Sunday, December 23, 2007

First Guests at the Hermitage




On December 3rd I traveled to Spokane,Wa. to pick up our first guests. These were two Theravada Buddhist Monks from “Wat Metta Forest Monastery” near San Diego,Ca. They stayed with us for 10 days and Brian was able to fly in for a few days as well.
The Monks were Tan Peter, a monk of 6 rains and Tan Chris who has just completed his first rains retreat. They both felt that we had chosen a beautiful spot and one which carried good feelings with it as well. The kuti (cabin) was not completed but was in good enough order to keep a monk warm and dry. I built a small temporary structure inside the shop for the second monk to stay in. Brian and I are very pleased to have had our first visitors and look forward to many more. We hope to have two more monks in January and then a visit from Ajaan Thanissaro Bhikku, the Abbott of Wat Metta, is expected this summer. He is a well known translator, author and teacher of Buddhist literature and meditation in the lineage of Ajaan Mun, Ajaan Lee, Ajaan Fuang and Ajaan Suwat.

Brian and I are gratified and honored to be able to support these monks and their “Forest” tradition.