Episodes

2d ago

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Joseph Goldstein about his perspectives on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as taught in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta ( https://suttacentral.net/mn10/en/sujato?lang=en&) and elaborated upon in his book "Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening." The conversation touches on Joseph's personal relationships with his teachers and peers Anagarika Munindra and Bhante Analayo, the meaning of "ardency" (ātāpi); the daily life practice of clear comprehension; the experience of "not clinging to anything in the world"; how to relate to "digging for the water" of practice; breathing mindfulness; walking meditation; intuitive practice with the elements; the similarities and differences between knowing mind as mind and Dzogchen; whether Nibbāna is a state of awareness; how to relate to such inquiries; and much more! Joseph's Biography: Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge, a center for long-term meditation practice. He is the author of: - Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening; - One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism; - The Experience of Insight, among other books. To learn more about Joseph, visit: https://www.dharma.org/teacher/joseph-goldstein/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome! #Mindfulness #JosephGoldstein #Awareness #Meditation #PresentMoment #SelfAwareness #MentalHealth #MindfulLiving #Buddhism

6d ago

In this talk, Ayya Suvijjana and Ayya Niyyanika speak about the 4 aspects of sati-sampajañña, or mindfulness and clear comprehension, outlined in the commentarial teachings. By considering actions in terms of purpose, suitability, domain, and non-confusion, we can see reality more clearly, and let go of ignorance. To learn more about Ayya Suvijjānā & Ayya Niyyānika, visit www.passaddhivihara.org. Ayya Suvijjānā's Bio: Ayyā Suvijjānā started with Zen meditation in 1976. After discovering Vipassana in 1998, she visited Abhayagiri where she became a disciple of Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno, eventually becoming a monastic student of Ayya Tathālokā in 2006. Taking full ordination in 2010, she helped establish Dhammadharini before traveling and teaching since 2020. Ayyā Niyyānika's Bio: Ayyā Niyyānika is a fully ordained Buddhist monastic in the Theravada tradition. Ayya uses they/them pronouns. They received their initial monastic training within the Dhammadharini community from 2014 through 2019 and then was with the Aloka Vihara community for three years. The past year and a bit have been a time of travel, integration, and deepening in practice. They visited a variety of monastic and lay communities in the West and in Asia, taking time for retreat and study as well as community involvement. ------ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Dec 11

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Venerable Chandaratana about Ven. Matara Srī Ñāṇārāma Maha Thero, the way of practice at Na Uyana and Nissarana Vanaya Forest Monasteries, the practice of the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness, finding joy in meditation, the benefits of memorizing Pāḷi, and more. Learn more about Ven. Chandaratana at https://www.nissarana.lk/ Ven. Chandaratana's Biography: Venerable Panadure Chandaratana Thero ordained as a Buddhist monk at Na Uyana Forest Monastery in 2008 under the guidance of the Most Venerable Na Uyane Ariyadhamma Mahā Thero. Over the next six years, he engaged in rigorous training in both Samatha and Vipassanā meditation under revered teachers including Most Venerable A. Ariyananda Mahā Thero and Venerable S. Ñāṇasiri Thero. He spent several years teaching and practicing abroad before returning to Sri Lanka and taking up residence at Nissarana Vanaya Forest Monastery in 2015, where he has been practicing under the Most Venerable U. Dhammajiva Mahā Thero and serving as the deputy Abbot since 2017. Combining a background in information technology with decades of deep practice, he inspires meditators around the world through his rare fusion of contemplative depth, modern knowledge, and compassionate service. Learn more at https://www.nissarana.lk/ --- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Dec 6

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about several Buddhist triads: - 1) radical introversion; 2) radical extroversion; and 3) the Middle Way - 1) interoception; 2) proprioception/kinesthesia; 3) exteroception - 1) Buddha; 2) Dhamma; and 3) Saṅgha.d And proposes a "Nine Breath Challenge" - taking one minute to recite the 3-fold refuge: Breaths #1-3) "Bud-dhaṃ sara-ṇaṃ gacchā-mi." OR "To-Buddha for-peace I-return." Breaths #4-6) "Dham-maṃ sara-ṇaṃ gacchā-mi." OR "To-Dhamma for-peace I-return." Breaths #7-9) "Saṅ-ghaṃ sara-ṇaṃ gacchā-mi." OR "To-Saṅgha for-peace I-return." Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Dec 4

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Zen meditation teacher and founder of Awakening Dharma, Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi. Subjects discussed include the Pau Auk meditation system, techniques for deepening jhāna, and the concepts of Cessation, Awakening, and the Deathless across Zen and Theravāda traditions. To learn more about Mugen Roshi, visit https://awakeningdharma.org/. Bio Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi began practicing daily meditation in 1976. Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western non-dual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and the Zen Buddhist schools of Soto and Rinzai in 2022. Mugen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg and a transmitted teacher in the White Plum Asanga—the body of teachers in the Maezumi-roshi lineage. Mugen is the author of five books, including "Liberating the Self", "Demystifying Awakening", and "Buddha’s Heart". He also co-authored "Practicing the Jhānas." To learn more, visit https://awakeningdharma.org/. ---- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 30

In this session, Ven. Thubten Chodron, founder of Sravasti Abbey, visits Clear Mountain's Saturday gathering and shares insights into the self-centered mind and how not to fall for its tricks. Sharing insights from nearly 50 years in robes, she speaks about how we can learn to consider others' wellbeing as of equal importance to our own, and cultivate a heart as broad as the world. Also included: a very good story about a horse in Tibet and giving up anger! For more information about Venerable Chodron, visit: https://thubtenchodron.org/ Thubten Chodron's Bio Venerable Thubten Chodron is an author, teacher, and the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey, a pioneering Tibetan Buddhist training monastery for Western nuns and monks in the US. She graduated from UCLA and did graduate work in education at USC. Ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun in 1977, she has studied extensively with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, and other Tibetan lamas. She received full ordination as a bhikshuni in 1986. Venerable Chodron teaches worldwide and is known for her warm, practical, and humorous explanations of how to apply Buddhist teachings in daily life. She is also involved in prison outreach and interfaith dialogue. She has published many books on Buddhist philosophy and meditation and assisted His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the writing and publication of The Library of Wisdom and Compassion, a ten-volume series of teachings on the Buddhist path. Visit thubtenchodron.org for a media library of her teachings, and sravastiabbey.org to learn more about Sravasti Abbey. ----- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 27

This is PART TWO of Clear Mountain's interview with Sam Harris. Watch PART ONE here: https://youtu.be/cYamzDDJR8w?si=v5O0YrlBS0zT7g9r 00:00:07 Introduction 00:01:30 The Details of Sam's spiritual biography & the paradox of meaning? 00:19:49 Who else was on the trip with Sam to see Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche? 00:26:22 What preliminaries enabled the Dzogchen pointing out instruction to be effective? 00:49:20 The moment of pointing out? A guided meditation. In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with neuroscientist and author Sam Harris about the early part of his spiritual journey and its crucial turning point toward the centerless center. To learn more about the Clear Mountain Monastery Project, visit: https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome! Sam Harris' Bio: Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, author, and podcaster whose work explores the intersection of science, morality, religion, and contemplative practice. He holds a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA. He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including The End of Faith, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion. Sam hosts the Making Sense Podcast and is the creator of the Waking Up app, which offers a secular and scientific approach to meditation and the good life. With more than three decades of meditative practice - including a cumulative 2 years on silent retreat - he has studied under such teachers as Sayadaw U Pandita, Punjaji, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and with his friend, Joseph Goldstein. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

Nov 23

In this talk, Bhante Sumitta, joining Clear Mountain on a special occasion with 13 other monastics, speaks about the power of mettā, or loving-kindness, in developing the 11 benefits described by the Buddha in the Mettā Sutta (AN 11.15 - https://suttacentral.net/an11.15/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin). Apart from helping one feel confident in any group, the practice can help one find forgiveness, and even approach death with serenity. Bio Bhante Sumitta is the founder of “Dhamma USA”, a community-based charity organization to launch his community care and spiritual care activities. Bhante is actively engaged in social welfare and spiritual care activities in California and other states by conducting Dhamma Talks, Sutta Discussions, Meditations and Pali Language Classes apart from helping many under privileged families and children in Sri Lanka. Dhamma USA is also helping children education projects in India. Bhante Sumitta is currently a PhD Research scholar at the University of the West and is pursuing his research thesis on “Philosophy of Arahanta Ideal as Depicted in Mahaniddesa”. At his school, University of the West, Bhante Sumitta started “UWest Pali Society” to promote Pali studies and Buddhist Art & Culture. A weeklong Budart Exhibition was co-organized by Bhante Sumitta along with Budart. He works as an Adjunct Faculty at the University of the West in several Departments teaching Ethics in Buddhist Ministry; Fundamentals of Buddhism; Introduction to Buddhist Psychology and more. He works as a prison care volunteer for Engaged Buddhist Alliance in Southern California apart from teaching at Home Boys Industries in Los Angeles from time to time. Prior to arriving at United States, venerable has been working at the Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka as a Senior Lecturer in English. He has completed 2 Bachelor Degrees and 3 Master Degrees prior to pursuing his doctoral Degree at the University of the West. To learn more, visit https://www.dhammausa.org/ ---- To join via Zoom on Saturdays, visit Clear Mountain Monastery's website and click on the link for the Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social ( https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/saturday/) To participate in the Saturday chanting, use the pdf found here: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-1-Web.pdf Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 19

This is PART ONE of Clear Mountain's interview with Sam Harris. Watch PART TWO on Wednesday, Nov. 26th. 00:00:07 Introduction 00:01:50 Is it okay to choose what one takes from Buddhism? 00:12:25 Is Sam a Buddhist? What is Sam's relationship to faith in the Triple Gem? 00:30:03 Faith in the Sangha? Is there value in living a monastic life? 00:43:02 The advantages of monastic baldness and robes? 00:44:06 Belief in rebirth? What was Sam's past life relationship with Joseph Goldstein? 00:50:31 Does Sam know Bhante Analayo? 00:50:58 How should secular scientists relate to evidence suggestive of rebirth? 00:57:17 Agnosticism about psychic powers? 01:00:10 If you had the Buddha on your podcast, what would be your first question? 01:03:25 What Pāli Buddhist word deserves to be more widely known? 01:12:36 The meaning of "vedana"? 01:14:20 How has Sam kept his center while becoming famous? 01:21:29 Where does Nibbāna figure in the "Moral Landscape"? Rigpa? 01:30:19 The meaning of "Rapid Fire - Lightning Round" for Sam? 01:30:43 Sam's most treasured personal Buddhist imagery? A shrine? 01:32:42 How does Sam decompress after a 3-hour interview? 01:34:08 Would Sam take temporary ordination with Jordan Peterson? 01:34:33 Has Sam ever considered ordaining as a monk? 01:37:44 Sam appreciates Clear Mountain and monastics! In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with neuroscientist and author Sam Harris about the intersection of Secularism and Buddhism. To learn more about the Clear Mountain Monastery Project, visit: https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome! Sam Harris' Bio: Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, author, and podcaster whose work explores the intersection of science, morality, religion, and contemplative practice. He holds a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA. He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including The End of Faith, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion. Sam hosts the Making Sense Podcast and is the creator of the Waking Up app, which offers a secular and scientific approach to meditation and the good life. With more than three decades of meditative practice - including a cumulative 2 years on silent retreat - he has studied under such teachers as Sayadaw U Pandita, Punjaji, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and with his friend, Joseph Goldstein. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

