Issue 33: 2025 ‘Monastery for Two Months’ (February & March)

Greetings,

We are very happy to invite you to participate in Aranya Refuge’s fifth temporary monastery during the months of February and March 2025. Organizers have rented two adjacent homes near a forested area in rural Sooke. Sooke is approximately 1 hour west of Victoria, BC.

Monks from Metta Forest Monastery will be supported to further their practice and offer teachings on a daily basis to those who come to support them. There will be opportunities for those wishing to offer a meal or to come as a day visitor. As well, there will be some room to stay for one-week as an overnight guest.

The Monastery Experience

The schedule is that of a typical monastery in the Thai forest tradition, to which the monks belong: early morning group meditation, morning meal, free time to meditate in solitude for most of the day, Q&A session in the evening, followed by chanting and another group meditation, along with a Dhamma talk at night. Lay visitors benefit from direct contact with the monks who have devoted their lives to the practice of the Dhamma and Vinaya. Guests help in the daily preparation and offering of food, and assist with the upkeep of the facilities. There is plenty of time for meditating in the meditation hall or in the forest.

There is no charge for room or board, or for the teachings. Everything is provided in the spirit of generosity by the monks and supporters of the Monastery.

Visiting and Staying at the Monastery

Offering Food to the Monks

We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks.

Please visit this page of our website for more information.


Day Visitors

Day Visitors are welcome from Feb 2 to Mar 30 2025.

Day Visitors can join the daily schedule, such as offering food in the early morning, meditating in the meditation hall, engaging in self-directed practice on the grounds, and joining the group meditation gatherings.

Please register to be a Day Visitor here.


Overnight Guests

We have some rooms available for Overnight Guests to stay Feb 3 - Mar 30 2025.

Guests may apply for a one-week stay: Monday to Sunday.

Accommodation options include single rooms, and shared rooms for two people of the same gender.

Please apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Please click to learn learn more about:

As well, you can view photos from our successful Spring 2024 temporary monastery here.

Questions?
Please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha to take roots in a wilderness home on Vancouver Island!

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team Volunteers: Suzan Denis, Kiko Brown, Sihan Lin, Irfan Pirbhai, Brock Brown

Issue 32: Successful 2-Day Retreat with Taan Ajaan Geoff

Greetings,

Aranya Refuge and the Victoria Insight Meditation Society were honoured to co-sponsor a non-residential weekend retreat with Taan Ajaan Geoff (Thanissaro Bhikkhu) on Aug 17 and Aug 18 2024 in Victoria, BC. The topic was Stream Entry. 105 participants attended in person and 145 participants joined online via Zoom. We are grateful to Taan Ajaan Geoff for sharing the dhamma with us and we are thrilled that so many people were able to listen and receive teachings on this rarely taught dhamma topic.
 

Audio Recordings from the Retreat

Recordings from the weekend are available here:

Exciting News: Aranya's Two-Month Feb/Mar 2025 Monastery

Aranya Refuge is organizing a two-month monastery in rural Sooke, BC, one hour west of Victoria, BC. Monks from Metta Forest Monastery will reside in a rented house for the months of February and March 2025.

A second rented house on an adjacent property will serve as the meditation hall (sala), kitchen and dining area and a gathering place for lay guests.
The rural setting and forest nearby offer opportunities for walking and, or sitting meditation inside or outdoors.

Those wishing to offer food for the monks are welcome to drop by.

We encourage Day Visitors to join the meditation gatherings, meal offerings, and take advantage of being in a monastery setting.

There will be some overnight guest accommodations for one-week stays (Monday to Sunday).

Look for more information in our next newsletter: Registrations open Oct 1 2025.

📰 Aranya Refuge featured in Northwest Dharma Newsletter

Aranya Refuge was invited to submit an article to Northwest Dharma about its activities.

