Treasure Mountain Podcast

Vipassana Meditation: an introduction to insight meditation practice | Patrick Kearney

Sol Hanna — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:18:53 +0000

In some recent episodes of Treasure Mountain Podcast we’ve heard about the importance of samatha - or stillness, tranquillity - meditation. But what about vipassana - insight meditation? The vipassana meditation movement has had a huge impact upon meditation practice in both East and West, and has shaped modern understandings of what meditation is about and for. So what is vipassana meditation? What is its heritage? What is its basis within Buddhism? And how does it work?

To answer these questions and more we have as our guest today Patrick Kearney.

Patrick has practised mindfulness meditation since 1977. At that time there was little or no Buddhist meditation training available in Australia, so he spent years travelling in Asia and the USA working with teachers from different Buddhist traditions to learn the craft of meditation practice. Most of his training has been in the insight meditation lineage of Mahāsī Sayādaw of Burma, which included several years as a Buddhist monk. His main teachers were Sayādaw U Paṇḍita and John Hale. He has also trained in the Diamond Sangha lineage of Zen where his teachers have been Robert Aitken Rōshi and Paul Maloney Rōshi.

Patrick has been a full-time teacher of mindfulness meditation for over 20 years. He conducts residential and online retreats, workshops and seminars. He has studied early Buddhism at post-graduate levels and has a particular interest in the original teachings of the Buddha, before the invention of “Buddhism.” This allows him to bring the radical insights of the Buddha to our contemporary situation. He sees meditation as a physical practice that reconnects us with the felt world of our senses, allowing us to live our lives directly rather than through the cling-wrap of our habitual thinking.

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Links related to this episode:

Patrick Kearney website

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Buddhism vs Psychotherapy | Ayya Jitindriya

Sol Hanna — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 07:05:46 +0000

In Western culture over the past century, the growth of interest in psychology and Buddhism have occurred together and have often intersected. Yet they come from quite different views of the world and the nature of the mind. What is the relationship between Buddhism and psychotherapy in the modern world? Where do these two intersect, and where do they diverge? And how can we understand the nature of mind from both points of view?

On this episode of Treasure Mountain Podcast we are privileged to have as our guest Ayya Jitindriya who is currently resident at Viveka Hermitage in southern New South Wales. Ayya Jitindriyā first trained as a monastic in the Theravada Forest Tradition lineage of Ajahn Chah & Ajahn Sumedho for over 16 years from 1988-2004. After leaving the monastic order she gained a Master’s degree in Buddhist Psychotherapy Practice with the Karuna Institute in the UK, and continued to teach meditation and retreats on invitation. Returning to live in Australia in 2008, she practiced as a Buddhist psychotherapist and taught meditation, Buddhism and psychotherapy in various capacities. She was the Director of Training for Australian Association of Buddhist Counsellors and Psychotherapists for several years. In early 2018 Jitindriyā re-entered the monastic life at Santi Forest Monastery in the Southern Highlands of NSW and held the role of guiding teacher and Spiritual Director there for a time. In 2021 she helped to set up Viveka Hermitage in Southern NSW where she now resides.

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Links related to this episode:

Viveka Hermitage

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Silent Meditation Retreats: A Journey of Self-Discovery & Inner Peace | Shaila Catherine

Sol Hanna — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:12:19 +0000

Have you learned the basics of meditation and wanted to take things deeper? Have you heard about silent meditation retreats and wondered what they are like? If so, you’ve arrived at the right place as in this episode we are going to discuss why we should go on meditation retreats, with a focus on the commonly available nine or ten day retreat format. Also we’ll discuss what we might expect when going on meditation retreats and some of the obstacles we might encounter and how to overcome them, and how to integrate this all into a deeper practice, leading us to deeper tranquility and insight.

To guide us into a better understanding of silent meditation retreats is our guest Shaila Catherine.

Shaila Catherine is the founder of Bodhi Courses, an online Dhamma classroom, and Insight Meditation South Bay, a center for mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom in Silicon Valley, in California.

She has taught insight meditation since 1996 in the USA, Europe, Israel, New Zealand, and Canada. Shaila draws inspiration from the Discourses of the Buddha and maintains an unwavering dedication to awakening. She is known for her expertise in guiding practitioners to cultivate concentration and the deep absorption states of jhāna, and for her enthusiasm for sutta study.

Shaila is a Buddhist author of three books on meditation. Her first book, Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity, introduces concentration practices and the absorption states of jhāna. From 2006–2014 Shaila trained in samādhi and vipassanā under the direction of Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw in Myanmar. She went on to author Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhanā and Vipassanā to help make his traditional approach to meditative training accessible to western practitioners. And her third book is Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind which shares practical Buddhist strategies for overcoming restlessness and distraction.

Shaila has been going on and teaching meditation retreats for several decades and I feel very fortunate that she has offered her time and experience to help us understand the whys and hows of silent meditation treats on this episode of Treasure Mountain. So join us as we seek for the treasure within…

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Samatha: developing calm and tranquillity in meditation | Prof. Peter Harvey

Sol Hanna — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 09:40:20 +0000

In this episode of Treasure Mountain we will explore the purpose and nature of samatha meditation, and it’s relation to other forms of meditation - notably vipassana meditation - and to the Buddhist path as a whole.