Nov 15

In this talk, Ayya Ānandabodhī speaks about Bio Ayya Ānandabodhī was born and raised in Wales, UK. Ayya first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens while reading about the Four Noble Truths. This was life-changing and from that moment she experienced a deep confidence in the Buddha’s insight and a wish to understand his teachings more deeply. At the age of 24, Ayya began monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England under the guidance of Ajahn Sumedho. Seventeen years later she moved to the USA with a wish to create more opportunities for women monastics. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhunī Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravāda Bhikkhunī Order. Ayya Ānandabodhī loves to share the Dhamma. Ayya’s practice is guided by early Buddhist scriptures, living in community, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma. To learn more, visit https://parayanavihara.org/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 13

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with revered Buddhist monk and longtime yogi Bhante Yogavacara Rāhula of Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland about his wild journey from the hippie trail into Buddhist monastic life. Topics discussed include details about his early hippie days, glimpses into his book "One Night's Shelter: From Home to Homelessness", portraits of his life with Bhante G. (Gunaratana), the story of his name, his finding Buddhism through meditation, his finding yoga to support meditation, insights from stillness, his connection with Brazil and the Himalayas, and much more! To learn the Meditation-Yoga mentioned in this interview, see the guided video here: https://www.lionwisdom.org/yoga-for-meditation-guided-practice/ To learn more about Bhante Y. Rāhula in general, visit: https://bhanterahula.blogspot.com/ or https://www.lionwisdom.org/. Bhante's Biography: Bhante Rahula was born in California and ordained as a novice Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka in 1975 and took higher ordination in 1979. He lived in Sri Lanka ten years studying the Dhamma and practicing vipassana meditation with different teachers and living alone in secluded hermitages. He also studied yoga with Swami Gitananda in South India. His teaching integrates the practice of yoga and meditation. From 1987 until 2010. Bhante Rahula had resided at the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery in West Virginia with Bhante H. Gunaratana. Currently he is the principal teacher at the Pannasiha Lion of Wisdom Meditation center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 9

Clear Mountain Upāsakā Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GtgmYKj-XrBaqLDhTeHP32TZe4PpHkLHSajrZyrgVj8/edit?usp=sharing In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho describe the Upāsakā lay Buddhist form in 13 (optional but awesome) moves: Introduction to the Upāsaka form (1) Take Refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha (The Essential Foundation) (2) Keep the Five Precepts (3) Meditate at Least 4 Hours Each Week (4) Keep a Weekly Uposatha ("Observance Day") Emphasizing Practice (5) Engage in a Twice-Monthly Confession with a Fellow Upāsaka (6) Create a Prominent Buddhist Shrine in Your House (7) Wear White in Buddhist Spaces, at Buddhist Gatherings, or on Holy Days (8) Learn Basic Buddhist Chants & Ceremonies (9) Read Part of a Sutta Every Day (10) Every Day, Engage in At Least One Act of Generosity (11) Stay at a Monastery At Least 3 Nights Each Year (12) Celebrate One’s Commitment Annually! (13) Take It Up a Notch! (Advanced Practices) --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 6

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview scholar and practitioner Dr. Sarah Shaw about Buddhism in academia in general and about breathing mindfulness in particular. Dr. Shaw's biography: Dr. Sarah Shaw is a faculty member and tutor at the University of Oxford, a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, and a visiting contemplative mentor at Brown University. She has taught and published numerous works on the history and practices of Buddhism, including "The Art of Listening: A Guide to the Early Teachings of Buddhism", "Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means", and "Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path". Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 5

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto (his mother's home congregation) about his own history being raised in the Unitarian Church and its effect on the trajectory of his life. Topics explored include Henry David Thoreau's essay "Life Without Principle", the intersection of Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism, how a Unitarian might begin to understand the Buddha's teaching, and much more! Join Other Clear Mountain Events: - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Nov 1

In this talk, Ajahn Sādaro, visiting from Melbourne, Australia, speaks about the benefits and risks of using Large Language Models (LLMs) for Dhamma guidance. We may use these tools with wisdom, but knowing their limitations is essential. Bio Ajahn Sādaro ordained in the forest tradition in Thailand in 2005. After practicing throughout SE Asia, he returned to Australia in 2015 and now currently resides at the Buddhist Society of Victoria’s Buddhaloka vihara in Melbourne. To find our more, visit https://www.bsv.net.au/ajahn-sadaro/ --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 30

In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about how he personally cultivates compassion (karuṇā), means of counteracting smartphone and internet addiction, the upāsakā form and wearing white in Buddhist spaces, the protective power of loving-kindness (mettā), stories of demons, devas, and elephants, how to practice seclusion and renunciation, and lay practice for Stream Entry (sotāpanna). --- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 25

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the relationship between dukkha (suffering, or stress) and time. Invoking the Christian concepts of chronos (choronological time) and kairos (sacred time), and orienting by the Buddha's description of a liberated state outside of time, we can navigate towards a greater spaciousness. Of special import is the ability to notice and dismantle the "clock" of Dependent Origination's (paticca-samuppada), whose twelve links lead to suffering. The twelve links of Dependent Origination may be found here: https://suttacentral.net/sn12.1/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false Rob Burbea's talk, "Time and the Emptiness of Time" may be found here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/11929/ ----- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 23

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Prof. R. Bogdan Staszewski about the intersection between Buddhist thought and quantum mechanics, focusing on the observer effect and the primacy of consciousness in shaping reality. Two other lectures by Prof. Bogdan on the subject: - "Is Consciousness in the Universe or Is the Universe in Consciousness?": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ld5TdXRX0 - "Can Quantum Physicists and Buddhists Agree on Consciousness? (Part Two)": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxlqH4_hRXA Bio Professor R. Bogdan Staszewski is a leading researcher at University College Dublin, where he works on making wireless communication, the Internet of Things, and even quantum computing more efficient and practical. Bogdan has co-authored six books, over 350 publications, and holds more than 200 U.S. patents. Previously at Texas Instruments and Delft University of Technology, he has co-founded several start-ups, including Equal1 Labs, which is building the first single-chip quantum computer. To learn more, visit. https://www.bogdanst.com/ --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 19

In this talk, Ajahn Munissara describes the power of diversity in Dhamma communities and teachers, particularly in elevating female articulations which have been absent for so much of Buddhist history. She speaks about the fragility of unawakened views, the power of remaining open to other articulations of truth, the history of the bhikkhuni order, and also the Dhamma of butlers! Bio Munissara Bhikkhuni was born to Thai parents in Manila, Philippines, in 1978. After living in the Philippines, Bangladesh, and the United States, she returned to Thailand in 2003. She went forth as a samaneri in July 2009 at Nirodharam Bhikkhuni Arama in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and took bhikkhuni ordination in March 2012 at Dhammasara Nuns Monastery in Perth, Australia, where she currently resides. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 16

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Narindo about lessons learned from the various phases of a modern monastic life. Biography of Ajahn Narindo: Ajahn Narindo was born in 1981 in the Netherlands, where he studied and worked in marketing and law. In his twenties he encountered Buddhism, began practicing the precepts, and eventually turned toward monastic life. In 2012 he received full ordination at Amaravati Monastery in the UK. Since that time, he has practiced and trained at monasteries in Thailand, America, and Portugal - where he is currently spending the Rains Retreat. Through meditation he discovered a peace far deeper than consumerist pursuits, and chose to dedicate his life to this path of practice. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 11

In this talk, Ayya Santussika, visiting with Ayya Cittananda from Karuna Buddhist Vihara ( https://www.karunabv.org/) addresses the unease many feel with about the current state of the world, emphasizing how Dhamma practice and non-hatred can provide refuge. Ayya Santussika Bhikkhuni: Born in Illinois in 1954, Ayya Santussika began exploring meditation in the late seventies. She received BS and MS degrees in computer science while being a single mother. After working as a software designer and developer for fifteen years in the Bay Area, she trained as an interfaith minister and received a Masters of Divinity degree in 2002. She visited monasteries in the US, Europe, and Asia, learning from master teachers mostly in the Ajahn Chah lineage. In 2012, she received full ordination as a bhikkhuni and founded Karuna Buddhist Vihara, a neighborhood Theravada Buddhist monastery for bhikkhunis. Find out more at https://www.karunabv.org/ Ayya Cittananda Bhikkhuni: Ayya Cittananda was inspired to follow the Buddhist path in 2005 after a college philosophy class. After completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and working as a registered nurse in Texas, she lived as a monastic at a small Pure Land/Chan monastery in Florida. She spent time practicing at monasteries in England and Scotland, and at Aloka Vihara in Placerville, California. She took Anagarika precepts at KBV in March of 2015, Samaneri ordination in April of 2016, and Bhikkhuni ordination in May of 2018 at Buddhi Vihara in Santa Clara, California. --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 9

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview renowned meditation teacher Guy Armstrong about his time as a monk with Ajahn Buddhadasa, the relationship between sense consciousness (viññana) and a deeper awareness, the Mahāyāna concept of Buddha nature, emptiness, and remaining grounded in the modern world. Guy's Biography: Guy Armstrong has been leading insight meditation retreats since 1984 in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. His training included living as a monk for a year in the Thai forest lineage. Guy is a member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council and a guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society. The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 4

