We began the month with the first ever seminar of the Sangharakshita study course, looking at (among other things) his early writings. You can listen to some of the Early Writings from 1944-1954 on Free Buddhist Audio.
There was much music, laughter and song one community night as all the residents came together for a farewell soirée for Jayadhi. She has left Adhisthana after five years of living here and will spend a short time in Colchester before travelling, attending the Order convention in India (along with many others!) and then moving to Manchester. It was an emotional farewell evening and she will be much missed around Adhisthana.
The site has also been full of the sounds of damarus while the Chöd practice retreats have been on, occasionally in competition with the noises of Yashodeva and Lalitanaga installing a drain in front of the dining hall in order to make that entrance is flat and more accessible for wheelchair users.
There was an incredible display of northern lights one evening – some members of the women’s community received a text from Vidyamala to go outside; the sky was a wonderful pinkish red with swathes of blue-green. You can see a photo taken from the top of the men’s community below.
The operations team have been out adventuring during their team-based right livelihood meetings, making the most of the gorgeous weather and admiring the beauty of the surrounding countryside. After a flurry of mushroom foraging last month where shaggy ink caps and parasols were being sampled, the season has moved on an the trees are turning yellow.
The DharmaLife course have been in Wales for a week walking with Sanghadeva in their own mini-Trackless type expedition. A number of the community members have also started getting active at the local leisure centre, swimming, saunaing and meeting the locals.
Robyn has been back volunteering again, as well as Anthony and Sam, who have all been great helpers. It’s been a busy last week of the month with multiple events on, a large number Indian visitors to the Bhim Smrti who were shown around by Prajnanita and Saddhaloka, and an evening marking the anniversary of Bhante’s death. There was tea and cake followed by readings from the Tibetan Book of the Dead and mantra chanting in the shrine room before everyone processed to the burial mound, making the seven traditional offerings to Bhante and transferring our merits.
