April 17, 2022 – Day of Mindfulness with Ayya Medhanandi and Ayya Anuruddha

The Theravada Buddhist Community would like to invite you to a half Day of Mindfulness with Ayya Medhanandi and Ayya Anuruddha on Sunday, April 17, 2022. The retreat will be available online using the Zoom platform.

Ayya Medhanandi

Ayya Medhanandi is the daughter of Eastern European refugees who emigrated to Montreal after the World War 2. She is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, a forest monastery for women in the Theravada tradition. She began a spiritual quest in childhood that led her to India, Burma, England, New Zealand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and finally back to Canada. In1988 while in Burma, Ayya requested full ordination as a bhikkhuni from her teacher Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita. However, this was not yet possible for Theravada Buddhist women. Instead, Sayadaw granted her ordination as a ten precept nun on the condition that she keep her vows for life. When a military coup closed Myanmar’s border, Sayadaw blessed Ayya to join the Ajahn Chah Forest Sangha at Amaravati. After 10 years, Ayya felt called to practice as a hermit nun in New Zealand for six years and later in Southeast Asia. In 2007, after nearly 20 years as a novice alms-mendicant nun, Ayya fulfilled her long held wish for full bhikkhuni ordination in Taiwan. In 2008, on invitation from the Toronto Buddhist Community and Ottawa Buddhist Society, Ayya returned to her native Canada to establish Sati Saraniya Hermitage.

Ayya Anuruddha

Ayya Anuruddha of the United Kingdom joined Sati Saraniya Hermitage community in May 2014. After her initial year as an anagarika she began her life as an alms-mendicant nun in September 2014. This deepened her spiritual commitment to the Buddha’s path of monastic training. Her higher ordination as a bhikkhuni was conducted on December 3, 2017 at Dhamma Dharini Monastery in California with Ayya Tathaaloka as preceptor. The Pali name Anuruddha means “One Who is in Harmony”. It was also the name of a beloved cousin of the Buddha, one of his chief disciples renowned for his penetrating Dhamma vision, skillfulness, devotion and noble qualities of heart.

To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:

TBC Online Zoom Session

Meeting ID: 879 4453 5212
Password: 812215

Check-In on Zoom 8:30 – 8:45 am EDT

Zoom telephone numbers for the Toronto area, if connecting by phone:
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588

If dialing in from another area, you can find your local Zoom number here: Zoom Dial-in Numbers

The half Day of Mindfulness will include meditation, mindfulness instructions and Buddhist reflections.

Registration is not required. If you would like to donate to the Sati Saraniya Hermitage for this event, please use the TBC donation page and include a message that the donation is for Ayyas Day of Mindfulness retreat. 100% of all donations will be passed on to the Hermitage.

The chants for the Days of Mindfulness will be displayed on the Zoom screen during the opening and closing chants. However, you can print the chants ahead of time if you prefer. They are available at this link.

We look forward to you joining us on April 17th.  Please note that this will be a half day retreat and will start at 8:30 am EDT and finish by 12:00 pm.

Schedule

Sunday, April 17, 2022 EDT

8:30 – 8:40 am EDTZoom Check-In
8:40 – 8:45 amIntroduction and Welcoming Ayyas
8:45 – 9:00 amRefuges and Precepts
9:00 – 9:30 am30 Minute Guided Meditation
9:30 – 10:40 amDhamma Talk / Questions and Answers
10:40 – 10:45 amThank you to Ayyas
10:45 – 10:55 amBreak or Walking Meditation
10:55 – 11:40 pm45 Minute Silent Meditation
11:40 – 11:45Closing Chants and Announcements
11:45 – 12:00 pmInformal Group Discussion