Buddhist Society of Western Australia

January 2020

Ajahn Cittapalo asked us to be grateful to ourselves for making the effort to be there on a Monday night and meditating. As we struggle with meditation, we often forget to be grateful to ourselves for at least making the effort.

Ajahn then guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to all. Ajahn then spoke to us on right thought and his two favourite verses from the suttas.

Vist Sutta Central to view and read - Two Kinds of Thought.

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Monday night meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Ajahn Cittapalo on 25th June 2018. This is part 1 of 2. Click here for part 2. 

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Monday night meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Ajahn Cittapalo on the 4th of November 2019.  

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Ajahn Cittapalo asks us to consider the Metta Sutta and it's wording. Ajahn reminds us that the Metta Sutta is something to aspire to. How-ever, when we meditate we should focus our attention on just one person, ourselves. Make number one happy, then more often than not, those around us will be happy too. Ajahn reminds us that we should put our own mind first in meditation. If we are calm and happy, it will be easier, more pleasant to wish others well.

Ajahn then guided the group in meditation well suited to beginners and experienced alike and a pleasure to do. Ajahn asks us to be kind to ourselves first before considering others. To simply allow thoughts to come, to go and not apply any pressure to our mind. Just let it progress.

After the meditation, Ajahn continued his talk on the Metta Sutta asking us to bare in mind that it is a translation, not a set of instructions.

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Ajahn Cittapalo began by pointing out to us that our use of the word meditation instead of samadhi sometimes leads us to the wrong mindset when we meditate. Lost in translation like so many things said or done by Buddha, the word meditation to us in western society means “Continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature”. When we meditate we are usually trying to achieve the opposite. A mind state of calm, relaxation and clarity. Thoughts arise and we let them go. Ajahn used this odd fact to point out that we do tend to allow our minds to latch onto thoughts, rather then letting them go. The result is we spend our time contemplating rather than in peace. Having made us aware Ajahn asked us to allow ourselves to just let the thoughts go and not fall into contemplation.

Ajahn then guided the group in a longer than usual meditation [samadhi not contemplation], beginning with a body sweep and progressing onto just watching the breath. A meditation well suited to beginners and a pleasure to do.

After the meditation, Ajahn was asked questions relating to euthanasia and suicide. Subjects we in western society try to avoid. Ajahn answered as best he could after pointing out that Buddhism doesn’t have an opinion and that any answer given would be his point of view.

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Ajahn Cittapalo immediately starts the group meditation and then at the end answers questions.

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We all have fears and anxieties that are difficult to overcome. Ajahn Cittapalo shares his realisation that fear is just a thought and how we relate to it causes us to suffer or not. This talk relates to the short guided meditation Ajahn conducts directly before it.

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Ajahn Cittapalo guides a meditation for approximately thirty minutes. 

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We don’t see Ajahn Cittapalo often enough at The Armadale Meditation Group. Ajahn is particularly good at delivering instructions on meditation that are easily understood by beginners and those new to meditation.

Ajahn began his talk tonight by making us all laugh when he used our headset microphone for the first time. This had the immediate effect of relaxing us all and bringing us into the present moment. Ajahn then commenced his talk and instruction by asking us to consider what our intentions and motivations are before we meditate or, in the case of “newbies”, (as he calls those of us who are fairly new to meditation), to look carefully at our intentions and motivations before we sit down and attempt to meditate. If we do this for a minute or two, and try not to place undue pressure on ourselves, the meditation becomes less of a task and thus a more pleasant thing to do. No-one wants to add another task to their day.

After giving us instructions and describing the benefits of meditation to the “newbies”, Ajahn lead the group through a body sweep and peaceful meditation intended to help us simply relax and look inward. This meditation is well suited to beginners and those new to meditation.

After meditation Ajahn continued his talk on those things that hinder our meditations. He also asked us to consider trying different meditations and even different teachers before giving up. Ajahn talked on those things that we humans allow ourselves to become addicted to, suggesting that an addiction to meditation would be more beneficial. Ajahn further encouraged us to look within our own minds to resolve those things that bother us so deeply.

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To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Ajahn Cittapalo conducts an intermediate/ advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Ajahn Cittapalo reminds us not to try and stop or control anything, but instead to have a kind awareness of what’s going on in our mind and to treat everything that arises as a friend. As well as confidence in watching very closely what is happening so that we see what is going on and learn.  

