posted Jan 28, 2012 9:04 PM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
Two weeks ago the Pacific Hermitage was in about as good of shape as it has ever been, ready for Ajahn Sudanto's return from Thailand. The meditation huts had electric heaters recently installed. The walking paths were both finished - ready for a meditation retreat. It all seemed so perfect, but then came a severe ice storm.
Pacific Hermitage sustained some damages. Two trees fell and hit the house, causing 13 holes in the roof. Two of the holes penetrated completely through the roof, right into the house. Overall, more than 20 trees on the property fell and many more were severely damaged. Several blocked access to the remote meditation huts.
A week of steady hard work by the three monks allowed us to fix the roof, safely remove the trees from the house, clear paths to the meditation huts, and prepare new temporary wood storage since the woodshed was unsafe and heavily damaged.
During the week several people came to the Hermitage to offer support. Rachel and Jeff braved the weather conditions to bring us food and supplies. Debie and Don offered us a meal at their house and a hot shower, as we had been without electricity for three days. Peter and Lindsey plowed the driveway (twice). Bruce brought over his new chainsaw to work along side Tahn Caganando one day. Mike Novak, Scott and Joan came to help us prepare the sites for moving the firewood out from the collapsed woodshed.
On Saturday, January 28th ten friends came and helped us to move all the firewood. It was a huge task, and a bit risky, as the shed was ready to collapse. Fortunately we were able to brace it well enough that nobody was injured and all the wood was removed. Another job was clearing the trails though the forest, and cleaning-up the branches a forest debris strewn around the property.
We offer thanks to Scott, Joan, Dave, Ruby, Mike, Patty, Rachel, Liz, Janel and last but not least – Max! We sincerely thank you for your efforts and delight in your gift of help to the Sangha, so we can go back into formal retreat mode. May the goodness of your efforts return to you many times over, and may the rest of our winter be peacefully quiet.
|
posted Dec 30, 2011 7:09 AM by Caganando Bhikkhu
Days are short and the wood stove is crackling at the Hermitage. Weather's changing unpredictably. It’s a time of year that encourages turning inward.
From January 2nd to March 31st, we’ll put aside building work and unnecessary travel, and enter a period of Winter Retreat. This has become a tradition in our western branch monasteries, taking time in the winter to simplify our schedules and devote the majority of our energies to cultivating our understanding and practice of the Buddha’s teachings.
For the next three months the focus of life at the hermitage will be long hours of meditation, and a deepening of our efforts to grow in peace and wisdom.
We’ll still go on alms round in White Salmon every day. There will still be a sign up for meal offerings at the Hermitage four days a week. On those days we'll be available to talk after the meal if people have questions. We’ll try to limit the time and return to meditation by 1pm at the latest. We won’t have anyone staying with us who can store or cook food, so the meal offering situation won't change much from our current routine.
The Meditation and Dhamma talk at Yoga Samadhi will continue every Tuesday 7-8:30pm throughout the retreat. We'll postpone the first Saturday of the month teachings until April. If all goes according to plan, Ajahn Sudanto will return from Thailand on January 21st to join us for the winter retreat at the Hermitage.
Best wishes for a peaceful and happy new year,
The Pacific Hermitage Monks |
posted Dec 2, 2011 5:17 AM by Caganando Bhikkhu
[
updated Dec 4, 2011 6:59 PM
]
A beautiful upwelling of generosity, energy, cooperation, and good humor has given the Hermitage a safer bike trail crossing, an easier to find driveway, a new walking path, and lots more wood neatly stacked in the woodshed. Everything on the list got done, and we didn't even need to get out the headlamps!
Thank you, thank you, thank you...
A new sign marking the Pacific Hermitage driveway Pacific Hermitage Community Work Day - Sunday December 4th, 9am-5pm | |
|
| Community Work Day Sunday, December 4th, 9am-5pm We have a few work projects at the Hermitage that would be good to finish before going into our Winter Retreat. If you're willing and able to give us a hand, we would be very appreciative. Below is a list of jobs we could use help with. 1) Setting posts for some new hermitage signs. 2) Clearing brush along bike trail to improve visibility for vehicles entering our driveway.
