Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm teaches the way to experience peace in meditation is by having a "this is good enough" attitude. Ajahn explains how when we make peace we experience peace. We apologise a few minutes of the end of this recording had to be removed due to the audio not working.

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Relax. Do we plan too much and then feel anxious quite often?  In this talk, Ajahn Brahm gives practical tips on how to relax and not be too uptight.

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Ajahn Brahm picks up the quirky and unique topic of "Buddhism and holy water”. Ajahn talks about the great fun he has while conducting holy water blessings and the benefits of bringing joy, happiness and fun into your spiritual practise and the Buddhist traditions, rituals and ceremonies.

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Responding to a request for advice on how to deal with a very big mistake. Ajahn Brahm reveals how he was trained by his teacher to deal with mistakes and Ajahn shares some of the funny mistakes he has seen, especially as a young western monk in Thailand. 

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Fresh off a flight from California, Ajahn Brahm discusses the attitudes that lead to discrimination and their impact on people. Ajahn contemplates deeply on why people discriminate and why it's so wrong.

Ajahn looks at what can be done to overcome discrimination such as learning to cooperate rather than compete and he encourages us to not discriminate against anybody e.g. gender, race, religion, mental and physical disabilities, vegetarians, sexual orientation, criminals and so on.

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In response to people complaining about their lives being too stressful, Ajahn Brahm offers a teaching on how to deal with stress. Ajahn explains how it’s not your work and duties which make you stressful, but your attitude to what you are asked to do in life. Ajahn reveals how he stays stress free even though his workload and responsibilities are huge. 

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Ajahn Brahm talks about how to deal with the various pains we have in life - especially the big ones.

The Buddha taught there are two parts to the pain which we feel; the physical and the emotional. The physical part we can’t do much about its part of life, but our emotional response we can change and this is the key of how to deal with those chronic pains in life which we really don’t like. Ajahn shows us how to develop a positive attitude towards life difficulties.

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Ajahn Brahm explains how teenagers around the age of 15-17 are naturally interested in spirituality, meaning they are seeking somewhere or somebody who can give their life some meaning and possibly answer some difficult questions in life. Ajahn talks about how Buddhism can help them if presented in an enjoyable way. 

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Ajahn Brahm explains how we don't need religious hierarchies for advice on how to solve life's problems. Rather, we need to rely on compassion and wisdom, which are qualities we can all draw on if we make an effort.

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As part of the day’s Vesak Celebrations, Ajahn Brahm offers a ‘Question and Answer Session’ for the Venerable Sangha panel. Questions are received from the live and online audience.

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Is religion just about the feel-good factor, helping us to feel better about business (suffering) as usual? Or does Buddhism do far more than just making people feel at ease with business-as-usual, and lead to authentic inner transformation?

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Ajahn Brahm describes from personal experience how to effortlessly still the mind by focusing on the breath and what then happens to your body and mind from doing this. Ajahn also talks briefly about some forms of meditation which he finds unhelpful.

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Ajahn Brahm often says “never allow your knowledge to stand in the way of truth." Ajahn elaborates on this saying and explains why there is no ultimate reality and the consequences of believing there is.

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Ajahn Brahm helps us to understand and be at peace with tragic events that occur in the modern world. Ajahn Brahm talks specifically about how Buddhists should respond to and deal with these real tragedies. And Ajahn reflects on how by relating the Buddha’s teachings to our real experiences we develop a better understanding of them.

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Ajahn Brahm talks about the banning of his speech on gender equality. Ajahn Brahm gives a powerful talk on how to bring about gender equity in Buddhism that is acceptance of full Bhikkhuni ordination. Ajahn looks at how social activism in Buddhism works and how people can reach any goal as long as it is worthwhile; meaning not just for your own happiness and peace but for the happiness and peace of all sentient beings, such as lowering consumption and materialism.

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Tuesday 2nd May 2017 was a special day for the Armadale Meditation Group.  We celebrated 30 years of meditation and guidance by the monks of Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine.  For this special occasion Ajahn Brahm and Venerable Akaliko graced us with their presence.  Ajahn Brahm likes to refer to the group as Club Med.  Being typically Aussie, we like that.  Venerable Akaliko once remarked that on his way to Club Med one evening [his first teaching at Armadale], he was considering a topic for his Dharma talk when he realised that there is "no fail in Armadale".

The group has adopted these slogans and now we have T-shirts that clearly state who we are and how we feel about meditation.

For the benefit of the five new people who joined us for our celebrations, Ajahn gave us a guided beginners meditation.  Ajahn used his wit, humour, common sense and stories to describe the purpose of meditation and why worrying about the future or reliving the past, is pointless.  We can't change the past and we can't control the future, so why do we worry so.  Give it a miss and meditate instead.

After meditation Ajahn gave a Dharma talk and joined us for our 30th Year celebrations.

Have you ever gotten upset or angry when people don't appreciate all the kindness you've shown them? Ajahn Brahm explains how to keep giving without expecting or getting any reward.

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Ajahn Brahm’s opinion is sought on a proposal to limit religious vilification or a proposal against the freedom of speech. Ajahn Brahm offers a different perspective and instead of looking at how vilification occurs by our speech and how to speak properly, he looks at how we let vilification happen by listening in the wrong way. So Ajahn gives a teaching on how to listen with wisdom and compassion.

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Ajahn Brahm starts off by talking about how to find happiness and joy in your meditation. The instructions according to one of Ajahn's favourite monks ‘Ajahn Ganhah’, are breath in "sabah", breath out "sabah" (meaning nice and easy).

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Ajahn Brahm explains what this making merit business is all about and its essentiality not only for the path towards enlightenment but for a happy, peaceful life. Ajahn also describes how through the beautiful service of making merit you learn to love, care and laugh and create a beautiful pure mind.

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