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Oct 2

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Dan Thiracitto about his experience as a Western forest monk in Thailand: living with Thai Krooba Ajahns, walking tudong, and living close to the earth. Resources mentioned in this conversation: - Luangta Maha Bua: Shedding Tears of Dhamma - https://youtu.be/iI5TQnYcFn8?si=yUJb3t2e4d_cscAV - Arahattamagga Arahattaphala: The Path to Arahantship by Luangta Maha Bua - https://www.abhayagiri.org/media/books/maha_boowa_arahattamagga_arahattaphala.pdf - Talks by and Q&A with Ajahn Dick Silaratano - https://www.abhayagiri.org/talks/teachers/51-ajahn-dick-silaratano Ajahn Dan Thiracitto's Biography: Ajahn Dan Thiracitto, born in Germany in 1980, encountered Buddhism through Vietnamese Pure Land practice in 2001 in Australia. He explored Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism before embracing the Thai Forest Tradition, inspired by Luang Por Chah, Luang Dta Maha Bua, and the Pali Canon. Ordained in 2011 in Thailand’s Dhammayut Order, he trained four years in the lineage of Luang Dta Maha Bua and Luang Por Chop in Loei province. Since 2013, he has largely lived an independent, nomadic lifestyle of Carika (Thudong, walkabout). He spent five Vassas at Wat Pah Nanachat and affiliated monasteries, including a year with Ajahn Jayasaro. Since 2019, he is based in Nan province while regularly undertaking long-distance pilgrimages in Thailand and other countries like Malaysia, Nepal, India, Taiwan, Germany, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Australia. He currently resides at a small branch monastery on the outskirts of Chiang Mai City, Thailand. ---- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 27

In this talk, Ayya Brahmavara speaks about the 4 vipallāsa or distortions of perception, described in the Vipallāsasutta AN 4.49 ( https://suttacentral.net/an4.49/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=sidebyside&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin), and how our clinging causes us to suffer. The Buddha's teachings, though counter to how much of the world thinks, lead to a sense of lightness and peace. Bio Ayyā Brahmavarā learned Vipassana meditation from age 24, under the guidance of SN Goenka, after hearing about meditation retreats from a fellow student at Sheffield University. From being a medic striving to alleviate suffering, there was a gradual realignment over the next ten years from the medical field of practice to the monastic one. Same quest, going deeper . . . as she discovered in the Buddha's Path of practice how one could begin to explore and to help alleviate suffering through facing up to its root causes. Ayyā visited Amaravati monastery with a couple of Goenka friends in 1999 and by the end of 2000 was working as retreat center manager there. In August 2001, she was glad to have the chance to renounce the household life and enter monastic life as an anāgārikā. Sīladharā pabbajjā followed in 2004 and she practiced at Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries in the UK for the next 15 years. Ayyā benefitted from many months on tudong in the UK, Ireland, Italy, and France and from pilgrimages to Burma, India, Taiwan, China, and Malaysia which increased her faith in the sāmaṇa life and broadened her view of Buddhist practice. In 2019, Ayyā Brahmavarā moved to Thailand and Wat Subthawee to practice under the guidance of Luang Por Ganha. From him she learned the value of sacrifice, of selfless service, and of love. Ayyā Nirodhā is a valued bhikkhuni there and she encouraged Ajahn Brahmavarā to consider full ordination as a bhikkhuni. In 2021, Ayyā feels blessed to have been invited to receive bhikkhunī upasampadā with Mahātherī Ayyā Tathālokā as preceptor, and to join the auspicious Vassa gathering at Dhammadharinī Monastery and Aranya Bodhi Hermitage. Ayyā Brahmavarā's aspiration is to continue the practice using this form as a way of serving and supporting liberation from suffering for all beings. To learn more, visit https://www.ayyabrahmavara.org/ ---- To join via Zoom on Saturdays, visit Clear Mountain Monastery's website and click on the link for the Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social ( https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/saturday/ ) To participate in the Saturday chanting, use the pdf found here: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-1-Web.pdf Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 25

In this session Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Ayya Santussika and Ayya Cittananda live at Kuruna Buddhist Vihara. Ayya Santussika Bhikkhuni: Born in Illinois in 1954, Ayya Santussika began exploring meditation in the late seventies. She received BS and MS degrees in computer science while being a single mother. After working as a software designer and developer for fifteen years in the Bay Area, she trained as an interfaith minister and received a Masters of Divinity degree in 2002. She visited monasteries in the US, Europe, and Asia, learning from master teachers mostly in the Ajahn Chah lineage. In 2012, she received full ordination as a bhikkhuni and founded Karuna Buddhist Vihara, a neighborhood Theravada Buddhist monastery for bhikkhunis. Ayya Cittananda Bhikkhuni: Ayya Cittananda was inspired to follow the Buddhist path in 2005 after a college philosophy class. After completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and working as a registered nurse in Texas, she lived as a monastic at a small Pure Land/Chan monastery in Florida. She spent time practicing at monasteries in England and Scotland, and at Aloka Vihara in Placerville, California. She took Anagarika precepts at KBV in March of 2015, Samaneri ordination in April of 2016, and Bhikkhuni ordination in May of 2018 at Buddhi Vihara in Santa Clara, California. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! • Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) • Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) • Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://linktr.ee/clea... for details. Welcome!

Sep 20

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Tan Ajahn Asoko, a senior monastic at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK and the primary attendant to Luang Por Sumedho. The focus of the interview was the ins-and-outs of serving as an attendant and caregiver. Biography of Tan Ajahn Asoko: Ajahn Asoko grew up in a village near Geneva in Switzerland. His mother brought Buddhism into the family life. As a teenager, he visited Amaravati Monastery, where he first met Luang Por Sumedho and was fortuitously able to attend a ten day retreat with Luang Por Sucitto. At 19 years old, he decided to take a sabbatical year off and spend it at Wat Nanachat, Luang Por Chah's branch monastery for Westerners in Thailand, under the guidance of Luang Por Pasanno. After 9 years back in lay life, it seemed time to return to Thailand, and was ordained as a bhikkhu by Luang Por Liem. He spent 18 years in Thailand, the last 8 years as Luang Por Sumedho's attendant and secretary. He came to stay at Amaravati Monastery in January 2021 as Luang Por Sumedho returned to live there. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 18

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Tara Brach about her advice for practitioners dealing with fear and anger over the current state of the world, her relationship with faith and the Triple Gem, the R.A.I.N. approach to metabolizing difficult emotions, taking a "u-turn" in navigation of relationship, halos, unitarians, and more! 00:00:57 What's currently alive for you in the Dhamma? 00:02:45 What was a dark time for you, and how did you move out of it? 00:06:51 Could you speak about your own spiritual biography? 00:08:42 Could you speak about your faith in Buddhism? 00:15:20 Could you describe R.A.I.N. and lead us in a guided meditation? 00:26:01 Other skillful means for protecting the sacred in life? 00:34:03 Is there a place, not for "allowing", but for saying "no". 00:37:37 How to balance equanimity with action, and maintain a birds-eye view of the situation. 00:43:16 How much should we use AI on our spiritual path? 00:50:41 Skillful means to work with relationship difficulties? 00:57:33 How broadly should a practitioner search for spiritual guidance? 01:00:23 One prayer for yourself, and for those listening? Tara Brach's bio: Tara Brach is a Buddhist meditation teacher, psychologist and author of several books including international bestselling Radical Acceptance, Radical Compassion, and Trusting the Gold. Her popular weekly podcast on emotional healing and spiritual awakening is downloaded over 2 million times a month. She is founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and has been active in bringing meditation into schools, prisons and underserved populations. Along with Jack Kornfield, Tara leads the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP), serving participants from more than 75 countries around the world. For more info, visit: http://www.tarabrach.com/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 13

A document describing how to honor the dead may be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13H0UzWa73aLS1y6vVSANftAxZRjho76aozhZ5Tcjp2E/edit?usp=sharing. In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about maraṇasati, or recollection of death, as a path towards gratitude and heedfulness. He then describes how we can honor those who have passed, in ritual, spirit, and practice. ------ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 11

In this session, Ajahn Nisabho interviews Steven Hayes, clinical psychologist and co-developer of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and process-based therapy (PBT). They speak about the panic attack that catalyzed Dr. Haye's path of healing, Relational Frame Theory, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, modern culture's lack of a transcendent articulations, and even get Dr. Haye's to sing! You may find the official version of "Leaves from My Tree" here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wpr9czppjkuuc1emhqmtl/Leaves-from-my-tree.mp4?rlkey=3pjxv1uq4onvzhewolhahxmj0&dl=0 BIo Dr. Steven C. Hayes is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, and President of the Institute for Better Health. He developed Contextual Behavioral Science, originating its philosophical foundation (Functional Contextualism), basic science of human cognition (Relational Frame Theory, or RFT), and its therapeutic application (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training, ACT). He co-developed Prosocial for group cooperation, advanced the Psychological Flexibility Model of suffering and well-being, and more. Dr. Hayes’ contributions have been recognized with awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the Impact of Science on Application Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Author of 47 books, including "The Liberated Mind", and nearly 700 scientific articles, he is among the world’s most cited psychologists and continues to influence the field through his research and innovation. To learn more, visit https://stevenchayes.com/ --- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 6

In celebration of Labor Day, in this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about Buddhist work ethics, addressing such questions as "What do Buddhist do anyways?" and "How well am I spending my time?" Suttas Addressed: (AN 1.324-327) - “Bhikkhus, whoever arouses energy in a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in suffering. For what reason? Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.” - “Bhikkhus, whoever is lazy in a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in suffering. For what reason? Because that Dhamma is well expounded.” - “Bhikkhus, whoever is lazy in a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in happiness. For what reason? Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.” - “Bhikkhus, whoever arouses energy in a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in happiness. For what reason? Because that Dhamma is well expounded.” Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Sep 4

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Mudito, a monk of the Ajahn Chah Thai Forest Tradition and abbot of Suddhavāri Monastery in Brazil ( https://suddhavari.org/). The theme of discussion was "Blunt, Unpopular Dhammic Truths for Westerners": the need for a teacher; "confronting" defilements; blindsponts for moderns; and rebirth. Ajahn Mudito's Biography: Ajahn Mudito's first contact with Theravada Buddhism came through the Dharma House. After finishing college, he considered ordaining as a monk, but wanted to find an environment where the monastic rules, as created by the Buddha himself, were truly observed. After hearing an interview with Ajahn Sumedho, he felt that this search was over, and upon contacting the monk, he was suggested to visit the Thai monastery Wat Pah Nanachat. Thus, in 2002, at the age of 25, he began his path to monastic life. In 2004, he received ordination as a Bhikkhu at Wat Nong Pah Pong monastery (the head monastery of Ajahn Chah), with Luang Por Liem as his upajjhaya (a preceptor monk who has the authority to confer full monastic ordination). After a few years of residing at that monastery, he decided to move to Wat Pah Cittabhavana in Pathum Thani province to practice under the guidance of Luang Por Piak, who remains his teacher to this day. He is currently the abbot of Sudhavāri Monastery in São Lourenço, Brazil. The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 30

