2011- DSMC FALL NEWS Update

Page history last edited by David Johnson 7 months, 2 weeks ago

2011 - DSMC- FALL NEWS Update
supplied by Rev. Sister Khema

Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center – 8218 County Rd 204, Annapolis, MO 63620 USA

(Cell ph# 573-604-1481 to David for info)

Index

New Talks are online
Summary of upcoming Meditation Tour
Update on Repairs and THANKS for your support
New Dhamma Hall Foundation to be poured!
2011 Fall Board meeting notes
Continuing Programs at DSMC- Fall, Winter, & Spring
Reviewing some Accomplishments for 2011
New talks now! Online Talks with new quality

We hope this news update will give you a better idea what has been going on at DSMC over these past summer months June through October 2011.

First, A Thanks and good wishes are in order for Ven. Madhika and Sister Kalyana

Ven. Madhika resigned her post as Co-Abbot in August and made the decision that it is more beneficial for her to return with Sister Kalyana to Ohio to continue their work with the development of Great Determination Hermitage. See www.greatdetermination.com

All of us here at UIBDS wish them both happiness, good health, and prosperity in all their undertaking.

New Dhamma talks are now online

Please take a look at the new Dhamma talk videos as they go up Dhamma talks section of the website at www.dhammasukha.org . There usually are announcements of new talks being put up on the home page of the site.

Also the Begintosee Video Listing , David Johnson posts updates on new talks. Coming soon you may order a copy of a talk on DVD directly on the Dhammasukha website. Stay tuned.

Summary of upcoming trail for the Meditation Tour

The TWIM practice is moving into higher demand now. Newly established teachers are coming into demand almost immediately too. This by invitation Fall tour will cover S. Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and possibly other parts of Asia.

Venerable Vimalaramsi and Sister Khema have been invited to give 2 retreats in S. Korea including nearly 90 people in Oct-Nov, and then 2 or 3 more will be given in Indonesia Nov-Dec.

In January 2012 Venerable Vimalaramsi will give several talks in Malaysia and possibly do a few retreats there also depending on what materializes. Sister Khema will travel by invitation to Sri Lanka in January to teach in the a School in Kandy for one semester. She will be teaching Basic Meditation and offering some fun new innovative ways being used at DSMC to learn Dependent Origination in a way that it can be used in life to lighten suffering.

David Johnson should be posting pictures online of this tour as it happens.

Update repairs and thanks for support:

All of us at DSMC representing UIBDS are deeply grateful for all the support and patience our worldwide community Sangha has shown us this past year from May through October.

The help of this worldwide community was a defining factor for reconstruction in the monastics area after the storm we faced in May 2011. No damage occurred in the student training areas and no one was injured!

Bhante Vimalaramsi had to move up top to live in an RV for the summer while his kuti was reconstructed. His front and back porches will be rebuilt next Spring. He had everything he needed to continue work on his new book in the RV. Venerable’s kuti is now repaired and Bhante has moved back in.

Sister Khema lost her trailer entirely! She was moved into one of the student cabins up top for the summer after her return from Indonesia in June. A new cabin arrived for placement this past week which, once again, will serve as a back-up unit for food and first aide for the monastics area during the coming years. This unit will eventually be moved up into the forest site for the Women’s area. The women’s area was delayed due to repairs from the storm coming first. However the road into that area of the property has been cleared this summer.

Your donations kept the repairs and rebuilding going slow and steady all summer long. Some of you may know that Iron County, Missouri was NOT declared a disaster area by FEMA even though it was hit a few days following the storms in Joplin, MO. Because of this fact, there was no grant assistance offered to help the clean-up and repairs move along. Everything had to be done by donations and volunteers, one step at a time, during the summer and, for the most part, the work went very well.

The students area on the top location of the property where the dining hall and cabins are located remains undisturbed. The new Kitchen/dining/all purpose building was open and completely functional the entire summer. This building offered a great area for meditation along with the upstairs quiet of the new Josephine and Winefred Burrough’s research library. The dining hall offers a beautiful space for eating with views of the forest.

New Dhamma Hall foundation to be poured!

We received enough early donations for the foundation of the new Dhamma Hall to be poured before Bhante Vimalaramsi and Sister Khema leave in October for the fall Meditation Tour in Asia. This 36-foot diameter 8-sided building will be a post and beam construction with log siding and lots of large windows for lots of light all times of the day. The site is surrounded by forest and several student cabins. These cabins will now have easy access to the Dhamma Hall and there will be a very nice overhanging roof surrounding the entire building to accommodate all weather walking.

