It’s been a significant year at Adhisthana, and as it draws to a close we are taking the opportunity to cast a backward glance over what has happened.
As a picture tells a thousand words, perhaps the best way to get a flavour is by watching our ten year anniversary film that Max has been creating and editing intensively over the last few weeks. Check it out below.
There have been significant changes to the site – not only has Adhisthana expanded (the walk around the perimeter has changed!), but we now have the lovely Vijayamala, Vessantara, Vidyamala and Sona as neighbours. They are settling into Jasmine Cottage, beside the house is an ancient oak tree which is well worth a visit; Dhivan makes the short pilgrimage to it most mornings.
Creating a festive table display for the Order Office lunch / the shrine on the Sub30 seminar on the Satipattana / farewell evening for Ksantikara.
The woodland has also changed – Sanghadeva has cut a new path through the woods, and there are now some parts which are kept solely for the use of those on solitary in one of our two new huts. Ratnaghosha is on solitary in one of them at the moment for a month, and will emerge just after the London Buddhist Centre big winter retreat starts.
We have also received some very significant images; a bust of Ambedkar that was dedicated during the College meeting in the new Ambedkar Memorial room above the main shrine room; a large Padmasambhava rupa, gifted by Prakasha and Srisambhava that now inhabits the Padmasabhava Shrine in the Library; a painting of Amitabha as Bhante saw the vision in the cave.
Of course there are the usual coming and goings too. Subhuti and Srimala have moved in close by, joining the growing numbers of local Buddhists, and we are saying farewell to Ksantikara and Dhivan, who are both moving on. We have also had some fantastic volunteers in the kitchen over the last few months, including Athos, who is has been lovely to have cooking for us again. Watch this space to find out who will be joining us as a new cook in January…