The Buddha had experienced the greatest pleasures in worldly life: beautiful, comfortable, delightful experiences through the five senses. And he had experienced the most profound, refined pleasures through the mind in meditation practice. He said that when he found a path between these two extremes it was like walking through a dense forest and finding an ancient path that had been forgotten. Following that path led to an overgrown city, where there had once been gardens, pools, and mansions—places of peace and joy now lost and forgotten. The Noble Eightfold Path is this forgotten path that leads to that place of freedom, awakening, peace, joy, and contentment.
Ayya Anandabodhi
Residential Retreat Teacher, Monastic
Ayya Ānandabodhī was born and raised in Wales, UK. Ayya first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens while reading about the Four Noble Truths. This was life changing and from that moment she experienced a deep confidence in the Buddha’s insight and had a wish to understand his teachings more deeply. At the age of 24, Ayya began monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England under the guidance of Ajahn Sumedho. Years later she moved to the USA with a wish to create more opportunities for women monastics. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhunī Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravāda Bhikkhunī Order. Ayya Ānandabodhī loves to share the Dhamma. Her practice is guided by early Buddhist scriptures, care for community, an interest in releasing trauma, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma.
Ayya Anandabodhi's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
June 19 - June 23, 2027 | Saturday - Wednesday | 4 nights
Compassion and Equanimity: Balancing the Heart and Mind - A Monastic Retreat
Registration Open. Throughout this retreat, we will explore how to access, develop, and sustain these qualities of compassion and equanimity that support the process of liberation and lead to greater wisdom and kindness in our lives and in the world.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Ayya Anandabodhi through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.