Ayyā Medhānandī is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, a Theravada forest monastery for women.
Ayya Medhanandi (1949- ) is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, a Theravada forest monastery for women. The daughter of East European WW II refugees who emigrated to Montreal, she began a spiritual quest in childhood that led her to India, Burma, UK, New Zealand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and finally back to Canada. In 1988, at the Mahasi retreat centre in Yangon, Myanmar, Ayya requested full bhikkhuni ordination from her teacher, Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita. This was not yet possible in Theravada Buddhism. Instead, Sayadaw gave her 10-precept ordination on condition that she keep her vows for life. When a military coup closed Myanmar to foreigners, Sayadaw blessed her to join the Ajahn Chah Thai Sangha at Amaravati, UK. Ten years later, Ayya felt called to practice as a hermit nun in New Zealand for 6 years and later in SE Asia. In 2007, after nearly 20 years as a novice nun, she received bhikkhuni ordination at Ling Quan Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan; and, in 2008, invited by Ottawa and Toronto Theravada Buddhist societies, she returned to Canada to establish Sati Saraniya Hermitage.
Andre has been a member and past President of the Ottawa Buddhist Society and practiced with many Theravada monastics and lay teachers. Since 2002 he has been a member of the Order of Interbeing and received the Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh in 2014. He leads meditation classes at the University of Ottawa Continuing Education Program and Andre is also a co-founder of the University of Ottawa’s Academy for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies.
The Monks and Nuns will be on winter retreat from January 1, 2020 until the end of March 2020. The regular Friday Evening Meetings at Quaker House will continue with tonight’s lay practitioner Andre Vellino.
The evening will be led by lay practitioner Evelyn Tan.
Evelyn Tan first learned about Buddhism, mindfulness and Vipassana meditation largely through the Ottawa Buddhist Society when she and her family moved to Ottawa some twenty years ago. She facilitated MBCT groups at The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre from 2011-2015 and is now in private practice.
The Monks and Nuns will be on Winter retreat from January 1, 2020 until the end of March 2020. The Day of Mindfulness will be led by lay practitioner Philip Jurgens.
Andre has been a member and past President of the Ottawa Buddhist Society and practiced with many Theravada monastics and lay teachers. Since 2002 he has been a member of the Order of Interbeing and received the Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh in 2014. He leads meditation classes at the University of Ottawa Continuing Education Program and Andre is also a co-founder of the University of Ottawa’s Academy for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies.
The Monks and Nuns will be on winter retreat from January 1, 2020 until the end of March 2020. The regular Friday Evening Meetings at Quaker House will continue with tonight’s lay practitioner Andre Vellino.
Bhante Vijitha is an ordained Buddhist monk and a resident teacher at the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery, Ottawa since 2010. He holds an M.A. in Buddhist studies from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and M.A. in Counseling and Spirituality from Saint Paul University, Ottawa.
Bhante Vijitha is an ordained Buddhist monk and a resident teacher at the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery, Ottawa since 2010. He holds an M.A. in Buddhist studies from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and M.A. in Counselling and Spirituality from Saint Paul University, Ottawa.
Catherine Collobert will lead the meditation and dhamma teaching on Friday Evening 7:30 pm at Quaker House.
The Monks and Nuns will be on winter retreat from January 1, 2020 until the end of March 2020.