DHAMMA UJJALA Vipassana meditation centre in South Australia For the benefit of many DEVELOPMENT UPDATE JUNE 2017 Finally the aspirations and persistent efforts of a generation of old students are being realised and building work at Dhamma Ujjala in the lovely Clare Valley has begun! BUILDING WORKS Over the last year the trust and other old students have done an enormous amount of work and Dhamma Ujjala is rapidly taking shape. INFRASTRUCTURE Power has been connected with old students excavating approximately 500 metres of trenches and laying all the cable. The entrance road, fire roads and car parking areas have been done in addition to the levelling of stage 1 building sites and rainwater tank pads. Septic and water pipes have been laid, septic tanks to be installed soon. That will be most of the infrastructure for the entire centre completed. BUILDING Work has commenced on the lower section kitchen dining / server building with foundations excavated in preparation for the slab. Autoclaved aerated concrete blocks, double glazed windows, pipes for subfloor heating and other building materials have been purchased. Four 100,000 litre rainwater tanks will be installed. FIT OUT
Old students serving on the 60 day course at Dhamma Bhumi have made over 100 curtains and 78 cushion toppers for Dhamma Ujjala. Meditation shawls, blankets, pillows and beds are being sourced by old students from China. SAVMA already own a lot of kitchen equipment, however stoves and oven need purchasing as well as bathroom fixtures and fittings and dining tables and chairs. The excavators have been busy! Augering pier holes for slab
LANDCARE The landcare group have been active planting trees to protect and beautify Dhamma Ujjala. They have created a catchment area for tree watering, cleared fire breaks and fenced off the new boundary Screen planting and native flower beds along pathways have gone in using seedlings from seed and cuttings taken from Dhamma Ujjala. Dhamma Ujjala in winter STAGE ONE Stage one will comprise of the following 4 buildings.the buildings are designed to be comfortable and warm with individual sleeping areas for students The meditation hall with temporary AT accommodation at rear. One male accommodation building with internal bathrooms. One female accommodation building with internal bathrooms. The lower section of the kitchen dining building which includes a kitchen and male and female server accommodation with bathrooms. Once the first building is completed, and although facilities will be limited, it is planned that 3 day courses for old students will be held for the first time at Dhamma Ujjala later in the year..
Lower section kitchen dining which will house up to 16 servers whilst building work on the other 3 buildings progresses and for students on 3 day courses when complete.
Two student accommodation buildings. One male and one female which will have individual sleeping areas in each. Meditation hall with male and female interview / foreign language rooms at front and temporary AT rooms at rear.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Goenkaji spoke of "the thousand hands of dhamma " that helped spread this invaluable practice around the world. With many helping hands Dhamma Ujjala will grow into a bright light of Dhamma in South Australia. Helping in the construction of a new Vipassana Centre is a precious opportunity. Meditators can participate in a project that will help so many people now and in the future learn this wonderful technique. Dhamma service opportunities are many and varied. Comfortable accommodation is available for those who wish to stay for extended periods to help with building. A working bee is organised for 11th -12th June If you wish to help please email : info@ujjala.dhamma.org Or ring: For Construction : 0490 404 814 For Landcare: 0401 343 193 DANA( donations) It is only through the generosity of old students that Vipassana Meditation Centres around the world have been able to flourish and grow. Your help by giving dana or loans or pledges is greatly appreciated. The estimated cost of stage one is between $500,000 - $600,000
Please click here to go to donation page. http://www.ujjala.dhamma.org/donations.htm UPCOMING COURSES A teenagers course will be held at the Quaker Hall On Saturday June 24th. http://www.children.dhamma.org/en/teachers/anapana-children.shtml 10 day course is scheduled for October 25th- Nov 5th at Ankara this year. As always servers will be needed One day courses are held on the first Saturday of every month at the Quaker Hall Nth Adelaide One day course will be held at Dhamma Ujjala on Saturday 10th June followed by a working bee on Sunday 11 - Monday 12th June. Weekly Group sit are held from 5:00-6:00pm every Sunday at the Quaker Hall Nth Adelaide Please click on this link for course dates and to apply https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schujjala. If you wish to follow us on Facebook please use this link https://www.facebook.com/vipassanameditationdhammaujjala/