Light of the Dhamma
A Hybrid Retreat Hosted by the
Theravada Buddhist Community
with
Ayyā Medhānandī & Ayyā Anuruddhā
Friday through Saturday
May 23-24, 2025
Friends House (Quaker House)
60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
and on Zoom
With the Buddha’s teaching to guide us, we walk a courageous path. See how the world burns from cruel and chaotic forces.
At times we may feel that we are on sorrow mountain. But we persevere, protected and faithful. And with uncompromising nobility, we transform fear and despair into compassionate awareness and the heart’s peace.
Freedom from mental suffering is within reach. So let us walk in the footprints of the Buddha himself and carry forward the indestructible light of the Dhamma.
Ayyā Medhānandī is the guiding teacher and founder of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, the first Theravāda bhikkhuni monastery in Canada. She ordained as a samaneri mendicant nun in 1988 in Myanmar with Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita and in 2007, she fulfilled her long-held wish for bhikkhuni ordination in Taiwan. All the spiritual tests of her life have ignited an unrelenting faith in the Buddha’s path, for in the very depths of pain, a heart of resilience is known through forgiveness, patience and unshakeable compassion.
Ayyā Anuruddhā, originally from the UK, is a core member of the Sati Saraniya Bhikkhuni Sangha. Having served as a veterinarian and high school biology teacher, she came to the Dhamma seeking to restore the heart’s true radiance. She began her training in 2014 with Ayya Medhanandi and after three years, she received bhikkhuni ordination with Ayya Tathaloka as preceptor in California. She has been praised for her skill in guiding yogis with compassionate humour and lively medical and scientific insights.
Retreat Schedule
Friday, May 23rd
Day Session – Doors open at 9:00 am DST
9:30 am – 9:45 am – Opening Chants, Taking Three Refuges & Five Precepts
9:45 am – 10:30 am – Meditation
10:30 am – 11:15 am – Dhamma Reflections
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm – Dhamma Talk, Q&A
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm – Sitting Meditation, Closing
Evening Session – Doors open at 7:00 pm
7:15 pm – 8:00 pm – Evening Meditation
8:00 pm – 8:45 pm – Dhamma Talk
8:45 pm – 9:00 pm – Q & A
Saturday, May 24th
Saturday, May 24th – Doors open at 9:00 am
9:30 am – 9:45 am – Opening Chants, Guided Meditation
9:45 am – 10:30 am – Sitting Meditation
10:30 am – 11:15 am – Dhamma Reflections
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm – Dhamma Talk, Q&A
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm – Sitting Meditation
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm – Sharing of Merit, Blessing Chant, Closing
Location:
Friends House (Quaker House)
60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, On, M5R 1C7
Noble Silence: The retreat will be held in noble silence.
Meditation Supports: Please bring your own meditation cushion, mat, bench, etc. Chairs will be available. Note: The floor does not have carpeting.
TTC and Parking: Located near St. George Subway Station. GreenP parking options are in the area.
Venue Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Lunch Break: We will break for lunch between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Please bring your own lunch or purchase one from a take-out restaurant in the area.
Cost: By donation. Tax receipts are provided for all donations $20 and over. Various payment methods will be available at the door.
Registration: The session will be offered in-person and online. Because there is a limit on the number of people the room can accommodate, we are asking people to register ahead of time, and to remove their name from the registration if they cannot attend.
Attending In-Person
If you register and find that you are unable to attend, we kindly ask that you let us know. Please use the ‘Contact Us’ form located at the bottom of the Home Page. We appreciate it if you can notify us as soon as possible, so we can offer your space to someone else. Thank you!
In-Person Retreat Registration
Please let us know if you are going to the retreat
Attending Online
If you are unable to join in-person, we are happy to provide an online option using Zoom. To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:
If prompted, use this password: 014087
If you haven’t done so already, you may be prompted to install the Zoom application. When the application is finished installing, you will join an online room where our session takes place. You can then click on join with audio and camera.
Zoom telephone numbers for Canada, if connecting by phone:
(Meeting ID: 741 749 355, Password: 883290)
+1 204 272 7920
+1 438 809 7799
+1 587 328 1099
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
+1 778 907 2071