Dear Friends of Chithurst Monastery, warm greetings, We wish to let you know about a few things planned here over the New Year and into January. On Tuesday, 31 December, we will have a meditation vigil to see out the old year and bring in the New Year. The evening programme will commence at 7.30 pm and include chanting and silent meditation. At this time, whether or not a Dhamma talk is offered is uncertain. Weather permitting, just before midnight, we will circumambulate the Ajahn Chah Memorial Stupa before closing the evening. On Wednesday, 1 January, Cittaviveka plans to once again offer the lay community the opportunity to participate in a Precept Renewal Ceremony, formally requesting the Three Refuges and Five Precepts commencing at 3:00 pm in the Dhamma Hall and led by senior monastics. People planning to participate may wish to bring a small bundle of candles (one or two), incense and flowers. A teatime Q&A with a senior monastic follows at 5.00 pm in the main house. Thursday, 16 January, marks Ajahn Chah's 33rd death anniversary. On that evening, like New Year's Eve, we will have a meditation vigil commencing at 7.30 pm. The programme will include chanting, silent meditation and a Dhamma talk. Weather permitting, we will circumambulate the Ajahn Chah Memorial Stupa. The evening will conclude at midnight. Perhaps we'll see you here! With all good wishes, The Cittaviveka Community

The Retreat The monastic community at Chithurst Buddhist Monastery is observing a three-month period of silent retreat from 5 January through 31 March. This is a much-appreciated opportunity to set aside most of our regular duties and focus more on meditation and reflection on the Buddha’s teachings. Daily Meal-offering and Support The daily meal-offering is at 10:30 am, and everyone is welcome to join us for it. People wishing to make offerings of prepared foods to be consumed on that day should aim to arrive by 10.00 am, which gives ample time for your offerings to be arranged in the kitchen. Within the monastery, the retreat is being supported by a team of people from the broader community who have come to live and develop their Dhamma practice in more active and practical roles. Day Visits and Accommodations During the retreat, day visitors are very welcome to come and participate in all of the meditation sessions and talks in the Dhamma Hall, or simply come and experience the quietude of the monastery in the same way as when we’re not in retreat. Please note that there is no provision of overnight accommodation for guests during the retreat. Teachings The weekly guided meditation will take place every Sunday evening at 7:30 pm in the Dhamma Hall. This will also be shared via live stream on the monastery's YouTube channel. A Dhamma talk will be offered during our regular Saturday evening programme, which commences at 7:30 pm. Links for our live streams are accessible at www.cittaviveka.org/upcoming-livestreams Engagement Because the monastic community is observing Noble Silence, please don’t expect the normal level of engagement that you might be accustomed to. We appreciate your support and hope that you benefit from your time here. With gratitude and well wishes, The Cittaviveka community

A Dhamma talk will be offered every Saturday evening, beginning with chanting and silent meditation at 7.30 pm. Guided meditations occur each week on Sunday evenings at 7.30 pm, also live streamed via the monastery YouTube channel. On most Full and New Moons, the Cittaviveka community will hold a meditation vigil at 7.30 pm, continuing until midnight. The evening programme will include chanting, silent meditation and some form of a Dhamma teaching, either a reading or a recorded talk. Please feel free to join us for as much of the evening as you wish. You can download a calendar showing the lunar days using this link.

The next Lay Forum will take place at the monastery on Sunday 6 April, from 2.00-4.30 pm in the Shrine Room of the main house. Topic – Dana: The Practice of Giving Date and time – Sunday 6 April from 2:00-4:30 pm Place – the ground floor of the main house The Lay Forum consists of a short, ten-minute meditation, followed by a talk by a layperson and then by a monk or nun. Each of these two talks will last approximately fifteen minutes. After this, there is some informal discussion in small groups of around five people for forty-five minutes, followed by a larger group sharing for thirty minutes. We usually chant one of the reflections at the end, finishing with a cup of tea and chocolate until 4.30 pm. The Lay Forum is open to all, emphasizing valuing your extensive life experience and aspirations regardless of your familiarity with Buddhism, though committed practitioners are especially welcome. Some people may wish to stay on to meet with a monk or nun for the weekly teatime Q&A at 5.00 pm in one of the ground floor rooms of the Main House. The weekly guided meditation follows at 7.30 pm in the Dhamma Hall. As always, people are welcome to come earlier in the day and participate in the midday meal offering, which is at 11.30 am (beginning at the end of March). If you wish to receive the monastery newsletter and regular updates about Cittaviveka, please visit this website's Subscription Registration page.

