In the first foundation of mindfulness, we’re looking at the nature of the body as it is: what it’s made up of, and the fact that it dies and goes back to the earth. The elements return to the elements. The Buddha often refers to bodily feeling as related to the body, and the body is impermanent. So we’re trying to hold on to these ephemeral things, these feelings, as though they will give us lasting happiness.
Ayya Anandabodhi
Residential Retreat Teacher, Monastic
Ayya Anandabodhi first encountered the Buddha's teachings in her early teens, igniting a deep interest in the Buddha's Path of Awakening. She lived and trained as a nun in the Forest Tradition at Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries in England from 1992 until 2009, when she moved to the US to help establish Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery, a training monastery for women. Her practice and teaching are guided by early Buddhist scriptures and through nature's pure and immediate Dhamma. In 2011, she took full Bhikkhuni Ordination, joining the growing number of women who are reclaiming this path in the Theravada tradition. She currently resides at Aloka Vihara, near Placerville, CA.
Ayya Anandabodhi's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
May 5 - May 10, 2024 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
With the World on Fire, Embody the Eightfold Path
The Buddha offered the Noble Eightfold Path as a way to direct our lives away from entanglement and towards true freedom. As we find ourselves moving into an increasing ecological crisis and witnessing its impact on the planet and our lives, the Buddha’s teaching becomes ever more relevant and essential. During this retreat, Ayya Ananadabodhi, Ayya Santacitta, and Ayya Santussika will offer teachings on this theme with an emphasis on bringing the path to the whole of our experience.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Ayya Anandabodhi through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.