In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about how to work with the mind's craving for material objects, bringing up joy on the path, what's let go of after Stream Entry, the initial stage of Enlightenment, how to work with the news, and cold showers. ---- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 28

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Tan Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto about the Sotāpanna, or Stream Entry, the first stage of Enlightenment. They delve into how one knows such an experience is real, the fetters released through the experience, and the route of practice which most quickly leads to such insight. Tan Ajahn Suchart's biography: Tan Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto was born in Thailand in 1947 and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University before returning to Thailand to manage a small business in Pattaya. Receiving a copy of a Dharma Book from Sri Lanka from a tourist, he realized the importance of meditation and wrote to the BPS requesting more. He received from them a copy of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta ( https://noblepath.info/PDFs/Nyanasatt... he then chanted and practiced diligently. Leaving his job in 1974 to meditate full time, he was ordained at Wat Bowon by Somdet Yan himself in 1975 thanks to the help of Bhikkhu Khantipalo before traveling to Wat Pa Baan Taad where he would train under Luangta Maha Bua ( https://buddhistuniversity.net/author... the next nine years. For his tenth rains, Ajahn Suchart came back to Pattaya where he has remained ever since. You can find his teachings and more at: https: //www.phrasuchart.com/en/ The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 23

In this talk, Ayya Ānandabodhi, founder of Pārāyana Vihara ( https://parayanavihara.org/), speaks about using metta, or loving-kindness practice, to loosen the knots that bind us to suffering, desire, and limited notions of self. Reflecting with insight on the transpersonal nature of life, and our good fortune in encountering the Dhamma, can help soften and brighten the heart as we walk the Buddha' path. Ayya Ānandabodhī's Biography: Ayya Anandabodhi was born and raised in Wales, UK. Ayya first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens while reading about the Four Noble Truths. This was life-changing and from that moment she experienced a deep confidence in the Buddha’s insight and a wish to understand his teachings more deeply. At the age of 24, Ayya began monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England under the guidance of Ajahn Sumedho. Seventeen years later she moved to the USA with a wish to create more opportunities for women monastics. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhunī Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravāda Bhikkhunī Order. Ayya Ānandabodhī loves to share the Dhamma. Ayya’s practice is guided by early Buddhist scriptures, living in community, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma. She's currently founding a Pārāyana Vihara in Port Townsend, Washington. To learn more or offer support, visit https://parayanavihara.org/ --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 21

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Āyasmā Ariyadhammika, spiritual director of Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS), on the broad topic of monastic training in its various expressions in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and their synthesis in Malaysia at SBS. Specifically, the conversation delves into the fourteen courses of monk trainings at SBS (See https://sasanarakkha.org/monastery/): (1) Meditation theory and practice, which includes experimenting with and gaining proficiency in different meditation techniques which can then be skillfully applied for different purposes, times & situations (2) Dhamma knowledge and proper attitude towards the scriptures (3) Vinaya knowledge and proper attitude towards the Vinaya (4) Abhidhamma knowledge and its scrutiny in the light of Early Buddhism (5) Knowledge of important Chants (in Pāli & English) (6) Development of practical skills (sewing robes, making brooms, living under a tree, going on thudong) (7) Development of research skills with the use of modern technology and specialised software (8) The mastery of basic level Pāli, sufficient for research purposes (Advanced Pāli too, in case of individual interest) (9) Development of right speech and conversation skills that go beyond mere noble silence (e.g. “Non Violent Communication” workshops) (10) Development of verbal & digital presentation skills for giving Dhamma talks (11) Development of writing skills for DhammaVinaya essays (12) Development of Dhamma sharing skills on a Buddhist blog, newsletter, chatgroup, monastery or personal website (13) Development of administrative and leadership skills (14) Development in other areas depending on demand and interest of the resident monastics. - Note: Access to the training/courses mentioned from point ten to thirteen is dependent on vassa age and a sufficient foundation in points one to nine. Āyasmā Ariyadhammika's Biography Ven. Ariyadhammika is an Austrian Buddhist monk who ordained in 2005 in Myanmar with Pa-Auk Sayadaw as his preceptor and meditation teacher. He maintained a very simple lifestyle, living out in the open and under trees, dedicating himself to mindfulness of breathing and later also to many other meditation subjects. He was initiated into the meditation techniques of Mogok, Mahasi, Shwe Oo Min/U Tejaniya and Sunlun. He went to Thailand in 2010, where he stayed for 3 years at Wat Pah Nanachat, undergoing the traditional training of a Thai forest monk of the Ajahn Chah lineage. He stayed in Malaysia from 2013 to 2015, studying Pāli, Suttanta and the Vinaya under the guidance of Ven. Aggacitta Mahāthera. From 2015 to 2018 he stayed in Sri Lanka and returned to Malaysia in Jan. 2018 where he was appointed Saṅghanāyaka of SBS Monk Training Centre, dedicated to guiding and supporting fellow monastics. You can find out more about Āyasmā Ariyadhammika and Sāsanārakkha at the links below: - https://sasanarakkha.org - @ariyadhammikabhikkhu5385 --- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 16

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo suggests a 5-part taxonomy of the sukhas (happinesses & pleasures) taught by the Buddha: 1) pleasure like fire - kāma-sukha (sensual pleasures not to be pursued); 2) pleasures like fresh air - kusala/nekkhamma-sukha (wholesome/healthy pleasures to develop); 3) pleasures like space - vipassana/upasama-sukha (the pleasures of clear seeing to be made much of); 4) pleasures like water - jhāna/paviveka-sukha (the pleasures of absorption/jhāna meditation - a trainable, uncomplicated, blameless, profound mental ease); 5) pleasures like earth - magga-phala/sambodhi-sukha (the pleasures of the Paths & Fruitions of Enlightenment). See The Araṇa-vibhaṅga Sutta for more on how to define sukha and to cultivate it internally: https://suttacentral.net/mn139/en/nyanamoli?lang=en Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 14

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Bhante Joe Atulo, curator of www.dhammavinayapatipada.com. Subjects touched upon include: the Sri Lankan Forest tradition - its history and present, the happiness of respect, Bhante Ñāṇadīpa, and other relevant topics. You can find more of Bhante Joe's teachings at www.dhammavinayapatipada.com or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@DhammaVinayaPatipada Bhante Joe's Biography: Born in London, Ontario in 1983, Bhante Joe’s interest in Buddhism began in high school after reading about the Four Noble Truths. He trained at the Toronto Zen Buddhist Temple before turning to Theravāda and joining Tisaraṇa Buddhist Monastery in 2008. Ordained as a bhikkhu in 2010, he trained in Canada and Thailand until 2015. After time in California and Toronto, he moved to Sri Lanka in 2019, where he now resides. Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 9

In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about looking at flavors of energy spoke of in Taoist tradition, a speculative overlay of some Taoist principles onto the traditional four Buddhist foundations of mindfulness, the meaning of sankhara (mental formations) and viññana (sense consciousness) in the five aggregates of clinging, Buddhist sleep advice, metta (loving-kindness), khanti (patient endurance), and more. You can access more teachings from Jason Bartlett, the source of the speculative overlay of jing, qi, and shen onto the four foundations of mindfulness, at of http://www.luminousdharma.org/ . --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 7

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Khemarato Bhikkhu, creator of The Open Buddhist University - https://buddhistuniversity.net/. Khemarato's Bio: Khemarato Bhikkhu is a former software engineer from Silicon Valley where he worked on AI systems at Google and Facebook. He ordained in the Dhammayut Tradition in Thailand in 2019 and has lived in a tent in the Thai jungle ever since. He is the creator of the digital resource "The Open Buddhist University" and is an occasional contributor to SuttaCentral. Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Aug 3

In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the role of emptiness (suññata) in Buddhism, specifically referencing the image of an extinguished flame described in MN 72 ("To Vacchagotta on Fire" - https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN72.html ), and elaborated on in Ajahn Thanissaro's "Mind Like Fire Unbound" ( https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/likefire/index.html). Further questions delved into how to deal with fear arising in response to peace, translations of "metta", and how to work with our human failings. The session ended with an exercise where partners took time to repeatedly ask one another the question, "What's holding you bath from your Dhammic path right now?". -- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 31

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview their friends Jin Chuan Shi and Jin Wei Shi of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, & Redwood Vihara. Discussion touches upon embodiment, loving-kindness, non-violent communication, and restorative practices. Find out more about Jin Chuan Shi, Jin Wei Shi, and the Redwood Vihara at https://www.redwoodvihara.org/ Biographies: Bhikshus Jin Chuan Shi and Jin Wei Shi both found their spiritual calling early in life and now serve as monastics in the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Jin Chuan, born in New Jersey and raised in Silicon Valley, discovered Buddhism while in high school, and committed to the Buddhist path when he met Ajahn Amaro at Stanford, where he was studying physics and religion. He eventually became a resident at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) in 2005 and received full ordination in 2013. Jin Wei, originally from Poland, began meditating in 1999 and, after reading a translation of the Sixth Patriarch Sūtra, committed himself to Dharma service, eventually arriving at CTTB in 2013 and ordaining in 2017. Both hold M.A. degrees in Buddhist Classics from Dharma Realm Buddhist University, where Jin Chuan now serves as an assistant professor and chaplain. ------ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 26

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about what to do when it seems like you've reached a wall in practice or in life. He specifically touches on six psycho-physical meditational movements for freedom found in the definition of the Third Noble Truth – the Cessation of Dukkha and mirrored in the framework of Loch Kelly's "Shift Into Freedom": (1) virāga - fading away - unhooking (2) nirodha - cessation - dropping (3) cāga - relinquishment - opening (4) paṭinissagga - letting go - seeing (5) mutti - release - include (6) anālaya - without attachment - letting be. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 24

