We moved into the new abbey on October 17. It is so lovely and quiet here. The sunshine pours in the big window in the morning; the stars are bright in the night sky. Many thanks to Paul, Nanc, Dianne, Richard, Tom, Alice, Tracy, and Dwight, who hauled, patched, unpacked and set up. Amazingly, the kitchen has been almost fully furnished with donations - it was completely empty, not even a cup in the cupboard. People's generosity and enthusiasm is touching indeed. We all had a great time working together at our first work party, and look forward to the next one in a few weeks. Our shrine - the heart of the Abbey - is up, and we did a blessing of the land in which we invoked all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and offered incense to them and to all other beings in the area. I am so happy to be here. May Sravasti Abbey be a beacon of pure Dharma teachings for eons to come. May everyone who comes here or who even thinks of the abbey have a peaceful mind and a joyous heart.
Here are some of Dianne Pratt's pictures from moving in day:
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