For any one who hasn’t been to our Monastery before, or for our regular friends, today is a perfect day to come and join us on our simple but special celebration of Vesak- the day of the Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment and passing away.
Vesak celebrations will commence at 7pm tonight with candlelight circuit ambulation around the Stupa, special Vesak chanting and meditation.
Please bring a blanket and torch if possible. For those who arrive early, there will be chocolate, ginger and lollies at teatime from 6-7pm.
Dhamma talk and Meditation program is commencing at Baulkham hills tonight.
Meditation for the Youth Group will start at 6pm. Please note that parents are not allowed during this session! Meditation for everyone will commence from 7pm-8:30pm. Youth may join their parents at this time if they wish to.
Join volunteers and residents at Santi Forest Monastery to help protect the 150 acres of beautiful natural bushland surrounding the Monastery. The day will provide an opportunity to work in the bush adjoining the Morton National Park and also visit the Monastery’s beautiful natural meditation cave.
- 7:00 am Early arrival ( free breakfast!)
- 9:00 am Late arrival
- 11:00 am Lunch
- 4:00 pm Finish.
Tap into the green skill base of qualified Bush Regenerators who collectively have over twenty years of bush regeneration experience along with getting to know the residents at the Monastery. Bringing a vegetarian dish to share for lunch would be most appreciated.
If you haven’t been to our Monastery before, today is a perfect day to come and join us in our Vesak celebrations- Vesak being the day the Lord Buddha was born , attained enlightenment and passed away.
The Vesak program will commence from 4:30pm with meditation, Jartaka storries and circum ambulation around the Stupa and other activities throughout the night.
If you are inclined to avoid the noise and excitement that surrounds the usual New Year’s celebrations in the cities, why not do something a bit different by spending a peaceful time at Santi as a superb way to reflect over the past year of your life and greet the new one with a sense of clarity and resolution.
The program for Friday 31st December starts at 19:00 PM and includes a Dhamma talk to inspire and give food for thought, followed by meditation sessions culminating at midnight with some wholesome paritta chanting to activate faith and other energies of the mind. Of course, everyone is welcome to keep going beyond this time too.
It may also be a great opportunity to arrive even earlier in time for Dana at 11:00 AM, and make a whole day out of it in the beautiful forest surroundings here, to meet and talk to the monastics and other fellow practitioners.
Welcome and introduction
Guided metta meditation
Spiritual Director’s report
President’s report
Treasurer’s report
Voting in a new committee
Planning discussions for 2011, led by Bhante Sujato
Closing discussion and meditation
The growing community at Santi is looking forward to meeting you.
Bhante Sujato has gone on a three-week trip to the USA. He is expected back at Santi around the 20th October but the date is approximate. For details of his trip, please see his blog which he is planning to keep updated.
We would like to invite our friends and supporters to join us for the Kathina ceremony, which will be held at the end of the rain retreat on Sunday the 24th of October here at Santi FM. (100 coalmines rd., Bundanoon)
Please bring a vegetarian dish to share.
Like every year on the full moon day in the month of July – Theravada monasteries all around the world enter their traditional rains retreat. It is a period of 3 months within which the monastic community stays in one place and concentrate on solitude, meditation and contemplation of the dhamma. This year we have gathered about 15 people, sangha and lay people to spend this time at Santi.