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ayyā Sucittā about her path into the Theravāda, Koan practice, her encounters with nature, Natural Law, and other aspects of her teaching and path. To learn more or support Ayya Sucitta's hermitage, contact her steward, Jason Bartlett, at info@luminousdharma.org, Jason.c.bartlett@gmail.com, or through his website, luminousdharma.org, noting that dāna given should be given to Ayya Sucitta's project. Ayyā Sucittā's Biography: Ayyā Sucittā grew up in South Korea, studied and traveled in the United States and after a while, back in Korea, became a monastic in the Korean Mahayana tradition. That was 30 years ago. She attended one of the bhikkhunī universities in Korea. After her initial training she had a thirteen year retreat with a Satipaṭṭhāna focus. About twenty years into her monastic life she visited the UK and met Theravada bhikkhus in Oxford. She found a resonance with the Early Buddhist teachings and forms of practice. Ayyā was encouraged to learn some Paḷī and chanting, she also began reading all the Early Buddhist Suttas. They sponsored her to study in Myanmar for six months. After Myanmar, she attended Amaravati's Vassa and the Winter Retreat. In 2017 she came to California and formally transitioned to the Theravada with a Daḷhīkamma Ordination with Ayyā Tathālokā as preceptor and with the support of bhikkhunīs from several communities and the Sri Lankan bhikkhus in the Bay Area. After about three years, Ayyā returned to Korea to take care of some health issues. She is now strong and healthy and will be starting Dhammadhārinī branch in South Korea in summer of this year. To learn more or support Ayya Sucitta's hermitage, contact her steward, Jason Bartlett, at info@luminousdharma.org, Jason.c.bartlett@gmail.com, or through his website, luminousdharma.org, noting that dāna given should be given to Ayya Sucitta's project. ---- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 20

In this talk, Ayyā Sucitta, visiting from South Korea, speaks about her path into Theravāda robes, her love of the early texts, and lessons learned from her pre-dawn pilgrimagse to a mountain stream during her thirteen years of retreat. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 17

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Guṇavīro Bhikkhu on the topic of "tudong" - wandering on faith. They speak about his learning in the Goenka tradition, advice for would-be wanderers, & experiences with hardship and blessing. Gunaviro Bhikkhu's Biography: Gunaviro Bhikkhu (Jeffrey Hancuff) is a Buddhist monk. He began practicing Buddhism in 2001, began monastic training in 2015, and received full ordination in 2018 with Luang Por Pasanno as his preceptor. Since 2022 he has been travelling independently, primarily in California, trying to follow the rules the Buddha laid down as closely as possible. Contact Gunaviro Bhikkhu at gunavirobhikkhu@gmail.com You can find out more at https://samanasevana.org/ or ema The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 12

In this talk, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the power of habit in a Buddhist context and speaks about specific ways we can upgrade our practice of generosity, integrity, and meditation during the upcoming 3-month Rains Retreat (vassa). The "habit-loop" framework of "cue-routine-reward" from Charles Duhigg's "The Power of Habit" is introduced as a methodology for cultivating healthy habits for this "Buddhist Lent" period of intensified practice based on the Buddha's foundational teaching on "faith" (saddhā) that: "It is possible to abandon the wholesome ... It is possible to abandon the unwholesome." (Anguttara Nikāya 2.19) Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 5

00:09 Thai Original Talk 22:41 English Translation In this talk - in Thai with English translation - Luang Por Damrong Siribhaddho, abbot of Wat Pah Nam KamGeung, Thailand speaks of Luang Por Damrong Biography: Luang Por Damrong Siribhaddo has been a bhikkhu for 56 years. He acts as the preceptor for many of Luang Por Chah’s disciples in Thailand. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 5

00:10 - Thai Original Talk 21:07 - English Translation In this talk - in Thai with English translation - Luang Por Khoon Aggadhammo, abbot of Wat Pah PoSuwan, Thailand speaks about the power of the Triple Gem, the Five Precepts, Three Types of Wisdom, the Eight Worldly Winds, and the Eightfold Noble Path. Luang Por Khoon Biography: Luang Por Khoon Aggadhammo has been a monk for 59 years. Having lived and studied for years under Luang Por Chah and having trained with Luang Por Sumedho for many years, Luang Por Khoon is currently the abbot of Wat PhoSuwan in Piboon Mangsahan district, Ubon Province. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 4

In this interview - in Thai with English translation - Ajahn Kovilo speaks with and translates the teachings of Luang Por Damrong Siribhaddho, abbot of Wat Pah Nam KamGeung. Luang Por Damrong Biography: Luang Por Damrong Siribhaddo has been a bhikkhu for 56 years. He acts as the preceptor for many of Luang Por Chah’s disciples in Thailand. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 4

In this interview - in Thai with English translation - Ajahn Kovilo speaks with and translates the teachings of Luang Por Khoon Aggadhammo, abbot of Wat Pah PoSuwan. Luang Por Khoon Biography: Luang Por Khoon Aggadhammo has been a monk for 59 years. Having lived and studied for years under Luang Por Chah and having trained with Luang Por Sumedho for many years, Luang Por Khoon is currently the abbot of Wat PhoSuwan in Piboon Mangsahan district, Ubon Province. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jul 1

In this video, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ven. Jigme, Ven. Ngawang, Ven Gyatso, & Thubten Chodron on the subject of the Sravasti Abbey Prison Dharma Project. For more information about Sravasti Abbey and the Prison Dharma Project, visit: https://sravastiabbey.org/who-we-are/how-we-help/ Short Description of the Prison Dharma Project: The Prison Dharma Outreach supports over 1,000 incarcerated individuals by sending Dharma books, videos, newsletters, and offering spiritual guidance, including through prison visits by Abbey monastics. Around 200 inmates participate annually in the Abbey’s Retreat from Afar, engaging in daily practice and receiving weekly teachings. Many prisoners express deep gratitude through donations, artwork, and poetry, despite their challenging financial circumstances. More ways to connect with Clear Mountain: - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 29

In this session from the Clear Mountain June 28th, 2025 Alms Giving Ceremony, Ayya Ānandabodhī of Pārāyana Vihāra ( https://parayanavihara.org/) speaks about allowing the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to unfurl. Ayya Ānandabodhī's Biography: Ayya Ānandabodhī was born and raised in Wales, UK. Ayya first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens while reading about the Four Noble Truths. This was life-changing and from that moment she experienced a deep confidence in the Buddha’s insight and a wish to understand his teachings more deeply. At the age of 24, Ayya began monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England under the guidance of Ajahn Sumedho. Seventeen years later she moved to the USA with a wish to create more opportunities for women monastics. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhunī Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravāda Bhikkhunī Order. Ayya Ānandabodhī loves to share the Dhamma. Ayya’s practice is guided by early Buddhist scriptures, living in community, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma. - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 28

In this talk, given at the 2025 Clear Mountain Almsgiving Ceremony, Luang Por Sona speaks about his early days as a monk, and the lessons he learned about humility, agility, and keeping a warm heart and cool head. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 26

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Sona of Birken Monastery on the topic of his recent video "Greek & Persian Influence On Early Buddhism" ( https://youtu.be/UDZK_V2wnt4?si=uz7ZQxr_t8CLU_dO). Ajahn Sona's Bio: Ajahn Soṇa is the founder and abbot of Birken Forest Monastery. Born in Canada in 1954, Ajahn Soṇa's background as a layperson is in classical guitar performance. His encounter with Buddhist wisdom as a young man initiated a spiritual journey that led him to become a lay hermit in the Coast Mountain region of BC for several years. He subsequently ordained as a Theravada monk in 1989 under Ven. Gunaratana, at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia, where his first years of training took place. Ven. Soṇa further trained for over three years at monasteries following Ajahn Chah in northeast Thailand, especially Wat Pah Nanachat. Upon his return to Canada in 1994 he helped found the original Birken Forest Monastery near Pemberton, BC and, as its spiritual guide, he has since led the monastery through each stage of its growth. Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 21

In this talk, Bhante Rahula, visiting from Paññabhumi monastery in Guadalajara, speaks about how conscious gratitude and recollection of one's virtue can serve as a cure for the various ailments of the mind. Carefully documenting the goodness in one's life represents an important task for practitioners hoping to cultivate a bright heart. To find out more about Bhante Rāhula or Paññabhumi, visit https://dhamma-pb.org/ Bhante Rāhula's bio: Bhante Rāhula, born in Mexico, has spent the last 22 years in Asia in various periods, where he has practiced and studied the Dhamma.He was ordained in Myanmar by Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, who is his preceptor. Since 2004 he has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, Bhante studied Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. After living for several years at Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in Malaysia, he returned to Mexico to found Paññabhumi Monastery in Guadalajara. To find out more about Bhante Rāhula or Paññabhumi, visit https://dhamma-pb.org/ -- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 19

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Marjorie Woollacott about the research behind the Telepathy Tapes ( https://thetelepathytapes.com/) and the phenomenon of near-death lucidity. For more information about Dr. Woolacott and her work, visit: https://marjoriewoollacott.com/ Marjorie Woollacott's Biography: Marjorie Woollacott Ph.D., is an Emeritus Professor of Human Physiology, and member of the Institute of Neuroscience, at the University of Oregon. She was chair of the Human Physiology Department for seven years. In addition to teaching courses on neuroscience and rehabilitation, she taught courses on complementary and alternative medicine and meditation. She is Research Director for the International Association of Near-Death Studies (IANDS) and is President of the Academy for the Advancement of Postmaterialist Sciences (AAPS). Woollacott graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California and was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California and her M.A. from the University of Oregon in Asian Studies. She was also a research professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Umea in Umea, Sweden, and in the National Center for Scientific Research in Marseille, France.... Woollacott has published more than 200 scientific articles and written or co-edited eight books. She is the co-author, with Dr. Anne Shumway-Cook of the textbook for health care professionals, titled: Motor Control: Translating Research into Clinical Practice, in its 6th edition (2021). Her latest book, Infinite Awareness (2015) (winner of eight awards, including the 2017 Parapsychological Association Book Award, Eric Hoffer Book Award and the Nautilus Book Award) pairs Woollacott’s research as a neuroscientist with her self-revelations about the mind’s spiritual power. Between the scientific and spiritual worlds, she breaks open the definition of human consciousness to investigate the existence of a non-physical and infinitely powerful mind. The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 14

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about Māra, the Buddhist embodiment of death and that which hinders liberation, and how we can overcome his influence through clear knowing. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 12

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ayyā Jitindriyā & Samaneri Jayasāra of Viveka Hermitage about how to relate to current events, non-dual practice, psychotherapy advice for the world, dealing with tragedy, and Dzogchen. BIO On Samaneri Jayasara and Ayya Jitindriya's YouTube channel, you'll find ancient Buddhist teachings next to the words of Christian saints and sufi mystics speaking to perennial truths. It is rare to find the common threads of wisdom so clearly laid out. Ayya Jitindriyā trained as a monastic in the Theravada Forest Tradition under Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho for over 16 years (1988–2004) before pursuing a Master’s in Buddhist Psychotherapy in the UK. She later taught meditation and retreats while practicing as a Buddhist psychotherapist in Australia, where she also served as Director of Training for AABCAP. Re-entering monastic life in 2018 at Santi Forest Monastery, she took on roles as a guiding teacher and Spiritual Director. In 2021, she co-founded Viveka Hermitage in Southern NSW, where she now resides. Samaneri Jayasāra has studied and practiced Buddhism and meditation for over 35 years, holding a PhD and Master’s in education with a focus on comparative spiritual traditions, Buddhism, and psychotherapy. She has taught psychology and counseling at various academic levels and worked in mental health and crisis intervention. Initially ordaining as an anagarikā in 2002, she lived in monasteries in Australia and the UK before re-entering monastic life as a samaneri in 2018 at Santi Forest Monastery, where she supported its development for female monastics. In 2021, she moved to Viveka Hermitage in southern NSW to focus on an online Dhamma project and a more hermetic practice. Learn more at https://vivekahermitage.com/ The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 7

