Meditation isn't about having a different experience, it’s about adding something to what's already happening—and that something is awareness. The four establishments of mindfulness show us how we can establish the right relationship with our experience so that we can learn from, and not get stuck in, whatever is happening. And whatever is happening will express the law of impermanence. That's the common denominator. To know this intellectually is a good beginning, but to really know it in the body is a much more intimate knowing, with a much greater capacity for liberation.
Ayya Santacitta
Residential Retreat Teacher, Monastic
Santacitta Bhikkhuni was born in Austria and did her graduate studies in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on dance, theatre, and ritual. She also worked in avant-garde dance theatre as a performer and costume designer. In 1988 she met Ajahn Buddhadasa in southern Thailand, who sparked her interest in Buddhist monastic life. She trained as a nun in England and Asia from 1993 until 2009, primarily in the lineage of Ajahn Chah, and has also received teachings in the Shechen lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Santacitta Bhikkhuni co-founded Aloka Vihara in 2009 and received Bhikkhuni Ordination in 2011. She is committed to Gaia as a living being and resides at Aloka Earth Room, currently located in San Rafael, CA.
Ayya Santacitta's Upcoming Programs
Short Program | Online
Sunday, March 8 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Unshakeable Peace: Rooted in Earth-Based Practices, Anchored in Awareness
This half-day of mindfulness practice invites us to slow down and return to what is steady and reliable. Rooted in Buddhist teachings and earth awareness, the day emphasizes resting in present-moment experience rather than striving to change it. Through sitting and walking meditation, and periods of silence, we cultivate embodied presence and discover a peace that does not depend on conditions. This offering supports clarity, steadiness, and a deepened sense of refuge in awareness itself.
Retreat | On-Land
May 18 - May 23, 2026 | Monday - Saturday | 5 nights
Silence Behind the Noise - A Monastic Retreat
Full - waitlist. Commuter spaces available! The "sound of silence" is an ever present quality that we can learn to recognize and attune to. Practicing in this way, we can discover the mind’s innate capacity to settle and open. Throughout this retreat, we will explore different ways this can be experienced, allowing our systems to take a break from chronic overstimulation by resting into the silence behind the noise.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Ayya Santacitta through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.