And our guest to help us have a deeper appreciation of samatha meditation is Professor Peter Harvey. Professor Harvey did a philosophy degree at Manchester University. Whilst there, he became a Buddhist after attending talks at the Buddhist Society and learning mindfulness of breathing Buddhist meditation. This then inspired him to visit India and do a doctorate in Buddhist Studies at the University of Lancaster, under Ninian Smart. From 1976 to 2011, he was a lecturer in Religious Studies at the Polytechnic then University of Sunderland. He taught Indian religions, the study of religion and also some Philosophy, and ended up Professor of Buddhist Studies, running an online MA Buddhist Studies. On top of all that he has taught Buddhist meditation in the Samatha Trust tradition since 1977, in Durham and Sunderland, and since 2015 in York and online. Peter Harvey’s publications on Buddhism include 'An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices' and 'An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics; Foundations, Values and Issues'. Whilst Peter retired from academia in 2011, he is still teaching meditation online through the Samatha Trust. He now spends his time writing and editing Buddhist material, teaching meditation to beginners and more experienced meditators, in recent years over Zoom, as well as gardening, and travelling around Yorkshire.

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Links related to this episode:

The Samatha Trust
- Videos and publications of the Samatha Trust
Books written by Peter Harvey:

Books related to the topic of samatha meditation:

Paul Dennison, Jhāna Consciousness: Buddhist Meditation in the Age of Neuroscience. Shambhala, 2022: the jhānas, aspects of the Samatha Trust method, and brain scans of Samatha meditators- by a senior Samatha Trust teacher.
L.S. Cousins, Meditations of the Pali Tradition: Illuminating Buddhist Doctrine, History and Practice, Shambhala, 2022: an excellent survey of the history of mainly Theravāda samatha and vipassanā practices over the millennia up to today, by a senior Samatha Trust teacher
L. S. Cousins, 1984 paper, ‘Samatha-yāna and vipassanā-yāna’: https://www.academia.edu/1417366/Samatha_y%C4%81na_and_Vipassana_y%C4%81na ).
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, 2^nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Chapter 11, pp.318–375, is on various forms of Buddhist meditation, including Samatha and Vipassanā, pp.318–44.
Sarah Shaw, Introduction to Buddhist Meditation, Routledge, 2009: an overview of the range of methods in Buddhism, by a Samatha Trust teacher.
Sarah Shaw, The Spirit of Buddhist Meditation, Yale University Press, 2014.Sarah Shaw, Mindfulness: Where it comes from and what it means, Shambhala, 2020.

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Creating Strong Supportive Buddhist Communities - NeeWern Khoo

Sol Hanna — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 06:12:00 +0000

In this episode I wanted to talk about the importance of community when it comes to both finding the Path of Practice, but also in terms of having the support to stick with it and to grow with it. I’ve been practicing Buddhism for thirty years and I have a lot of contacts in Western Buddhist groups. And whilst these groups and these individuals are doing amazing work to establish the Buddha Sasana in the West, no group that I’ve seen has really got the amount of social coordination and support as groups in traditional Buddhist communities in the East.

So for this episode I’ve invited NeeWern Khoo who has been involved with the Buddhist Gem Fellowship in Malaysia for many years, and more recently with the Centre for Research and Dhamma Leadership Enhancement.

NeeWern first encountered Buddhism in his early teens whilst reading about the Life of the Buddha in a bookstore. His interest led him to join the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association, and subsequently played a pioneering role in the setting up of the Youth Section of the SJBA. He has participated in and taken the lead in various Buddhist youth programmes and is a past Chairman of the Inter-College and Varsity Camp by the Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF). He was also a committee member of the BGF in charge of the Learning & Development portfolio.

NeeWern is currently Head of Dhamma Leadership Development under the Centre for Research and Dhamma Leadership Enhancement (CRADLE for short) which aims to bring transformation to the Buddhist community through developing and enhancing Buddhist leadership. As you can see NeeWern has decades of experience in terms of being involved in and supporting Buddhist communities in Malaysia. So join us as we learn about creating and sustaining strong, supportive Buddhist communities.

Following the Path of a Forest Monk | Ajahn Pasanno

Sol Hanna — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 05:27:52 +0000

Joining us on this episode is a humble, yet trail-blazing monk from the forest tradition lineage of Ajahn Chah who is now the senior most bhikkhu at Abhayagiri Forest Monastery in California. I’m speaking of course of the Venerable Ajahn Pasanno.

Ajahn Pasanno took ordination in Thailand in 1974 with Venerable Phra Khru Ñāṇasirivatana as preceptor. During his first year as a monk he was taken by his teacher to meet Ajahn Chah, with whom he asked to be allowed to stay and train. One of the early residents of Wat Pah Nanachat, Ajahn Pasanno became its abbot in his ninth year. During his incumbency, Wat Pah Nanachat developed considerably, both in physical size and reputation. Spending 24 years living in Thailand, Ajahn Pasanno became a well-known and highly respected monk and Dhamma teacher. He moved to California on New Year’s Eve of 1997 to share the abbotship of Abhayagiri with Ajahn Amaro. In 2010 Ajahn Amaro accepted an invitation to serve as abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England, leaving Ajahn Pasanno to serve as sole abbot of Abhayagiri for the next eight years. In spring of 2018, Ajahn Pasanno stepped back from the role of abbot and now serves as a guiding elder for the community.

A quick note to listeners: I had a lot of problems with delayed echos across the original recording. I did a lot of editing to remove that echo, and I believe I’ve removed all of that which can be removed without changing the flow of the interview. I think it’s turned out quite well, but there are a few points at which we have echo or less than optimal audio.

In any case, I think it’s a really interesting interview in which one of the most senior Western disciples of Ajahn Chah reflects upon life and the changing times as Buddhism comes to the West. I hope you all enjoy this interview with Ajahn Pasanno.

Further information regarding to topic of this episode:

Abhayagiri Forest Monastery

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Thank you for listening to the Treasure Mountain Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with you friends. If you'd like to support me to produce this type of content in future, you can support my work by offering a tip via the Ko-fi payment applet or via my Patreon.

