The year 2024 can be summarized simply: strong growth across many areas, with lots of exciting activities that provide inspiration for further efforts. The society has also experienced that our efforts to help create similar societies in the Nordic region have yielded results. We see that we show up with practices that are warmly welcomed, where the best example is that 4 months before our 8-day Venabu retreat in 2025, we have 95 pre-registered – where we only have room for 50.

We’ve also got three podcasts on air that show high download numbers (see below), as well as a happy announcement that the popularity of the podcast ‘dnbf enigma’ was ranked number 2 in its category in Norway by Apple Podcast.

This year our sister organization The Dhamma Society of Finland (dhamma.fi) was also formally established, and now accumulates members all over Finland (25 members so far). A similar society in Sweden is now being founded and work is now being done on statutes, here too the community is experiencing an increase in interest.

2024 is also the year we received state financial grant for the first time, and 2024 is the first year the turnover has exceeded one million kroner.

Here are some statistics for 2024 (with 2023 and 2022 figures in brackets):

• We have arranged in 2024:
  • December: Pilgrimage to India
  • November: 7 day fall retreat at Venabu Fjellhotell, 40 participants with Bhante Sujato
  • November: Weekend retreat in Oslo with Bhante Sujato
  • September: Weekend retreat in Oslo with Jaran Olsen
  • July to October: 3 month retreat for Ajahn Nitho in the fall in the mountains
  • June: Weekend retreat in Oslo with Ajahn Brahmali
  • June: Weekend retreat in Stavanger
  • May: Weekend retreat in Stockholm, Sweden
  • May: 7 day summer retreat at Kreivila, Finland
  • April: 7 day spring retreat at Venbu Fjellhotel, 50 participants with Venerable Canda/Nitho
  • April: Weekend retreat in Oslo
  • March: Weekend retreat in Tromsø
  • March: Weekend retreat in Trondheim
  • In addition to retreats, Ajahn Nitho has participated in several rounds of teaching to high schools and participation in Fritimen arranged by the Norwegian Church, Fredrikstad.
• We have planned for 2025:
  • 8-day winter retreat outside Trondheim
  • 8 day retreat at Venabu Fjellhotell in April 2024, with Venerable Canda/Nitho
  • 8 day retreat in Finland with Ajahn Nitho
  • 8 day retreat in Sweden with Ajahn Nitho
  • Weekend retreats in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Arendal, Stavanger, Oxford
  • 14-day intensive Pali language course
  • Start-up of the Fjord Group for dedicated meditators
• 6246 podcast downloads calculated annually, based on 1041 actual in Nov and Dec 2024 (0,0)
• 1,400 people follow us on Facebook (1100, 800)
• 79 people follow us on Instagram (0,0)
• 474 people receive our newsletter (328, 215)
• The society has 99 members (90, 50).
• the website had 64,400 page views (38000, 24900)

In the constitution, the goal is: To promote the Buddhist teachings in theory and practice, with special emphasis on ethics, meditation and wisdom – and to establish a city center and a combined retreat center/hermitage. In 2025 we want the following focus:

• Continue with shorter and longer retreats – this is where the learning happens and the experiences come, and this is where we find people who stay with us and help the society move forward.
• We want to establish a monthly activity in Oslo, and we now have funding to be able to rent premises so that members can meet and talk together in an informal setting and meditate together.
• The society is built on volunteer efforts, so we want to build a stronger volunteer culture in 2025.

After a helpful and intensive DNBF introduction at the end of 2023/beginning of 2024, I became chair of the board in March 2024. During this year, I have had many nice experiences. From an organizational point of view, a calendar was established for all activities, which was available to those involved in various activities. The board has had working meetings and ongoing contact through various groups/digital communication threads. Deputy chair Vidar Bundli and I have collaborated a little on various official paperwork and money. Ajahn Nitho has been in charge of Nordic cooperation, but with the chair in the background. Other members of the board have also taken on tasks during the year, and functions have been established that have been useful for the implementation of the activity calendar.

The board has invested in purchasing equipment for podcast production and recording at retreats. The effect of being visible in the virtual meditation landscape cannot be overestimated. Many of our new followers, and probably also some of our new members, come to us because of Ajahn Nitho’s intensive work to establish high-quality content. Our use of social media is also important contact work – and can advantageously be intensified. Do we have an undiscovered media creator in our ranks, I wonder?

I got to be a retreat leader for almost the entire period, and this work is very rewarding and busy at the same time. I tried out different models to create space and opportunities for other practitioners to contribute as hosts on retreats. I find that there are many who would like to contribute. Being a volunteer is a source of your own practice and of practice for our community! I think we as a board and society can become more aware of this. Being in collaboration with a spiritual leader means having access to lots of energy and positivity. Sometimes more energy than I can muster on my own. Thank you for your positivity and collaboration Ajahn! In the context of my job, I have accepted a four-year further education program and now say thank you for this time as a board member of DNBF.

Sincerely, Elisabeth S Berner, Chairman

What pleases me the most is that the society’s efforts create good results – it leads to many beautiful experiences and deeper understanding/wisdom for many – especially on the 7-9 day retreats we arrange in the Nordic countries.

For my own part, I also see that the more I teach and being in contact with people, the easier it is for me to understand what the obstacles are – and that makes me a better teacher. I now experience that I can reach people better with my teaching, the teaching flows better, and that the results are better for those who listen – deeper calm, freer mind, more energy/joy and deeper understanding. There are many happy and inspired people who return home after many days of retreat in Norway’s beautiful nature!

So this is the society’s contribution to the world – freedom, happiness and wisdom!

And Venerable Canda from Anukampa in Oxford wrote in an email recently, saying that the job she and I have full-time is very special, we are important contributors in societies – and we have the best job in the world!

I have dedicated my life to this organization full-time, and work hard for a good, ethical and long-term foundation – to ensure equality in the spiritual life, to protect the freedom and independence of those who live a spiritual life full-time, and to show tolerance for and teaching of a wonderful teaching that is deep but little known in Norway.

For me, the goal has not changed much since the society’s inception – a city center and a combined retreat center/hermitage. And until we get financial help to realize something like that, the goal is to build the society, volunteering, inspiration and arenas for practice.

We have become a small faith community getting state support, we manage to keep track of the economy, we now have good and effective tools to create retreats and arenas, we have got three podcasts on the air with high-quality teaching, sister organizations are growing up around us in the Nordic countries, we manage to hold our events at approximately cost price, while the donations are the basis for my life and development of the society. I think things are going well for DNBF – but we are still a small society!

Then I would like to say thank you to everyone who has made donations and volunteers who have helped the society move forward – especially to the board, but also to my family. I cannot do this alone – and am looking for people who will help the society forward!

Sincerely, Ajahn Nitho, Spiritual Director

All amounts in Norwegian kroner NOK.