In this talk, Ajahn Kovilo reflects on 6 of the “Universal Beautiful” mental factors (sobhana-sādhāraṇa-cetāsika) – 1) settledness (passaddhi); 2) softness (mudutā); 3) lightness (lahutā); 4) suppleness (kammaññatā); 5) savviness (pāguññatā); and 6) uprightness (ujukatā) – suggesting the following poem as a memory aid: Settled softness space-that’s-light, Supple savvy mind-upright. The image of an anchor (one’s meditation object of focus) in the ocean (the big mind that exhibits all the “Universal Beautiful” mental factors) is given as an aide to keep the mind both collected and open. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 5

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Luang Por Puṇṇadhammo of Arrow River Hermitage. Ajahn Puṇṇadhammo Bio: Ajahn Punnadhammo is the abbot of Arrow River Forest Hermitage in Northern Ontario, Canada. Born in Toronto in 1955, at the age of 23, he began studying Buddhism under Kema Ananda, the founder and first teacher of the Arrow River Center. In 1990, at the age of 35, Ajahn Punnadhammo ordained into the Ajahn Chah forest tradition in Thailand and stayed there for the next five years largely based at Wat Pah Nanachat, the International Forest Monastery. After his fifth year in robes, his first teacher, Kema Ananda, contracted lung cancer and, with death imminent, he asked Ajahn Punnadhammo to return to Canada to assume management of the Arrow River Center. Ajahn Punnadhammo returned with the blessing of his seniors in the order in November of 1995 and was able to spend time with his beloved teacher before his death. Since its founder's passing, Arrow River Forest Hermitage has continued as a place of practice and refuge for both monastics and lay visitors with Ajahn Punnadhammo as its abbot. You may find more at https://arrowriver.ca/ Ajahn Punnadhammo is the author of extensively researched "The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview; according to Theravāda and Sarvāstivāda sources", "Letters from Māra - an insightful and creative allegory in the spirit of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters", and many other writings which can be found at For more info, visit: https://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma.html The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jun 1

In this "Q&A and Community Stories" session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho answer questions about love and Saṅgha, the flame of awareness, merit, and how to relate to grief. In the "Community Stories" section, Clear Mountain community members Alejandro, Lynne, and Louis share how they came to the Dhamma and what it's meant to them. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 29

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview the author and Performance Whisperer, George Mumford about his journey into mindfulness and his experience of its utility and function in expert performance. To learn more about George, visit: https://georgemumford.com/ George's Bio: George Mumford, a.k.a. The Performance Whisperer, is a globally recognized speaker, teacher, and pioneer in sports psychology and performance. Since 1989, he’s been honing his groundbreaking performance and mindfulness techniques with people from locker rooms to board rooms, Yale to jail — as Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ to winning eight NBA Championships, helping Michael Jordan transform his leadership, and teaching Kobe Bryant to “just be.” George’s work incorporates principles based in positive psychology, mindfulness, philosophy, neuroscience, the recovery movement, group and organizational dynamics, and spiritual traditions from around the world, all informed by his own inspirational journey. The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 25

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the workings of kamma, and how we can apply appropriate attention, or yoniso manasikara, to cultivate the kamma for the ending of kamma. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 22

CHAPTERS 0:00:00 – Intro 0:00:09 – Welcome 0:00:24 – Bio of Yuval Noah Harari 0:01:12 – How Yuval’s First Meditation Retreat Changed His Life, and What a Goenka Retreat Looks Like 0:06:36 – Going Beyond Goenka’s Teachings: Exploring the Pāḷi Canon and Buddhism (Does Yuval Consider Himself a Buddhist?) 0:12:18 – Yuval’s Take on the Noble Truths: The Cause and Cessation of Suffering, and Transcending It Through the Noble Eightfold Path 0:15:53 – Hackable Humans: The Importance of Meditation in the Age of Data and Algorithms 0:24:27 – How to Become Less Hackable: Introspection and Its Role in Humanity’s Evolution 0:28:54 – Designing an Information Diet to Counter Algorithms That Hack Our Attention 0:33:58 – Is There Room for an Intense Information Diet That Eschews All Media and Focuses Solely on the Dhamma? 0:35:49 – Staying Centered in the Midst of Fame and Repute: Handling Gain, Honor, and Praise 0:39:00 – Yuval’s Reflection on Pascal’s Observation: “All of Humanity’s Suffering Stems From the Inability to Sit Quietly in a Room Alone” 0:41:34 – How Secularism Can Blind People to Evidence for Rebirth: Yuval’s Perspective 0:46:00 – Avoiding Attachment to Views as Buddhists: A Dhamma Perspective 0:49:03 – Lightning Round Questions: • 0:49:18 – Have You Ever Thought About Ordaining? • 0:50:58 – If You Were the Buddha’s Father, Would You Have Inclined the Young Bodhisatta Toward Becoming a Wheel-Turning Monarch or Toward the Path of Renunciation? • 0:51:50 – If Stranded on a Desert Island With Two Books, What Would They Be? • 0:52:37 – If You Had 24 Hours Left to Live, How Would You Use That Time? How Much of It Would Be Spent Meditating? • 0:53:12 – Your Most Unexpected or Interesting Encounter With a Leading Intellectual or World Leader? • 0:54:16 – What One Piece of Advice Would You Give to Buddhists in General? • 0:57:30 – Which Sutta (Other Than the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta) Do You Find Especially Meaningful? • 0:58:12 – Goenka’s Guidance on Observing Pleasure With Equanimity vs. the Concept of “Healthy Pleasure” in the Tipiṭaka • 1:04:03 – Gratitude for Yuval’s Advocacy: Speaking on Compassion for Animals and Meditation in his Books 1:06:00 – Recognizing Goenka Meditation as a Gateway to Buddhism, and an Invitation for Yuval to Visit Seattle 1:06:23 – Outro REFERENCES: [Book] Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind https://www.ynharari.com/book/sapiens-2/ [Book] Homo Deus - A Brief History of Tomorrow https://www.ynharari.com/book/homo-deus/ [Book] 21 Lessons for the 21st Century https://www.ynharari.com/book/21-lessons-book/ [Book] Nexus - A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI https://www.ynharari.com/book/nexus/ In this session, Ajahn Nisabho and Ajahn Kovilo interview historian, philosopher, and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari, touching on such topics as meditation, Buddhism, AI, and attachment to views. Yuval's Biography: Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher, and bestselling author of Sapiens, Homo Deus, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, and - his newest book - Nexus. His books have sold over 45 million copies in 65 languages, making him one of the world’s most influential intellectuals. Born in Israel in 1976, he earned his PhD from Oxford and has lectured at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Harari co-founded Sapienship, a social impact company focused on education and storytelling. He frequently engages with global leaders and has spoken at the World Economic Forum, TED, and major news outlets. His work explores history, AI, technology, and the future of humanity, with a focus on ethical and existential challenges. Most relavent for our conversation today, Yuval is a long-time meditator - having sat his first Goenka Vipassana retreat when he was 24 years old - who maintains a daily sitting practice of 2 hours per day and who makes time in his busy schedule for at least 1-2 months of silent meditation retreat every year. Join our Weekly Clear Mountain Gatherings: - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 18

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 18

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 17

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo discusses the Thai Forest Tradition and what he terms the "Thai Forest Effect" - the insights, inner brightness, and eventual transcendence that can come from living a life apart but not separate. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 15

In this interview, Luang Por Jundee, a senior disciple of Luang Por Chah and abbot of Wat Pah Ampawan, speaks about Luang Por Chah's strategies of training, advice on giving, and how we can be near to a teacher we've never met. Biographies Luang Por Jundee Venerable LP Jundee Kantasāro who was ordained by Venerable Luang Por Chah in 1975, was born in one of the neighbouring villages to Wat Pah Pong in 1953. He is a part of the first group of monks to be ordained by Luang Por Chah. Since childhood he was close to the monastery since his father was leading the villagers in practicing with LP Chah on observance days for many years. In his early years LP Jundee was sent to Wat Pah Nanachat to practice with the international sangha and later joined the first branch in Australia for 2 years. LP Jundee was asked by LP Sumedho to help teaching abroad and has many times assisted LP Liem on international travels. Currently he is the abbot of Wat Pah Ampawan, which is situated to the east of Bangkok in the district of Chonburi. It hosts between 40 and 60 monks. -- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 11

In this talk, Ajahn Kaccana, ordained at Abhayagiri Monastery and currently residing at Chithurst Monastery in England, speaks about how we can balance the cultural proclivity towards individualism and idealism by developing awareness of the body, coming into community, and cultivating virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 8

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ven. Dhammadinnā, an expert in the various canonical languages of early Buddhist traditions. They speak Ven. Dhammadinna's love of Pāli, her path to robes, her attempt to bridge the scholastic-practice divide, and more! Ven. Dhammadinnā's Biography: Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā was born in Italy in 1980 and went forth in Sri Lanka in 2012. She studied Indology, Indo-Iranian philology and Tibetology at the University of Naples ‘L’Orientale’ and at the International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University in Tokyo. She obtained her doctorate in 2010 with a dissertation on the Khotanese ‘Book of Zambasta’. Her main research interests are early Buddhist discourse and Vinaya texts (with a focus on the Theravāda and Mūlasarvāstivāda traditions), the formative phases of Mahāyāna ideology in Khotan in the fifth and sixth centuries, and the development of the theories, practices and ideologies of Buddhist meditative traditions. She is currently a research associate professor in the Department of Buddhist Studies of the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, mainly working on a study of the evolution of the notions of great compassion and omniscience in the history of Buddhist thought and on a collated digital edition, annotated translation and comparative study of the Mūlasarvāstivāda āgama quotations in Śamathadeva’s Abhidharmakośopāyikāṭīkā preserved in Tibetan translation. Dhammadinnā also serves as the series editor for the ARG publications with the Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation. To learn more, visit https://anissitavihara.com --- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 3

