Giving back to the Sagaing Hills

The Sagaing Hills are located in central Myanmar and are home to a rich Buddhist history. The area is known for its many monasteries and temples, and has been a popular place for meditation and contemplation for centuries.

The hills are dotted with over 600 monasteries, making it one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the region. Many of the monasteries are perched atop steep cliffs, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

The Sagaing Hills have been a center of vipassana meditation for centuries, and are still home to many resident monks and nuns. The hills are also a popular destination for lay practitioners, who come to meditate and study in the peaceful atmosphere.

There are a number of reasons why the Sagaing Hills are such a special place for foreign meditators. Firstly, the setting is incredibly peaceful and serene, making it ideal for introspection and reflection. Secondly, the Hills are home to a rich history of meditative traditions, making them an ideal place to deepen one's understanding of the teachings. Finally, the Hills offer a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded people who are similarly on the path.

Yet when the military seized power in Myanmar in February, like the rest of the country, many people in the Sagaing Hills region were left struggling. Indeed, people all over the world were shocked! The military has taken over the country once again, after a brief period of democracy.

Buddhist monks rely on donations from tourists and pilgrims to support themselves and their monasteries. But with the coup, tourism has come to a halt and pilgrimages are no longer safe. Many monks have been forced to leave their monasteries entirely.

In response, a group of Western meditators decided to give raise some funds in their community sangha, and earmark it to the monks and nuns of the Sagaing Hills. We allocated this to our local volunteers, who carried out the work of getting the money to the monastics.

The monks and nuns were very grateful beyond words for the donations. They said that it was a great help in these difficult times. Not only the monastics but also the volunteers were very happy and joyous! The volunteers said that they were happy to be able to help the monks in their time of need.