The Venerable Dhammavanna, a former journalist living in Nakhon Pathom province, about 30 miles outside Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, now wakes each morning at 5:30. First, she meditates, then has a breakfast of rice. Dressed in saffron robes, she tackles her morning work—cleaning, welcoming visitors, even attending to IT snafus. She dines again at 11, and then takes classes in Buddhist teachings in the afternoon before completing community service tasks and winding down her day with chanting. She lives at Songdhammakalyani Monastery under the Venerable Dhammananda, the temple’s most senior monk….