You can read it here: Creating a Temporary Thai Forest Monastery As a Stepping Stone to a Permanent Monastery

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

Aranya Refuge Board of Directors:

Taan Ajaan Geoff
Jacqui Balfour
Brock Brown
Russ Callaghan
June Fukushima
Irfan Pirbhai

Issue 31: Invitation to Ajaan Geoff Retreat August 2024

We are pleased to invite you to attend a weekend of teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff, abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego county. Taan Ajaan will be visiting Victoria, BC Canada to offer teachings in person and online. The topic of the retreat is Stream Entry.

These teachings are hosted by two Victoria organizations, Aranya Refuge and Victoria Insight Meditation Society (VIMS).

  • August 17 (Sat) & August 18 (Sun) 2024

  • 9 am - 4 pm PDT (Pacific Time)

  • Sngequ House, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Description

The Buddha taught that there are four levels of awakening.The first level — called “stream entry” and “the gaining of the Dharma Eye” — is the point where you gain your first glimpse of the deathless. This is a momentous event in the practice. It marks the point where you are guaranteed full awakening within at the most seven lifetimes, and in the meantime, you are safe from being reborn on any level in the cosmos below the human.

This weekend retreat — through readings, talks, meditation, and discussion — will focus on the Buddha’s recommendations for how to attain stream-entry, and his description of the characteristics of a person who has entered the stream.

Reading Materials

Taan Ajaan Geoff has prepared the following readings for the retreat:

Schedule

  • 09:00  - 11:15   Guided meditation, teachings and Q&A

  • 11:15  - 13:00   Break

  • 13:00  - 16:00   Guided meditation, teachings and Q&A  (includes a break mid-afternoon)

Registering


In Person

Click here to register for attending in person in Victoria, BC.
After registering, you will receive information about the venue location.

Online

Click here to register for attending online using Zoom.
After registering, you will receive the links for joining via Zoom.

📧 Contact vims1retreat@gmail.com if you have questions about your registration.

About the Teacher

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) has been a Theravada Buddhist monk since 1976. After studying in Thailand with Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, he returned to the US in 1991 to help found the Metta Forest Monastery (Wat Metta) in the mountains north of San Diego. In 1993, Ajaan Geoff was asked to be the abbot and has continued to train monastics and offer teachings to lay people in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Ajaan Geoff is a highly respected scholar and practitioner of the Buddha's teachings. His many recorded talks and writings can be found here.

In 2017, Taan Ajaan Geoff agreed to explore the possibility of establishing a refuge for Wat Metta monks on Vancouver Island. Aranya (Wilderness) Refuge was then established as a society and a registered Canadian charity.  Since 2018, Aranya Refuge has organized four temporary monastery experiences and is planning for its first two-month temporary monastery in February and March 2025.

……The first simile is a variant on the stream image. Instead of flowing along with a stream, you are trying to cross over a stream to the safety on the further shore. In this image, the first noble attainment is where you “gain a footing” (MN 56). In other words, you haven’t yet reached the further shore, but you have reached the point near that shore where the stream is so shallow that your feet can be firmly planted on the streambed. From this point on, you won’t be swept away by the current. The second simile highlights the fact that the amount of suffering you potentially face in the cycle of death and rebirth is now drastically reduced. Prior to stream-entry, that suffering can be compared to all the dirt in the world. After stream-entry, it’s like the dirt under a fingernail (SN 13:1)……

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
The Dhamma Eye  (Chapter in the book Along the Way , P98 - 108)

Issue 30: Successful Spring Monastery, August Teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff

Greetings,

Aranya Refuge organizers are encouraged by the positive response to Aranya Refuge’s Spring Monastery for a Month, held from March 16 to April 15, 2024.

The temporary monastery was held at Earthspring Sanctuary, a retreat centre 40 minutes from Victoria, BC. Earthspring provided a suitable wilderness refuge for our visiting Wat Metta monks, Ajaan Peter and Taan Will. 

There were 35 overnight guests and 17 day visitors. Most weeks, we were at full capacity. The number of participants was slightly higher in comparison to Aranya Refuge’s November 2022 Monastery for a Month when Taan Ajaan Geoff and Taan Mike were our monks-in-residence. 