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the value of chanting as a way to give rise to wholesome mental states. The main chant referenced is the "Suffusion with the Divine Abidings", featured here: - I will abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with lovingkindness; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above and below, around and everywhere; and to all as to myself. I will abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness; abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will. - I will abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above and below, around and everywhere; and to all as to myself. I will abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with compassion; abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will. - I will abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with gladness; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above and below, around and everywhere; and to all as to myself. I will abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with gladness; abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will. - I will abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above and below, around and everywhere; and to all as to myself. I will abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with equanimity; abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will. Pāli Original: - mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati; - karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ karuṇāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati; - muditāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ muditāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati; - upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

May 1

In this compelling dialogue, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Amma Thanasanti about what’s missing from traditional Dharma when it comes to trauma, attachment, and nervous system regulation. They explore how trauma-informed tools, the window of tolerance, and developmental wounding intersect with meditation practice—and why understanding these dynamics can open the door to real healing and freedom. To learn more about Amma Thanasanti and the Integrated Meditation program, visit https://awakeningtruth.org/integrated-meditation/. Amma Thanasanti Biography: Amma Thanasanti has been practicing meditation and teaching for many decades. She spent 26 years as a Theravada Buddhist nun, with 20 years training in Ajahn Chah branch monasteries. She is the founder of Awakening Truth and the Integrated Meditation Program, a neuroplasticity-based, relationally-rooted program designed to re-wire patterns that traditional meditation may not reach. Amma’s teaching weaves together classical Dharma, trauma-informed practices, and a deep reverence for the natural world. She shares openly from her lived experience as a doorway to connection, healing, and awakening. To learn more, visit https://awakeningtruth.org/ -- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 28

In this session, Ajahn Nisabho and Ajahn Kovilo interview brother and sister Ajahn Cunda and Rabbi Sydney Mintz. Bio of Ajahn Cunda: Ajahn Cunda was raised in a warm and loving family in the Northern suburbs of Chicago and moved to California in 1996. Ajahn Cunda moved to Abhayagiri in late 2005, and after two years training as an Anagārika and Sāmaṇera, ordained as a Bhikkhu on May 22, 2008. Under Luang Por Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, he trained at Abhayagiri for eight and a half years. In 2014, Ajahn Cunda moved to Tisaraṇa Monastery in Canada, to practice under the guidance of Luang Por Vīradhammo. In 2017, he began living in several western monasteries, including Bodhivana and Dhammagiri in Australia, Chithurst in England, and Santacittārāma in Italy, before returning to Abhayagiri in early 2020. In 2021, Ajahn Cunda spent a year at the Pacific Hermitage and since April 2022, he has returned to Abhayagiri indefinitely. Bio of Rabbi Sydney Mintz: Rabbi Sydney Mintz was ordained in 1997 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. She is the founder of the award-winning Late Shabbat Young Adult Program at Congregation Emanu-El where she served as Rabbi from her ordination in 1997 through 2024. She became a Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem after completing her fellowship in 2004. Sydney currently serves on the National Board of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice and as a Rabbinic Scholar for American Jewish World Service. She is a graduate of Bend the Arc’s (Sella) Selah Leadership Program and is a member of the US State Department’s Working Group on Religion and Social Justice. She led Team Emanu-El in the AIDS Lifecycle Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles and is an avid open ocean swimmer. Learn more here: https://www.rebsyd.com/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 26

Ayyā Suvijjānā & Ayya Niyyānika of Passaddhi Vihara ( https://passaddhivihara.org/) speak about developing the Five Indriyā, or Mental Faculties in our practice. The five, including saddhā (faith), viriya (energy), sati (mindfulness), samādhi (concentration), and pañña (wisdom) must be developed in a balanced manner for practice to progress. The Buddha's description of the Five Faculties may be found here: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN48_10.html Ayya Suvijjānā's Bio: Ayyā Suvijjānā started with Zen meditation in 1976. After discovering Vipassana in 1998, she visited Abhayagiri where she became a disciple of Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno, eventually becoming a monastic student of Ayya Tathālokā in 2006. Taking full ordination in 2010, she helped establish Dhammadharini before traveling and teaching since 2020. Ayyā Niyyānika's Bio: Ayyā Niyyānika is a fully ordained Buddhist monastic in the Theravada tradition. Ayya uses they/them pronouns. They received their initial monastic training within the Dhammadharini community from 2014 through 2019 and then was with the Aloka Vihara community for three years. The past year and a bit have been a time of travel, integration, and deepening in practice. They visited a variety of monastic and lay communities in the West and in Asia, taking time for retreat and study as well as community involvement. To learn more about Passaddhi Vihara and the Ayyas, visit https://passaddhivihara.org/ -- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 19

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho talks about the Mahānāma Sutta (AN 11:12) ( https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN11_12.html), and the six recollections recommended by the Buddha as ways of tuning to the quiet note of Dhamma, and to finding refuge. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 18

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview psychiatrist Dr. Judson Brewer MD PhD about the confluence between neuroscience and Theravāda Buddhism. For more information about Dr. Jud, visit: - https://www.mindshiftrecovery.org/ - https://drjud.com/ Dr. Jud's Bio: Dr. Judson Brewer, MD, PhD (aka Dr. Jud), is a New York Times best-selling author and pioneering psychiatrist blending cutting-edge neuroscience with 20+ years of mindfulness training. A leader in the science of habit change, he's director of research at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center and has held positions at MIT, Yale, and UMass. Dr. Jud developed app-based programs like Mindshift Recovery, Unwinding Anxiety, Eat Right Now, and Craving to Quit, clinically proven to treat anxiety, addiction, and emotional eating. He’s the author of The Craving Mind, Unwinding Anxiety, and The Hunger Habit and co-founder of the nonprofit Mindshift Recovery. He is also a collaborator with Clear Mountaineers/medical researchers Dori Rosenberg and Dave Arterburn! Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 17

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Rodney Smith, author and founder or the Seattle Insight Meditation Society, about resting in an ever-present silence, his work in hospice, how to be with the dying, and more. For more on Rodney, visit: https://seattleinsight.org/teacher/rodney-smith-founding-teacher/ Rodney's Bio: Rodney Smith spent eight years in Buddhist monastic settings, both at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and several years as a Buddhist monk in Asia. He ordained with Mahasi Sayadaw in Burma then practiced for three years with Ajahn Buddhadassa in Thailand. He disrobed as a monk in 1983 and, after returning to the West, started working in hospice care and teaching vipassana meditation throughout the U.S. At the end of 2016, Rodney retired from a full-time teaching role after more than 30 years of teaching. He served as a Senior Teacher for IMS and the founding and guiding teacher of Seattle Insight Meditation. He is author of the books Lessons From the Dying, Stepping Out of Self-Deception: The Buddha's Liberating Teaching of No-Self, and Awakening: A Paradigm Shift of the Heart. Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 12

In this talk, Ajahn Kaccāna, ordained at Abhayagiri Monastery but currently residing at Chithurst Monastery in England, speaks about finding refuge in the quality of knowing rather than the objects of awareness. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 10

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview renowned meditation teacher Shaila Catherine about the practice of jhāna, the breath nimitta, digital hygiene on retreat, and more. To learn more about Shaila, visit: https://shailacatherine.com/ You may access more of her teachings at Insight Meditation South Bay ( https://www.imsb.org/) and Bodhi Courses ( https://bodhicourses.org/). Bio: Shaila Catherine is the founder of Insight Meditation South Bay, a meditation group in Silicon Valley, and also Bodhi Courses, an online Buddhist classroom. She has been practicing meditation since 1980, with more than nine years of accumulated silent retreat experience. She has taught since 1996 in the USA, and internationally. Shaila studied with several Asian masters in India, Thailand, and Nepal, including H. W. L. Poonja, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, and Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, in addition to the founders of several western meditation centers. She completed a one-year intensive meditation retreat with the focus on concentration and jhana, and authored The Jhānas: A Practical Guide to Deep Meditative States (previously published as Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity. Shaila practiced under the guidance of Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw from 2006-2014, and authored Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana to help make this traditional approach to meditative training accessible to western practitioners. Her third book, Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind, teaches skills to overcome restless thinking, rumination, and obstructive habitual patterns. Shaila’s teachings emphasize deep samadhi, jhāna, and the path of liberating insight. The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Apr 5

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo relates his experience being assaulted in downtown Seattle on March 30th, 2025. Suttas Referenced: - Dhammapada vv 3-5: https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_dprhtml/index.html?loc=k.1.0.0.0.0.0.m|ati://kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html - Dhammapada vv 197-200: https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_dprhtml/index.html?loc=k.1.0.0.14.0.0.m|ati://kn/dhp/dhp.15.budd.html - Puṇṇovāda Sutta (MN 145) https://suttacentral.net/mn145/en/sujato?lang=en - Four Types of People (AN 4.85) https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_dprhtml/index.html?loc=a.3.0.0.1.3.4.m|bt://an/an_e_4.htm#s85 Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome! To participate in the Saturday chanting, use the pdf found here: https://www.abhayagiri.org/media/books/abhayagiri_monastic_foundation_chanting_book_revision_2010.pdf

Apr 3

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Venerable Ayyā Mārajinā about her experience creating Saṅgha in Cuba. Learn more at https://www.theravadacuba.org or at the links below. Ayyā Mārajinā's biography: Ayyā Mārajinā Bhikkhunī received pabbajja (2010) and upasampadā (2012) at Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, California, with Venerable Tathālokā Maha Therī as pavattinī. She has practiced meditation for over 15 years, initially to manage bipolar disorder, now seeing the Dhamma as the highest blessing. Dedicated to practicing and teaching the Satipatthāna and Brahmavihāras, she shares the transformative power of the Dhamma in Spanish and English. A Cuban-American, Ayya works to establish the first Theravāda temple in Cuba and is involved in creating a bhikkhunī monastery in Mexico. She translates Loku Hamuduruwo Pemasiri Thera’s teachings into Spanish and leads a Sunday meditation and sutta study livestream. Her first book “Pa’ alante es pa’ lla” is currently being edited. Residing at Bhava Nirodha Nilaya in Florida, she also cares for her mother. Learn more about Theravāda Cuba: https://www.theravadacuba.org Join the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BQQnBjDOITn2jWbtQjJ4cb To give, write “For Cuba” here: https://www.dhammadharini.net/financial-donations Donation instructions + info: https://www.theravadacuba.org/support Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ayya.marajina.buddha.dhamma Answers and further assistance can be received at TheravadaCuba@gmail.com or bhikkhuni.marajina@gmail.com To learn more about the history of Buddhism in Cuba, watch: https://youtu.be/dKl07tXxl3g?si=I_IWF9wZ0-uP5yWD --- The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 30

