The summary for DNBF in 2022 is simple: a very good development in all areas – events, education, the board, followers, supporters, members, technology and finances. We have carried out a membership survey, and have chosen to work towards becoming a national society with Norwegian values − and have changed our name to Den Norske Buddhistforening (The Buddhist Society of Norway), with the domain name dnbf.org

We have also chosen to connect with British-Australian senior monk Ajahn Brahm as a spiritual advisor, and we are also working on finding a female spiritual advisor.

Technology has been an important factor this year, we have simplified many processes with new IT tools.

Here are some statistics for 2022 (with 2021 figures in brackets):

• We have arranged:
  • 7 days retreat on Skogsholmen
  • Weekend courses in Sandvika
  • Weekend retreat at Hjartland
  • Weekend retreat with Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Ajito
  • 30 days mountain retreat in Jotunheimen
  • Weekend retreat with Jaran DeLos Santos Olsen
  • Weekend retreat with Ajahn Brahm, as well as Ayya Canda and Ajahn Ajito
  • Planned New Year’s retreat in Trondheim in January 2023
  • Planned a large 7-day retreat at Venabu Fjellhotell in April 2023
  • Helped creating the organization “Together in silence” and a mindfulness organization in Trondheim.
  • Given the keynote address at two Vesak celebrations in Oslo – one for the Buddhist Federation and one for the UN.
  • Ladies Night in Oslo, with bhikkhuni Ayya Canda
  • Lecture at Litteraturhuset “It’s Not Your Fault” with Ajahn Brahm and Ayya Canda
  • Gentlemen’s Night, with bhikkhu Ajahn Brahm
• 32,000 hits on our website (10,000)
• 12,000 messages on e-mail and chat (5,000)
• 800 people follow us on Facebook (200)
• 400 people have been involved in one or more of our activities (50)
• 215 people receive our newsletter (40)
• the soceity has 50 members – all culturally Norwegian (10).
• Ajahn Nitho has conducted a private three-month retreat in the mountains, and has conducted weekly Thai language courses throughout the year.

In the constitution, the aim is: To promote the Buddhist teachings in theory and practice, with a special focus on ethics, meditation and wisdom – and to establish a city center and a combined retreat centre/hermitage. For the year 2023, we have the following thoughts:

• We want to establish a larger and stronger committee, so that the work can be distributed among several people, and the committee members can work with what is motivating and that they can master.
• More retreats will be organized in 2023, and our first really big retreat will be in April at Venabu Fjellhotell, where we will be around 40 people for 7 days, with two instructors. Ajahn Brahm will return to Norway, so will Norwegian Ajahn Brahmali, and we will seek cooperation with other instructors. A midnight sun retreat in the Tromsø area is on the way…
• Ajahn Nitho wants to be able to prioritize his efforts differently – more focus on producing teaching and inspiration that can be communicated via the internet and social media. Initially, the idea is to create a series of classes and perhaps start a podcast inspired by The Treasure Mountain Podcast.
• In 2022, the society chose to move away from weekly events, and instead focus on weekend retreats and courses – and it was a good choice. But then we lost the social aspect, and the desire now is to create a monthly event where the focus is social, friendship and inspiration. We have courses/teaching that focus on theory, and retreats that focus on silence – we also need something social, with friendship and belonging.
• We have received several inquiries from people who want to start local group in other regions of Norway, and this is something the society will support. We will most likely see DNBF’s first local group established in 2023.
• Buying property is something for the future, and the hardest part is finding a suitable place. This process will continue, alongside with the creation of a foundation.
• In order for the society to receive state support (approx. NOK 1,400 per member per year), the society must be registered as a religious community. We can choose to establish our own religious community or become part of the Buddhist Federation. To ensure that we receive the state financial support for 2023, this registration must be done before the turn of the year 2023/24.
• Within IT, we now have almost everything we need, but we are looking to get payment by Visa/Mastercard, and it remains to get the support system up and running.
• Ajahn Nitho needs a separate place to live, in order to ensure a good framework for his own development and teaching, he wants to build himself a mini-house on wheels, which can initially stand at Wat Thai Norway, and which is later placed on a concrete slab and becomes a permanent cabin on a future property. Ajahn Nitho is now working with applications and approval from the municipality. This will also be the society’s first somewhat large fundraiser project.
• Organize a pilgrimage to India in 2023/24, in collaboration with other organisations. BSWA in Australia regularly organizes such trips, and perhaps DNBF can join in.

Wow – what a year!

When I try to describe a bit of everything that has happened with and in DNBF in 2022, the word wow is the best word I can think of. The feeling left after last year is simply: Wow!

We have have gotten a start that is better than we hoped for. Experiencing fully booked retreats with waiting lists, a strong increase in members and solid support from living meditation masters towards our goals − is very inspiring!

The success of organizing a 7-day retreat on Skogsholmen outside Sandnessjøen in February 2022 strengthened our belief that we can be an society for meditation and Buddhist practice beyond the Oslo region. It was natural that this was reflected in the society’s name, and at the end of the year, we changed our name from The Buddhist Society of Oslo and Viken to The Buddhist Society of Norway. We feel this name also reflects our cultural belonging.