Ajaan Peter and Taan Will alternated leading the morning chanting and meditation gatherings. In the early evening, Ajaan Peter answered questions and led the evening chanting and meditation. Both Ajaan Peter and Taan Will played dhamma talks from Taan Ajaan Geoff that reflected the questions from participants.

Some highlights:

  • For the first time, Aranya Refuge marked Songkran, a celebration of the Thai New Year. This was led by Salisa Suddhisanont from Langford, BC. Two Buddha statues were bathed with scented  water. Participants were then invited to pour the scented water over the monks’ hands. The water was then offered to trees outside of the sala.

  • A black bear visited twice. See the video of a determined bear here. The day we departed, the caretakers removed all garbage from the premises to discourage further visits from the bear. You can read Taan Ajaan Geoff’s instructions for “bear awareness” at the bottom of this email.

  • Most evenings, we went to sleep with a chorus of frogs. Listen here.

  • Here are some more photos and videos from the month.

Aranya Refuge organizers appreciate all the participants who helped ensure the monks and guests were well-fed, and that other monastery operations ran smoothly. We cleaned, made areas more orderly, and did our best to deal with mice and ants. 🐁🐜

We are also very grateful to those who offered food, groceries, services, and financial dana. The Board also wishes to thank the volunteer Registration team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young, Irfan Pirbhai, June Fukushima


Plans for 2025 Winter Monastery (for 2 Months)

To continue our exploration for establishing a Vancouver Island monastery, the Board of Directors will organize a two-month temporary monastery in Feb and March 2025. 

We will rent two houses in Sooke, BC on adjacent properties. One house will be for the monks to reside, and the second house will be used for the sala, kitchen, dining, and rooms for overnight guests. Sooke is one hour west of Victoria, BC. 

A creek runs through the property, and a forested area is within walking distance.

This option allows for more Wat Metta monks to come, and there will be a longer period of time for guests to visit the monastery. The costs are within our budget.

Registrations for the 2025 monastery will open in the fall of 2024. More information will be shared in future updates. If you have questions, please contact us at info@aranyarefuge.org

August 17-18 Teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff
Topic: Stream Entry

Aranya Refuge and the Victoria Insight Meditation Society will co-host a weekend of teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff. Registrations will open July 22, 2024 through the Victoria Insight Meditation Society. 

A large meeting room at the University of Victoria has been rented. Our intention is to make this a hybrid retreat so that participants can join via Zoom.

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

Aranya Refuge Board of Directors:

Taan Ajaan Geoff
Jacqui Balfour
Brock Brown
Russ Callaghan
June Fukushima
Irfan Pirbhai

Now, the Buddha realized that simply giving instructions in generosity, virtue, and meditation would not cover every situation in life. It’s important that you also learn the skills to judge for yourself what is skillful in the areas where clear-cut rules don’t apply, or two good general principles would pull you in opposite directions. So he also gave instructions on how to train yourself to judge situations wisely for yourself.

I’ll give an illustration of this principle. If you ever go to Alaska, you’ll discover that there are bears. Most of the people who encounter bears in Alaska have no previous experience with bears. They don’t understand bears’ habits or the etiquette of bears. Bears do have their etiquette, you know. So, in order to train strangers in how to deal with bears, the Alaskan government used to post big signs around the state, entitled, “Bear Awareness.” It's a joke in English that doesn’t work in French, because the word “bear” in “bear awareness” can also be “bare.” The signs listed ten points to remember when encountering bears. I can’t remember all ten, but the first nine gave specific do’s and don’ts. For example, if you see a bear, do not run away. Even if the bear runs at you, do not run off. Instead, raise your hands so that you look large to the bear—bears have very poor eyesight—and stand your ground. At the same time, speak to the bear in a calm, reassuring voice, to let the bear know that you mean it no harm. If the bear attacks you, lie down and play dead. Usually the bear will lose interest and walk away.

