Buddhist Society of Western Australia

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.

Ajahn encourages us to relax physically as much as possible before we start to meditate, explaining that meditation is not a chore.  Venerable then gives a guided beginners meditation.  Following meditation Ajahn gave us a talk and encouraged us to not foster negative thoughts to meditation, thus making it a chore but rather, to be as kind to ourselves as possible right from the beginning, no matter how long we meditate for.

Ajahn Cittapalo doesn't get to teach at AMG very often but when he does it is always to a full house.  Tonight was no exception.  Ajahn gave us a good grounding in beginners meditation and an often humourous talk after, then a brief Q&A.  We could easily and happily have gone over-time.

We are very fortunate to have Ajahn Cittapalo and he gives us his best.  A guided beginners meditation followed by a Q&A session.

Ajahn Cittapallo returns to us and we are lucky to have him.  A talk on meditation for beginners, a guided beginners meditation then Q&A.

We've not seen for more than a year so it's nice to see him return.  Ajahn Cittapalo is an experienced teacher so gives us an excellent explanation of meditation, a guided beginners meditation and Q&A.

Ajahn Cittapalo gives us an excellent explanation of meditation, a guided beginners meditation and Q&A.