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28 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

You’re the abbot of Anandagiri Forest Monastery in mature practice. It is not really a training monastery
Northern Thailand. Do you have regular teachings for new monks, or a centre for spreading Buddhism
or retreats that foreigners can participate in at to laypeople. I do teach retreats occasionally, but
your monastery? not usually at Anandagiri. I also lead practice-based
pilgrimages to India sometimes. And I offer a fortnightly
Anandagiri is a small and remote monastery set livestream with chanting, a guided meditation and a
within a forest in the mountains of Petchabun question and answer session, in order to support and
province, Northern Thailand. It was established with encourage people to increase and sustain their practice
a primary focus to support monastics in deepening in the very place where they live, which is where we
their meditation and insight, with the hope that some all need to do most of our practice. These sessions are
of these monks and 8 precept nuns may become also shared online so as to reach a larger number of
gifted meditators and experienced teachers in the Buddhist practitioners. EH
future, teaching from the depth of genuine insight and

Tibetan Wisdom for

Modern Living

By Dr Claire Villarreal

Claire Villarreal received her PhD Dawn Mountain and is currently a Liow has asked her regarding
from Rice University’s Department Houston Jung Center faculty fellow what she found most attractive
of Religion and has taught and member of the GenX Dharma about the Buddhdharma,
academic courses at Rice and UH Teachers sangha for Educators especially Tibetan Buddhism, the
Clear Lake and led meditation Program. She adapts traditional role of rituals, whether Tantra
sessions at Dawn Mountain Center Buddhist wisdom for online and is authentic Dharma, and the
for Tibetan Buddhism, the Jung in-person spiritual instruction. relevance of understanding
Center, Discovery Green, and karma and rebirth in the
various other settings in Texas. Claire has very kindly responded Buddha’s teachings for the
She was Programs Director at to various questions that Benny modern Western Buddhists.