“Of whatsoever doctrine thou shall be conscious, Gotami, that these things conduce to passion and not to peace, to pride and not to veneration, to wishing
for much and not to wishing for little, to love of society and not to seclusion, to sloth and not to the exercise of zeal, to being hard to satisfy and not to contentment, verily mayest thou then, Gotami, bear in mind: that is not Dhamma, that is not Vinaya, that is not the teaching of the Master.


But of whatsoever doctrine thou shall be conscious, Gotami,
that these things conduce to peace and not to passion, to veneration and not to pride, to wishing for little and not to wishing for much, to seclusion and not to love of society, to the exercise of zeal and not to sloth, to contentment and not to querulousness,
verily mayest thou then bear in mind: that is Dhamma,
and that is Vinaya, and that is the teaching of the Master.

The Buddha and His Teachings. Ven. Nārada Mahāthera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alliance for Bhikkhunis Board Members

Susan Pembroke, Founder and President

Susan works as a psychotherapist and is also the founder and guiding teacher of Insight Meditation of Ventura. She began meditating in 1986 and has studied with a number of teachers within the Buddhist Theravada tradition. Susan was drawn to the jhanas (states of concentration) and studied these meditative absorptions with Ayya Khema. The AfB was formed to support monastic Theravadan women. One of Ayya Khema's enduring concerns was the revival and support of the bhikkuni sangha. This organization is a continuation of her efforts; heading the AfB is Susan's way of showing gratitude to Ayya Khema and honoring her memory. Susan received a 2009 Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award in for her work in supporting bhikkhunis.

Jacqueline Kramer, Vice-President

Jaqueline is the author of "Buddha Mom, the Path of Mothering". She is also director of the Hearth Foundation. Through the Hearth Foundation she teaches lay Buddhist practice classes to mothers all around the world. She has been studying and practicing Theravadan Buddhism for 30 years, was a Religious Science Practitioner, and is a student of the world’s wisdom traditions. In 2007, Jacqueline received an Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award for her work in teaching Buddhism to mothers. Her root teacher was Anagarika Dhamma Dinna who taught in the Sri Lankan tradition. She also studied with Ven. Ananda Maitreya, Achan Sobin Namto, Ven. Punnaji Mahathera and Ayya Khema. Jacqueline has a deep interest in supporting Buddhism as it comes to the West, in both lay and monastic forms. She also feels called to support her Thai sisters to pursue their spiritual calling.

Brenda Batke-Hirschmann, Communications Officer

Brenda began practising meditation in 1982. She has studied with many monasatic and lay teachers in the Buddhist Theravadin and Tibetan traditions throughout the USA, Asia, and Europe. She is currently participating in Spirit Rock's Dedicated Practitioner Program III, while completing doctoral research at the University of Adelaide. She has engaged in long retreats in both the East and West, is deeply committed to the development of the four-fold sangha, and has a special interest in being with the dying (working towards becoming a board-certified Buddhist chaplain). Brenda lives in Vancouver, BC and is affiliated with the BC Insight Meditation Society and the Interspiritual Centre Society of Vancouver.

Marsha Morrow, Secretary

Randy Graves, Treasurer

Donna McCarthy, Board Member

Peggy McInerny, Board Member

Peggy began meditating in 2001, when she began sitting with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC led by Tara Brach. She has done retreats with IMCW, Spirit Rock, the Insight Meditation Community of Redwood City, Insight Meditation of Ventura, and the Open Door Sangha of Santa Barbara. Peggy has a BA in liberal arts from New York University and an MA in international politics and economics from Johns Hopkins University. She works as a holisitic healing practitioner in Santa Barbara, specializing in energetic modalities (shiatsu, Reiki, cranial sacral), and does healing work with the dying and bereaved as an active hospice volunteer. In addition, Peggy works as a freelance writer/editor for various multilateral development organizations and non-governmental organizations that do international development work.

Ayya Tathaaloka, Advisory Council

Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni, Theri served for four years as Abbess of Dhammadharini Vihara and currently serves as Abbess and residential teacher of Bodhi House, a women's Buddhist Vihara (monastic residence) in San Francisco's East Bay. With the thought to return to mountain forest monastic life, her latest project is the development of Aranya Bodhi (Awakening Forest), a women's monastic hermitage on more than 100 acres of mountain forest land on the Sonoma Coast in Northern California. For Ayya Tathaaloka's full bio, please click here.

Lucinda Green PhD, Advisory Council

Lucinda Green has been a student of Buddhist meditation since 1968. In 1979, Lucinda met her root teacher Ruth Dennison, and since then has studied with many Eastern and Western teachers including Ayya Khema. As part of her PhD program, she studied topics such as the Adhidhamma, Buddhism and Western psychology, and Tibetan yoga at the Nyingma (Tibetan Buddhist) Institute in Berkeley. Lucinda currently lives and practices in Colorado Springs, and is the founder and guiding teacher of Rocky Mountain Insight.

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