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Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia.

Ajahn Cittapalo conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Cittapalo conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Center, Perth, Western Australia. 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Cittapalo guides an intermeditate/ advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Cittapalo conducts an intermediate/ advanced meditation class for approximately 1 hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

It was Vesak day on Tuesday and Ajahn Cittapalo joined us at AMG.  Vesak Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha in the Theravada or southern tradition.  Ajahn having attended Vesak celebrations at Dhammaloka on Sunday, where many people took refuge by becoming Buddhist, noticed that for many, the five precepts are hard and fast rules.  Many of us do the same when we meditate.  We try too hard and become disenchanted when we fail.

Ajahn would never say that it is ok to consume alcohol, rather that we consider that we really should try to stop.  So it is with our meditations.  When random thoughts occur, we should simply let them come and go.  Don't get entangled, but don't try too hard and be overly critical that the thoughts continue.  Over time the ability to simply stand back in your mind and watch will grow and the thoughts will be come less frequent.  The same will happen with alcohol, each time we consume it, we consider it and do it less until we don't do it at all.

Ajahn tells us that our intentions matter more in all things.  When we meditate, it is our intention to gain a peaceful mind that matters.  Not being overly self critical for having thoughts.  Just as with the five precepts, it is our intentions that matter.

Ajahn led us in a body scan to relax us then a very peaceful silent meditation.

After the meditation Ajahn continued his talk on our intentions, cautioning us all to not be too critical of our efforts both in life and meditation.  After Ajahn concluded he joined the group in celebrating Vesak day.


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Ajahn gave a brief description of meditation and then guided us through a body sweep and relaxation meditation.

Although not totally suited to beginners this meditation was easy to follow and a pleasure to do.

After the meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A with some of his frank answers and descriptions making the entire audience laugh.  After the Q&A Ajahn gave a brief talk on how he became a monk and what life is like for a monk at Bodhinyana.  Again Ajahn had the audience laughing.

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Ajahn begins by explaining what meditation is likely to be to beginners, those of us that have never meditated before.  Ajahn brings our attention to our attitude when we wish to meditate, if our mind isn't settled or is in the negative, we struggle.  Ajahn further explains some of the hindranses that cause us to lose our focus during meditation.  The clock on the wall, the traffic going past.  Ajahn encourages us to simply be an observer and not to engage in these distractions.

To start the meditation, Ajahn encouraged us to relax, get comfortable and just be.  Ajahn guided us through a full body scan before guiding us in a 30 minute meditation.  Just be here, beautifully cool room, nice people around us.

After meditation Ajahn gave us a talk and opened to questions after bringing us all to laughter with light hearted humour.

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Ajahn began with base instructions on how and why we meditate, keeping it nice and simple for the beginners and the more experienced alike.  A  refresher never hurts.  Ajahn then led the full house through a 30 minute guided meditation.

“Nothing to do. Cars going by, clock ticking, body breathing. Nothing to do.  We don't need to do anything, just be a friendly observer.”  Ajahn Cittapalo :-)

After the meditation Ajahn offered this advice to beginners:- Don't make it a chore or a burden, make it a pleasant, easy for you, experience.  If you aren't enjoying it, shorten the time.  Gradually extend your meditation time, don't make it a job.

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Ajahn Cittapalo suggested we count, 1 to 10, or select and visualise our favourite colour to meditate.  Most of us focus on our breathing or bodies when we start or first learn to meditate.  So counting or visualising a colour makes for a welcome change of pace.  For beginners [and aren't we all] this is often a much easier way to start meditating.  Ajahn explains how to do it and what will happen to most of us when we count or visualise our favourite colour.

Ajahn then gave us a very enlightened Dharma talk, so much so that the group lost track of time with no-one in a hurry to stop or go home.

Ajahn Cittapalo is always a welcome teacher at AMG, he never fails to fill the house. Tonight he encouraged us to be patient with our impatience. Thoughts arise during meditation whether we want them to or not. Don't be impatient with yourself, let them go and gently bring your mind back to your meditation object.

Ajahn guided us through a 30 minute meditation that was well suited to beginners and intermediates.  He then gave a Dharma talk that was both humorous and relevant to our habit of being impatient with our minds.