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
A Healthy Sense of Self, May 24 2011

Issue 29: Celebrating A Special Birthday and Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Greetings,

Ajaan Geoff’s students are organizing a special evening of meditation on Wednesday, December 27th from 6:30-8:00PM Pacific Time (PT) to celebrate Taan Ajaan Geoff’s birthday (on December 28th).

The patipatti-puja (homage through the practice), will start with participants recording their good wishes to Ajaan Geoff. This recorded message will be sent to Taan Ajaan on his birthday. The evening will then follow the usual format for the Uposatha evenings: chanting with a recording from the Wat Mettā Sangha, a recorded Dhamma talk from Ajaan Geoff, and silent meditation.

To join the session:

  • Zoom Meeting ID: 878 3693 7349

  • Zoom Passcode: Appamada

Registrations are open for Aranya Refuge's Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month' from March 18 to April 14, 2024. 

Consider staying as an Overnight Guest, joining as a Day Visitor, or offering food to the monks.

Learn more about the 'Monastery for a Month'

Overnight Guests
We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one-week periods, Monday to Sunday:

  • March 18-24

  • March 25-31

  • April 1-7

  • April 8-14

Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins (bed only).

👉 Apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors
We welcome applications for Day Visitors from Monday, March 18, through to Sunday, April 14, 2024.
👉 Apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.
👉 Learn more about offering food here.


For any questions or concerns, please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young

Issue 28: Important Update on Spring 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Greetings,

We have an update regarding our 'Monastery for a Month' event. The new dates are now set for Monday, March 18 to Sunday April 14, 2024. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause.

Learn more about the 'Monastery for a Month'

Overnight Guests

We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one week periods, Monday to Sunday: Mar 18-24, Mar 25-31; Apr 1-7, Apr 8-14. Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins (bed only).

Please note that registrations for the first week are close to being complete. There is room for males interested in dormitory stays.

Given the demand, we advise registering soon to secure your place. Should spots fill up, a waitlist will be available to accommodate any last-minute openings. Apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors

We welcome applications for Day Visitors from Monday, March 18, through to Sunday, April 14, 2024. Apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.

For any questions or concerns, please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young

“Note the importance of using your sense of humor to—as we say in English—“make light” of difficulties. We’ve already seen the element of humor in the story of Lady Vedehikā. But the use of humor in developing endurance is something universal and contains an element of folk wisdom.

There was a British explorer in Canada back in the 1830s who wanted to find a copper deposit that was said to be in the Northwest Territories. He couldn’t find anyone to guide him there except for a group of Dene natives. So, he decided to go with them. It was one of the first cases of a British explorer entrusting his life to the natives. As they were going across the territory, they lived off their hunting and fishing skills. He noticed that on the days when the hunting and fishing were bad, those were the days when the Dene were telling the most jokes, to keep their spirits up in spite of the hunger.

These are some of the ways that you use your knowledge of fabrication to help you endure a situation.”

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
Good Heart, Good Mind, Maintaining Concentration

Issue 27: March 2024 'Monastery for a Month'

Update: New Dates for Our Spring 2024 ‘Monastery for a Month’ – March 18 to April 14, 2024.

Greetings,

Aranya Refuge Monastery for a Month - March 2024

We are excited to announce that Aranya Refuge will have a temporary monastery for the month of March 2024. The monastery will be located at Earthspring Sanctuary, a retreat centre 40 minutes from Victoria, BC. Earthspring provides a wilderness refuge suitable for forest monks and for those wishing to participate in the daily schedule of a Theravada Buddhist monastery. 

Taan Ajaan Geoff and Taan Mike were the resident monks at Aranya Refuge’s monastery for a month at Earthspring in November 2022. They found the location was very supportive for their practice.

Ajaan Peter and Taan Will, senior monks from Metta Forest Monastery, will be our monks in residence for March 2024.

Ajaan Peter and Taan Will have been to Vancouver Island for previous month-long visits. Taan Will came for Aranya Refuge’s inaugural month-long visit in May 2018 and Ajaan Peter came for a month-long visit in May 2019. We look forward to their return to Vancouver Island.