3) Preparing firewood - chain sawing, splitting and stacking. 4) Creating a ground level walking path at the senior monks kuti. 5) Framing the deck at the near kuti, and working on framing for the walking path. 6) Leaf raking and gardening. If you plan to come, please let us know via email or the contact form. If you are unsure, please just come spontaneously if you can! Feel free to join for as much or as little of the day as you like.
You're welcome to join in the meal offering. Food can be prepared at 10:30, and we'll all pause for a potluck meal at 11. The Hermitage Monks |
| Useful Items:
work clothes and gloves
shovels for post hole and walking path digging
loppers or pruning shears
soft rake
chain saw
|
|  Some of the new signs we'd like to put up |
|
| Reminder! Upasika Day - Saturday December 3rd - Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon |
|
|
|
posted Nov 18, 2011 5:44 PM by Caganando Bhikkhu
[
updated Dec 3, 2011 7:22 PM
]
| Dear Friends,
We want to invite you to the next Upasika Day of the Pacific Hermitage, which will be on Saturday, December 3rd at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon. The topic of discussion will be "Using the Four Noble Truths as Tools for Investigation in Daily Life".
There will be a small group break out session, at which time we will explore in more detail the use of the Four Noble Truths as tools to examine the stress or suffering that occur in our daily lives.
The tentative schedule for the day is: - 1 PM: Introduction and teaching on the elements of creating a shrine
- 1:30: Recitation of the Three Refuges and the Precepts, and chanting
- 2 PM: Meditation
- 2:45: Break
- 3 PM: Monastic talk on The Four Noble Truths as Tools for Investigation in Daily Life
- 3:45: Small Group exploration
- 4:25: Full Group discussion
- 4:45: Closing Chant and Announcements
- 5 PM: End of day
We hope you will also join in for the daily meal at the Hermitage. It's customary to bring a dish to offer to the monastics and to share with others. Our material support of the monastery community is an important aspect of our role as Upasikas (literally, "those who sit close by"), and our generous offerings of food are a tangible means of extending this support. Please arrive at the Hermitage (65 Barnedt Road) by 10:30 a.m.
In addition, if you are planning to take the Refuges and Precepts and would like to participate in the traditional offerings of flowers, candles and incense, please bring those items with you to the daylong to be included on the offering tray at the front of the room.
Attendance at Upasika Days is open both to those who wish to make a formal commitment to the program and to those who simply wish to attend for the day. All are welcome.
For directions on getting to the hermitage, please visit pacificermitage.org/contact/directions and to Yoga Samadhi, http://www.columbiagorgeyoga.com/index.php/about-us/directions/. For more information, please contact jessicaswanson@gmail.com or carolemel@gmail.com. |
|
Dec 3rd - Some questions were used to encourage viewing and contemplating our experience from the perspective of the Four Noble Truths. They can be found at the link below. |
posted Nov 17, 2011 12:17 AM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
[
updated Nov 17, 2011 7:16 AM by Caganando Bhikkhu
]
A photo album has been prepared for Ajahn Sudanto's trip to Thailand to help convey a bit of what's been going on at the hermitage during the last year. The finished album is shown above, and a slideshow of the raw pictures is below.
|
posted Oct 15, 2011 6:34 AM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
[
updated Oct 15, 2011 11:37 PM
]
The new edition of Fearless Mountain, the newsletter from our parent monastery, in Redwood Valley California was just released online.
Teachings from Ajahn Jayasaro, Ajahn Viradhammo, and Thanissaro Bhikkhu, in addition to lots of news and announcements are contained within. There's even a short update about the hermitage.
Ajahn Sudanto will be bringing back printed versions from Abhayagiri later this week, which will be available at the hermitage, and Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon. If you'd prefer to sign-up for the paper edition, you can do so through the Abhayagiri webiste.
Download or view the PDF attached to this post at the bottom of the page. |
posted Oct 11, 2011 10:44 AM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Ajahn Geoff), an accomplished and highly regarded monk in the Thai Forest Tradition, will be coming to White Salmon on Tuesday Nov. 8th.