The Life and Legacy of Master Hsing Yun | Venerable Juefang

Sol Hanna — Sun, 14 May 2023 08:11:45 +0000

This episode is about the late, great Master Hsying Yun, a true dynamo of a monk, dedicated to the spreading of the teachings and practice of Buddhism in Taiwan, China and around the world. Master Hsing Yun has achieved so much in his lifetime that it is virtually impossible to relate but a small part of it here in the introduction. However, by way of offering a introducation, here is a quick outline some of his achievements in brief:

Starting in the 1950s, Hsing Yun started making many achievements at an early age. He taught numerous classes, built many schools for children, recorded the first Buddhist hymns, and was promoted as an executive in many Buddhist associations. In 1957, Hsing Yun established a Buddhist cultural center in which a variety of Buddhist books are published with training tools such as audio and visual aids. In 1959, Hsing Yun also supported the Tibetan movement against communist supression, and organized the first float parade in celebration of Wesak in Taiwan.

Perhaps one of Hsing Yun’s greatest achievements was his successful push for Wesak to become a national holiday in Taiwan, a wish that had been granted by former President Lee Teng-hui in 2000.

Master Hsing Yun was the founder and spiritual leader of Fo Guang Shan, a Buddhist organisation that has established around 300 temples and monasteries all over Taiwan, as well as in 12 other countries including China, the United States, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. He is also the author of 395 books in Chinese, many of which have been translated into other languages, notably to English. And all of this is just a brief outline, leaving out much of what Master Hsing Yun has achieved in his life.

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Further information regarding to topic of this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Finding Peace Amidst War: A Ukrainian Monk’s Story | Bhante Thithidhammo

Sol Hanna — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 03:22:46 +0000

Joining us on this episode is a humble monk who was quietly practicing meditation in northern Thailand until he returned to his native Ukraine just three months before the Russian invasion in February 2022. Bhante Thithidhammo was born in the former Soviet Union in 1971. He was a reserved child who enjoyed spending time alone, reading and sometimes visiting Orthodox Christian monasteries for the quiet environment. At age 14, Bhante Thithidhammo and a friend became interested in the mysticism of Tibet and both decided they would like to be monks in Tibet. However it would not be until many years later whilst on a meditation retreat in Thailand when he decided to go forth as a samanera. After six month he disrobed and returned to Ukraine, however, life seemed unfulfilling and he returned to Thailand to ordain again in early 2015 in the Forest Tradition under his teacher Ajahn Suchart in northern Thailand.

[A transcript of this episode can be found on the Treasure Mountain Podcast website.]

Bhante Thithidhammo returned to Kyiv shortly before the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022 and experienced some hair raising situations as the Russian army closed in on his position near Kyiv. Despite enduring many difficulties along with millions of other Ukrainians, Bhante Thithidhammo bears no ill-will and thinks of Ukrainians and Russians (and all humans) as being like one big family. He has gone on to become a teacher to Ukrainians, Belorussians and Russians, both online and in person. He teaches both in Ukrainian and Russian, and is finding that there is an increasing interest in the teachings of Buddhism and practices like meditation.

Bhante Thithidhammo is kindly joining us today from Kyiv and we will be finding out a little about his experiences over the past year or so, and how the practice of Dhamma is helping people find peace amidst war.

[A transcript of this episode can be found on the Treasure Mountain Podcast website.]

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Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

The Saintmaker: The Meaning and Purpose of the Sangha | with Ajahn Kovilo

Sol Hanna — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 03:54:28 +0000

Joining us on this episode is a return guest, Ajahn Kovilo who is joining us from Dharma Realm Buddhist University in California. Ajahn Kovilo is an Ohio-born monk who, having been introduced to meditation through the Goenka tradition, first entered the monastery in 2006. After receiving full ordination from Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California in 2010, Ajahn Kovilo spent the next decade training at monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition in America and Thailand. In 2020, after a year practicing at a Pa Auk Sayadaw monastery, Ajahn Kovilo enrolled at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University in Ukiah, California where he is currently studying Pali and Sanskrit among other courses. Until the end of his formal studies, Ajahn Kovilo will be participating in the growing Clear Mountain Monastery community remotely and during Winter and Summer breaks. After finishing his studies, Ajahn Kovilo will join the community in person on a more regular basis.

Ajahn Kovilo is joining us today to discuss an institution that is often misunderstood in Western countries, even by practicing Buddhists in the West. That is, the Sangha, the community of ordained bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (monks and nuns). There are some in the West who say that we don’t even need a Sangha! But there is no denying that the Sangha was an integral feature of the Buddha Sasana from the very beginning, and indeed, to be a Buddhist is to have taken personal refuge with the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha! So what do we mean by the Sangha? And more importantly, what is it for? Join us in finding out more about the meaning and purpose of the Sangha with Ajahn Kovilo as we seek for the treasure within…

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Links referred to in this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Rainbodhi: Supporting the LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Community | Bhante Akaliko

Sol Hanna — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 11:16:10 +0000

Our return guest today on Treasure Mountain Podcast is Bhante Akaliko who is an Australian monk in the Theravada forest tradition. He is the spiritual director of Little Dust and founder of the Rainbodhi LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Community. Bhante Akāliko is also the spiritual advisor of Central West Buddhists and a chaplain at Western Sydney University. He sits on the boards of the Buddhist Council of NSW and the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils.

Bhante Akaliko’s inspired project that we will be discussing today is Rainbodhi.

Rainbodhi is a spiritual friendship group for LGBTQIA+ Buddhists and an advocate for more inclusion and diversity in the broader Buddhist community. They offer meditation, Dhamma discussion and social events in a safe, supportive environment. Rainbodhi welcome everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or ability. Rainbodhi is a non-sectarian Buddhist group, welcoming people from all faiths or with no faith. And all their events are free.

