Ajahn Brahmali / Ayya Karunika 9-Day Retreat (Mar 2026)

About the Teachers

Ajahn Brahmāli first encountered Buddhism and meditation in his early twenties during a visit to Japan. After earning master’s degrees in engineering and finance, he travelled to Australia to train at Bodhinyana Monastery, where he took full ordination in 1996 with Ajahn Brahm as his preceptor. In 2025, he marks his 30th year as a Buddhist monk.

A sought-after teacher, Ajahn Brahmāli regularly leads retreats across Australia, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and Europe. He has authored numerous essays on key aspects of the Dhamma, including the legitimacy of bhikkhunī ordination, which he actively supports. In recognition of his contributions to Buddhist studies, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2023.
 

Bhikkhuni Ayya Kārunikā is currently the senior resident monastic at Santi Forest Monastery, NSW, Australia and the spiritual director for New Zealand Bhikkhuni Sangha Trust, Hamilton. She has been in monastic life for over 15 years and she received her full ordination as a bhikkhunī in 2014 at Dhammasara Nuns monastery in Western Australia where she lived and trained for over a decade with Ajahn Hāsapaññā. She has been a student of Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali for over 2 decades.
She has a passion to share her experience and knowledge and loves working with people and also doing creative projects. She is dedicated to supporting the growth of Bhikkhunis around the world and is currently involved in projects to support the establishment of places for Bhikkhunis in Theravada forest tradition in Australia, New Zealand, Poland and Sri Lanka.

About the Project

Empowering Buddhist Women – Daughters of the Dhamma

This project aims to provide equal opportunities for women in Sri Lanka to practice and serve on the Buddhist path. Led by Ajahn Brahmali, with the support of Ajahn Hasapanna, Ayya Karunikā, and Ayya Sela, the initiative focuses on:

• Education rooted in the Early Buddhist Texts and Early Vinaya
• Guidance in meditation practice
• Creating safe, secluded, and tranquil spaces for nuns and women to practice
• Offering a place for nuns and female practitioners from the West to stay, practice in a traditional Buddhist setting, and exchange experiences

Auction
Spots will be allocated through online auctions.

Auction 1 is currently closed!

Auction 2 is NOW OPEN and will close on 30 June 2025. Refer to the link below for the auction bid form:
https://forms.gle/7rU9eekWoB7nNduY8

All donations made through the successful bids will be non-refundable.
The bid amount will include the room bond which will be donated by Jhana Grove to this Project. 

If you do not want to participate in the auction but prefers to be put on waitlist in case of cancellations, you will be contacted when there is a cancellation and if you are next on the Waitlist. A non-refundable donation of $300 will be appreciated.

If you have a confirmed booking through the online auction, you may refer to https://bswa.org/getting-ready-retreat/ to start preparing for the retreat.