Pacific Hermitage

July 6 Garden (Work) Party * July 19 & 20 in Portland * July 21 in Hillsboro * July 21 & 23 Willa Thaniya & Elizabeth in Gorge * Save September 21 & 22 for PAH BAH!

Regular Events

July 6th Garden (Work) Party at Hermitage

Friends, food and generosity — is there any better combination than that? Meet new friends or visit with old (er, long-time) friends at the Hermitage. Enjoy a potluck meal. Help the monks keep the yard and forest in good shape. Relax afterwards for refreshments with the monks. Come for any part or all day. Here’s the schedule:

Potluck Meal — Arrive at 10:30 am.
Work Party — About 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
Relax and Chat — Until about 4:00 pm, when the monks return to their monastic duties and practice.

Questions? Email: hermitage@abhayagiri.org

Monks Visit PFoD July 19 & 20

On Friday evening and Saturday morning, the monks will make their regular visit to Portland Friends of the Dhamma. See their website for more information.

Monks Visit Hillsboro Meditation Hall July 21

Join the monks at the Hillsboro Meditation Hall on Sunday, July 21 for a morning of Dhamma and a meal offering. More information here.

Weekly Tuesday Night Meditation in White Salmon, WA

The monks lead meditation every Tuesday night at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon, Washington. Cushions and chairs are available.

5:15 – 6:15 PM: Experienced meditators. One hour of silent meditation. Be ready to meditate promptly at 5:15 pm. No late arrivals or early departures.
6:30 – 8:00 PM: All levels welcome. Shorter meditation with instruction, Dhamma talk, and time for questions.

Special Events

Willa Thaniya Reid & Elizabeth Day in the Gorge, July 21 & 23

July 21 Daylong Retreat, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
The Heart’s Release — Cultivating the Spiritual Faculties
Underwood Community Center, 951 School House Road, Underwood, WA 98651
Email Carole for more information the retreat and what you should bring.

July 23 Meditation and Talk, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Yoga Samadhi, White Salmon, WA

These events are free and open to the public. No registration needed. All are welcome – those new to meditation as well as those more experienced. Willa and Elizabeth both trained in the Ajahn Chah forest tradition in monasteries in England. Willa was the senior nun at Cittaviveka. They are now based in New Zealand.

2019 PAH BAH September 21 & 22

Pah Bah weekend is a joyful and family oriented celebration of generosity, Dhamma and the Pacific Hermitage. Join us for one or both days in White Salmon, WA! It’s the biggest event for the Hermitage each year, with many visiting senior monks as special guests and a fun program for kids (Sunday only). More details in August.

• Saturday, Sept. 21:  Meditation retreat (half day)
• Sunday, Sept. 22:  Pah Bah ceremony

Reserve lodging now!
If you plan to stay overnight for the Pah Bah, please reserve your lodging now. September is a busy month in the Columbia River Gorge, and lodging can be scarce. We look forward to seeing you!

For information or to volunteer, email: pahbah@sanghata.net.

Pacific Hermitage List Sign-Up for Event Notices

Are you on our mailing list? Is your information current?

Use the form on our website pages to sign up for our emails and postal mailings.  If you’re updating your information, you’ll need to fill in the form again.

June 1 Garden(ing) Party * Friday Only Visit to PFoD * Willa & Elizabeth in July * 2019 Birken Retreat * Special Article in Columbian Newspaper

June 1 Garden/Yardwork Party Needs You!

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The monks could use a little help — actually, a lot of help — with weeding, lopping, dragging and stacking. The weeds are tenacious, the trees and bushes have greened up and grown into paths and the driveway, and there are still downed branches and wood in the forest that need to be piled up or stacked.

Come join fellow community members at the Hermitage. Enjoy a potluck meal, work in the yard or forest a bit, then relax for a chat with the monks and your new (or “old”) friends. You can come for any part or all of the party.

11:00 am:  Potluck — arrive by 10:30 am if you’re bringing food
1:00-3:00 pm:  Yard work and projects 
3:00-4:00 pm: Tea and refreshments

Monks at Portland Friends of the Dhamma (PFoD) Friday Only

Friday, June 14
5:30 pm:  Tea/Questions
7:00-9:00 pm:  Meditation/Dhamma talk

Saturday Visit Canceled — The monks will be in White Salmon on Saturday, June 15, since PFoD will be hosting Ayya Santacitta on both Saturday and Sunday.

Willa Thaniya Reid and Elizabeth Day In Columbia River Gorge in July

Join Willa and Elizabeth on July 21 for a daylong retreat in Underwood Washington, or on July 23 at the regular Tuesday Night Sit at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon, Washington. Both events are free and open to the public. No registration needed. All are welcome – those new to meditation as well as those more experienced.