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho describes the 5 khandhas, or "aggregates" onto which we posit a self: 1) form (rūpa) 2) feelings (vedanā) 3) perception (sañña) 4) mental formations (sankhara) and 5) consciousness (viññāna). He further describes how we can skillfully use each as a factor on the path rather than clinging to it as a locus of self. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 27

In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about body contemplation, monastics' apolitical stance, dispassion (virāga), benefits of the holy life, and more. The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 23

In this session, Ayyā Santacittā of the Āloka Earth Room visits and shares reflections on the hummus-ness of humans. Ayyā Santacitta's Biography: 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. Since 2002, she has also received teachings in the lineage of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. 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]( https://alokavihara.org/aloka-earth-room/), currently located in San Rafael, CA. To learn more about Ayyā Santacittā, visit: https://alokavihara.org/aloka-earth-room/ Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 20

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Jotipālo about the practice of loving-kindness, "Sauntering Into Silence", and a mention of Buddhist iconography. - Visit Ajahn Jotipālo's YouTube channel - "Sauntering Into Silence" here: https://www.youtube.com/@UC66r5NBcFDf4opY0PAPHdrw - Watch Ajahn Sujāto's Metta series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HREe6phLMpU&list=PLTcGMzIEhlsa0maPxIduPyYSNonn0_umT&ab_channel=SamitaASBL - Watch videos in Thai of Ajahn Mahā ChatChai here: https://www.youtube.com/@%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%89%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%95/videos The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 15

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo asks the question: What is your inner governing-principle (ādhipateyya)? Is it a "Dhamma-cracy" (based on a solid foundation of truth, morality, and wisdom) or a "Māra-tocracy" (based on the shaky foundation of craving)? Further, he asks which of the "four P's" (Pleasure [vs Pain]; Profit [vs Loss)]; Praise [vs Censure]; or Prestige [vs lowliness]) is your primary idol obsession (i.e. inner autocrat). Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 13

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview the Chinese-born, Thai Forest Maechee Paññāsirī about her life and practice. Maechee Paññāsirī's Biography: Sister Maechee Paññāsirī is a Chinese-born, Thai forest nun in the tradition of Ven. Ajahn Chah. Born in 1967 and grew up in Shanghai, China, Sister has worked many years as a writer/creative director, a teacher of yoga, pranayama and meditation, as well as travelling the world, with a deep spiritual pursuit which she was born with. Finally this lifelong inner quest tuned her into the path of Dhamma. In 2018 She became a student of Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro and started the training in various forest monasteries in Thailand as a eight precept Upāsikā. In 2020 she became a Maechee with Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro as her preceptor and was instructed to go on almsround and not to receive or use money. Sister Maechee Paññāsirī currently remains in a nuns’ hermitage near the Khao Yai mountain in Thailand. The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 8

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 6

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Dhammasīha, abbot of Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage in Brisbane, Australia. To learn more about Ajahn Dhammasīha and Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net/ Ajahn Dhammasiha's Biography: Born in West Germany in 1966, Ajahn Dhammasīha studied Business Administration in West Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall. After encountering the Dhamma during extensive travels in India, he ordained as a Theravada Buddhist monk in 1995 at Nissarana Vanaya, Meetirigala in Sri Lanka, with most Ven Pandita K. Jinavamsa as his preceptor. His approach to practice was guided by the Suttas of the Pāli Canon, which he studied extensively in their original Pali language, and by the examples of senior monks like Ven. Ñānavimala & Ven. Ñānadīpa. From 1998 on he trained in monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition in Australia. During this period, he was fortunate to receive teachings from some of the foremost living teachers of the Thai Forest Tradition, like Tan Ajahn Tui, Tan Ajahn Plien, and Tan Ajahn Anan on their visits to Australia. Since 2007 Ajahn Dhammasīha has served as the founding abbot of Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, providing Dhamma teachings and overseeing the physical development of the first Monastery in Brisbane associated with the tradition of Ajahn Chah. To learn more, visit https://www.dhammagiri.net/ The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Mar 2

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo examines the refrain from the Foundations of Mindfulness Sutta ( https://suttacentral.net/dn22/en/sujato?lang=en) in light of the slang-based meditation instructions: "Stop Frontin'!" That refrain is as follows: Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāsati? “And what, bhikkhus is Right Mindfulness? (1) Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, Ātāpī sampajāno satimā, Ardent, fully aware, and mindful, Vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ Having put away covetousness and grief for the world. (2) Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati One abides contemplating feelings as feelings, Ātāpī sampajāno satimā, Ardent, fully aware, and mindful, Vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ Having put away covetousness and grief for the world. (3) Citte cittānupassī viharati One abides contemplating mind as mind, Ātāpī sampajāno satimā, Ardent, fully aware, and mindful, Vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ Having put away covetousness and grief for the world. (4) Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati One abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects Ātāpī sampajāno satimā, Ardent, fully aware, and mindful, Vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ Having put away covetousness and grief for the world. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsati. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Mindfulness. - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 27

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview author, psychologist, and meditator Rick Hanson Ph.D. For more information about Rick Hanson, visit: https://rickhanson.com/ Rick Hanson Bio: Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 33 languages, and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone. He's the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well Podcast – which has been downloaded over 15 million times. His free newsletters have over 260,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those i need. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. He and his wife live in Northern California and have two adult children. He loves the wilderness and taking a break from emails. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 22

In this Community Stories session, we hear from Clear Mountain community members about their path to Dhamma and how it's impacted their life in this past year. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 20

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Luang Por Anan, abbot of Wat Marp Jan monastery in Thailand, about "the One Who Knows", practice at various stages of Awakening, artificial intelligence, body contemplation, and the nature of the Enlightened Mind. Bio Ajahn Anan Akiñcano was born in Saraburi, central Thailand, in 1954 and received ordination under the renowned monk, Venerable Ajahn Chah, in 1975. Residing at Ajahn Chah’s main monastery of Wat Nong Pah Pong for his first four years, Ajahn Anan had the opportunity to serve frequently as Ajahn Chah’s personal assistant, which provided him the opportunity to develop a close connection to his teacher. After this first intensive training period, the young Anan wandered the forests of Thailand for several years seeking out secluded places to meditate. In 1984, he was offered land in the Rayong province on which to start a monastery, which became known as Wat Marp Jan. Over thirty years later, Ajahn Anan’s reputation as an accomplished meditation teacher has grown, along with the number of monks coming to live under him. His instruction has attracted a large following of foreigners, with monks from Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka and elsewhere residing at Wat Marp Jan and its branches. To learn more, visit https://watmarpjan.org/en/ --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 15

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 13

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Kalyano, abbot of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery in Australia, about the practice of meditating all night, long sits, vegetarianism, spirits, training with a teacher, Abhidhamma study, and... tigers! Bio Ven. Ajahn Kalyano (Daniel Jones) was born in London in 1962. His interest in Buddhism awakened while still a student. After completing his university degree at Bristol University, he travelled to Thailand. In 1985 received ordination in the forest tradition of Ajahn Chah. He has trained for many years with Venerable Ajahn Anan, one of several disciples of Ven. Ajahn Chah who have become highly regarded as meditation masters in their own right. In 2000, Ven. Ajahn Kalyano was invited to establish the forest tradition in Australia. He is now the abbot of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery in East Warburton, Melbourne, Australia https://www.buddhabodhivana.org/ His biography can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19dwI6JBiwI9kEXSCU3s3Wgz4Kvd8lw5w/view --- Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 8

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the balancing reflections of the "Ten Subjects for Frequent Recollection" (Pabbajita Abhiṇha Sutta - AN 10.48 - https://suttacentral.net/an10.48/en/sujato?lang=en): “Bhikkhus, there are 10 dhammas which should be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth. What are these 10? (1) ‘I am no longer living according to worldly aims and values.’ … (2) ‘My very life is sustained through the gifts of others.’... (3) ‘I should strive to abandon my former habits.’... (4) ‘Does regret over my conduct arise in my mind?’... (5) ‘Could my spiritual companions fnd fault with my conduct?’... (6) ‘All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, will become separated from me.’... (7) ‘I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to my kamma, abide supported by my kamma; whatever kamma I shall do, for good or for ill, of that I will be the heir.’... (8) ‘The days and nights are relentlessly passing; how well am I spending my time?’ (9) ‘Do I delight in solitude or not?’... (10) ‘Has my practice borne fruit with freedom or insight so that at the end of my life I need not feel ashamed when questioned by my spiritual companions?’... Bhikkhus, these are the ten dhammas to be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.” Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 6

In this conversation, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho discuss their favorite suttas in the Majjhima Nikāya and suggest ways you can do the same! Useful Resources: Access to Insight: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/index.html Reading Faithfully Index: https://index.readingfaithfully.org/ Discuss & Discover on SuttaCentral: https://discourse.suttacentral.net/ Norbu AI: https://norbu-ai.org/ The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Feb 1

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about some of the more fraught issues in the Sangha today, including the different conceptions of bhikkhunis in the Theravāda Buddhist world, the place of affinity groups in Buddhist spaces, and how to hold change alongside harmony. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

Jan 30

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Jonas Mago, PhD candidate at McGill University, about his research dealing with the neuroscience of jhāna meditation. BIO Jonas Mago is a cognitive neuroscientist and wellbeing aficionado, deeply invested in understanding the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying human flourishing. His research explores contemplative practices designed to cultivate wholesome states of mind—spanning meditation, prayer, collective cultural rituals, and psychedelic therapies. I approach these topics from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating cognitive science, neurobiology, computational modeling, and phenomenology to investigate mechanisms of self-regulation and transformation. He is currently pursuing my doctoral studies in Neuroscience at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Michael Lifshitz, with co-supervision from Prof. Dr. Karl Friston. His academic journey includes a master’s degree in Mind, Language, and Embodied Cognition from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and undergraduate studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences at University College Maastricht (Netherlands). Research into the Neuroscience of Jhāna Meditation: Jhana meditation represents a unique and profound set of states achieved through deep concentration. My research focuses on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these states, working with expert Jhana practitioners in North America, Myanmar, Thailand, and India. Using fMRI, EEG, and computational modeling, I aim to develop a comprehensive neuro-computational model that elucidates how these states emerge, their underlying mechanisms, and their impact on other cognitive functions. Learn more at https://www.jonasmago.com/ A recent podcast with Jonas Mago may be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-jhana-meditation-facilitates-insight-and/id1680606350?i=1000681849225 The link to the 6:45-7:30 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/. Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events! - Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom) - Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person) - Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online) See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!