The Monastery Experience
The monastery experience is not a scheduled retreat as found at some meditation retreat centers, as a monastery is always in “retreat” mode, where lay visitors join in the daily schedule and follow the Eight Precepts. Please read the Monastery Etiquette and Visitor Guidelines for details.

Learn more about the 'Monastery for a Month'

As well, you can view photos from our successful November 2022 temporary monastery here.

Visiting and Staying at the Monastery

Overnight Guests
We have spaces available for Overnight Guests to stay for one week periods, Monday to Sunday, from March 4 - Mar 30 2024. Accommodation options include single rooms, dorm space, small heated cabins - bed only.

Please apply to be an Overnight Guest here.

Day Visitors
Day Visitors are welcome from March 4 2024 - March 30 2024.

Registered Day Visitors can join the daily schedule, such as offering food in the early morning, engaging in self-directed practice on the grounds, and joining the meditation gatherings.

Please apply to be a Day Visitor here.

Offering Food to the Monks
We welcome anyone who wishes to bring food for the monks. Please email ahead of time for meal planning purposes.

Please email us at registrar@aranyarefuge.org

Anumodana for supporting the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

  • Aranya Refuge Board of Directors: Taan Ajaan Geoff, Jacqui Balfour, Brock Brown, Russ Callaghan, June Fukushima, Irfan Pirbhai

  • Registration Team: Suzan Denis, Cameron Young

Issue 26: Registration Open For Online Retreat With Taan Ajaan Geoff

Registration is now open for the next online day-long retreat with Taan Ajaan Geoff.

Click here to Register

Topic: The Distinctive teachings of the Thai Forest tradition

Saturday, July 22, 2023
10am-3:30pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

Aranya Refuge Theravada Buddhist Monastery will host a day of teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff, also known as Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego county.

Description

People often talk of the teaching style of the Thai Forest ajaans, but what of the substance of their teachings? What is their position on some of the controversial issues in Theravada thought?

This daylong will explore these issues by focusing on the teachings of the most articulate members of the tradition: Ajaan Mun, Ajaan Lee, and Ajaan Maha Boowa.

Reading Materials

Taan Ajaan Geoff has prepared the following readings for the retreat:

Schedule

  • 10am-10:15am: Join the Zoom room

  • 10:15am-12pm: Guided meditation, teachings and Q&A

  • 12pm-2pm: Break

  • 2pm-3:30pm: Teachings and Q&A

Click here to register

After registering, you will receive a Zoom link in your confirmation notice, and in the reminder notices emailed to you closer to the date of the teachings.

About the Teacher

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) has been a Theravada Buddhist monk since 1976. After studying in Thailand with Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, he returned to the US in 1991 to help found the Metta Forest Monastery (Wat Metta) in the mountains north of San Diego. In 1993, Ajaan Geoff was asked to be the abbot and has continued to train monastics and offer teachings to lay people in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Ajaan Geoff is a highly respected scholar and practitioner of the Buddha's teachings. His many recorded talks and writings can be found here.

Offering Dana

For those who are inspired to support the monastics living at Metta Forest Monastery and the monks who will visit the Victoria, BC area, information on how to offer donations can be found here:

For more information, contact organizers at info@aranyarefuge.org

With gratitude for the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

Sincerely,
Aranya Refuge Theravada Buddhist Monastery Board and Supporters

Issue 25: Online July 22 Teaching

Updated July 26, 2023

Audio recordings from the retreat are now available in the Teachings section.

Listen Now

Online Teaching with Taan Ajaan Geoff

Topic: The Distinctive teachings of the Thai Forest tradition

Saturday, July 22, 2023
10am-3:30pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

Aranya Refuge Theravada Buddhist Monastery will host a day of teachings from Taan Ajaan Geoff, also known as Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego county.

Description

People often talk of the teaching style of the Thai Forest ajaans, but what of the substance of their teachings? What is their position on some of the controversial issues in Theravada thought?