2011 Fall Board meeting topics:

An Effort is being made to increase monthly donations to help the center continue building the study center, adding to the library, and insuring all buildings. We do have an insurance company willing to put up insurance for the Kitchen building, the new Dhamma Hall and ALL of the student cabins as long as they are on foundations, or dement tie downs. All buildings are being upgraded so this can be applied. The cost per year for the kitchen building will be $2200.

Closing down summer programs:

Its Because of the time involved in moving back into the reconstructed kutis and the Fall Meditation Tour departure time of October 12^th, 2011, it was decided to close down any further long retreats this summer, temporarily cancel further meditation classes, and continue with clean-up work and preparations for the tour.

Second NEW Building construction moves forward:

Upon receipt of a new building donation, enough to begin the work, it was approved that the next major building going up in the center will be the 8-sided Berger Dhamma Hall. A Ground breaking ceremony is planned to happen as the concrete footings are poured. The building will continue construction in the spring after that until it goes up totally in 2012.

Financial support – We need your continued encouragement and support!

Support for the center is steadily growing. Demand is increasing for this teaching. At this time the most important area to increase donations is to pledge and give monthly or quarterly donations so we can depend on support for the center year round. This is needed to bolster the center and help continue the flow of ongoing media editing and posting and publishing new written work being done. Three people try to maintain the land and property during the winter months. They help to support any ongoing programs and help with any necessary maintenance. There are costs for Electric, Propane gas for heating, internet for media developments, and any maintenance needs during the cold weather season. Even very small monthly amounts help the center keep going during this time. You can arrange for monthly donations if you are in the USA through going to www.NetworkForGood.org and finding United International Buddha Dhamma . There is a link from the main website. Also you can use Paypal on the front page and buy your Christmas gifts by using the referral link on the front page.

During this winter, David Johnson will attend to managing the property and will continue to offer All-Day Saturday Meditation sitting with Video Dhamma talks in the All purpose area of the new Kitchen/Dining Hall building. You can give him a call at 573-604-1481

Students who have already been in the center for a retreat can come in to help with the fall leaves or other needed things on weekends and watch a Video Dhamma talk while sitting around the fire in the main hall by making arrangements with David.

The Yahoo Groups Support list named “Dhammasukha” will continue to offer online support from Sister Khema for your meditation questions during the winter from wherever she is located.

The most recent English version of Bhante Vimalaramsi’s new book called “the Breath of Love” have been shipped to DSMC and will be available very shortly. Watch the website www.dhammasukha.org for an announcement. Great merit goes to everyone who helped support this printing project. These books will be available for Christmas gifts.

Don’t forget that Shopping at Amazon by linking to Amazon through www.dhammasukha.org will help this center grow! It doesn’t cost you anything and take a look at what is available through Amazon these days. Everything! Please do some of your Holiday shopping and help DSMC grow. Check the link on the left lower area.

CONTINUING PROGRAMS AT DSMC - Fall, Winter and Spring

1. Weekly evening meditation meetings closed down until next Spring- Please watch for announcements for two locations beginning in MAY.

2. SATURDAY ALL-DAY MEDITATION SESSION WITH DHAMMA TALK AND DISCUSSION -

For this program please contact David Johnson at DSMC. He will help you set up a place. The Saturday sessions will run from 9AM with a break for lunch. Then they continue until 3PM Dhamma talk is given with group questions and discussions

3. Visiting the center

It's a great idea to visit the center for a day. over the weekend. Just contact David and you can come out for a meal and walk the trails on the land.

4. Interested in a Retreat for next Spring 2012?
Please set up a reservation for a time and space! Contact David Johnson--- retreat@dhammasukha.org
Set your dates up for 8-10 days with maximum first visit for 2 weeks. Note: You can come in for longer IF you are flying into the country for this, but, this must be pre-arranged with the teacher.
Contact David Johnson at johnsondave@yahoo.com with other questions.

