Meditation Retreat with Ayyā Medhānandī and Ayyā Nimmalā

Ayyā Medhānandī & Ayyā Nimmalā will lead a 4 day online & residential retreat at the Galilee Retreat Centre, Arnprior, Ontario, Canada from Sunday, November 8th to Wednesday, November 11th sponsored by the Ottawa Buddhist Society.

Ayyā Medhānandī is the guiding teacher and founder of Sati Sārāṇīya Hermitage, the first Theravāda bhikkhunī monastery in Canada. She first sought higher ordination as a bhikkhuni in 1988 in Myanmar when it was not yet available for Theravada Buddhist women. Instead she received novice sāmaneri vows with Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita as preceptor. From 1990, she trained for 10 years with Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, UK and later at associate monasteries in New Zealand and Asia. At last, in October, 2007, after 19 years as a 10 precept nun, she fulfilled her long-held wish for higher ordination as a bhikkhuni in Taiwan. After returning to Canada, in 2009, she established Sati Sārāṇīya as a monastery for bhikkhunis in Perth, Ontario.

Ayyā Nimmalā began her training as a Theravāda Buddhist nun in 2008 with Ayyā Medhānandī as her teacher. She received bhikkhuṇī ordination in 2011 with Ayya Tathālokā and later co-edited the third and fourth editions of the Bhikkhunī Patimokkha with her. She spent 10 years in a small vihāra in Vancouver, British Columbia before returning to Sati Sārāṇīya in 2023.

Schedule:  The retreat will begin on Sunday, November 8th, at 11:00AM. It will conclude on Wednesday, November 11th, at 1:00 PM. (Please see the daily schedule below.

In accordance with the Eight Precepts, two vegetarian meals will be provided each day, at 7:00AM and 11:00AM.  There will also be a chocolate and cheese snack at 5:00PM.

Questions:  Please contact retreats@ottawabuddhistsociety.com

The in-person retreat is full but you can participate online free.

SIGN UP for the ON-LINE retreat

No registration needed for the online retreat.  The Zoom link will be posted in the November OBS Newsletter.

Meditation Retreat Schedule

Online Retreat Schedule:  Sunday Nov 8th, 1 pm until Wednesday, Nov11, 10 am (see daily schedule below as well as schedule for different time zones

Questions or concerns:  Please contact retreats@ottawabuddhistsociety.com

COST: free

Sunday November 8th, 2026

12:45- 1:00            On-line participants join on Zoom

1:00- 2:00             Noble Silence begins in the Meditation Hall. Welcome, 8 precepts; meditation instructions by the Ayyas

2:00- 5:00             Meditation – standing, walking and sitting

5:00- 6:00             Tea and cheese/chocolate, rest, individual informal practice

7:00- 8:30             Dhamma talk, meditation, chanting.

8:30                        Night’s rest

Monday November 9th and Saturday November 10th

5:45- 6:00             On-line participants join the Zoom retreat

6:00- 7:00             Morning meditation with the Ayyas

7:00- 8:30             Breakfast and informal practice

8:30- 9:30             Instruction and sitting meditation.

9:30-11:00             Alternate walking and sitting meditation.

11:00- 2:00PM      Lunch and informal practice

2:00-3:00              Instruction & meditation with the Ayyas

3:00-5:00              Alternate sitting and walking meditation

5:00- 7:00             Tea, cheese/chocolate snack, rest, individual informal practice

7:00- 9:00             Meditation, dhamma talk, Q&A, chanting with the Ayyas

9:00                        Night’s rest

Wednesday, November 11

5:45- 6:00             On-line participants join the Zoom retreat

6:00- 7:00             Morning meditation with the Ayyas

7:00- 8:30             Breakfast and informal practice. Check out for in-person participants; luggage to foyer or cars

8:30- 9:30             Instruction and sitting meditation.

9:30-10:00            Closing of online retreat

10:00-10:45           Closing of in-person retreat (thank yous, reflections, etc.)

10:45-11:00            Clean-up of Meditation Hall

11:00-12:00            Lunch (not silent) for in-person participants

12:00-1:00              Departure

QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONS:

There will be an opportunity to ask questions by submitting them using the CHAT function of ZOOM.  A paper copy of all questions will be given to the Ayyas for their consideration. He will then respond to them during the evening sessions. Please send your questions by 4PM each day (local time) so that they can be collected in time for this transcription to be completed.  NOTE: All questions are given to the Ayyas. Your question will be submitted; similar questions may be combined depending on the time available.

INTEGRATION OF THE ON-LINE AND RESIDENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE RETREAT

Some helpful info if you are joining the retreat from home:

A HYBRID RETREAT:

The Residential retreatants will be with us throughout the retreat – in the Meditation Hall, outside walking, or eating in the cafeteria. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to see them, nor will they see us. The camera will only focus on the Ayyas. When they are not present, the shrine alone will be visible. The retreat is in noble silence so we will hear each other only occasionally, eg. during the retreat’s opening and closing.

EIGHT PRECEPTS & MEALS: If circumstances allow, please try to follow the Eight Precepts, including the precept of not eating at inappropriate times. This might mean eating only  2 meals – before noon and a light nutrition snack at 5PM, (your time). If this routine is not feasible in your situation, please choose your own schedule and really train with it.

CHANTING: Here is the link for the PDF format of Chanting Volume 1: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-1-Web.pdf

The specific chants will also be shared on-screen as they occur throughout the schedule.

NOBLE SILENCE: The in-person retreat is held in Noble Silence; to the extent possible within your individual environment, you may wish to create a quiet space to take part in the retreat.

 WHAT TO WEAR: Although you are participating from your home, please dress appropriately for being in the company of a monastic.  

HOW TO PREPARE: CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AT HOME

The following are recommendations from retreatants of previous OBS on-line retreats. Most of these are suggestions for simplifying your lives during the retreat to reduce distractions and make it easier to devote time to your practice. It is hoped that adopting some of these options may enhance your experience in following the retreat at home:

— Consider your practice space: Setting up a clean, uncluttered space, perhaps with a candle (etc), to help you settle and focus.

— Communicate with those who live with you so that they can support Noble Silence for you as much as possible during the retreat time. Perhaps share the retreat schedule so they will know the timing of sittings and talks.

— Plan ahead for simple nutritious breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Prepare whatever you can in advance.

— Reduce interruptions by turning off /putting away your phone, etc. Please try as much you can to relinquish newspapers, radio and television

On-Line Retreat Agenda for those in Pacific, Mountain and Central Standard Time Zones

Ottawa Buddhist Society Residential and On-Line Retreat

with Ayyā Medhānandī and Ayyā Nimmala

Sunday, November 8th to wednesday, November 11th, 2026

On-Line Retreat Agenda for those in British Standard,  Central European, Sri Lankan/Indian

Standard, Indochina, standard (Asia) and Central Standard Time Zones