Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Bhante Sangharatana talked to us about breath meditation, encouraging us to present moment awareness (bringing our attention to the meditation object, or focus on, for example, our breath).  Bhante further explained that present moment awareness is of itself not the meditation, but rather the goal.  By having, or achieving, present moment awareness we leave the past behind and have no thoughts of the future.  We are just here and now, thinking not of the past nor of the future.

Bhante then explained for the beginners amongst us [that would be most of us], the need for meditation or why we meditate.  He further explained the technique used for a simple but successful breath meditation.  He then guided us through a 30 min beginners breath meditation after which he opened the floor to questions and continued the talk.