All in All – Brief review of Some Accomplishments for 2011

All in all

There are five people now living fulltime giving support for DSMC development.
2 Female monastics resided in DSMC for nearly three months during the Rains Retreat.
UIBDS had the privilege of supporting one Female Samaneri to attend classes in Oxford, England to study Pali in a special program for pronunciation and understanding of the language.
The kitchen and dining hall were completed and opened in March 2011.
Joshua Tree Retreat #6 was completed successfully in the California desert. The next one will be in March 2012. Contact us if interested. March 16th for 10 days.
Bhante Vimalaramsi completed a successful tour in Indonesia during Winter 2010-2011 with several retreats, public talks, TV, and Radio work talking about Buddhism.
The outside patio eating and walking area of the Dining Hall was completed May 2011.
The rear herb gardens were cemented in June 2011 and the weepholes were put in SEPT.
The Josephine & Winefred Burroughs Library was completed June 2011.
A complete set of PTS EnglishTipitika and many Pali books were donated and installed in the library in June.
Furniture was donated for the Library research area.
The kitchen office was set up in the kitchen July 2011.
The dedication of plaques showing donations for the Dining Hall and Library were ordered and dedications will take place Spring of 2012.
In July, the Old office building/library was relocated to the top student area during clean-up for future reception and registrations by students.
The forest road system was resurfaced in July 2011. Great walking.
Rebuilding work began on Sister Khema’s trailer, the old house, Bhante’s kuti, and the monastic’s guest cabin June-August.
Sister Khema’s new habitat shell was delivered Sept 2011 and will need to be finished inside gradually in 2012.
The Pineheart Village Barn was cleaned out. Set up and work areas for Wood, Metal, and Pottery.
The BEAVER tractor was repaired, up and running with the blade to help maintain the roads as of the middle of August.
Bangledesh monastics visited DSMC in July 2011 to bestowed a title on Venerable Vimalaramsi of ‘Sasana Tilaka’ (means, ‘the clear teacher of the three signs’).
BhanteVimalaramsi finished the English version of BREATH OF LOVE and it will be available by October 1, 2011 for Christmas distribution.
Bhante is writing another new book with many diagrams and instructions included and this will go to press sometime in November 2011 – available by Spring 2012.
Sister Khema completed the Women's Conference workshop presentation-Bangkok June 2011.
Sister Khema did her first individual foreign teaching tour completing both meditation retreats and public Dhamma talks in Indonesia June-July 2011.
The title of Sansana Dipika was bestowed on Sister Khema by Bangledesh Sangha while she was in Bangkok at 12^th Buddhist Women’s Sayadhika Conference in June 2011 ( this means “the well-taught light of the Dhamma”).
Our new Manager, David Johnson, got his living habitat set up with a media work area inside where he does all editing for video talks and posting.
David Johnson accepted the official position as Treasurer for UIBDS in June 2011 and established a new bookkeeping system with very nice receipts!
While repairs were being done on his kuti, Bhante resided for the entire summer in a 24 ft RV in the students area.
Salvage operations are still going on to tear down the old house in the monastic area with an effort to preserve the old A-Frame unit so it can shelter work equipment from the weather. The house was to be torn down and this just moved that project forward. The well was saved and re-housed. It isn’t clear yet if the washer and dryer still work or not. This is being looked into.
Sister Khema continues to work on the development of the TWIM training manual for future students, teachers, and future monastics to join the Buddhist American Forest Tradition at DSMC.
Sister Khema gathers material for her first book.
There is now space for two samaneras and two samaneris to live in the monastics area and a guest lodge for visiting monastics for special classes and research work.
The Dhammasukha Yahoo Group continues with over 680 people from over 20 countries. Khanti-Khema ( now Sister Khema) began this in 2003 with only 35 people.
Online Foundation studies program continues and is growing.
Heaps of new Dhamma talks are being edited to go up online with new improved quality.
Thursday evening meditation class and a Saturday all-day meditation sessions continued throughout the summer months.
GiGong was offered by visiting monastics during the summer months and was well received.

I am sure that there is more that I am forgetting here and if you know of something, we encourage you to write a note to sisterkhema@yahoo.com and let her know

-> FACEBOOKS

Don’t forget to check out Bhante Vimalaramsi Facebook for ongoing information too.

Sister Khema has a facebook that is very slowly developing. She hopes to put up more training information in this location.

-> Also there is always news happening at the Begintosee Site .

è CONNECT HERE to the STORY BOARD TIME

PICTURES CAN SAY A LOT TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE AT DSMC.