Buddhist Society of Western Australia

It was Vesak day on Tuesday and Ajahn Cittapalo joined us at AMG.  Vesak Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha in the Theravada or southern tradition.  Ajahn having attended Vesak celebrations at Dhammaloka on Sunday, where many people took refuge by becoming Buddhist, noticed that for many, the five precepts are hard and fast rules.  Many of us do the same when we meditate.  We try too hard and become disenchanted when we fail.

Ajahn would never say that it is ok to consume alcohol, rather that we consider that we really should try to stop.  So it is with our meditations.  When random thoughts occur, we should simply let them come and go.  Don't get entangled, but don't try too hard and be overly critical that the thoughts continue.  Over time the ability to simply stand back in your mind and watch will grow and the thoughts will be come less frequent.  The same will happen with alcohol, each time we consume it, we consider it and do it less until we don't do it at all.

Ajahn tells us that our intentions matter more in all things.  When we meditate, it is our intention to gain a peaceful mind that matters.  Not being overly self critical for having thoughts.  Just as with the five precepts, it is our intentions that matter.

Ajahn led us in a body scan to relax us then a very peaceful silent meditation.

After the meditation Ajahn continued his talk on our intentions, cautioning us all to not be too critical of our efforts both in life and meditation.  After Ajahn concluded he joined the group in celebrating Vesak day.


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An often funny but most of all relaxing evening with Ajahn Brahm.  Ajahn asks us to remember why the British Empire lost many of it's colonies. They stopped having "tea breaks".  They stopped taking a break, stopped taking a moment to relax both the body and the mind.  When we become stressed we become less efficient at everything.  Driving, working and even doing our domestic chores.  Stop, take 5 minutes and meditate.

It is very difficult to relax the mind if the body isn't relaxed first.  So take the time to look deeply into your body, asking silently each part of your body if it is relaxed.  If it isn't then focus on it and move it if you need to.  Scratch that itch, rub that nose but most of all, relax.  Then move onto the mind and simply observe.  Don't get tangled up in your thoughts, just let them come and go.  Relax.  Guess what, you are meditating.

Ajahn reminded us that organisations such as Google and Face Book now have meditation areas set aside for their employees.  This allows them to take a break, relax.  This improves efficiency greatly.  So we should take the time to relax, meditate, even for just 5 minutes a day.  Learn our bodies, get physically comfortable, then relax the mind.

Ajahn then guided us through a 30 minute meditation that is well suited to beginners, novice or advanced meditators alike.

After the guided meditation, Ajahn opened to Q&A.

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Ajahn tells us that change is inevitable in all things, in all matters.  Meditation helps us learn how to deal with the changes in our lives, our
circumstances and ourselves.  Such change is not always to our liking or such that we can prevent.   Change happens.  Deal with it.  Rather than
become angry, distressed or sad, we meditate and deal with it in a calm rational fashion.

We had no new meditators on this occasion so rather than a full guided 30 minute meditation, Ajahn and the fifty odd people in attendance simply focused on a breath meditation with occasional guidance from Ajahn.  The experienced meditators amongst the group were encouraged to do their own thing.

After meditation Ajahn opened to, and answered well, a number of questions very relevant to meditation.


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When it's done it's finished. Meditation allows us to leave the things that have happened in our busy lives and be peaceful, be calm. Forget about what's happened before and just be in this moment. Sit down, close your eyes and relax. Many of us don't give ourselves that opportunity to let it all go. We wake in the morning full of beans and by the end of the day we are mentally tired. We need to train our minds to let the day go. Meditation allows us to do this.

Ajahn guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to people learning to meditate.

After the meditation Ajahn related a story about the growth of a fire tree at Bodhinyana Monastery. He had watched the tree grow for many years and wondered why, given the care it received, that it hadn't seemed to grow. Ajahn continued his training in Wat Buddha Dhamma Buddhist Monastery in Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales for five years. On returning to Bodhinyana Monastery, he was quietly walking past the fire tree and wondered how it was faring. He was surprised to find that it was now an enormous mature tree. Just as Ajahn didn't notice the slight growth of the fire tree, when we begin to meditate, we often don't see or rather, notice any progress. Each time we meditate, be it for five minutes a day or half an hour each week, we are retraining our minds and this has a cumulative effect. One day we will sit down and realise that we can let it all go just as easily as sitting down.

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Venerable started the evening by relating an interesting story of events that occurred when receiving dana sometime ago on a particularly hot day.  A lady was standing in bare feet on hot concrete, as was Venerable, and they both had to dance to avoid their feet being burnt.  Venerable used this story to relate to the way we have rain storms in our minds.  Rather than running away and hiding, we need to learn how to dance in the rain of our minds.  

"Life is not about waiting for the rain storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain".  Venerable Nitho.