This daylong will explore these issues by focusing on the teachings of the most articulate members of the tradition: Ajaan Mun, Ajaan Lee, and Ajaan Maha Boowa.

Reading Materials

Taan Ajaan Geoff has prepared the following readings for the retreat:

Schedule

  • 10am-10:15am: Join the Zoom room

  • 10:15am-12pm: Guided meditation, teachings and Q&A

  • 12pm-2pm: Break

  • 2pm-3:30pm: Teachings and Q&A

REGISTERING

Click here to register.

After registering, you will receive a Zoom link in your confirmation notice, and in the reminder notices emailed to you closer to the date of the teachings.

About the Teacher

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) has been a Theravada Buddhist monk since 1976. After studying in Thailand with Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, he returned to the US in 1991 to help found the Metta Forest Monastery (Wat Metta) in the mountains north of San Diego. In 1993, Ajaan Geoff was asked to be the abbot and has continued to train monastics and offer teachings to lay people in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Ajaan Geoff is a highly respected scholar and practitioner of the Buddha's teachings. His many recorded talks and writings can be found here.

Aranya Refuge Monastery Development News

Aranya Refuge organizers are hopeful that in 2024 we can invite Wat Metta monks to stay on Vancouver Island for a month-long temporary monastery. We appreciate all who are supporting our efforts. Here are some photos and teachings from last year’s ‘Monastery for a Month’.

With gratitude for the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

Sincerely,

Aranya Refuge Theravada Buddhist Monastery Board and Supporters


Issue 24: November 2022 ‘Monastery for a Month' Wrap Up

Dear Friends of Aranya Refuge,

We are writing to express our deep gratitude for the opportunity to have a Monastery for a Month held on Vancouver Island in November 2022.   

We’re thrilled to report that the event was a great success, thanks to our resident monastics, Abbot Taan Ajaan Geoff, Taan Mike, and to all the participants. We sincerely appreciate the generosity and support of people like you.

Taan Ajaan Geoff was the heartbeat of the community, leading daily practice, extended fireside Q&A sessions and daily Dhamma talks that weaved together each day’s themes. Taan Mike served as Ajaan’s attendant, while also helping around the monastery – and quickly developing an easy familiarity with the intricate trail system of the old-growth forests. The venue for the temporary monastery – Earthspring Sanctuary – provided an ideal setting for practice: lush, serene, unpredictable, nourishing.

Throughout the course of the month, 50 people assembled to form a Parisā – a community of lay and ordained Dhamma practitioners. 

Most participants were local from Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island, Vancouver, and the lower mainland ; some traveled from further across Canada, and others ventured in from the United States.

There were overnight guests, day visitors who stayed nearby, drop-in guests, supporters who brought or sent food to the monastery, and many dedicated Dhamma friends around the world sharing enthusiasm and support through online groups and chat messages.

Here are some photos and teachings from the month.

As we look ahead to 2023, Taan Ajaan Geoff and the other members of the Aranya Refuge Board of Directors are exploring how we can continue to support monks from Wat Metta to return for a month of practice and teachings.

If you’re interested in supporting the expenses from last month’s Monastery for the Month, please know that your financial contributions will cover costs related to travel & accommodation for Taan Ajaan Geoff and Taan Mike from Wat Metta to Victoria; groceries and requisites for the monks; rental of Earthspring Sanctuary; additional supplies needed throughout the month; and event insurance. Click here for information on how to contribute.

Anumodana to all who contributed past and present, and made it possible to go ahead with the “pop-up” monastery this year. 🙏

We also look forward to continuing to practice and grow together in community. If you would like to join other students of Taan Ajaan Geoff for regular online practice, please visit the following groups:

You can also find the full collection of Taan Ajaan Geoff’s evening and morning talks under “November 2022” on dhammatalks.org.

If you have any questions about Aranya Refuge Theravada Buddhist Monastery, our plans for the future, or how to get involved, feel free to email us at info@aranyarefuge.org.

With deep gratitude,

The Aranya Refuge team