January 2008
Warm
greetings and all good wishes for 2008
As usual our European monasteries go into retreat mode for most of January, February and March, this being a time when nature itself tends towards stillness and silence. Santacittarama will remain open for daytime visits for those who wish to share the silence and any part of the retreat programme, although it will not be possible to stay overnight during this period. The meal will be as usual at 11 a.m. and for the month of January (starting on the 9th) there will be periods of silent meditation in the afternoon at 2 and 4 o'clock and the evening puja and meditation at 7:30. On Mondays there will not be any programme. Individual practice will be emphasized during the months of February and March, although the evening puja will continue as usual. Any other changes of programme will be announced on the "news" page of the website, where there will also be an updated list of things needed in the monastery, particularly food items.
We
appreciate your support in this; it is an important time for the resident
community to limit their outward-going activities and be more free to develop
their practice. It would be helpful to save any non-urgent communications until
the end of March. We will be answering the telephone only in the morning between
7:30 and 8:30. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
Building projects
Kusala - the men's guest house - is to be completely restructured, a project
that is due to begin in February and will take several months to complete. It
will have a new floor, a new roof and be divided into four bedrooms and two
bathrooms, much improving the facilities. What was previously a garage will
become a small meditation room available to all guests and visitors. Until the
work is finished and it is once again habitable - hopefully some time in June -
overnight accommodation for male guests will be very limited.
There is not much news about the temple project. The major recent development is that a local engineer, with the required technical competence and familiarity with bureaucratic procedures, is advising us and it seems much more likely, with his help, that a solution will be found.
Resident community
Ajahn
Chandapalo (British)
Ajahn Jutindharo (Thai)
Ajahn Janthee (Thai)
Ajahn Suvaco (Thai)
Tan Nyanadassano (Czech)
Tan Mahapanyo (Italian)
Samanera Brahmano (Italian)
Anagarika Gianni (Italian)
Lay
residents
Daniele (Italian)
Luis (Spanish)
Jaime (Spanish)
Dejan (Slovenian)
Anagarika
Gianni (previously known as Nirmoha) was born in Luzern, Switzerland, of a
French mother and Italian father and grew up in Siena. He formally took the
eight precepts on the 24th of December.