July 21 Daylong: The Heart’s Release — Cultivating the Spiritual Faculties
9 AM – 4 PM
Underwood Community Center, 951 School House Road, Underwood, WA 98651
Email Carole (after June 1) for more information.

July 23: Meditation and Talk @ Yoga Samadhi, White Salmon, WA
6:30 – 8:00 PM

Willa and Elizabeth both trained in the Ajahn Chah forest tradition in monasteries in England. Willa was the senior nun at Cittaviveka. They are now based in New Zealand.

Back From Birken 2019

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Twenty-four members of the Pacific Hermitage lay community joined Ajahn Sudanto in May for the annual retreat at Birken Forest Monastery. Ajahn Sona, Abbot of Birken, lead the retreat, offering two weeks of Dhamma reflections on Right Effort.

The recorded talks will be published serially on Ajahn Sona’s YouTube Channel, and podcast over the next several weeks

Columbian Newspaper Features Hermitage

An early May issue of the Columbian Newspaper (Vancouver, WA) featured a great story about the Hermitage. Click here to read “The Monks of White Salmon.”

2019 Pah Bah Weekend September 21 & 22!

Be sure to save the dates for the 2019 Pah Bah. Half-day retreat on Saturday; Pah Bah potluck and ceremony on Sunday. Reserve lodging now.

Garden Party May 4 * PFoD May 17 & 18 * Santikaro at PFoD May 18 * Retreat at Birken Forest Monastery * Monastics Leaving and Arriving

May Events Begin with Garden Party on the 4th

Garden Party @ Hermitage
May 4
11:00 am:  Potluck (optional) — Arrive by 10:30 am if you’re bringing food
1:00-3:00 pm:  Yard work and projects 
3:00-4:00 pm: Tea and refreshments

Monks @ Portland Friends of the Dhamma (PFoD)
May 17 & 18
Friday
5:30 pm:  Tea/Questions
7:00-9:00 pm:  Meditation/Dhamma talk
Saturday
SPECIAL — 9:00-10:30 am: Santikaro*
10:30 am:  Almsround
11:00 am-1:00 pm:  Meal Offering

* Note: Santikaro is a disciple of Ajahn Buddhadasa and was one of Ajahn Sudanto’s first monastic teachers.

Thank You, Ajahn Kassapo!

Our thanks to Ajahn Kassapo for spending the last year at the Hermitage. Although not much of a talker, he taught with his quiet and contemplative ways, as well as his steady and kind demeanor. And, he provided immeasurable help to Ajahn Sudanto in taking care of the Hermitage.

Ajahn Jotipalo, Venerable Khantiko and Venerable Gunaviro at Hermitage

Two familiar monks return along with one monk who hasn’t stayed at the Hermitage before. Ajahn Jotipalo will be here for about one month, and Venerable Khantiko and Gunaviro will stay for a longer period. Welcome back and welcome!

Venerable Khantiko

Ven. Khantiko was born in 1979 and raised in Nashville, TN. After graduating from the Graduate Theological Union/Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA, he decided to pursue monastic training and arrived at Abhayagiri in December 2012. He went forth as an Anāgārika on May 5, 2013, took Sāmaṇera ordination on May 17, 2014, and took the full Bhikkhu precepts on June 9, 2015.

Venerable Guṇavīro

Ven. Guṇavīro was born in 1982 in the Los Angeles area. In 2002, he began meditating after taking a meditation course in the tradition of Sayagi U Ba Khin as taught by S.N. Goenka. He then continued to practice and serve meditation courses in that tradition. He worked in advocacy, government, and international development before returning to graduate school and receiving a PhD in economics. Toward the end of graduate school, he began seriously considering the monastic life as the most effective way to reduce suffering in the world and in himself. He ordained as an anagārika on May 7th, 2016, went forth as a Sāmaṇera on May 6th, 2017, and took full Bhikkhu precepts on May 13, 2018.

Ajahn Sudanto and Lay Participants Off to Birken Retreat

The annual Birken Forest Monastery retreat for the Pacific Hermitage lay community is May 1-15 this year. A group of 24 will be going. The 2019 retreat theme is Right Effort.

Join in the fun with new and long-time friends! Help with winter clean up and other projects at the Hermitage.

Garden Party: Come for Any Part or All Activities!

11 AM POTLUCK (arrive by 10:30 AM)
Please tell the meal dana coordinator if you’re coming.

1 – 3 PM WORK PARTY
Yardwork, burn piles, projects … along with some friendly chats on the side!

3 – 4 PM TEA & CHAT
Relax and talk with friends and Ajahn Kassapo.

We look forward to seeing you!

Reminder: New Weekly One-Hour Sit Begins April 2

For Experienced Meditators: On Tuesdays, there will now be a one-hour silent sit 5:15 – 6:15 PM just prior to the regular 6:30 PM sit and Dhamma talk. See previous post for details. Please — No arriving late or leaving early.