Amala has been studying and practicing meditation and Buddhism since the early 1970s. She has been practicing with the Triratna (formerly FWBO) Community since 1991 and was ordained in 2000. Amala is currently the Chair of the Spiritual Vitality Council and leads a variety of retreats and classes. Amala is a Sanskrit name meaning “Pure” or “Stainless.” The word is found in the Heart Sutra. As a name it refers to ethical purity and also to the stainless open dimension of emptiness. Amala lives near the coast in Maine. She has two young adult children, her favorite people on the planet!