Venerable continued by encouraging us to follow the first noble truth in Buddhism; Life is suffering or dukkha.  That doesn't mean it is awful, just that we need to learn how to dance in the rain and be happy.  Life starts where your comfort zone ends.  If you stay in your comfort zone, you don't extend your life.
 
Venerable then guided us in a body scan meditation ending with five minutes of silent observation of our minds.

After the meditation Venerable opened to Q&A.  Several of the questions, relating to things that trip us all over when we begin meditation, needed an in-depth explanation, which Venerable Nitho was able to give.



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Rather than describing meditation as a means to an end, or a tool we use to achieve nibbana, Venerable Bodhi describes meditation to us as coming home to stillness and peace.  Venerable goes on to describe how we have unlearned the way to enjoy silence, stillness and peace.  Venerable tells us that meditation is actually quite easy, it's something that everyone can do.  The hard part is to maintain it, to be there and actually prolong that moment and to come back to it when our thought process interrupts.  To start again is always difficult for a beginner.  Venerable describes all these situations really well and encourages us to persevere and practise.

Venerable then leads the group through a 30 minute guided meditation with the primary focus on our body.  The meditation is well suited to beginners and more experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable gives a talk on karuna or caring.  Karuna is a Sanskrit word and is used in Buddhism. It is translated to mean any action that is taken to diminish the suffering of others and could also be translated as "compassionate action".  Venerable’s talk on karuna is well presented and easy to follow, encouraging us to care for ourselves and others mindfully.



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Venerable Mudito tells us that "we come first". You can't give love and kindness [metta] to someone else if you don't give love and kindness [meta] to yourself first. If you don't have anything to give, you cannot give. So we must love ourselves first and foremost in our lives, then we are better positioned to give to others.

Venerable Mudito tells us that meditation should be fun, what a blessing to sit and meditate. Venerable then lead us through a 30 minute body contemplation meditation. Look as closely as you can at each and every part of your body. Just focus on relaxing the whole body. This meditation is well suited to both beginner and experienced a like.

After the meditation Venerable Mudito opened to questions. With everyone so relaxed and spaced out that there were no questions, Venerable related his own experience with beginning meditation and how it can be of great benefit to us. From health issues to anxiety meditation, being kind to ourselves, will benefit us and all those around us.

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Ajahn began the night with his own brand of wit and humour making everyone laugh and relax.  Ajahn then encouraged us to keep a light heart in meditation, relax to the max, be peaceful and let go.  When we let go of the past and the future, we have nothing to bother us, nothing to worry about.  As the great philosopher Snoopy once said "worrying about the future never stops bad things happening, whether you worry about them or not they happen, but what it does stop you doing is enjoying the present moment".  Like everything else in life we have to practice, we need to train ourselves how to let go.  So meditation is our training in how to let go of the future and the past, just live in the present moment.  Don't try to improve yourself.  Don't try to change yourself.  Just care for yourself.

When Ajahn had us all relaxed and had our attention, he led us in a thirty minute guided meditation well suited to beginners and experienced alike.

After the meditation Ajahn then regaled us with more stories and jokes. Leaving us feeling relaxed and in good humour when we then socialised with all present with chocolate cake.  A relaxing and enjoyable evening was had by all.

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Ajahn begins by explaining what meditation is likely to be to beginners, those of us that have never meditated before.  Ajahn brings our attention to our attitude when we wish to meditate, if our mind isn't settled or is in the negative, we struggle.  Ajahn further explains some of the hindranses that cause us to lose our focus during meditation.  The clock on the wall, the traffic going past.  Ajahn encourages us to simply be an observer and not to engage in these distractions.

To start the meditation, Ajahn encouraged us to relax, get comfortable and just be.  Ajahn guided us through a full body scan before guiding us in a 30 minute meditation.  Just be here, beautifully cool room, nice people around us.

After meditation Ajahn gave us a talk and opened to questions after bringing us all to laughter with light hearted humour.

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Ajahn Appi; “meditation is simple, developing the skill to meditate well, not so easy. It takes practice”. Ajahn then talked to us about the benefits of a good meditation highlighting many of the benefits.

Ajahn then guided us through a 30 minute meditation using several variations of breath meditation. To begin the meditation Ajahn asked us to focus firstly on the neutral object of the darkness we experience when we first begin our meditation with our eyes closed. By doing this we draw our attention away from our thoughts and feelings. Ajahn then changed the focus to our breathing in the full chest for a period of time then to the sensations around our mouths as we breath.

An easy meditation well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Following the meditation Ajahn opened to questions.

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Each year we are blessed with a visit and teaching by Bhante Nissarano. Bhante is based in Sri Lanka, visiting his home city of Perth once every year or two. On such visits, Bhante is usually in high demand, so we at AMG are very grateful for his time.

