To all our monastery friends, we’d like to inform you of the sad passing away of the father of Tam Ngan. Tam Ngan and her husband Gia Hieu have been some of Santi’s best friends over the years, and many of you have met them and know their great kindness and good-heartedness. We thought you’d like to know. Tam Ngan has gone to Vietnam for the funeral.
Our prayers and good wishes are with their family.
Our New year’s event, a whole night meditation sit we cal Jhanathon was a very inspiring experience for everyone involved.
Santi looked a bit like a tent city for a couple of days with the large number of people who were very keen to see just how far they can go. As you can see from the pictures of morning after breakfast – all of us survived…..
Click on the Photo above for more pictures of the event.
Kathina at Santi
On a sunny Sunday at the end of October we had celebrated the end of the rains retreat with the traditional Kathina ceremony. At the time of the Buddha it was when the monks and nuns would sew their new robes and in some countries this custom is still practised. Here we get them offered……
Here are a few Pictures of the day taken by Gia Hieu.
NOTE: Sadhu! Great thanks to Hung and Nga who have offered the funds for the new vehicle. The generosity of people never ceases to amaze. May they always rejoice in their good deeds! And again: Sadhu!
Dear Santi supporters,
For the last several years our main monastery vehicle has been our Mitsubishi Delica. It’s served us well, bringing us to and from Sydney, Canberra, and elsewhere, and as it is 4WD it can cope with the rough bush tracks at the monastery. However, increasing mileage and maintenance costs mean that its days are numbered.
We’d like to upgrade to a newer model Delica, so that we can continue to serve our community as in the past. If you’d like to help, you can donate to the monastery General Account. You can donate online here, or for other means of payment see our donations page.
If you do donate for this purpose to our General Account, please send us an email letting us know the details, so we can keep track.
Note that donations to the tax-deductible Building Fund cannot be used for a vehicle. The General Account is not tax-deductible.
If you have any questions, please contact us Santi.
Santi FM Incorporated’s Committee meets regularly throughout the year.
The next meeting of the 2011 Committee will take place at Santi on Sunday 1 May 2011.
This meeting will commence at 12.30pm and is expected to run for longer than two hours.
You are welcome to attend our meetings.
Your comments and feedback about the Committee’s activities are also welcome. Please contact us via the Santi Office email address.
Voting members: nine applications for voting membership of Santi FM Incorporated were accepted by the Commitee and confirmed by Bhante Sujato.
2010 Financial Statements: this meeting minuted the Committee’s unanimous agreement to a resolution accepting Santi Forest Monastery Inc’s 2010 Financial Statements.
Solar at Santi: collection is working well and Santi is contributing electricity to the grid.
Jhanathon: to date, Jhanathon donations total $1,176.
Volunteers insurance: after consideration of risk, cost/benefits and options for coverage, have decided not to pursue.
Auditor for financial statements: search for auditor who will conduct audit as a pro bono service or at reduced cost is ongoing.
Good Life Dhamma talks and meditation in Sydney: Santi FM will continue to cover room costs not covered through donations.
Jhanathon: promotion of event discussed. Funds raised will assist in construction of new kutis.
Bhante Sujato to attend American Academy of Religion Interfaith Conference conference in Atlanta, U.S.A.: followed by a visit to University of Alabama and a road trip to San Francisco.
Santipada website: Bhante has expanded his Santipada site.
Volunteers insurance: quotes for coverage discussed. Decision deferred.
Santi’s roads: repairs and improvements postponed until current building work complete; contingent on finances being available.
Santi’s OH&S policy: amended and implemented.
Harmony Community Farm offer to Santi: declined offer to take on Farm. The venture involves a massive amount of work, and is not appropriate for Santi to undertake.
Solar system installed: cost $3465. This system will pay for itself over time.
Grant for composting toilets and water tanks: Santi requested an extension of time from DECC to finish project.
Rains Retreat arrivals at Santi: Venerable Vedananda and Venerable Nibbida from Sri Lanka.
Resident community during Rains: 15 people are staying at the monastery for the Rains Retreat.
Santi finances, current balances: General $15,256; Building $4,233; V2 $20,659. Total $40,148.
Annual Report: discussed preparation of next Annual Report and securing an auditor for Financial Statements.
On the only truly hot day so far of 2011, a small group of Santi guests and residents embarked on the Extreme Santi Walk. Bhante Sujato was the leader on a route that traversed along some of the cliffs that form the boundary between Santi Forest Monastery and Morton National Park.
It was certainly a very spectacular walk/scramble, that had participants legs feeling like jelly on many occasions the also gave rise to a few slightly raised heart rates. Despite the pressure on limbs and nervous systems 50% of our starters completed the traverse and the rest retraced their steps safely.
The heart of the landscape at Santi Forest Monastery would have to be the Moneyya Cave. It is affectionately referred to as The Big Cave to distinguish it from the many “little caves” scattered along the gullies. In late 2009 the long, labour of love that transformed the cave from a sand-filled pocket of sandstone into a beautiful space for meditation and Dhamma talks was finally finished.
Inside the Big Cave
Kathrin (left) works on the wall outside the cave while others are planting
In 2010 the focus has been on improving the entrance and surrounds of the cave. A large, timber clad shed was built and is now being used for storage of mats, cushions, and other essential meditation requisites. A composting toilet, housed in the same style of structure was purchased and installed thanks to a NSW Climate Change Fund grant.
Anagarika Kathrin has been working consistently since September to build a beautiful limestone wall. This beautiful structure snakes elegantly along the top edge of the slope between the cave entry area and the forest below.
Ayya Analaya was also busy in 2010 propagating seedlings of local native plants to re-vegetate the steep, sandy slopes to prevent erosion and restore the natural forest. A small team of nuns and guests had a a very satisfying time planting these little seedlings before Christmas. We’re happy to report that almost all have survived and are flourishing.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stay as a guest at Santi Forest Monastery, please take a look at a very nice write-up that was done by one of our recent guests Dean Crabb.