Meditation isn't about having a different experience, it’s about adding something to what's already happening—and that something is awareness. The four establishments of mindfulness show us how we can establish the right relationship with our experience so that we can learn from, and not get stuck in, whatever is happening. And whatever is happening will express the law of impermanence. That's the common denominator. To know this intellectually is a good beginning, but to really know it in the body is a much more intimate knowing, with a much greater capacity for liberation.
Ayya Santacitta
Residential Retreat Teacher, Monastic
Ayya Santacitta was born in Austria and did her graduate studies in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on dance, theatre and ritual. She also worked in avant-garde dance theatre as a performer and costume designer. In 1988 she met Ajahn Buddhadasa in southern Thailand, who sparked her interest in Buddhist monastic life. She trained as a nun in England and Asia from 1993 until 2009, primarily in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. Since 2002, she has also received teachings in the lineage of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Ayya Santacitta co-founded Aloka Vihara in 2009 and received Bhikkhuni Ordination in 2011. She is committed to Gaia as a living being and resides at Aloka Earth Room, currently located in San Rafael, CA.
Ayya Santacitta's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
May 30 - June 4, 2025 | Friday - Wednesday | 5 nights
Finding Freedom in Relationship with Ourselves, Others, and the World
Registration Open. Working with the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, we will explore how we create entanglements and therefore can free ourselves from these recurring patterns. Turning towards these tangles with kindness and understanding allows the metabolizing and releasing of old habits. In keeping with the 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastic tradition, this retreat will include daily periods of devotional chanting and an adherence to the Eight Precepts. This retreat also includes sitting and walking meditation, practice meetings with teachers, and Dharma talks.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Monday, November 25 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Ayya Santacitta
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Ayya Santacitta through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.