The Rainbodhi name combines two words; rainbow representing our diverse community and bodhi the Buddhist concept of Enlightenment. And it’s Rainbodhi that we will be discussing with Bhante Akaliko in this interview. So join us as we seek for the treasure within…

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Links from this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Building the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion | Ian Green

Sol Hanna — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 09:48:57 +0000

Our guest today on Treasure Mountain is Ian Green, who is Chairman of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion Ltd and Founder of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. Along with his wife Judy, he has been a Buddhist for over 40 years and a vegetarian for over 25 years.

Ian’s connection to Buddhism began with a visit to India in 1971. He has had the good fortune to meet many Buddhist teachers including Geshe Loden, Zasep Tulku, Lama Thubten Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ayya Khema. In 1979 Ian completed the month long course at Kopan Monastery, in Kathmandu. Ian has continued his studies under many Buddhist masters to this day.

In the 1980 Ian’s father, Ed Green offered 50 acres of land to set up a Buddhist centre near Bendigo. This original 50 acres was later added to with further land from Ian’s mother and himself so that the Buddhist Centre in Bendigo is now 200 acres (85 hectares).

Ian was founding Director of Atisha Centre, he has served as board members of Tara Institute and Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition Inc. He is currently Chairman of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion Ltd and Founder of the Jade Buddha for Universal peace.

Ian has received various awards for his international work for peace and is a recipient of the Order of Australia Medal.

It is the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion that is Ian Green’s Inspired Project that we are going to focus on in this episode, and as you’ll find out in this interview, and what its real meaning and purpose is.

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Links from this episode:

The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Dharma Is Simply Service | John Waite

Sol Hanna — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 09:04:31 +0000

Our guest today on Treasure Mountain is John Waite who was born in post WW2 United Kingdom and brought up to be fiercely independent. From a young age he was searching for a better way to live in the world and was influenced by the simultaneously political and spiritual principles of Mahatma Gandhi. Travelling to India in the 1970s he was touched by the kindness of the Indian people despite their modest means. A chance meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala was a turning point on his spiritual journey. Later Joh would go on a two-week meditation retreat in Queensland an was pleasantly surprised when every thorny question and challenge to the teacher was warmly received and returned with wise, well-considered answers. This led him to commit himself to the path of practice. He was influenced deeply by Lama Zopa’s emphasis and example of being of service to others. John put this philosophy into practice enthusiastically as a volunteer fire fighter, ambulance medic, trade union steward and later as the Director of Hayagriva Buddhist Centre in Perth for 17 years helping to bring many great Buddhist teachers to Australia and supporting his local community of practice.

John is an old friend of mine and we worked together to found the Buddhist Council of Western Australia around 2005, and we also participated in getting the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils off the ground around the same time. Not only did I appreciate his calm and steady presence in the work we were doing to bring the various Buddhist groups together for a common cause, but also his insistence that all the Buddhist traditions have the same heart of dharma at their core. I think his attitude was prescient as we enter into this post-sectarian Buddhist renaissance in the twenty-first century.

And that’s why I wanted to interview him on the podcast. In one sense this interview is John Waite’s Spirit Story, about his path into practice, but on the other it’s telling a broader story about Buddhism as it moves into the West, specifically into Australia, and where it may be heading in future. I’m so glad you’ve joined us as we seek for the Dharma within…

Links from this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

The Thai Forest Tradition: A Modern Buddhist Renaissance | Steven Towler

Sol Hanna — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 09:48:48 +0000

One of the most impactful traditions of Buddhism in the modern world is one that isn’t very good at publicity - but is very dedicated to practice. Despite it’s strict adherence to the principles of monastic discipline and the principles of Buddhist ethics, like for instance never selling the teachings, it has gained a huge grass roots following in many Western countries where people are drawn to its plain, simple honesty and dedication to the original principles of set out by the Buddha. I’m referring to the Thai Forest Tradition, and to help us understand the origins and practices of the Thai Forest Tradition I have as our guest, Steven Towler, who, at the age of 19 left his home in the UK to travel to Thailand to ordain as a bhikkhu in 1972. This was a time in which the Thai Forest Tradition was in full bloom, and the first Westerners were travelling to Thailand to practice and even ordain. Steven ordained at Wat Bovornives with Phra Khantipalo, and we on to have many great teachers, including the renowned meditation master Ajahn Thate. He’s still dedicated to the Thai Forest Tradition and practicing to this day, and he has translated several Dhamma books from Thai to English for the benefit of the community. He’s kindly joined us on the Treasure Mountain Podcast to offer his knowledge and insights into this tradition that continues to grow in popularity to this day.

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Links from this episode:

Talks by Steven Towler

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Little Dust: Finding a Buddhist Community in Far Away Places | Bhante Akaliko

Sol Hanna — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 09:27:50 +0000

Our guest today on Treasure Mountain Podcast is Bhante Akaliko. Akāliko Bhikkhu is an Australian monk in the Theravada forest tradition. He is the spiritual director of Little Dust and founder of the Rainbodhi LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Community. Bhante Akāliko is also the spiritual advisor of Central West Buddhists and a chaplain at Western Sydney University. He sits on the boards of the Buddhist Council of NSW and the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils.

Bhante Akāliko went forth as a monastic in 2016 and received full ordination with Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana monastery in 2017. He lived for several years with Bhante Sujato at the Monastery at the End of the World in Sydney and now lives as a wandering monk. He is now working on setting up the Little Dust Buddhist Community.

Little Dust connects communities across Australia to the Buddha’s teachings. It is aiming to create Dhamma and meditation events for Buddhists from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as new Buddhists and the Buddh-ish. Little Dust aims to make Buddhism available to everyone, especially in regional and country areas where access to the Dhamma is limited.

