Welcome to Triratna Ontario. At present there are no structured Triratna activities in Ontario, however it is my wish to establish the Triratna in this fine and diverse Province.
In non Covid-19 times I visit Toronto, Goderich and Guelph twice a year to keep in contact with his Buddhist friends and family. I visited Sudbury in June 15 for the first time.
My father who died in 2011, re-married in 1993 and moved from the UK to the Greater Toronto Area. It was through visiting him that a vision arose to espablish Triratna in Ontario. I managed to live in Guelph for a year from 2004 till 2005 having secured work there. Sadly the work only lasted 7 months and I was forced to return to Great Britain in 2005.
On my return I kept in touch with my friends who I had introduced Buddhism and meditation to over a nine month period and it is through them and my yearly visits that others have developed an interest in this form of Buddhism founded by Urgyen Sangharakshita in London, England in 1967.
On each return trip I give time for introducing people to Buddhism and Meditation as introduced at Centres of the Triratna Buddhist Community worldwide. This takes the forms of half day or day events and occasionally weekend retreats.
I have been fortunate and grateful to have had the support of other women and men Order Members on various occasions. This has come about by each of them wishing to contribute, and their personal circumstance allowing it to happen.
In the intervening time between visits I keep in touch via Facebook, e-mail, telephone and postcards! I really do value my friendships in Ontario and would like one day to devote all my time and energy into seeing this unique and special Buddhist movement being established in this part of Canada.
Our only Centre in Canada is in Vancouver, BC. http://vancouverbuddhistcentre.com
Each trip is funded by myself, individual small gifts and generous donations.
Harshaprabha
September 2021
Harshaprabha writes on 27 June 2015
On 10th June I returned back from a two week trip to Ontario, Canada where I went to lead eight Newcomers Events in two towns (Goderich & Sudbury) and a city (Guelph).
It was my best and most travelled trip ever. Kindness was a recurrent theme. This I experienced from the time I got on the plane to go there to the time I walked off the plane on my return.
I started two days after arriving by driving two hours to Goderich on Lake Huron to lead an Event on the first Friday night where 19 people attended and then the next day another one in a different location in the town where 8 attended. The next day I led two Events in Guelph which were attended by 5 and then 3 people. The following weekend I was driven five hours to Sudbury to lead two Events on the Saturday and Sunday. 8 came for the Saturday and 6 for the Sunday.
What was interesting in Sudbury was that the event was held at Finlandia Village, a lovely retirement village with a good variety of options for living and so well looked after. The woman I first spoke to in the small hall we hired was a member of the kitchen staff. I noticed her accent wasn’t Canadian or Finnish! She originated from Crystal Palace in London, UK and had moved to Canada to live with family in the town since her husband died four years ago!!
Those who attended each of the events were genuinely looking to make more of their spiritual lives and most wish to remain in contact.
In between Newcomers activities I met friends in all the places mentioned, some I have known since 2004. It was great to catch up with their lives and times and them mine.
I had one day in Toronto where I spent a good part of the day with Suprabha and her husband Govind from Nagpur. They were there for a month visiting their daughter Shruti who is a friend.
I had a much stronger impression that it would be good to return and live in Canada if opportunities allowed. I wonder what those opportunities might be!?