I definitely feel refreshed
after the couple of months in retreat with five constant companions! It’s
been a crazy two years all told. But things are looking good and we all look
forward to a fruitful year.
The
Grand Appeal. Many thanks for all your support. The
start-up costs have been covered and there’s enough to complete basic
changes. However, we’ve a long way to go. Please read the Treasurer’s
note below for further details.
Pete, our first
manager
since last April, left after the New Year’s Course, for health reasons.
Happily he is now on his way to full recovery. Pete spent the first three
months on heavy labour to set the place up and then also set up the food and
application systems for the centre. His experience at Gaia House as a manager
there was invaluable. Great gratitude.
Andrew Moran, our
new manager, says he comes with no past experience of managing anything, but
even so, he’s quickly picked up the cooking and computing skills needed
for the job. He’s also a great handyman. Hopefully, he will find
Satipanya a place where he can develop the spiritual life to the full.
Help with managing
Satipanya: We need local people to come and give us a hand, especially
with the garden. Indeed we could do with
someone staying for a week or so on work retreat.
We also need a relief manager to give Andrew a break in
October. Do get in touch if you are interested.
How are things going? Almost a year
on and we have hopefully got over the birth pangs. For instance, we finally
sorted out what Council Tax we should pay. We managed to a get a small grant to
insulate the roof space, double-glazed some windows and doors - just in time
for the cold weather!.
There’s still quite a bit to
do though. We will be getting an extra single room and the
‘trailer’ will be turned into a ‘book store’ in May.
There’ll also be a large decked area for walking meditation since the
lawn becomes water logged.
The paddocks will also be replanted
with fruit trees and flowering bushes. Over the next few years it should turn
into a flowering meadow, contemplative fields. We will also need to get benches
and gazeboes too. If you wish to donate
specifically towards one of these, do get in touch.
Stupa: we are having the base of concrete
laid in May/June and in time a stupa will manifest. All this depends on the
‘town planners’. I shall be putting in an application shortly.
As for the courses, there has been a small steady stream of meditators since the
Mahasi Course in summer and both Xmas and New Year Courses were full. Over the
winter four of us sat the whole period of 10 weeks and another came to join us
for a month. The Easter Mahasi Course is full and hopefully all the courses
will be better attended this coming year. Make this your year to visit
Satipanya! A spiritual watering hole.
Celebration: we shall be holding a small
first year celebration on Sunday, 29th June – chanting, talk
and a procession around the property and to the stupa. If local, bring veggy
food to share for
Essays: I’ve included an essay by Noirin who is resident teacher
at Satipanya during June and October.
May I wish you all the fruits and joys of Buddhadhamma.
Metta.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for all that you've
achieved in contributing to the retreat centre.
The initial costs were covered, not
just items to cover cooking, sleeping and meditating, but also to cover items
such as double glazing and insulation. We now also have funds to cover Bhante's
plans for the paddocks, the garden area, trailer and a further single room and
other not so costly adjustments.
However, further funds are required. Plans
to extend the property, such as sun rooms and indoor walking areas, are on hold
until the finances are ready to meet the costs - somewhere in the region of
£200,000 and there's still the £150,000 mortgage to service, hence the ever
continuing appeal for donations.
Like all Charities, the financial
backbone is the bank mandate. They seem to all ask for 50p a week .Indeed that
is a worthy gift! Do consider a standing order if you have not already placed
one. You can download the forms from the web or write to Satipanya. Many thanks.
But have you visited the centre to
see what you've helped achieve? Why not come along to one of the meditation courses
and/or the first year celebration in June? We'd love to see you there.
Nick Costaras
Treasurer on behalf of the Trustees
Tel.: +44 (0)20 8674 0194
Email