Bhante started the night by encouraging us to make our bodies physically comfortable first. If our body isn't comfortable our mind will not relax, let alone get comfortable. Bhante continues to encourage us to do our physical exercise first and then to work with our minds to further relax the body. Only after we are relaxed and comfortable can we then move onto relaxing the mind. For some the breath is neither exciting nor important enough for us to use as a meditation object. Bhante suggests that we encourage our minds to be positive and use "giving" to bring our emotions to a positive position. Bhante encourages us to find a positive mind state as a habit, not just for our meditation but our daily lives.

Bhante then guided the group through a 30 minute meditation suited to all, beginners to experienced alike.

After the meditation Bhante opened the floor to "comments, questions or complaints". Bhante then related an occasion when he did get a complaint from a meditator. Bhante used this example to encourage us to look at why this has happened. Once we identify the reason we can then deal with it and move onto thoughts and emotions that help us enjoy our lives.

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Ajahn Brahmali firstly describes what meditation is all about, nothing weird, nothing too complicated.  Ajahn encourages us to watch what is happening in our own mind as we meditate to see what we are thinking about.  This will allow us to establish what we personally prioritise in our lives.  We will often find that the things we personally prioritise such as work, hobbies and our terrible boss, are the things hindering our meditation.  By identifying what is actually distracting us, what we have unknowingly made our first priority, we can shift our thinking to things that will improve our entire lives.  Compassion for ourselves and our families.

Ajahn then guided us in a 30 minute meditation well suited to beginners and the more experienced of us [everyone
benefits from a refresher now and then].

After the meditation Ajahn continued the talk of the need for us all to have a long-term investment in meditation and our inner world. He said how important it is that we care for and develop our inner reactions to the world rather than spending so much time trying to collect possessions, change the world or grumble about the things we cannot change.


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Ajahn uses humour, jokes, funny stories and common sense to teach us how to meditate.  We forget that being physically comfortable is very important to a good meditation.  If we are physically uncomfortable it is difficult to be mentally comfortable, we can't focus.  Talk to your body, ask it if it is comfortable, fidget, squirm, cough but get comfortable.  Then move on to relaxing mentally.  Leave your heavy past in the past, forget your concerns about your future and just live in the moment.

Focus your attention on your breath and breath in "peace", out "let go".

After the guided meditation, Ajahn talks about mental health as well as general health and the benefits of meditation.

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Bhante begins with an explanation of present moment awareness.  Reminding all of us of those moments we all have in our lives that we can clearly remember in detail.  Where we were, who we were with, what was happening at that moment in time.  We often reflect to such moments when we hear a song or tune.  At the time you first heard the song or tune, you experienced present moment awareness.  Bhante explains why we need such awareness to meditate.

Bhante then guided the group in a 30min meditation using the breath as our meditation object, or point of focus.

Briefly after the meditation, Bhante opened to Q&A before giving us a talk on the things that will hinder [hinderances], our meditation practice.

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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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The first beginners meditation for 2018 and our teacher is Ajahn Santutthi.  For the benefit of first timers and those of us beginning in meditation, Ajahn Santutthi gave us an excellent layman’s explanation of meditation.  Ajahn then guided us through a 30 minute meditation followed by Q&A.

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Ajahn Appi explained briefly why many of us need to learn meditation.  Without going to deeply into technical terms, he listed many of the things that meditation can help with.  He furthered this with a talk about two reasons why people meditate.

Following the introduction talk Ajahn lead the group through a thirty minute meditation beginning with a 1 minute mantra meditation.  Meditation then progressed to a focus on the abdomen rising and falling as we breath.  Approximately halfway through we moved our focus to the area around the mouth as we breath.

Following the meditation Ajahn opened to questions.

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Ajahn used his experience when writing the book “Good? Bad? Who knows?”, to encourage us not to try constantly for perfection but rather to accept who we are and what is happening in our lives.  We can’t see the future, we can’t change the past, so just be happy in the present.

Ajahn then guided us through a meditation suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

Following the meditation Ajahn kept us well entertained with stories plus jokes about life experiences.  As Ajahn says “Good? Bad? Who knows?”.  If something happens that seems a disaster, look for the silver lining or rather, accept it for what it is and live in the moment”.

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Venerable Nitho led us on a guided walk through the mountains of Norway.  Venerable used his Rains Retreat experience to teach us that our thoughts, emotions and day to day experiences are just like meeting someone on a walk.  Don’t engage them, you smile, say hello, then continue walking.  Just as we notice the thoughts that enter our minds and let them go.

After the meditation Venerable opened the floor to a Q&A.

Venerable Cunda lead us first through a guided meditation most suitable to those of us that need to relax both physically and mentally.  The meditation was suitable for beginners and experienced alike.  A body scan and simply relaxing as much as possible allows us to also relax the mind.

After the guided meditation Venerable introduced himself and gave an excellent dharma talk. He then encouraged us in our practice by relating why he became a Buddhist Monk, the impact it has had on both his health, life in general and all those around him.

Venerable then spoke on the five precepts and then opened the floor to Q&A.