Mārajinā Bhikkhunī has joined our Karuna Cottage family of teachers. We are deeply grateful for her presence and her teachings. She is a Cuban-American Theravadin bhikkhunī, ordained at Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, California in 2012 with the Venerable Tathālokā Maha Therī as preceptor and the Venerable Sobhanā Therī as her lead teacher.
Ayya Mārajinā has studied jhana and vipassana for almost 20 years without training in one method and without a specific teacher. Admittedly, this was very confusing for a long time. But having a bipolar disorder since childhood, this was fine. She credits meditation, any meditation, as like having the blessing of a candle within an otherwise dark space. Now, loosely following Mahasi-style Vipassana practice off- the- cushion similar to the Kanduboda lineage of Sri Lanka and currently devoted to the Brahmaviharas, she cultivates joy in sharing the unlimited transformative potential of the Dhamma.
Bhikkhunī Mārajinā also shares the Dhamma in Spanish for Cuban and other Spanish-speaking people in person and, honoring the request of the Dhammacari community in Cuba, virtually by What’sApp and Facebook. Among her greatest influences are the Venerable Katukurunde Ñanananda, and her preceptor, the Venerable Ayya Tathālokā.