Jhana Retreat in Ottawa, Nov 12-21, 2010
Cost is $650 per person
Winter Retreat 2010
Birken is in Winter Retreat from January 1 through March 31, 2010, and is closed to day visits. Registration for winter retreat is also closed; we are not taking any further bookings.
At this time of year the monastics and a few dedicated guests devote themselves to cultivation of the mind in the peace & silence of the Sitavana winter landscape.
Birken in Kamloops 2010
Ajahn Sona in Vancouver Dec 13
A Public Talk by Ajahn Sona
Sunday, December 13, 2009
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Radha Yoga and Eatery
728 Main Street
Vancouver, B.C.
Ajahn Sona returns to Philosopher's Café - Penticton
Ajahn Sona was Penticton's first Philosopher’s Café speaker in 2002. This year, he helps launch their 8th season!
Location
Leir House, 220 Manor Park Ave, Penticton
Sunshine Coast Weekend Retreat - Ven. Pavaro
November 20 - 22, 2009
Location
The Cascadia Centre House, Roberts Creek - on the Sunshine Coast
1249 Roberts Creek Road, Roberts Creek
Times
11:00 a.m. Friday, Nov 20 to 1:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov 22
Rains 2009
The annual period between the full moons in July and October is known as the Vassa, or Rains Retreat, in Buddhism. Although the summer months are often dry outside of Asia, Western Theravada monasteries continue to honour this time of stability and practice for the monastic community. The photo indicates that there are some changes during this year's Rains at Birken: First, Ajahn Sona isn't here(!).
Rideshare Board - Now Available
Looking for a ride to Birken Forest Monastery? Interested in offering one? Want a new way to reduce your Carbon Footprint?
The Birken Rideshare Board is now available on our website. This handy utility contains two simple lists: for people requesting a ride to the monastery and from people who are offering a ride. Dates and locations are listed.
The link is available in several places: the top of the Homepage, under Visiting Birken, and in the Registration Form.
(Our thanks to Darin Fiorenza for his dedication to this valuable project.)
Important News: The Greening of Birken (Phase 2)
Birken Forest Monastery is now beginning its third year with solar panels. What a success. They have cut the annual use of our diesel generator by a full 30 percent (and definitely add a little to the pleasure of a sunny day)!
As a result, after months of researching websites and technical literature to address our energy needs (this was largely the work of our abbot), the monastery is now entering Phase 2 - a.k.a. Birken Goes Greener. It’s a costly, but very worthwhile undertaking.
An abbreviated summary of all this research? DC pumps require much less energy than AC, and solar panels supply decades of clean, silent, maintenance-free electricity to run them! Investing now will keep the monastery running more simply and smoothly in the years ahead.
For readers interested in these matters, here are some further details:
Birken’s first Kathina – October 17th
For those interested in the Kathina and how it can be observed, the website for Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery offers excellent information on this much-loved occasion: http://www.abhayagiri.org/main/article/1831/
The 2009 Rains marks the first time in its history that Birken has been eligible for a Kathina. This year our bhikkhu ranks swelled to six, with Ajahns Sudanto and Karunadhammo, as well as Venerables Pavaro, Subharo, Dhammavaro, and Suvaco on site. Unfortunately, by the time Birken’s Kathina actually takes place, our ajahns from Abhayagiri will have departed. The good news, though, is that Ajahn Sona will be returning the day before from his Rains at Bhavana Society.
On October 17th, Piriya Nowak, Jacqui Balfour, and Leslie Hanrahan will be offering the Kathina robe. Piriya is happy to respond to people interested in participating (Piriyan@shaw.ca).
You can also contact her by post: 205 South Gilmore Ave. Burnaby, B.C. V5C 4P9
(Piriya asks that any cheques being sent to her be payable to Birken Forest Monastery.)
The Birken Office can be contacted for available space, for those interested to attend this event.