So in this episode of Treasure Mountain Podcast we’re going to look at the work of Little Dust in working to develop communities of practice in outback Australia, but also to address the broader question of what to do to develop practice of Buddhism as both and individual and as small groups and communities to support one another in the dhamma.

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Links from this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Heroes versus Celebrities in the Age of Social Media | Ayya Santussika

Sol Hanna — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 03:43:37 +0000

From time immemorial we have looked up to heroes for guidance and as models of how to live an excellent life: people with virtues such as courage, patience, kindness and wisdom. But who are our heroes today? We live in an age of celebrity and social media influencers. But are celebrities and social media influencers our heroes?

To answer these questions and more, we have with us our return guest, Ayya Santussika from the Karuna Buddhist Vihara in northern California to discuss the topic of heroes versus celebrities in the age of social media.

And I think she is well qualified to speak on this topic having attained BS and MS degrees in computer science and worked as a software designer and developer for fifteen years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ayya Santussika is well familiar with computers and the internet. But on the other hand, her search for deeper meaning and ways to be of service led her to train as an interfaith minister in a four-year seminary program that culminated in a Masters of Divinity degree. Later her quest led her to ordaining as a Buddhist nun, and Ayya Santussika has been a bhikkhuni since 2012. And she has kindly offered her time to reflect upon our current fascination with the rich and famous, and what this says about where we are at in a present culture, as well as search for nobler human qualities.

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Links from this episode:

Ayya Santussika's biography
Karuna Buddhist Vihara
Link to the Vimangsaka Sutta (The Inquirer) referred to in this episode.

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Treasure Mountain Podcast - https://www.everydaydhamma.net/show/treasure-mountain-podcast/

Treasure Mountain facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/TreasureMountainPodcast

How To Have Everything And Be Happy | Ajahn Hasapanna

Sol Hanna — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 11:41:09 +0000

On this episode of Sage Advice we have as our guest, Ajahn Hasapanna of Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia. Ajahn Hasapanna was born in Ipoh, Malaysia in 1960. During her days as a lay person she and her family generously supported Ajahn Sujato when he was practicing in Ipoh. The main influence in Ajahn Hasapanna’s spiritual development is the monastic lifestyle of the forest tradition. When Ajahn Hasapanna had developed enough courage and inspiration to become a nun, Ajahn Sujato pointed her towards joining Dhammasara Nuns Monastery.

She joined Dhammasara in 2002, beginning her monastic training as an Anagarika (a trainee nun). She then ordained as a Ten Precept Nun with Ajahn Vayama as her teacher. She subsequently ordained as a bhikkhuni in 2009 with Ayya Tathaaloka as her preceptor in a ceremony at Bodhinyana Monastery, WA, Australia.

Currently, Ajahn Hasapanna is the Abbot of Dhammasara Nuns Monastery and the Assistant Spiritual Director of The Buddhist Society of WA (Inc). She is heavily involved in teaching and training nuns, anagarikas and lay people. She is the main teacher to 18 monastic trainees at Dhammasara.

In this episode we are going to ask Ajahn Hasapanna the big one: how we can have everything and be happy! Yes, that’s right it is possible to have it all and be happy!

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Links from this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Why Secular Buddhism Is Baloney! | Ajahn Brahmali

Sol Hanna — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 11:19:28 +0000

Ajahn Brahmali is the guest on this episode to talk about how and why Secular Buddhism misrepresents the original teachings of the Buddha. This discussion goes in to some depth about the importance of understanding the place of karma and rebirth in the Buddha's teachings, and how our views impact upon the way that we act, including upon our practice. There is also discussion about the role of mindfulness in Secular Buddhism, and how mindfulness is a good thing, but also, how we cannot practice Buddhism fully without other important factors of the Eightfold Path.

Links from this episode:

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Our Most Urgent Task - Ajahn Nissarano

Sol Hanna — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:46:41 +0000

In this episode of Sage Advice we have as our guest, Ajahn Nissarano who is coming to us from Newbury Monastery, which is just north-west of Melbourne, Australia.

Ajahn Nissarano was born in 1952 in Perth, Western Australia. In 1997, he was ordained by Ajahn Brahm as a novice monk and a year later took full ordination. This year will be his 25th Rains Retreat, Vassa. He lived in Sri Lanka from 2006 to 2019, for a total of 13 and half years. During that time, he lived for 8 years in a cave on the side of a mountain, surrounded by forest and going for alms round to the village below. He returned to Australia regularly to teach, primarily at the Buddhist Society of Victoria. In January 2021 he became the Senior Monk at Newbury Buddhist Monastery, outside Melbourne, which is run by the Buddhist Society of Victoria.

Ajahn Nissarano joins us on this episode of Sage Advice to discuss the topic “our most urgent task”. We are so busy these days, we often lose sight of the big picture. And we can become so distracting that we don't even see what our most urgent task in life is. In this interview Ajahn Nissarano offers advice on what is most essential and urgent for us to focus on if we are to really develop the spiritual qualities.

Links from this episode:

Newbury Monastery, Victoria - https://www.bsv.net.au/monastery/

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Is Mental Illness a Problem To Be Solved Or An Opportunity To Discover Our Inner World? - Li-Anne Tang

Sol Hanna — Sat, 24 Sep 2022 05:14:11 +0000

In this episode of Sage Advice we have as our guest, Li-Anne Tang from Perth, Western Australia.