Use of the Dhamma Hall Visitors are now welcome to visit the monastery from early morning until the end of the group practice session that evening, i.e. evening pujas, guided meditations, Dhamma talks and midnight vigils. ​ We ask people to refrain from visiting the monastery if they are feeling unwell with symptoms of respiratory illnesses. Dhamma Teachings Commencing on 31 August, a Dhamma talk will be offered every Saturday evening, beginning with chanting and silent meditation at 7.30 pm. Guided meditations occur each week on Sunday evenings at 7.30 pm, also live streamed via the monastery YouTube channel. On most Full and New Moons, the Cittaviveka community will hold a meditation vigil at 7.30 pm, continuing until midnight. The evening programme will include chanting, silent meditation and some form of a Dhamma teaching, either a reading or a recorded talk. Please feel free to join us for as much of the evening as you wish. You can download a calendar showing the lunar days using this link. Sharing the Midday Meal Offering Now that it is winter, the midday meal offering is at 10.30 am. Making Food Offerings The arrangements for people wishing to offer prepared dishes for the meal will remain the same, taking dishes directly to the kitchen. Other requisites can also be offered at the house or in the Dhamma Hall. Monastery Routine Please visit our website to view the monastery's daily routine. As always, please regularly check our website for changes or updates. Also, please consider signing up for our e-newsletter and announcements. You can do this by visiting the Subscribe to Newsletter page on our website. Closing Time For those of you who plan to park a car within the monastery grounds, please note that the driveway generally closes at 9:00 pm when metal bollards block entry and exit. On nights when Dhamma talks and late-night vigils take place, closing time is fifteen minutes after the end of the gathering.

The weekly Sunday teatime Q&A with a senior monk or nun will take place on the ground floor of the main house starting at 5.00 pm. Everyone is welcome to stay afterwards and join in with the weekly guided meditation at 7.30 pm in the Dhamma Hall. The tea time Q&A does not happen during the months of January, February, and March (the annual Winter Retreat).

A PDF of the 2024 calendar is available for download from the forestsangha.org website. To obtain a printed copy we suggest you visit your nearest monastery and see if they still have any to distribute.

On Saturday 6 August 2022, George Sharp passed away peacefully at his home in north London, aged 89. From 1972 to 1995 he served as Chairman of The English Sangha Trust, and since then has remained a close friend and supporter of our sangha. In late 1976 he initiated the invitation to Ajahn Chah to come to England and establish the first monastery in the West in the tradition of the Forest Sangha. George was formerly an art director, as well as being an award winning artist, painter and illustrator. His work includes illustrations for James Clavell’s Thrump-O-Moto and M.M. Kaye’s Kipling. Here follows a brief account of George and his initial efforts to establish a Forest Sangha monastery in Britain, as recounted by Luang Por Sumedho: I was very impressed by George’s understanding of what was needed, that we weren’t going to be put in an impossible position of just becoming meditation teachers or writing newsletters. His whole emphasis was guided by the wisdom of Ajahn Maha Boowa and Ajahn Paññavaddho regarding the establishment of a forest monastery where the development of a bhikkhu could be made possible within the European setting. That impressed me so much that I encouraged George to come and visit Thailand and to meet Luang Por Chah, because I thought that he should at least come and see what our life is like. Living in a city townhouse is different from living in the Thai Forest tradition. But if George came to Wat Pah Pong in Ubon, then he would see for himself: ‘Is this what you really want?’