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| Canoeing in Algonquin Park |
I am now spending the three months vassa (rainy season) period in Ottawa Canada, at the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya. I am staying there with the two resident monks, Ven. Jinananda and Ven. Vijjitha. There is a fairly busy schedule of giving talks and leading one day and weekend retreats in different places. However, in between teaching programs there is time for some excursions to visit some other monasteries and take nature walks and some mindful canoeing on the plentiful lakes in the province of Ontario.
After the first two weeks I made a three day excursion into the countryside outside of Ottawa. First was a visit to the Sati Saraniya nuns Hermitage where I had lunch dana with Ajahn Medanandi and.... We were showed the nice newly constructed meditation hall where we had a short meditation and I gave a talk. Later on that same day I went to stay for two days at the Tisarana Buddhist Monastery near the small town of Perth.
It was good to meet Ajahn Viradhammo again after several years. There are three young bhikkhus and two anagarikas staying with him for the vassa season. I stayed in a nice kuti in the forest.
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| With Ven. Vijjitha in front of Ottawa Vihara |
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| The new Meditation hall at Sati Saraniya Hermitage for nuns |
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| Entrance sign at the Tisarana Monastery |
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| Notice the deer behind the white tent |
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| Important Monastery bell |
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| Resident monastic community |
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| The kuti in the forest where I stayed two nights |
During the weekdays I made a couple days trips out to the nature a few hours driving from Ottawa with three Dhamma friends, Mark, David and Nissanka.
On a day hike with Mark on a high ridge in Gatineau Park
A day long canoe trip on the Madawaska River
David and Nissanka Prepare to launch the canoe
Local wildlife
The odd couple- a black and white swan
A a busy beaver on the riverbank
The beaver peering out from the safety of his house
A heron...
....takes flight
Picturesque countryside
Back at the Hilda Jayewardena vihara we held a morning long outdoor meditation
Walking meditation
Yoga exercise
A highlight of my nature outings was a three day canoeing/camping trip to Booth Lake in the famous Algonquin Park. This is the first time I had been on such a canoe/camping journey. The Algonquin Park is a huge National Park in Ontario made up of many large and smaller lakes which are connected by rivers and small creeks. Sometimes you have to "Porterage" carry your canoes and gear across stretches where it is not possible to paddle. One can make canoe trips of many weeks through all of these wilderness waterways and hundreds of campsites are available.
Mark prepares lunch
Our tents
Launching the canoes for a mindful cruise
Early morning fog adds to the mystique
Time to reflect
A cabin behind the trees
Our turn around point
Mark filtering water
Heading back to civilization
Crossing the last 'portage'
During these last two months I also made a five day trip back to the Bhavana Society forest monastery to lead the yearly Youth retreat in Mid August. And in the first few days of September I went to Toronto to lead a three day retreat at the Toronto Mahavihara.
The retreat at the Toronto Mahavihara
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| A Dhamma discussion during the Youth retreat at the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery |
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| On a walk through the forest to a creek accompanied by Ven. Seelananda, Samanera Mangala and Youth retreat participants |