Li-Anne Tang, Ph.D., is an experienced spiritual life coach, guide and mentor. Li-Anne’s life changed dramatically when she found herself in the midst of a dark night of the soul whilst raising her two young children. She searched the world and was fortunate to find wise and compassionate Buddhist meditation masters to guide her on her journey. At that time, she had already explored the depths of Western understanding through a Bachelor of Psychology, Master of Science, Ph.D. in neuropsychiatry and postgraduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Her subsequent practice under the tutelage of great meditation masters led her to the first of her spiritual awakenings. Since then, she has studied closely under numerous other masters, who have encouraged her to share her insights through her unique way of connecting with her students.

I hope that this episode of Sage Advice gets listeners to take a fresh look at mental illness from the point of view of spiritual practice, and I hope that this interview with Li-Anne Tang will help some people to stop asking “What’s wrong with me?”, and to start thinking “This difficult mind state I have at this time may be the opportunity I need to learn and to grow”.

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Links related to this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Meditating In The Mountains And Fjords of Norway - Ajahn Nitho

Sol Hanna — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 11:26:24 +0000

In this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our guest, Ajahn Nitho who is coming to us from the mountains near Ørsta in western Norway.

Ajahn Nitho was born on the west coast of Norway in 1970, and after finishing high school, attended the University of Bergen and to The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. He then spent a few years working as a chief financial officer at various companies, and then spent two years of backpacking around the world. Having become interested in meditation, Ajahn Nitho travelled to Australia in 2007 to be ordained as a bhikkhu (a Buddhist monk), under Ajahn Brahm at the Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA), Perth.

After one year as an anagarika, one year as a samanera (novice), Ajahn Nitho took higher ordination as a bhikkhu (monk) in 2009. After more than 10 years of training as a bhikkhu in Perth, and a few stays with Ajahn Ganha in Thailand, he has now returned to Oslo in Norway, where he currently resides.

Together with Jon Endre Mørk, he established the Buddhist Society of Oslo and Viken (ovbf.org) in 2021, and he is now teaching retreats and Buddhism various places in Norway, while building a Buddhist community there. The goal is to establish a centre in Norway for teaching and practise.

Links from this episode:

The Buddhist Society of Oslo and Viken (OVBF) - https://ovbf.org/
Donate to the OVBF - https://ovbf.org/en/donasjoner/

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

Restoring The Bhikkhuni Sangha For Our Times - Ayya Tathālokā

Sol Hanna — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:37:17 +0000

Welcome to Treasure Mountain, the podcast that inspires and guides people to find the the treasure within human experience. I’m your host Sol Hanna.
In this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our returning guest, Ayya Tathālokā from Dhammadharini Monastery and Aranya Bodhi Forest Hermitage in California.
Last week when we spoke with Ayya Tathālokā we found out about her journey from discovering Buddhism through many trials until finally being able to achieve her ideal of full ordination as a bhikkhuni. It’s a really interesting story of overcoming obstacles with some unexpected twists, and if you want to listen to that episode you can click on this link.
Ayya Tathālokā has a number of achievements and been actively involved in establishing and extending the opportunities for women to go forth and also take higher ordination in the Buddhist sangha. In this episode we are going to find out about her journey since higher ordination and the work she has done and continues to do to expand opportunities for women to ordain and practice in an authentic manner that is true to the bhikkhuni vinaya - the monastic rules for Buddhist nuns. In the process we will also find out about the rapidly evolving opportunities for women within Buddhism as a result of the work being done by leaders like Ayya Tathālokā.

Links from this episode:

Dhammadharini Monastery - https://www.dhammadharini.net/
Donate to Dhammadharini Monastery - https://www.dhammadharini.net/support
Ayya Tathālokā's biography - https://www.treasuremountain.info/guests/ayya-tathaloka/

Treasure Mountain links:

Determination To Live The Holy Life - Ayya Tathālokā

Sol Hanna — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 09:15:26 +0000

On this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our guest, Ayya Tathālokā from Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage in California. Ayya Tathālokā was born in Washington, DC in 1968 to environmentally-minded scientist parents. In 1988, at age nineteen, urgently inspired by the sudden death of an associate, she left her Pre-naturopathic Medical studies in university and made her way first to Europe and then on to India, entering monastic life as an white robed anagarika and then two years later undertaking ten-precept nuns ordination. Wishing to connect with the ancient lineage of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, she sought and found her female mentor in Buddhist monastic life in South Korea, the most venerable bhikkhuni elder Myeong Seong Sunim (和法界明星), who gave her the name "Tatha-alokā", and went on to train under her mentorship for ten years.

Returning to the United States in 1996, with her bhikkhuni mentor's blessings, in 1997 in Los Angeles, with an international gathering of bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, Dharma teachers and supporters in attendance, she received bhikkhuni higher ordination from the Sri Lankan bhikkhu sangha led by her preceptor, the Venerable Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara Nayaka Mahathero. Since then Venerable Tathālokā has focused on meditation, and on both the study and practice of Dhamma & Vinaya. Her meditation training in Theravada Buddhism has been largely with the masters of the Thai forest traditions stemming from Ajahn Mun Buridatta: Ajahn Maha Bua Nyanasampanno and teachers of the Ajahn Chah tradition, together with the Burmese mindfulness and insight masters of Sayadaw U Pandita's tradition and meditation master Pa-auk Sayadaw. Overall, her practice and teachings are profoundly influenced by the Buddha's own advice and injunctions as contained in the Early Buddhist suttas.

Recognizing the growing number of Theravadin bhikkhunis and samaneris in the United States and the true value of coming together in harmony, Ayya Tathālokā proposed and participated in the founding of the North American Bhikkhuni Association (NABA) in 2004. Several months later, she also participated in founding the first residential community for bhikkhunis in the western United States named "Dhammadharini”. Ayya Tathālokā is the first Western woman to be appointed as a Theravada Bhikkhuni Preceptor, and she has contributed to the going forth and full ordination of more than 50 women as nuns in the USA, Australia, India, and Thailand.

