Friends of Saranaloka is a community of lay practitioners founded by Emily Carpenter and Mindy Zlotnick in 2015 to help support the development of Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery. Mindy has been part of the Aloka Vihara journey since 2009, when the Siladhara from Amaravati came to San Francisco to establish a Buddhist monastic residence for women. Emily met the bhikkhunis in 2012 when she was on staff at Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. Both Mindy and Emily were deeply moved and inspired by these encounters and committed themselves to supporting the establishment and growth of a bhikkhuni training monastery. Friends of Saranaloka is an independent fundraising body focused on education, outreach and supporting fundraising events for Aloka Vihara and Aloka Earth Room. More recently, MaryAnn Gallo, Uma de Silva, Madhan M. and Heather Marie have been called to support and sustain these efforts.
MaryAnn Gallo was introduced to Dhamma practice fifteen years ago. She first met Anandabodhi Bhikkhuni and Santacitta Bhikkunhi in 2016 when she sat a monastic retreat at Spirit Rock. The retreat transformed her practice. From that moment on, she has practiced with the Aloka Vihara monastics whenever possible and has had the joy of visiting the monastery on several occasions. In addition to her wholehearted support for Bhikkhuni ordination, MaryAnn is committed to anti-racist activism and believes equity and inclusion are essential to realizing the freedom offered by the Buddha’s teachings.
A lover of the Dhamma, yoga, time spent in nature, a good read and a good laugh, MaryAnn lives in Los Angeles with her partner, John, and their two teen-aged children.
Uma de Silva and Madhan M. Uma and Madhan were introduced to spirituality at a very young age. While Uma invested more time learning about Buddhism, Madhan practiced meditation through various forms of martial arts. They both work in downtown Sacramento, Madhan in IT management, and Uma in healthcare administration. Their routines outside of work include the practice of yoga, walks in nature, listening to music, and more exposure to the Dharma. Among their other hobbies are gardening, painting, and cooking. They are ardent supporters of the Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery, and are appreciative of the opportunity to be part of a community that includes fully ordained Bhikkhunis of the Theravada lineage.
Heather Marie is delighted to be serving as a member of Friends of Saranaloka. The community of Bhikkunis have inspired a rich desire to serve the Dhamma. She recalls pivotal moments: like meeting the Ayyas, feeling a heart connection with monastics, and setting foot on the land at Aloka Vihara. She feels a special time has emerged in the community. At a new phase in her work life, she enjoys working with organization and mindfulness. She brings skills in communication, body-mind awareness and a love for research to her work. In her free time… she spends time hiking and moving, connecting with family and cooking good food.