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Bhante Chandrawansa was ordained as a Buddhist monk at the age of 14, under the Theravadan tradition. Since then, he has dedicated his life to learn and practice the dhamma. He received a Bachelor of the Arts degree at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. He practiced at forest monasteries and under prominent teachers while in his home country.

He was invited to the Ottawa Buddhist Vihara in Canada, where he taught Buddhist philosophy and yoga to local lay people. He was then invited to be the head monk at the Pennsylvania Meditation Center in Crystal Spring, PA.

Since moving to the U.S., he has studied under well-known and experienced teachers from Vietnam and Burma. He has learned and practiced several techniques including: Mahasi technique, Pa-Auk technique, and Goenka technique.

Bhante’s main focus is Vipassana and mindfulness on mind. He also emphasizes Lovingkindness, Samatha practice, and daily mindfulness. As he continues to practice dhamma in his own heart, his hope is to share meditation and mindfulness with all those who have experienced the burden of suffering. With all those who are seeking a refuge. With all those who are willing to listen with an open heart.

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I grew up in Philadelphia, where I attended 13 years of Catholic school. I appreciate those Christian values that stressed living by a strong moral code. When I lost my dad at the age of 13, it strongly affected my mind, my family, and how I related to the world. I did not have any mental tools to help me work through my emotions and thoughts, which caused me to plant many seeds of resentment, anger, grief, and loneliness.

As a young adult, I attended Temple University, where I graduated with honors in Elementary Education/Special Education. Always having an interest in emotions and mental qualities, I found my true passion to be for social and emotional learning. When I met Bhante Chandrawansa in November 2020, I did not know anything about Buddhism or mindfulness. I logged onto a meditation meeting, but was taken aback when a monk unexpectedly popped up onto my computer screen. I did not know then the incredible impact these meetings would have on my mind and my life. I was having panic attacks and feeling very unhappy, anxious, depressed, and essentially… lost.

After learning from Bhante, my life has beautifully capsized. I was able to take a mental inventory and resolve to change. I learned to love and take care of myself again. My mind became a more happy, peaceful place to spend my days and I experienced more stability, compassion, and tolerance.

Mindfulness may be the most important tool that every human being can benefit from developing. It helps us understand the mind and how it works, relate to our thoughts in a healthy way, and self-regulate our mental, verbal, and physical actions. It can drastically affect our experience of the world, our relationships, and communities. I have lived these very results for myself.

Although I am an educator, I consider myself to be a student of life. My own experiences are my textbook, and my own heart is my teacher. When you choose to take on this practice, the knotty inner mess slowly unravels each day, one mindful moment at a time. My hope is to help both children and adults free themselves from their tangled inner world, see the truth, and live from the peaceful place that’s buried in their heart.