Ayya Tathālokā’s primary role is as the founding abbess and preceptor of both the Dhammadharini Monastery at the western foot of Sonoma Mountain in Penngrove and the Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast in Northern California, where she provides Dhamma and meditation teaching and guidance, and monastic mentorship. And since 2021, she has been actively invovled in the United Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha International working group together with other international bhikkhuni preceptors and leaders of Theravada traditions.

Links from this episode:

Dhammadharini Monastery - https://www.dhammadharini.net/

Treasure Mountain links:

The Greatest Investment Of A Lifetime - Ajahn Brahmali

Sol Hanna — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:02:08 +0000

On this episode of Sage Advice we have as our guest, Ajahn Brahmali from Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia. Ajahn Brahmali was born in Norway in 1964 and first became interested in Buddhism when travelling to Japan in his 20s. After completing university degrees in finance and engineering he decided that his true calling was the dedicated spiritual life of a bhikkhu - a Buddhist monk. Having heard the teachings of Ajahn Brahm he travelled to Western Australia in 1994 and took higher ordination in 1996.

Ajahn Brahmali is both a dedicated meditator and has a love for the teachings of the Buddha, and he has become widely respected for his work in both translating Buddhist texts, but also explaining the context of Early Buddhism to modern audiences. He has co-authored the book ‘The Authenticity of Early Buddhist Texts’ with Bhikkhu Sujato.

Ajahn Brahmali’s clear and thoughtful talks make the teachings of the Buddha easily accessible to all. And I personally recommend the Early Buddhism Series of teachings that I’ll be linking to in the description below.

Bearing in mind that Ajahn Brahmali has a degree in finance, in this episode he will be sharing his wisdom and experience on what the greatest investment of a lifetime really is.

Links relevant to this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Sewing The Seeds of Buddhism in Poland - Piotr Jagodziński

Sol Hanna — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 06:10:44 +0000

On this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our guest, Piotr Jagodziński from the Poland who has led the establishment and growth of the Sasana.pl website and youtube channel that has been translating the teachers of the forest tradition into Polish and getting an astonishing amount of traffic! Recently Piotr is leading efforts to establish a monastery in the Theravada tradition. Piotr is a true pioneer of the Buddhist Sasana in Poland and has supported thousands of people to connect with this authentic spiritual tradition and develop their own practice.

Links referred to in this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Dhamma Found In Translation In Eastern Europe - Radan Kuča

Sol Hanna — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 22:46:00 +0000

On this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our guest, Radan Kuča from the Czech Republic who has kickstarted interest in Buddhism by setting up the channel Ajahn Brahm Cesky to translate teachings into the Czech language. As you’ll find out this effort has already had a big impact and may already be spilling over into similar efforts for Ukrainian translations.

This interview has information about:

Radan’s challenges in finding out about Buddhism in a country with almost no organisations in Czechia
what inspired Radan to start a channel to translate the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, and how he he and fellow volunteers have gone about doing this and making it really successful in just a year and a half
how the Russian invasion of neighbouring Ukraine has impacted the Czech Republic and what Czech people have been doing to help Ukrainians, as well efforts to start translating Buddhist teachings into Ukrainian to help Ukrainians coping with the trauma of war.
and what is coming next for the Czech and Ukrainian Buddhist channels.

Links referred to in this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Bringing Early Buddhism to Life in Modern America - Ajahn Kovilo & Bhante Nisabho

Sol Hanna — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 10:50:17 +0000

On this episode of Treasure Mountain we have Ajahn Kovilo and Venerable Nisabho who are both American monks that have trained in the Thai Forest Tradition in Asia and the United States. Together Ajahn Kovilo and Venerable Nisabho have the shared aspiration of establishing Clear Mountain Monastery in the vicinity of Seattle in the north-west United States. They have also set up a top quality online teaching presence through their Clear Mountain Dhamma youtube channel and podcast, and we’re going to find out about how they hope to take their experience of authentic Buddhist communities based around the principles of Early Buddhism and apply them in modern America.

Links referred to in this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Support Clear Mountain Monastery

What’s the point of faith? - Ayya Santussika

Sol Hanna — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:48:05 +0000

On this episode of Sage Advice we have as our return guest, Venerable Santussika, the abbott of Karuna Vihara in northern California to offer sage advice on what role, if any, does faith play in the Eightfold Path of Buddhist practice.

Ayya Santussika was born in Illinois in 1954 and grew up on a farm in Indiana. While being a single mother, she received BS and MS degrees in computer science. She worked as a software designer and developer for fifteen years in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her search for deeper meaning and ways to be of service led her to train as an interfaith minister in a four-year seminary program that culminated in a Masters of Divinity degree. She began traveling in Asia from 1999, learning from master teachers, particularly in Thailand. It was these experiences, along with time spent at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California that caused her faith to develop to the point of choosing to live and practice as a Theravadan nun.

Ayya Santussika entered monastic life as an anagarika (eight-precept nun) in 2005, then ordained as a samaneri (ten-precept nun) in 2010 and a bhikkhuni (311 rules) in 2012 at Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara in Los Angeles. She has trained in large and small communities of nuns, including Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition in England.

Links related to this interview:

Treasure Mountain links:

Guided By Faith - Ayya Santussika

Sol Hanna — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 23:00:00 +0000

On this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Ayya Santussika, the abbott of Karuna Buddhist Vihara in northern California.

Links related to this interview:

Treasure Mountain links:

Nurturing a Buddhist Community - Dennis Sheppard

Sol Hanna — Tue, 31 May 2022 10:22:26 +0000

On this episode of Treasure Mountain Podcast we have a guest who has been a mentor to me and remains a personal friend. Dennis Sheppard has been involved with Buddhist community since 1978, joining with the Buddhist Society of Western Australia as a young man interested in meditation and spiritual practice, and going on to serve multiple terms as president, as well as serving in several other capacities including designing several buildings for both monastics and the lay community.

