Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Kathryn's first of four weeks at AMG. Kathryn began meditating over 25 years ago at the Armadale group (AMG). She is the founder of “Mind and Movement”, a leading provider of mindfulness programs for individuals and organisations and is a certified teacher of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s program, “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR) and recognised as a Senior Teacher by the Meditation Association of Australia.

We humans have a tendency to react rather than respond to all manner of situations, both internal and external. Kathryn explains why this occurs and how best to retrain the mind to respond rather than react. When we react to stimuli, both internal and external, a chemical is generated and released within our bodies. Kathryn details ways of shortening the time it takes for us to return from those situations that cause us to remain in that stressed state of mind. Mindfully being aware that it is happening will allow us to return to normal in a shorter period of time or, at the very least, shorten the time it takes for those chemicals to dissipate.

Kathryn then guided the group in meditation asking us to observe what occurs and how we react to it. Be it to a small sound or part of our body, how we react is what matters. This meditation is a smidge over 30 minutes and suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Kathryn continued her discussion and talk on our reactions to the sensations we felt during the meditation with a focus on what we noticed or became aware of and not over-reacting.

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

The Armadale Meditation Group was privileged this evening to have three monks visit us for the last meditation session prior to the annual rains retreat. Ajahns Santutthi, Jhanarato and Sukhakamo from the Cambodian forest monastery, Wat Dhammayanaram in Kelmscott, joined us for what was an interesting evening. Ajahn Santutthi started the evening with an introduction of all three monks, a brief talk, then passed onto Ajahn Jhanarato to lead the meditation.

The meditation being lead by Ajahn JR was simply to relax and do nothing. Our minds have so many thoughts happening that it is like the snow globe after shaking. Ajahn asked us to simply allow our minds to settle, just as with a snow globe, so that we may see the thoughts more clearly and just let them pass.

After the meditation, all three monks were happy to answer any and all questions relating to monks, meditation and the Dharma.

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

Guest speaker Venerable Kelsang Nampur discusses the nature of reality. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 10 October 2008.

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To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest speaker Venerable Thubten Drolma talks about greed and anger. Dhamma talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 15 August 2008.

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To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest speaker Venerable Chi Kwan Sunim discusses doubt in our mind. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 12 September 2008.

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To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest Speaker Venerable Hue Can from the Mahayana Tradition shares her wisdom on how to share and care selflessly without hidden agendas and the importance and benefits of sharing our merits with all beings. Venerable points out that Buddhism is to be practiced, that is we must apply what we learn. More specifically Buddhist practise is correcting and dropping our bad habits and following, keeping and practicing the good habits. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre.

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

To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

A guided Chenrezig meditation and talk by guest speaker Mana Waite given at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre in Perth, Western Australia on the 17 August 2007. Dr. Waite is a meditation teacher from the Tibetan (Vajrayana) Karma Kagyu tradition. He operates Open Mind Meditation School: www.openmindmeditation.com.au

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

To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest speaker Venerable Fa Xun describes how the Buddha has provided us with a practical way to end all suffering and to make our life more meaningful and happy. The way to end all suffering is through the Noble Eightfold Path. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 18 July 2008.

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

To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest speaker Venerable Hue Can teaches how to have a joyful life through the practice of Buddhism. Dhamma talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 5^th of September 2008.

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To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest speaker Glenda Lee shares her experience about how to practice the Dharma in our daily life. Dhamma talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 3 October 2008.

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

To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Guest Speaker Venerable Hue Can from the Vietnamese Zen tradition speaks about impermanence. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 24th August 2007.

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To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Dennis Sheppard (president of the Buddhist Society of WA) guides a meditation for approximately thirty minutes. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre in Perth, Western Australia during the Rains Retreat. This meditation goes with his talk called Stillness, which can be found here: http://podcast.bswa.org/e/stillness-dennis-sheppard/

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We are delighted to have guest speaker Kelsang Ani during the rains retreat for 2018. Kelsang Ani is the resident teacher at Dharmapala Kadampa Meditation Centre in Fremantle. She will be talking about 'How to Solve our Human Problems'- by understanding Buddha’s wisdom explanation of the real nature of our problems, we can learn to identify them correctly; and in this way gradually solve all our human problems, and find everlasting peace and happiness. She is a well loved teacher and has a way of explaining the dharma that is insightful and clear.

