COVID-19 update: Tilorien Monastery closed until at least 5th April

Dear friends,

Following the new orders of the Belgian government, we have to close the monastery for visitors and activities until 31st March, after which the situation will be reviewed.

All sutta classes, chantings and meditations are suspended, visitors are not accepted for overnight stay and there is no possibility to bring dana to the monastery. Our caretaker will take care of meals.

As president Trump has also cancelled all flights to the USA, I will not go to Empty Cloud Monastery near New York to teach but will stay in Tilorien Monastery.

If anybody wishes to help support the running & food costs of Tilorien Monastery during this time, please consider making a donation via the samita.be website. It is much appreciated. :pray:

With much metta and gratitude,
Ven. Vimala

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May you, all monastics, and all, be safe, healthy, peaceful, and diligent. :anjal: :bodhileaf:

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It can be difficult to be kind under stress. But Iā€™m grateful for the kindnesses and generosities and gentleness I can see from where I am, during stressful times especially.

Discomfort with public generosity and others public displays of affection or ethics is a cultural conditioned reaction I am personally very familiar with. In fact, it was not just cultural for me, but familial. But Iā€™ve come to understand it is mostly merely a style difference.

Thereā€™s invitation and encouragement in public displays of generosity and ethics; thatā€™s lovely.

:anjal: :dharmawheel: :lotus:

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Having had the utterly ineffable privilege of being a long-term guest at Tilorien untilā€”entirely coincidentallyā€”just a couple of days before it closed for this spell, Iā€™m only just beginning to comprehend the degree to which my understanding of what kindness, generosity and gentleness are has deepened as a result of my stay. New dimensions of these qualities opened to me, just for having them modeled over and again amid the everyday whatnot.

Already before I had a reasonably clear idea of how essential getting ever familiar with these qualities is for my being in any way able to adventure internally and ā€œgo anywhereā€ with this practice, so to speak, but my experience at Tilorien has given me such a powerful example of a form of kindness I didnā€™t really have any sense of.

So, yes, an abundance of gratitude!!! I enjoyed the delight of beginning mornings recollecting the Triple Gem and the, ā€œÄhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiį¹‡eyyo aƱjalikaraį¹‡Ä«yoā€ line couldnā€™t resonate more strongly.

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Take care everyone. Hope everyone is safe.

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Thanks so much everybody for your kind words and care!

I remember my father telling me about the war and how it brought people together. I can see the same thing now and that is one of the good things about uncertain situations like this. My father is 89 and lives alone. He gets so many people calling him to ask if they can bring him food or just drop by some fresh eggs from their own hens! Itā€™s lovely to see how this can bring out the best in people.

There are many good things you can do for other people. Help people who are in quarantine or elderly and vulnerable people in your community, as well as meditate, listen to Dhamma talks and read suttas. Or join with others online to discuss the Dhamma. If anybody is interested to join the European Rainbow Sangha group new online iSangha please let me know.

There is a lot of uncertainty right now, but just remember: this too will pass.

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As Belgium has gone into lockdown as per noon today, Ayya Anopama will not be able to travel to Tilorien for the foreseeable future. We will therefore cancel her retreat at Easter.

It is not sure when Tilorien will open again. Both myself and Ayya Anopama will try to keep running the online meditation and discussion group on Friday night for as long as it is needed.

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