hilltop newsletter


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Peaceful and Quiet

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Picture: Luang Por Munindo, Ajahn Punnyo (l) and Ajahn Abhinando (r).

As has become the tradition at Harnham, Luang Por Munindo invited the resident monastic community to his kuti for tea and punch on Christmas Eve. As was uniformly predicted by forecasters, the weather on Christmas Day was…

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Developments

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Picture: Ajahn Anando visiting

The New Moon for this month falls next Wednesday 28th December. Last Friday Ajahn Abhinando arrived back from his sojourn in Spain and Portugal, promptly launching into leading a Practice and Study day on Sunday. Since this was the last P&S day for the year…

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Minimal Winter

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Picture: Penny and Charlie begin the hedge planting

Stephen, the local fence builder has put in a new fence on the eastern boundary of the monastery and several Thai students from Newcastle sponsored and helped plant a new hedge. We are glad and grateful for Ajahn Anando's companionship…

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Unburdening

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Picture: Ajahn Punnyo in the new Mangala House Meditation Room

The Full Moon for this month falls next Wednesday 14th December. The days are getting as short as they can get and the nights are almost as long as they can be. The year 2016 is gradually coming…

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White and Grey

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Picture: Freshly painted entrance-hall in Mangala House

The momentum of comings and goings continues. It is a joy to have Tan Sudhammo from Wat Nanachat with us; it is a sadness to see Tan Gambhiro depart on his way back to Portugal; Anagarika Andrew is away helping his mother move…

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Leaden Skies

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Picture: Working by the Lake last Saturday

The New Moon for this month falls next Tuesday 29th November. So far we have not had snow, but there have been days when it felt like we were about to. Anti-slip wire-mesh now covers almost the entire boardwalk around the…

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Nights Drawing In

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Picture: From one of the posters to be displayed at Mangala House

Winter approaches and the nights are drawing in. Last Friday Venerable Piitigala Gunaratna Thero braved the cold and visited the monastery to deliver a Dhamma talk (bana) to our extended community of Sri Lankan…

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Still Painting

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Picture: Tan Thitapannyo painting everything alabaster

The Full Moon for this month falls on Monday 14th November; apparently it will be a 'super-moon' which should make many photographers happy. Our painting project continues and Mangala House is gradually turning white. Will Cooke turned white (became Anagarika Jagaro) on…

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Andrew the potter

Painting and Preparation

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Picture: Andrew, our friendly potter from Northumbrian Craft Pottery

The painting project at Mangala House has begun with a suitable sufficiency of enthusiastic supporters helping out. If all goes well, by about mid-December we should be prepared for Winter Retreat 2017. Luang Por Munindo and Ajahn Abhinando have…

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That Was Kathina 2016/2559

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Picture: Kathina gathering at Aruna Ratanagiri, 23rd October 2016

The New Moon for this month falls on Sunday 30th October. Towards the end of last week Ajahn Nandiyo (from Hartridge Monastery) joined us. Then on Saturday we received a welcome influx of several more samanas including Ajahns Sucitto…

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