AMRITAVANI’S ANNALS:
- In 1968 I was not yet born into this world.
- In 1978 I was 3 years old and during this year my family moved from North Wales to Devon. My dad was in his early 20s and we moved as he found a new job in a shoe shop in Exeter.
- In 1988 I was 13 years old. I was living in Exmouth in Devon with my parents and my sister. I went to a Convent School called “The Convent of the Holy Family”. My mum was a bus driver at the time and my dad was running a small business as a Lorry driver and they both worked very hard so that my sister and I could attend a private school.
- In 1998 I was 23 years old and it was in this year that I discovered the Dharma at the Croydon Buddhist Centre. I attended drop ins and learned to meditate with Vijayasri and Succimani. That is where it started but for years I would come and go mainly thinking that becoming a Buddhist was probably for other people and not for me.
- In 2008 I was I was 33 years old. I became a mitra a year previously as well as getting married to Alex.
- In 2008 I had my first child, a little boy called George and he totally changed our lives. My interest in the Dharma became stronger and stronger from this point on.
- In 2018 I’m now 43 years old. I have two children who are 9 and 6 and I asked for ordination when my youngest child Phoebe was only 6 months old. I was ordained around 18 months ago. I live with my husband Alex and the children in Saffron Walden. I am settling still after ordination and always trying to work with the how to be in the world as a mother, wife and an Order Member.
Amritavani: Practising as a mother (part 1)
Interview recorded in 2018.
AMRITAVANI’S ANNALS:
- In 1968 I was not yet born into this world.
- In 1978 I was 3 years old and during this year my family moved from North Wales to Devon. My dad was in his early 20s and we moved as he found a new job in a shoe shop in Exeter.
- In 1988 I was 13 years old. I was living in Exmouth in Devon with my parents and my sister. I went to a Convent School called “The Convent of the Holy Family”. My mum was a bus driver at the time and my dad was running a small business as a Lorry driver and they both worked very hard so that my sister and I could attend a private school.
- In 1998 I was 23 years old and it was in this year that I discovered the Dharma at the Croydon Buddhist Centre. I attended drop ins and learned to meditate with Vijayasri and Succimani. That is where it started but for years I would come and go mainly thinking that becoming a Buddhist was probably for other people and not for me.
- In 2008 I was I was 33 years old. I became a mitra a year previously as well as getting married to Alex.
- In 2008 I had my first child, a little boy called George and he totally changed our lives. My interest in the Dharma became stronger and stronger from this point on.
- In 2018 I’m now 43 years old. I have two children who are 9 and 6 and I asked for ordination when my youngest child Phoebe was only 6 months old. I was ordained around 18 months ago. I live with my husband Alex and the children in Saffron Walden. I am settling still after ordination and always trying to work with the how to be in the world as a mother, wife and an Order Member.