Mutual Awakening: The Reciprocal Feedback Loop of Monastic-Lay Encouragement – Afternoon Retreat (In-Person & Online)

Sunday, July 13th, 2:30 – 5 pm at University Friends Meeting in the University District, 4001 9th Ave NE. Those unable to attend in-person are also welcome to tune in via Zoom.

Join us for an afternoon of meditation, Dhamma talks, and questions & answers with Ajahn Kovilo, Ajahn Nisabho, and Tuere Sala at University Friends Meeting, on Sunday afternoon, July 13th, from 2:30 to 5:00 PM. The event, co-hosted by Seattle Insight Meditation Society and Clear Mountain Monastery, represents a growing friendship and will be on the relevant theme of: “Mutual Awakening: The Reciprocal Feedback Loop of Monastic-Lay Encouragement”. Through meditation and reflection on the lives of exemplary lay disciples from the Buddha’s time—such as Citta the householder, Mahānāma, and Samāvatī—this retreat will illuminate the vital and enduring interdependence between monastic and lay communities, including rarely emphasized practices like the Upāsaka Form, Uposatha observance, and the Buddha’s instructions for selfless teaching rooted in respect for the Dhamma. Come learn about this ancient co-relationship and how it continues to inspire mutual growth and awakening today!

In the spirit of Dhamma, all teachings are offered completely free of charge, though those inspired may give in-person or online to SIMS or Friends of Clear Mountain. For directions and information on what to bring, please visit the event listing on the SIMS website. Those unable to attend in-person are welcome to tune in via Zoom. Welcome! 

Learn More (SIMS Event Listing)

Biographies
Ajahn Kovilo
Ajahn Kovilo is an Ohio-born monk who, having been introduced to meditation through the Goenka tradition, first entered the monastery in 2006. After receiving full ordination from Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro at Abhayagiri Monastery in California in 2010, he spent the next decade training at monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition in America and Thailand. In 2020, after a year practicing at a Pa Auk Sayadaw monastery, Ajahn Kovilo enrolled at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU) to study Pali and to better understand Mahāyāna practices. Having graduated from DRBU in 2024, Ajahn Kovilo has now joined the Clear Mountain community in person.

Ajahn Nisabho
After finishing college in 2012, Ajahn Nisabho left his native Washington to go forth as a Buddhist monk in Thailand. He received full ordination the following spring under Ajahn Anan, a senior disciple of renowned meditation master, Ajahn Chah, and spent the following years training in forest monasteries around the world with contemporary masters such as Ajahn Anan, Ajahn Pasanno, and Ajahn Jayasaro. Over these years, he came to believe the tradition represented a faithful embodiment of the original Buddhist path able to yield great fruit even amidst the complexities of modern life. In the summer of 2021, he returned to Seattle to plant the first seeds of Clear Mountain Monastery.

Tuere Sala
Tuere Sala has been a co-guiding teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society (SIMS) since 2015, where she has been active since 2001. In 2009, she became a Local Dharma Leader, supporting SIMS through prison correspondence, teaching at women’s shelters, and leading nonviolent communication (NVC) workshops. Tuere serves on the Guiding Teacher Council and Board of Directors at Spirit Rock and teaches regularly at Spirit Rock, Cloud Mountain, IMS, and urban sanghas nationwide. A retired prosecuting attorney, she has practiced Vipassana for over 30 years and is committed to making the Dharma accessible—especially for those facing trauma, stress, or difficulty with stillness. Her teachings emphasize clarity, practicality, and inclusion. Tuere has completed numerous trainings, including the Spirit Rock/IMS Community Dharma Leader Program and IMS’s 4-Year Teacher Training, and has sat many silent retreats while helping others establish a steady practice.