Aryaloka News

Our New Fridge and Lighting: The Fruits of 2023 Fundraising

Our end-of-year fundraising in 2023 was for a new fridge and new lighting. We're happy to report that the new fridge is in operation and that the new lighting has been installed! The fridge has really improved the kitchen functionality and user-friendliness.
Next time you visit Aryaloka, be sure to notice the new lighting in the yoga room. It is much easier on the eyes, and the track lighting offers a versatility for the display of art that we have not had before. On display now are works by Dustan Knight of Portsmouth. Her work will be up until late May and you can view it Tuesdays between 5-6:30pm or by appointment. 

As always, thank you to all who contribute to the support of Aryaloka!

The Heart of Compassion: A Residential Retreat with Viveka in NY

Led By: Viveka
Tuesday, June 18th evening to Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 at 12 p.m.

In Person at Sky Lake Retreat Center
22 Hillcrest Lane, Rosendale, NY 12472

Event Description:

On this retreat, we will practice and play with living with the pressures of our times and explore how to respond with mindfulness, metta (loving kindness), and compassion. 

The meditation emphasis is the Bodhichitta practice (also known as Tonglen or giving-and-receiving). We will use ritual and chanting to access collective care and compassion, rather than shouldering it all as a solo being.

Accommodations:

New Buddhist Recovery Course in Portsmouth

Addiction and Recovery: How Buddhism Can Help— The Journey from Me to We
Mondays April 15 to May 6, 7-8:30pm at gateway Taiji, 875 Islington St, Portsmouth NH

There are many paths to the source. If you are someone who has experienced addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs, and are seeking ways to support your recovery, Buddhism can offer a path to help maintain recovery from addiction. 

A Mass for Peace Choral Performance

Our own Betsy Cadbury invites you to:

The Choir of the Community Church presents "The Armed Man (A Mass for Peace)" by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins. This compelling call for peace premiered in 2000 with the optimistic hope of farewelling the war-torn 20th century. Jenkins takes as his point of departure the 15th century French folksong l'homme arme (The Armed Man), used in masses by many Renaissance composers, mixing it with traditional Catholic mass sections, a Muslim call to prayer, a text from the Mahabharata and musical settings of poetry by Kipling, Dryden, Malory, and Japanese poet Sankichi (reflecting on Hiroshima). Our offering--directed by Durham's own David Ervin--is musical prayer for a world shaped by compassion and hope, turning from violence toward a future worthy of our many children!

March 9th or 10th at 7pm. Community Church of Durham, Durham NH

Our Kitchen is Painted in Preparation for our New Fridge

The Aryaloka Parks and Rec Team came indoors last week to give the kitchen a fresh coat of paint! This is in preparation to receive the new fridge that we fundraised for at end-of-year. We should be receiving the new fridge within the next month or so. The new lighting for the yoga room is in process and we'll have some pics of that soon.

Thanks to our volunteers on the Kitchen Team who cleared the kitchen out and put it all back together! And thanks to Parks and Rec for painting!

A New Buddha Rupa at Aryaloka

We have a new Buddha rupa at Aryaloka! Thanks to Eddie Langlois for this generous gift! She is a multi-armed form of Kuan Yin, carved from wood. Traces of the original paint are still visible. She is very delicate (please do not touch). You’ll really notice her presence next time you enter the yoga room. 

How wonderful that she returns to a context of intensive Buddhist practice! We’ll be planning a big event in the near future to properly welcome her.

Volunteer Opportunities at Aryaloka: Help Others and Make Friends

It takes a community to run a place as big as Aryaloka! Aryaloka has always been a grassroots situation, funded and facilitated locally by the sangha (spiritual community). In the spirit of sangha, we practice generosity in relation to each other and the world around us. Generosity can be practiced in many ways, including the helping of our friends. Volunteering at Aryaloka can be a great way to build community and friendship with others. Volunteers learn that their participation really has an impact on the overall life of the community, and a visible difference to the quality of our beloved facility.

Memorial for Dh Vihanasari, Dec 16th at 3pm

Dear friends,

This is an invitation to come together as friends of Vihanasari who passed away on August 18th.  We will share our stories, our memories and rejoice in her many qualities. 

Please join us at Aryaloka on Saturday, December 16th at 3 pm. 

Vihanasari requested her family donate a bench that could be located in a peaceful place at Aryaloka.  In November they placed a beautiful teak bench at the stupa and scattered her ashes in the Memorial Garden along with ashes of Nikki, her dog and faithful companion. 

We plan to meet inside at 3 pm. If you would like to spend a few peaceful moments of remembrance at the stupa or Memorial Garden you can arrive a bit early or stay on after we conclude. 

If you will be attending in person please let me know by sending an email to me. 
(dayalocana@comcast.net)

Aryaloka Gift Certificates — Give the Gift of Personal Transformation!

What do you give someone who is looking for deeper meaning in their life? What do you give someone who is interested in learning how to meditate, or to practice mindfulness more fully? What do you give someone who intentionally has few possessions and would rather not acquire more? 

Give them a means of personal transformation! Give them opportunity for meditation practice, yoga, Dharma study, or the arts! Aryaloka has a full program of events that would make ideal gifts for practicing Buddhists, yogins or for those that are curious about Buddhism, meditation and yoga.

Standard gift certificate amounts are listed below, though any amount is possible!

Half-day workshop $60
Full-day workshop or retreat $95
Weekend retreat $320
Long-weekend retreat $360

If you’d like to give a specific event, you may look at our full program here.