In this interview with Dennis Sheppard:

Getting involved with Buddhism in Australia in the late 1970s and what that was like
Sending lay people to Thailand to request Ajahn Chah to send monks to Australia
How Ajahn Jagaro changed the Buddhist Society of WA and his lasting legacy
The impact of Ajahn Jagaro's departure and the commencement of Ajahn Brahm's tenure as Spiritual Director
What the early years of the Buddhist Society of WA were like, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Links from the episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Developing Resilience with Ayya Canda

Sol Hanna — Tue, 24 May 2022 05:15:31 +0000

In this episode of Sage Advice, we have Bhikkhuni Candavisuddhi, known as Venerable Canda, the pioneering nun blazing a trail for women monastics by striving to establish the Anukampa project, a monastery for fully ordained nuns in the United Kingdom. Those who previously listened to Venerable Canda’s story in a previous episode of Treasure Mountain will know that she has a lot grit to practice in challenging circumstances, and now to lead the way to establish a community of practice, and eventually a monastery in the UK. One quality that she has demonstrated in large measure is resilience, and she joins us today for this episode of Sage Advice to discuss the topic of resilience and determination.

Ayya Canda's links:

Treasure Mountain links:

podcast: https://www.treasuremountain.stream/ web: https://www.treasuremountain.info/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreasureMountainPodcast

Blazing a trail for women monastics in the UK - Bhikkhuni Canda

Sol Hanna — Wed, 18 May 2022 01:40:34 +0000

In this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Venerable Candavisuddhi, also known as Ayya Canda, who first encountered meditation and the spiritual path when travelling through Asia as a young woman. This led to several years of going on and supporting retreats in India and Nepal. Whilst the yearning to live the Buddhist monastic life intensified, she found that opportunities for women to lead a meditative monastic life were few, until finding out about a chance to ordain with Sayadaw U Pannyajota in rural Burma. The meditative life suited Venerable Canda very well, but four years of the Burmese climate, diet and parasites took a toll on her health, and she decided to return to the West. A chance encounter led Venerable Canda to the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, and the opportunity to practice and take higher ordination at Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia in 2014. Now she is blazing a trail for women monastics by leading a project to start a monastery for bhikkhuni sangha in the country of her birth, the United Kingdom. Venerable Canda joins us now to share her Spirit Story.

Links related to this episode:

Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project
Donate to the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project to help Ayya Canda start a monastery.
To find out more or volunteer with the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project email team@anukampaproject.org

Giving From The Heart - Bhikkhu Mettaji

Sol Hanna — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:35:48 +0000

On this episode of Sage Advice, Venerable Mettaji returns to offer his advice on the topic of giving from the heart.

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

A Journey Into Loving Service - Bhikkhu Mettaji

Sol Hanna — Wed, 04 May 2022 09:23:10 +0000

In this episode our guest is Venerable Mettaji, formerly Stephen Mayers, a man who has had a journey from the heights of corporate success down into the valley of trial and loss. This has led him on to ordaining as a bhikkhu - a Buddhist monk - later in life. But through all the ups and downs of Venerable Mettaji’s journey there has been a will to serve others stemming from a well-spring of kindness. In this episode we’re going to learn about that journey and some of the unexpected ways behind the scenes that he is serving the growing Buddhist community in Australia with a heart of kindness.

Links related to Venerable Mettaji and this episode:

Treasure Mountain links:

Finding a way back to peace when everything falls apart - Bhikkhu Mudu - Sage Advice

Sol Hanna — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 11:08:53 +0000

In this episode of Sage Advice, we have Venerable Mudu from Bodhinyana Great Southern calling in from the deep south of Western Australia, here to share his advice on finding a way back to peace when everything falls apart.

For more information about Venerable Mudu:

On Venerable Mudu and the Bodhinyana Great Southern Hermitage project

For more information about Treasure Mountain Podcast:

Treasure Mountain webpage - to find out more, leave a message or join the mailing list
Treasure Mountain on Facebook

Pioneering a dhamma community in a regional town with Bhikkhu Mudu - Spirit Stories

Sol Hanna — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 06:50:53 +0000

In this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Venerable Mudu who is leading an effort to establish a community of practice in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Venerable Mudu first became interested in Buddhism when a chance invitation by a Thai friend to join her in offering food to the Buddhist monks at Serpentine’s Forest Monastery. He became inspired by the monastic way of life. Several years later after developing an understanding the importance of meditation and renunciation, he decided to take up the training to become a Buddhist monk.

In 2014, after completing the two year trial and preliminary training, Venerable Mudu received the higher ordination as a fully ordained Bhikkhu under his teacher and preceptor, Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery. In 2018 he went to Albany at the request of community members there, and has since established Bodhinyana Great Southern Hermitage and he teaches regularly in Albany, as well as frequent visit to Denmark, Walpole and Mt Barker, all in the Great Southern region in the far south of Western Australia.

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Links mentioned in the show:

To donate to Bodhinyana Great Southern use the link or QR code below:

Introduction to Treasure Mountain

Sol Hanna — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 05:18:07 +0000

Hello and welcome to the Treasure Mountain Podcast. I'm your host Sol Hanna, broadcasting from the South-West of Western Australia, with the hope of reaching out across the world to explore the many individual paths of spiritual development, and to celebrate those leading Buddhist communities at a time of great change in the 21st century. This inaugural episode will be a brief introduction to what the Treasure Mountain podcast will be exploring in the coming weeks and months. I'm so glad you've chosen to join us, as we seek for the treasure within.