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Kathryn begins her third of four weeks at AMG by explaining why we need, or rather when we may need, to change our perspective. Kathryn uses examples such as the need for very focused perspective when doing surgery as compared to when we need a broad perspective on those occasions when something negative has occurred in our life. The benefits, to our health and well being, of positive emotions and the chemicals our bodies release when we have a positive experience have been the subject of many recognised research studies around the world today.

Kathryn then leads the group in three separate meditations. The first meditation is aimed at recognising when the mind tries to narrow our focus or perspective, putting us into a well known loop of negativity. By recognising when this occurs we can learn to deal with it and return to our broader perspective.

The second meditation highlights our feeling and belief of being independent when, in actuality, we are interdependent on so many people in our lives. Gratitude is used to focus our attention during this meditation. To bring this to mind Kathryn recited a poem by Jane Kenyon (1947–1995), former Poet Laureate of New Hampshire in the US, titled “Otherwise”. The object was to encourage us to realise that despite our trials and tribulations things could be worse and that perhaps our lives aren't quite as bad as we believe.

The third meditation brings to mind equanimity; the calm amidst the storm; the idea of being able to maintain balance and a sense of being grounded when the proverbial is hitting the fan. During the meditation Kathryn helps us to broaden our perspective by reading the “Serenity Prayer”;

“May I have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
The courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.”

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Kathryn begins her second of four weeks at AMG by asking all to do a standing body shake - starting with the upper body and finishing with the lower body. This exercise is one practised by the director of Paliative care at Royal Perth Hospital to help patients dissipate the physical signs of stress that has built up in the body during day.

Kathryn then continued her talk on reactivity to external stimuli and what actually happens chemically within our bodies. She then details ways of shortening the time it takes for us to return from those situations that cause us to remain in that stressed state of mind. Mindfully being aware that it is happening will allow us to return to normal in a shorter period of time or, at the very least, shorten the time it takes for those chemicals to dissipate.

We all endure daily situations where we'd rather not be. Being able to be there without over-reacting and, to some degree, reducing the time that we are stressed, can be achieved with mindfulness.

Kathryn then guided the group through a 30 minute body scan meditation using mindfulness.

After the very relaxing body scan meditation Kathryn continued her discussion and talk on our reactions to the sensations we felt during the meditation with a focus on what we noticed or became aware of and not over-reacting.

Kathryn then talks on perception and conditioning within our lives. Kathryn openly relates from an example in her own life when she was nine and how this has changed her perceptions. Our conditioning affects our perceptions and our reactions to reality.

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

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

Kathryn Choules is a regular meditator at the AMG and teaches meditation professionally. Once a year [during Rains], we are blessed to have Kathryn speak and guide our meditation.

This talk and guided meditation is part 1 of a 4 week beginners' course.  The emphasis for the  first week was on the role of Attention, Intention and Attitude in meditation. Kathryn gave examples of each and the resulting effects on our meditation as an introduction before guiding our 30 minute meditation.

After the meditation Kathryn opened to Q&A and provided good explanations to all questions.

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

We are delighted to have guest speaker Dr. David Joske during the rains retreat for 2018. Dr Joske is a leading WA haematologist and founder of Solaris Cancer Care - a community-based cancer centre offering complementary therapies, education and support. He was a John Curtin Medalist in 2005 and a state finalist for Australian of the Year in 2013.

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

We are delighted to have guest speaker Christiane Purcell during the rains retreat for 2018. Christiane is a senior yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner. Her talk is on ayurvedic and yogic philosophy.

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

We are delighted to have guest speakers  Len Warren and Sue Lee from the Hayagriva Buddhist Centre during the rains retreat for 2018. Len started by guiding a meditation and then giving a Dhamma talk on 'Healing a Relationship by Completing Unfinished Business' ( starting at 15:55 into the recording). Next Sue Lee discussed the Pure Land Centre Project, which is about joining palliative care and spirituality (starting at 45:55 into the recording).  

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