Even in a town of 850 people: when one considers all the possible connections of family, relatives, friends, and coworkers, the reality of death is never far away. There are times when the pace of death and loss seem to increase, but for the most part it is only our sensitivity to its presence that
This talk is given by Tahn Pamutto for meditators experiencing some success and the beginning of tranquility and bliss in meditation. The Citta Saṇkhāra is rarely spoken about in casual conversation but coming to understand it is coming to understand at a much deeper level why we do what we do and what we are
Talk: Citta Saṇkhāra Read More »
One of the core concepts of being a monastic is developing a continuity and rhythm in our lives. This allows us to stay balanced and more easily discern the ‘worldly winds’, the natural ups and downs of life. One of the worldly winds we’ve been observing the last week is the need for people around
Retreat Postponed, Talk tonight Read More »
Venerable Sumano has been kind enough to set up a new instagram for Upavana under the name upavanaorg. It can be found with the link in the footer as well as here: https://www.instagram.com/upavanaorg/ If you want to catch glimpses of what the monastics are up to this is a good place to look. The summer
Last Sunday for the Uposatha Tahn Pamutto gave a reflection on the topic of Viriya or Energy. Reflecting on this and learning to tell the difference between ideas of energy and the reality of our ability and willingness to apply our minds is essential to progress on the spiritual path.
Tomorrow (Sunday, August 22 at 8pm), as local friends are taking shelter from the landfall of Hurricane Henri, Upavana will be hosting its bimonthly Uposatha gathering in person at the Wendell Senior Center in Wendell, MA. What good fortune to have a stable shelter to practice on a stormy night! Inclement weather can sometimes provide
I made a new friend on almsround today. He’s been in Massachusetts working for the summer, and was due to return back out west in a few days. On the eve of his departure, he noticed me talking with a friend outside the country store and approached. He showed extraordinary good instincts for a young
While there’s not as much seclusion as when wandering, having an easily accessible campsite does have its perks – friends have been visiting regularly to offer food, supplies, and support. See here is Bhante Sumano with Lusiana and her son Justin. They even brought the table the food was offered on! We also received a
Meal Offerings / Visiting Venerables Read More »
The other day on almsround I was stepping up in front of the local country store and was greeted by a friend. He’d just suffered a blow – a breakup with his girlfriend of some months. “It’s happened before but this time feels more final.” he said. Still, he was curiously upbeat. “I’m feeling a
