Sirimedho Bhikkhu (formerly Peter Pauls) was born in Ontario to a Mennonite family and raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After returning to Ontario for university his spiritual search took him on a pilgrimage to India and a couple of long retreats at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). This culminated in a strong desire to ordain. Unfortunately, following this aspiration he became seriously chronically ill. After many years, during which he visited Tisarana and other forest monasteries regularly, he recovered well enough to pursue ordination. He took on Anagarika precepts at Tisarana in January 2017, ordained as a Samanera (novice) on December 15, 2017 in Chennai, India and was accepted into the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018 at Tisarana with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.