Dear Dhamma Friends,
We're pleased to share a wrap-up of our Monastery for Two Months '26 program at Tugwell Cottage in Sooke, BC, which concluded at the end of March. This was our sixth temporary monastery experience, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed to making it a success.
☸️ A Successful Two Months
The program ran from February through March 2026, with monks from Wat Metta in residence throughout. The first month welcomed Ajaan Peter and Than Will; the second month, Ajaan Isaac and Than Peter. Guests and day visitors settled into the familiar monastery rhythm — morning meditation, the communal meal offering, a quiet afternoon for personal practice, and evening gatherings for Q&A, tea and allowables, chanting, and a Dhamma talk.
The program welcomed 39 overnight guests and 20 day visitors, with participants traveling from Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and further afield. The monks returning to Wat Metta have reflected warmly on their time here — noting the harmonious atmosphere among guests this year, a feeling of growing momentum in the program, and what one described as a kind of "happy tiring" labour that goes into bringing a temporary monastery to life. One supporter put it simply: “it was a great two months”.
March brought exceptional rain — nearly two and a half times the monthly average — making some of the back trails muddy and impassable. But the wood stove kept the cottage warm and dry, and there were always paths to walk. There was even a brief snowfall early in the program — a fitting reminder that the conditions we encounter, pleasant or otherwise, are simply what we work with.
One of the unexpected highlights of the second month was a series of midnight sits on Uposatha days, suggested by Ajaan Isaac. Despite the mind's many protests and reasons why it couldn't be done, most participants stayed until the midnight gong — and felt much better for it. Quite the adventure.
🚶 Pindapata in Sooke
Each morning in March, rain or shine, the monks walked through the local area on alms round — pindapata (Pali: "the food morsels fall into the bowl"). This practice traces back to the earliest Buddhist records and remains central to the Theravada monastic tradition. It is a mutual relationship: the monks depend on lay supporters for their daily meal, and supporters have the opportunity to give voluntarily and make merit.
The monks went out — barefoot or in flip flops — walking through the Tugwell area and into Sooke town. On many mornings the rounds were quiet, but the encounters along the way were often memorable: a neighbour who offered flowers, an invitation to someone's home for breakfast, and on one Sunday, a local Thai woman who ran a food truck generously offered food to the monks.
This year, the monks' morning walks caught the attention of the wider Sooke community. A post in the local Sooke Social Facebook group drew dozens of reactions and warm, curious comments from neighbours who had spotted the monks on their rounds. Several commenters shared information about the meal offering tradition — and the post led to a few people making their way to Tugwell Cottage to offer food and join the evening Q&A and meditation sessions.
🙏 Anumodana
Our deepest thanks to all who contributed to the program — as overnight guests, day visitors, meal donors, volunteers, and supporters near and far. This kind of program takes a great deal of coordinated effort and generosity to bring about, and we don't take that lightly.
Anumodana to all who contributed — in person, online, or with interest and goodwill from afar.
📅 Community News
🌸 Songkran – Thai New Year Celebration at Wat Metta
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Songkran marks the traditional Thai New Year and is celebrated each year at Wat Metta, near San Diego, California. This year's schedule:
9:00 am — Alms round, Taking the Triple Refuge and Precepts, Morning Chanting
10:30 am — Potluck Meal
12:00 pm — Dhamma Talk, Presentation of Forest Cloth & Accessories, Merit Dedication for Deceased Relatives, Songkran Water Blessing
To get a sense of the occasion, you can watch highlights from the 2024 Songkran celebration at Wat Metta here.
The Bangsukun Ceremony
As part of the Songkran observance, a Bangsukun (or paṃsukūla in Pali) ceremony will be held to make and transfer merit to deceased loved ones. In this ceremony — rooted in the earliest Theravada traditions — offerings of cloth are made to the monks via a strip of fabric, through which merit is generated and dedicated to those who have passed. The monks chant verses on impermanence, then offer blessings to the donors.
For those unable to attend in person, you may send the names of your deceased relatives to be included in the ceremony to: info@aranyarefuge.org
Learn more about the Bangsukun ceremony here.
🧡 Than Mike Coming to Squamish, BC
May 30 – June 20, 2026
Than Mike, a monk from Wat Metta, will be visiting Squamish, BC from May 30 to June 20, staying at the private residence of local supporters. Those in the area are warmly welcome to visit and offer a meal (dāna).
For more information or to be connected with the organizers in Squamish, please email: info@aranyarefuge.org
☸️ Than Ajaan Geoff Weekend Retreat in Victoria, BC
September 12–13, 2026
Than Ajaan Geoff will be offering an in-person weekend retreat in Victoria, BC, co-hosted by Aranya Refuge. Further details and registration will be announced closer to the date.
🪔 Than Ajaan Geoff's 50th Ordination Anniversary
November 2026
This November, Than Ajaan Geoff marks 50 years since his ordination — a profound milestone for students and supporters around the world. As one student reflected, this is an opportunity to "celebrate and rejoice in Ajaan's integrity, commitment, generosity, and practice over 50 years of dwelling in robes."
Several occasions are being organized to mark the anniversary:
November 1 — A ceremony at Wat Metta in conjunction with the Kathina
November 6–8 — A weekend of teachings and meditation at Portland Friends of the Dhamma, including a full daylong retreat on November 7 (the anniversary date itself). Zoom available for some sessions. Details here.
November 7 — A Zoom meditation session with the monks at Wat Metta
A small group of students has also been exploring ways to mark the occasion through collective practice:
A collective 50-hour meditation pledge — one dedicated hour for each year of his ordination — in the weeks leading up to the anniversary. A dedicated app has been created here — no download required. (With thanks to Iván M. of Chile for developing this.)
A multi-day Zoom meditation gathering among students across groups
Those wishing to participate in the Paṭipatti Pūjā — paying homage through practice — are warmly encouraged to join.
Note: Students are also organizing the making of amulets as a gesture of reverence and appreciation to Than Ajaan on this occasion. This is a student-organized initiative and is not an official activity of Wat Metta or Aranya Refuge. Those interested in contributing may contact ordination50th@yahoo.com for details. Any remaining funds will support Than Ajaan's book fund.
Questions? Send us an email: info@aranyarefuge.org
Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha to take roots in a wilderness home on Vancouver Island.
Monastery for Two Months '26 Volunteer Team: Brock Brown, Kiko Brown, Suzan Denis, Duncan Murphy, Metta VanderVliet, Irfan Pirbhai
Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Than Ajaan Geoff, Brock Brown, Jacqui Balfour, Russ Callaghan, Irfan Pirbhai, Tiara Letourneau, Kiko Brown, June Fukushima (in loving memory)
“Here there are two themes worthy of reflection. First is the Buddha’s saying, Vissasa parama ñati: Our foremost relatives are those for whom we feel trust. It was Ajaan Suwat who first thought up the idea of having this monastery. The people who gave money and time and energy to get the monastery off the ground: They weren’t related to us at all and yet they had a sense of trust in future generations that this would be a good thing to do, a good gift to give, and there would be people who would take good advantage of it. That relation through trust is much closer than our blood relations.
Which relates to the second theme: gratitude. Gratitude is not just a general appreciation. It’s specifically an appreciation for actions — a debt that requires you to do something in return. You have to return the goodness.
The Thai way of expressing this is that other people have started weaving something and so you continue the weaving. You don’t let the edges get all frayed. You imitate the goodness that they did, the intention that they had. You try to carry that out. That’s the response that keeps their goodness alive.
”
Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu | Gratitude & Trust | October 12, 2010
