Hello Friends,
Beginning on August 1st 2025, Amy Boggs will be stepping into the role of meal dana coordinator! You will love getting to know her as she responds to your emails and helps coordinate meals for the monks at the Hermitage.
Amy was drawn into Thai Forest Buddhism through the emphasis on generosity and being able to wholesomely reflect on one’s giving. After more than 3 years of offering meals at the Hermitage and having dana be a part of her daily practice and life, she’s so grateful to support the monastics as the new meal dana coordinator.
As with any transition, there will be a learning period for Amy. We’re excitedly making sure she has the tools and resources to be able to coordinate, update and work behind the scenes so the meal dana calendar runs smoothly.
If you regularly offer meals to the monks, or if you’ve never offered a meal before and you’ve been curious about doing so, Amy would love to answer any questions you may have, starting August 1st. In the meantime, Matthew and Heather are still happy to hear from you! There are many ways to get involved offering dana to the monks, including allowables, garden parties, making/preparing food to send to the hermitage with someone else, ordering food from a restaurant in White Salmon or joining the Dana Rescue Squad (stay tuned for separate posts about that!). As always, feel free to contact us at the meal dana coordinator email address: dana@pacifichermitage.org.
Amy still remembers the first meal she ever offered at the Hermitage – how crossing over the small bridge onto the property felt like being transported into another world. The peaceful, quietude of the property slowly set in. Though she’d never met a monk before, she was delighted by their friendliness, humor and open-heartedness that instantly made her nervousness disappear. She was struck by how the simple act of offering food could have such a deep and profound effect on the giver.
Monastics in the Thai Forest Tradition try to live as closely to what the Buddha taught over 2,500 years ago, placing emphasis on virtue, renunciation and generosity. The monks don’t handle money, grow or store their own food or drive cars. They are solely dependent on the generosity of the laypeople for their daily meal. In turn, the monks offer their time, listening, wisdom and support and teachings to the community. The interchange between the monks and the laypeople is an ancient connection that truly benefits all.
It has been inspiring to witness the generosity of the Sangha on a daily basis, and see the genuine care that so many people take in supporting the practice of the monastics. “It is rare to be born human, rare is the life of mortals, it is rare to hear the true dhamma, rare is the arising of the Buddhas”. (Dhammapada v.182) A sangha engaged in the practice of dana is a rare and precious thing. We feel honored to be a part of this and to have served for the last four years.
In deep gratitude,
Matthew and Heather
