Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm guides us through a relaxation exercise using humour and common sense before guiding the meditation.  After the meditation he talks of why we needn't change ourselves, but be comfortable and happy with who we are.  He uses a simile of trees in the forest being bent, often broken and damaged, but beautiful none the less.  You need not change it to think it beautiful.  So why change yourself.

Ajahn Brahm gives advice on how to find peace and stillness in meditation.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on one of his favourite topics - reincarnation - and challenges us to reevaluate our doubts about reincarnation. Understanding reincarnation can help us understand our lives and to make peace with death.

Many people see the ceremonies and etiquette of religion to be empty and a barrier to getting to know what the teachings are really about. Ajahn Brahm gives a talk going to what the essential core of Buddhism is really about, unbound from the fetter of ceremony and ritual.

Ajahn Brahm gives advice on how to overcome anxiety and panic attacks, sharing stories of his experience to provide guidance on how to find peace in nervous moments in life

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

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk about being sick, and the Buddhist attitude to being sick, because being sick and unwell is something that happens to all of us at some time in our lives. He offers skillfull means in order to better understand sickness and to deal constructively with the experience of being ill.

Responding to a request about which type of Buddhism to follow. Ajahn Brahm asks whether there is really any meaningful difference between the traditions of Buddhism, and that ultimately it's best to follow the teaching of the Buddha - the Dharma/Dhamma - as authentically as we can. And also to have fun doing so! Ajahn Brahm declares himself a member of the Hahayana school of Buddhism which is about creating happiness in this world.

Ajahn Brahm explains how meditation helps us relax by using humour and stories.  As well as
humour he tells us stories help dissolve the five hindrances or blocks to meditation which
reduce depression, anxiety and anger by developing positive emotions and gratitude.
The results are an increase in satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment.

Responding to two requests about how to deal with the ending of relationships, Ajahn Brahm gives a unique talk on when and how to end relationships in a way that is skillful and compassionate.

We all have to bear with difficult and challenging circumstances in life. Ajahn Brahm talks about the quality of endurance: the dumb sort of endurance, and the wise sort of endurance which is what we should cultivate.

Responding to a request, Ajahn Brahm talks about loneliness which for many people is a big problem. Ajahn Brahm talks about what loneliness is, what its causes are and how to overcome it.

Too many people are trying to improve themselves, and underlying this attitude is a non-acceptance towards ourselves, and relentless perfectionism that tends towards makes ourselves miserable. Whilst it may be counter-intuitive to people in the West, the path to self improvement begins with accepting ourselves just as we are. Through learning to be at peace with ourselves, we heal the inner conflicts and begin to grow.

This is the last dhamma talk given by Ajahn Brahm for 2016 in the hour leading up to midnight. Ajahn Brahm gives a dhamma talk and then guides the audience in meditation to bring in the new year, 2017.

The last guided meditation class of the year - New Year's Eve - for 2016. 

In his last dhamma talk for 2016, Ajahn Brahm asks us to reflect back on the year. Have you lived up to expectations? Have you set your goals for 2017? Have you written down how you intend to improve yourself and your life? Ok, now throw it in the bin! That's right, if you want to be happy the best way to do it is to lower your expectations to the point where you are happy with yourself and what you have right now. So stop judging and start loving with your imperfections and those of others too!

Ajahn Brahm gave a sound introduction to meditation for the beginners that were present on Tuesday 27th, along with his customary jokes and stories.  He guided us through meditation then regaled us with a story "Old Monks Don't Lie" to guide us away from the arrow of wanting.

Having just returned from a pilgrimage to the Buddhist holy sites in India and Nepal, he talks about the spiritual dimension of pilgrimage. This is not just a travelogue, but rather talking about the ancient tradition of pilgrimage - something Buddhists did before any other religion got the idea - as a source of inspiration to propel us along the path towards Awakening.

Ajahn Brahm starts this dhamma talk with the humourous story about the monk and the tiger, which explains why monks don't run. He goes on to talk about the benefits of humility and learning from our mistakes. And also he talks about generating energy, especially when we start to get tired.

Ajahn Brahm tackles the morally complex issue of euthanasia with fine-tuned Buddhist wisdom.

Here's the meaning of life: "Life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease".  But is that all there is to it? Ajahn Brahm offers a deeper perspective on the question of "what is the meaning of life?" And rather than the meaning being 'out there' to be discovered, it is rather the meaning that we give to our lives.