Sister Sumedha
Sister Sumedha was born in 1973 in England. She spent much of her childhood living in the Western Isles, a small group of islands of the north west coast of Scotland, where the nature is raw and elemental. The beauty of this has been something of an inspiration to look into her own nature.
Having been interested in spirituality since very young, she first visited Amaravati at the age of 15. There she encountered the writings of Ajahn Chah. These had a strong impact. After studying Comparative Religion at Manchester University, she realised the need to live in community in order to deepen her practice. She returned to Amaravati in 1998 and has lived in the communities of Amaravati and Chithurst since. She ordained as a Siladhara in 2004.
The main theme that has interested her throughout her studies and monastic life is how, as human beings, we can live connecting the form of our lives with that which is formless.
Slowly attuning to non-self, she is interested in how we listen to and honour that as a reality in our lives, allowing it to transform us.
She is grateful for the opportunity to live this journey and interested in the many tools we can use—formal practice, community, spiritual friendship, art—these are among the skilful means she finds helpful. Listening to the spaciousness within is the core. Through this we have gifts to bring to each other, and the possibility of honouring our deeper nature if we are willing to open and transform our lives.
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