Clear Mountain–Forterra Afternoon Outing: A Forest Meeting (In-Person)

Join Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho for an afternoon of meditation and teachings as part of a collaboration with Forterra Land Trust, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm on Saturday, September 21st, at Hazel Wolf Wetlands in Sammamish, WA (24733 248th Ave SE
Sammamish, WA 98075) after Clear Mountain’s usual Saturday gathering.

The Buddha was born under a tree, attained Enlightenment under a tree, lived and practiced under trees, and passed away under a tree. From those earliest days through the entire course of Buddhist history in every country Buddhism entered, the native forests and wilderness preserves played a vital part in nurturing the spiritual lives of sincere and ardent practitioners intent on understanding the truth of “the way things are.” Join us in this lineage of “forest practice” as Clear Mountain Monastery teams up with Forterra Land Trust to meet together and practice outdoors!

One of the highest-quality wetlands in the Greater Seattle Area, Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve is a wonderland of ponds, marshes and forests stewarded and protected by Forterra Trust. Let’s see what we can learn from sitting together there! 

In addition to being a good excuse to gather and practice as a group, this afternoon meditation session is being held as part of Forterra’s Summer Saturday Nature Discovery Program – opportunities to learn what is special about the various landscapes that are under Forterra’s care and the story of how they became protected for everyone to enjoy.

Schedule
1:30 pm: Gather at Hazel Wolf Wetlands
1:30 – 1:40 pm: Introduction to Hazel Wolf Wetlands by Forterra
1:40 – 2:00 pm: Sitting Meditation
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Dhamma Talk
2:30 – 3:00 pm: Walking Meditation through Hazel Wolf
3:00 – 3:15 pm: Sitting Meditation
3:15 – 3:30 pm: Q&A and Closing

What to Bring
– A meditation cushion if you have one
– Your intention to practice in community!

Donations
All teachings are offered completely free of charge. However, those who feel inspired to help support Forterra Land Trust may do so on their website. Additionally, those who wish to contribute towards Clear Mountain may do so by visiting the Friends of Clear Mountain website. Such contributions help support future offerings and the growth of Dhamma. 

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.

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