Visiting Teachers
Ayya Brahmavara
Ayya Brahmavara was in residence in Canmore for three months from April 20, 2022 until July 14, 2022.
Ayya trained at Amaravati in England with Ajahn Sumedho. She has been in the robes as a 10 precept nun for over 20 years. A few years ago she left the community in England and spent time at Ven. Ganha's monastery in Thailand. In the fall of 2021 she was ordained as a full Bhikkhuni with Ayya Tatāloka as her preceptor at Aranya Bodhi Awakening Hermitage in California.
Ayya hopes to return to CTBC for the Vassa in 2024 (mid July until mid Oct).
Ayya Medhanandi
Ayyā Medhānandī Bhikkhunī, is the abbess of Sati Sārāņīya Hermitage, in Perth, Ontario. She trained with Venerable Sayādaw U Pandita in Burma and then with Ajahn Sumedho in England.
Ayya Nimmala
Ayya Nimmala trained under Ayya Medhanandi at Sati Saraniya Hermitage.
Ayya Niyyanika
Ayya Niyyānikā is appreciative of monastic life as her container for practice. She received her initial training with the Dhammadharini community from 2014 through 2019 and is currently practicing with the Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery community in Placerville, CA.
Ajahn Pavaro
Ajahn Pavaro, is a Canadian born monk who used to be a University lecturer teaching comparative religion in Calgary, AB. His teacher was Ajahn Sona. He has been living with Ajahn Achalo at Anandagiri Forest Monastery in Thailand for the past five and a half years as the 'second monk' and has now returned to Canada and is residing at Tisarana in Perth, Ontario.
Ajahn Punnadhammo
Ajahn Punnadhammo has been studying and practicing Buddhism since 1979 and was ordained in Thailand in the forest tradition of Ajahn Chah (novice ordination Feb. 1991, higher ordination Feb. 1992). Between 1990 and 1995 he was based at Wat Pah Nanachat, Thailand.
Ayya Santacitta
Ayya Santacitta resides at Aloka Earth Room in San Rafael, California. She trained with Ajahn Buddhadasa in Thailand and Ajahn Sumedho in England.
Ajahn Santussika
Venerable Santussika Bhikkhuni is the Abbess of Karuna Buddhist Vihara in Mountain View, California. She trained with Ayya Tathaaloka in California, continued her training at Amaravati and Chithurst Monasteries in England and completed her training with Ayya Sudarshana as her preceptor in Sri Lanka.
Ajahn Sona
Ajahn Sona is the abbot of Sitavana, Birken Forest Monastery near Kamloops, BC. His ordaining teacher was Bhante Gunaratana (born in Sri Lanka) but then continued his training in Ajahn Chah's international monastery in Thailand.
Bhikkhu Thanissaro
Bhikkhu Thanissaro is the abbot of Metta Forest Monastery near San Diego, California. He is in the Dhammayut Thai Forest Tradition. His teacher was Ajahn Fuang Jotiko.
