CASA ISIMUNI - Buddhist Life Release Sanctuary in Italy
Namo Buddhaya and Ciao a tutti! Casa Isimuni is a dynamic association in Italy founded with the goal of creating an environment where animals, humans, and nature can coexist in harmony.
Reusi Bhālancandra, a practicing renunciate of Thai Buddhism, formed Casa Isimuni with the support of a group of Italian volunteers in 2020. Reusi and the President of the Association operate the organization daily, as volunteers, to feed and care for all of its inhabitants. All activities of Casa Isimuni are deeply focused on the Dhamma and steeped in strict practices to cultivate beneficial actions for others.
Our name is inspired by the terms ISI and MUNI which, since ancient times and still today, refer to sages, ascetics, and seers, figures who embody respect for life and the pursuit of balance with the world around them. At the heart of our vision is the powerful Buddhist concept of JĪVIADĀNA, a principle that expresses generosity towards all forms of life. By recognizing the value of every living being and the right of all to exist without suffering, this ideal guides us every day in the care of the animals we welcome, providing them with a safe place where they can live peacefully.
In our shelter, goats, sheep, and other animals from difficult backgrounds find a home. Our commitment is to provide them not only with food, medicine, and care but also with adequate spaces and an environment where they can express their natural behaviors, free from fear and constraints. We deeply believe in interspecies well-being – in the possibility of building a relationship based on mutual respect between humans, animals, and the planet that hosts us. Every living being is part of a greater balance, and its protection also involves safeguarding the environment around us. For this reason, we are committed to promoting sustainable practices, reducing our ecological impact, and spreading a culture of awareness and respect towards nature.
Some of our companions in this casa are some of the goats and sheep: Toni, Betta, Saetta, Orietta, Coca-Cola, Enzo, and Claudio; Bart the pig; Smoky-boy the horse; Polpetta, Skin, and Sam, the working dogs; the Morning Stars, a group of rescued sheep who came in very difficult conditions; and all the birds, the chickens, and the bees - as well as several fish. Each animal is an integral part of this place, mission and practice. Each of them has a story, a character, and preferences, and for us, it is essential to respect them as unique individuals, offering them a life of dignity, free from exploitation.
During the month of August, Casa Isimuni welcomed seven new companions, including a lamb, three goats, and three sheep. Before these friends arrived, we calculated our monthly costs to meet basic needs around €600 and as the number of our guests grows, so do our expenses. With offerings from good friends, we have secured funds to feed our animals for the next year, affording us the sustainability to address much needed projects elsewhere on the land.
The newest and youngest addition at Casa Isimuni
ISIMUNI is more than just a shelter: it is a place where humans can rediscover an authentic relationship with other living beings and with the environment, without hierarchies or power struggles. Anyone who shares our vision is welcome to get to know us, and be part of this journey towards a more conscious and sustainable coexistence.
All donations, and monthly donations to Casa Isimuni help to ensure the protection of many lives on a daily basis. Any donation you make goes toward protecting our companions and meeting their needs through activities led by a practicing renunciate.
Today, we have the great opportunity and challenge to purchase the land that we currently lease for the animals to graze and exercise. The farmer who owns the adjacent field that we use wishes to sell this land. If we are able to make this purchase, Casa Isimuni will have the chance to plan for the future in new ways - and support our animals’ needs to graze. We have the chance to purchase this field over the next five years for a total purchase price of €32,000. Together, we believe we will achieve this tremendous goal, before the deadline, thanks to generous support.
We are in need of diverse support - monthly gifts which allow us to build sustainability as well as individual gifts which allow flexibility in support where it is needed most.
To inquire about how you can help, you can contact us through our website. On behalf of ourselves and all the inhabitants of the shelter, we wish you long life and prosperity!
