Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm talks about the profoundly deep, blissful states of mind attained in meditation known as the jhanas. He explains where the come from and what they mean so that meditators know where they are heading and how the jhanas fits into the Eightfold Path.

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The idea of "letting go" of attachment seems simple enough, but in practice it can be so hard to do! Ajahn Brahm gives advice on how to let go of attachment the easy way.

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To find the answer to the question above, you'll need to listen to the session.

Ajahn, despite recovering from a bout of "pony virus", regaled us with his presence on a cold night at Club Med. Using humour, jokes, funny stories and common sense Ajahn warmed our hearts and calmed our minds while teaching us how to meditate.  Ajahn then led us in a 30 min guided meditation well suited to beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation, Ajahn continued to instruct us using humour, jokes, funny stories and common sense.

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Ajahn Brahm briefly explains the process of how relaxation leads into deep meditation and inspires us to experience the deep levels of meditation.

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Ajahn Brahm often says that he has met people that have done terrible things, but never met a person that is evil. Ajahn gives some examples on how people really are kind deep inside their heart.

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Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for about 30 minutes.

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Ajahn Brahm describes how letting go of fear frees up the possibilities and potentials within our minds. 

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It's not what you experience that is the problem, but rather, how you experience it that can cause (or solve) problems. Ajahn Brahm uses the Five Hindrances as a lens through which to understand our relationship to life, and how this understanding can give us the choice to relate to the difficulties in life with more patience, compassion and wisdom.

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Ajahn Brahm talks about how to develop the power of mindfulness through 'total listening'. This ability can help us wake up to life and find success in life.

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Do you know what you really want? When you get what you want will you really be satisfied? Do we really know what we want? Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on how to find out what we really want ... and how to get it.

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Venerable opened the evening with a talk about a not often mentioned subject, preparing for our meditation and what we do as we end our meditation.  Venerable used the simile of a gate keeper allowing people to pass.  When we start our meditation we need a gate keeper to stop all thoughts but allow only those that are relevant to pass.  By doing this we enjoy a much quieter meditation.  When we end our meditation we need to take a moment to examine what has occurred during our meditation, look into the reasons such thoughts occur and what effect they may have had.  By doing this we slowly but surely build resistance to such thoughts occurring during our meditation.

Venerable then lead the group in a relaxed breath meditation.

After the meditation Venerable talked to us about the tradition of tudong.  Tudong is a Thai word used to describe Buddhist Monks when they go wandering or travelling in the wilderness.  Venerable then opened to Q&A.


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Ajahn Brahm often travels to teach overseas, but he says "I don't travel at all. I just sit back on the plane and the aircraft does the moving."  Likewise in meditation, Ajahn says, if you follow your mind, then it doesn't wander off because you're always with it. He advises that whatever your experiencing in meditation give it importance and kindness.

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"Even though the body is sick, the mind does not need to be sick," says Ajahn Brahm. Ajahn teaches us to not fear sickness.

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Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for about 30 minutes.

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Ajahn Brahm's "Real Dhamma Tour"; (UK Dhamma Tour for Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project). Dhamma Talk: "Real Love and Anukampa" given on 13-10-2017. Please visit: www.anukampaproject.org and YouTube: Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. We apologise for the sound quality in parts of this recording.

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Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on why and how to meditate with ease.

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Ajahn Santutthi encouraged us to consider meditation as recharging the batteries of the mind. We are learning how to be passengers in our meditation practice, not dictators. So when random thoughts pop up, just observe, don't engage, let them go. Having present moment awareness isn't impossible, it just takes practice. The result is being right here, right now and gaining a stepping stone to inner peace. Be patient and gentle with yourself.

Ajahn guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to both experienced meditators and beginners. Ajahn suggested that we patiently observe our mind and see where it is in this moment. No heavy focus, just gentle observation and notice what we as individuals would like our meditation object to be, rather than making an arbitrary decision. By allowing our minds to be where they want to be as we start to meditate, we remove some of the rigidity. A softer approach. Once our minds are settled and we are just observers, we can then gently change direction and focus on an object such as our breath, as we would normally do.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.

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Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on how to get one's mind and life out of the fog of confusion using the clarity born of mindfulness.

Recorded at the Chempaka Buddhist Lodge in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

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Ajahn Brahm explains how to live this life in a way that leads us to heaven.

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Interesting in practicing the spiritual path, but feel too lazy to get started? Ajahn Brahm has advice for people who are lazy and just want an easy life....and spirituality too.