resident monks at Aranya Refuge’s monastery for a month at Earthspring in November 2022. They found the location was very supportive for their practice.

Ajaan Peter and Taan Will, senior monks from Metta Forest Monastery, will be our monks in residence for March 2024.

Ajaan Peter and Taan Will have been to Vancouver Island for previous month-long visits. Taan Will came for Aranya Refuge’s inaugural month-long visit in May 2018 and Ajaan Peter came for a month-long visit in May 2019. We look forward to their return to Vancouver Island.

The Monastery Experience
The monastery experience is not a scheduled retreat as found at some meditation retreat centers, as a monastery is always in “retreat” mode, where lay visitors join in the daily schedule and follow the Eight Precepts. Please read the Monastery Etiquette and Visitor Guidelines for details.

As well, you can view photos from our successful November 2022 temporary monastery here.

Visiting and Staying at the Monastery

Overnight Guests
We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one week periods, Monday to Sunday, from March 4 - Mar 30 2024. Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins - bed only.

Please apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors
Day Visitors are welcome from March 4 2024 - March 30 2024.

Registered Day Visitors can join the daily schedule, such as offering food in the early morning, engaging in self-directed practice on the grounds, and joining the meditation gatherings.

Please apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.

Please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young