The First YearThe Hermitage officially opened its doors in Ottawa on June 1, 2008, to a warm reception from the local Buddhist community. One week later, while teaching a nine-day retreat, Ayya Medhanandi conducted the eight precept ordination for Cathy Meadowcroft, former kitchen steward at Tisarana Buddhist Monastery, in the retreat centre chapel.Throughout the year, Ayya Medhanandi and Anagarika Cathy received an outpouring of generosity and support. They made a determination not to use hermitage funds for the purchase of food items and to eat only what was offered. Blessings came in abundance; visitors, daily offerings of meals, flowers for the shine as well the requisites to set up and run a monastic residence and its program. Working in the community, at the Hospice at May Court, Ayya introduced a pilot meditation course for the staff and volunteers followed by a series of ongoing classes and a weekend retreat. There were also teachings for the Ottawa Buddhist Society including days of mindfulness and evening meditations throughout the year. Ayya accepted invitations to teach in Toronto, Waterloo, Kinmount, Montreal, and Vancouver - with a rare pilgrimage to Birken Forest Monastery near Kamloops, B.C.  |  During the first Sati Saraniya Rains Retreat or Vassa, vinaya study and meditation practice took priority. In this warmer time of year, one morning a week, Ayya walked the traditional pindapata, alms round, to collect food offerings for her meal in different neighbourhoods of Ottawa. She would stand in outdoor markets or near shops, chanting silently and holding her alms bowl while passers-by occasionally stopped to offer fresh fruit, bread, rolls, even a twenty-five pound bag of rice - kindness received and reciprocated with gratitude. Capping off the year, a Boxing Day almsgiving ceremony was hosted by the Hermitage and blessed by Ajahn Viradhammo and the monks from Tisarana Buddhist Monastery. In turn, Ayya Medhanandi and Anagarika Cathy joined them to welcome in the New Year at Tisarana, meditating with the community in the 'barn shrine', chanting parittas, and lighting a ceremonial bonfire. In January, 2009, the Hermitage doors were gently closed for a period of seclusion and solitary retreat, first at the Hermitage and later at a friend's vacant country home in Lanark County. After the silence of winter, Ayya returned to Pembroke to lead the first 9-day retreat sponsored by Sati Saraniya Hermitage. It was a year of faith, diligence, affirmation, and gratitude, truly seeing how "the Dhamma takes care of those who take care of the Dhamma." |
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The First Year |