He will offer an evening with meditation and Dhamma reflections at Yoga Samadhi, 177 W. Jewett Blvd., White Salmon, WA, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Ajahn Geoff will also be teaching in Portland from Nov. 3rd - Nov. 5th (see pdxdhamma.org for more information about any Portland events).
Ajahn Geoff was a student of Ajahn Fuang and Ajahn Lee, also well-known Thai Forest monks, and is now the abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in southern California. He is the author of many books and essays, and is well-known for his translations of and reflections on teachings from the Pali Canon.
Please come and join us for an evening with this very special and gifted Buddhist monk.
|
posted Oct 11, 2011 10:43 AM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
[
updated Oct 11, 2011 2:01 PM
]
Ajahn Karunadhammo, who has been at the Pacific Hermitage since late June, will be returning to Abhayagiri Monastery in California on Oct 17th. After this nearly four month stay at the hermitage, he will be taking some solitary retreat time at Abhayagiri on his return there.
 Ajahn Jotipalo, ordained for 12 years, will be coming to join the monastic community here in early November. He will be here during Ajahn Sudanto’s trip to Thailand (Nov. 21 - Jan. 21) and will stay through the Winter Retreat (Jan. 1 - Mar. 31). We are looking forward to his stay here at the hermitage.
With these transitions through the fall, there won't always be the familiar White Salmon site of three ochre-robed monks walking about on their daily alms-round. Some days it will be just one (Oct 17-20), mostly it will be two or three, until Ajahn Sudanto returns from his Thailand trip January 21st. We'll keep the hermitage calendars up-to-date on these changes. |
posted Oct 9, 2011 8:31 PM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
[
updated Oct 11, 2011 10:31 AM
]
Upasika DaySaturday we had our second Upasika Day here in White Salmon. It's a teaching event designed for committed Buddhists, but all are welcome. About 30 people attended, and the weather offered-up a sunny and beautiful October day.
I enjoyed the gathering and the mix of teachings and practice; The ritual of bowing (explained), taking the 'refuges and precepts', meditation, teachings about great lay-practitioners during the time of the Buddha and in Thailand. The day concluded with time for fellow practitioners to meet and talk with each other in small groups.
We'll gather again like this in early December, but without me or Ajahn Karunadhammo. I'll be in Thailand, he'll be at Abhayagiri. Ajahn Jotipalo from Abhayagiri will be here with Venerable Caganando to lead the December 3rd gathering.
Community Work DayAfter our Sunday "Community Work Day", the hermitage looks radically transformed, for the better! It's always amazing to see how much can happen in one day when many generous hands work together.
Thank you to all who came to help today. It was delightful working together with everyone, and much was accomplished. The forest and gardens are looking clean and well cared for. We also were able to plant two new ornamental maples that were recently donated. The 'shredding' of all the branches was completely finished-up just before dark. The tractor is fixed. The lawn was mowed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. |
posted Sep 25, 2011 9:12 PM by Sudanto Bhikkhu
On Sunday October 9th, the Pacific Hermitage will have a Community Work Day to help prepare the hermitage for the many visitors we expect at our Pah Bah celebration the next weekend (Oct 15th).
We have a need for volunteers to help with a number of things: clearing and refurbishing footpaths, gardening, hauling and shredding brush, and finishing work on our meditation huts, or kutis.
The meal offering would begin around 10:30 am, and we would start our work period promptly at 1:00 pm, working until tea-time at 5:00 pm. If you can come, please let us know via email or the contact form. If you are unsure, please just come spontaneously if you can! Feel free to join for as much or as little of the day as you like.
We also welcome any offers to come help work at other times, there's gardening and grounds-keeping work that the monks can't complete without the help of some volunteers.
If anyone has access to a brush shredder for that day, please let us know. Other tools that would be helpful: chainsaws, loppers, pruning saws, and hard and soft rakes. Otherwise, please feel free to bring your favorite gardening tools, too.
If you live in the Portland/Vancouver area consider posting on the PFoD mailing list to coordinate carpooling or sharing a ride to the hermitage. We look forward to seeing you and joining in the community affair.
|
|