We want an society where meditation and Buddhist teachings are practiced in an environment adapted to our Western way of being, to our European culture and heritage, with a focus on equality and democracy. We support the ordination of women to become full-fledged nuns, to Bhikkhunis, as the Buddha did when he was alive.

We have had three weekend retreats at Pranahuset in Sandvika, and one at Hjartland in Nordland county. Pranahuset has been a good place to be, quiet and peaceful just minutes from Sandvika Station. Ajahn Nitho held our first course in meditation for beginners in May, Ajahn Brahmali from the Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth, Australia held a retreat focusing on what the Buddha said about how we handle life when the world is in crisis, and Jaran De Los Santos Olsen, former Buddhist monk and now clinical psychologist, held an innovative weekend retreat using an interactive “mind-map” on the psychology/dhamma that leads to enlightenment via emotion-focused mindfulness.

Ajahn Nitho and Erlend Neergaard went to the Norwegian mountains in July and August for what will hopefully be an annual mountain retreat. Completely unique in its form, an opportunity to practice together with other meditators out in nature, because each individual has so many days to devote to practice and community. The retreat lasted a total of four weeks.

In addition to teaching and being the main driver of the society’s work, Ajahn Nitho has been engaged as a speaker on two major occasions, during the UN’s Vesak celebration, and during the celebration of Vesak by the Buddhist Federation, the umbrella organization for many Buddhist organizations in Norway.

We have also happily had several opportunities to get to know, and make contact with, the abbot of Vingrom Buddhist Monastery, Ajahn Sindre Ajito. Both he and DNBF have roots in the Thai forest tradition after the famous monk Ajahn Chah. It is enormously inspiring to see the work Ajahn Sindre Ajito is putting into establishing a forest monastery at Vingrom south of Lillehammer. He has even learned buildin wood houses in the traditional Norwegian way, and he is now building a fully-lafted meditation hall which, when it is ready, will be able to offer a unique silence and presence for anyone who wants to practice. We look forward to further cooperation with the monastery at Vingrom.

Ajahn Nitho trained for over a decade with the world-renowned Buddhist monk Ajahn Brahm in Perth, Australia. In November, Ajahn Brahm came here for 5 days, and we had a fully booked weekend retreat with him at Karma Tashi Ling in Oslo. Participants came from all over the country, and as far away as the USA. In addition, he held an evening class reserved for men. So, lots of people and waiting lists − its good to know that alongside dedicated women, there are many men in Norway who practice meditation.

Alongside Ajahn Brahm also came the British nun Ayya Canda, Britain’s only Bhikkhuni, a fully ordained Buddhist nun. She held a “Ladies Night” organized by Mona Berg Hansen in DNBF. A rare opportunity for women in Norway to have a direct conversation and teaching with a full-fledged Buddhist nun.

After the visit, Ajahn Brahm wanted to support the society’s work by being our spiritual advisor, and Ayya Canda will help us as an associate spiritual advisor. With her insight and knowledge of being a female monastic, she can help us with a unique perspective that can be of great help in the future. In addition, we hope she can have the opportunity to teach retreats in Norway arranged by DNBF. The first retreat here for Ayya Canda will be at Venabu 22-29 April 2023, in collaboration with Ajahn Nitho.

All the work that is done in the society is based on volunteering, and currently a lot of work falls into relatively few hands, so our great hope is that more people will want to get involved in our work in the future. You don’t need to be educated in Buddhist teachings or practices to contribute – very few of us are – the point is the way there, to have a community with others while we try to train our minds. We offer a training without any “quick fix”, but many get good results over time, and this development is an investment for a better life!

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed and is contributing, whether you are an organizer or you participate as a meditator! See you in the future!

Jon Endre Mørk, chairman

The society has achieved a lot in 2022, many people have been involved and a lot of very good things have happened. I have dedicated my life to this organisation, and have worked a lot – but have now received feedback that I work too much. It’s to much work and too little spiritual development and teaching. So I need to relinquish my duties so that I can make better use of my efforts and expertise for the society.

At the same time, I am very grateful for the help I have received in 2022, especially from the committee, donors and family. The committee has been very important to me, and has provided support and feedback on the way forward. We have also received donors in 2022 who help me and the society financially – it is not easy to survive in Norway without income, especially because Norway does not have a culture of giving to such purposes. My family continues to be a great help, both materially and socially, and support the life I want to live. I am also grateful for the help I get at Wat Thai Norway, where I live as a guest and have the freedom to develop DNBF full-time.

It takes time to start an organization from scratch, to build up an organization with a good foundation, which can help people with their inner world towards wisdom and awakening. But our efforts have paid off!

Ajahn Nitho, spiritual leader

* Other costs are language courses, food at the retreat, website software, purchase of books for the retreat.

* Short-term debt are various unpaid outlays in relation to events at the end of 2022, and a short-term loan from Nithos’ family.