Ven Canda leads a guided meditation on the topic "Daring to forgive".

Ven Candā begins this session with an introductory reflection on the benefits of an expansive mind of love for absorbing difficult emotions and experiences. She then leads a guided meditation for the cultivation of loving awareness of one’s own body and loving-kindness directed towards a loved one. In the last 10 minutes, participants share their meditation experiences and Ven Candā offers a few final reflections.

[0:00] Introduction

[6:20] Guided meditation

[40:05] Discussion

In honour of her first preceptor's birthday, Venerable Candā shares not one but two Pali chants on loving-kindness to spread goodwill and blessings to all listeners and to all beings.

In this session, the second part of a half-day retreat given at Anukampa Grove, Ven Candā spends 40 minutes answering questions from retreatants, then closes the retreat with a soft, 30-minute loving-kindness meditation.

[0:00] Introduction

[1:58] The importance of silence

[8:53] Unnecessary speech

[13:58] “Letting be” meditation

[18:10] Will taking 8 precepts bring deep meditation faster?

[22:05] Why chocolate and cheese?

[25:05] Is the Pali Canon really the Word of the Buddha?

[30:57] Getting into the suttas

[36:05] Tricky dualities: the wise and unwise person

[40:50] Guided meditation

In this session given as part of a half-day retreat at Anukampa Grove, Ven Candā gives a brief talk on giving the mind a break and settling into the present, away from the unhelpful influences of past and future. She provides tips on topics such as knowing what the present moment feels like, following the present into our emotional world, and staying present in daily life. The talk is followed by a half-hour guided meditation.

[0:00] Dhamma Talk

[22:25] Meditation

After introducing the session’s meditation subject, Ven Candā leads participants in a guided meditation focusing on the world of emotions, leading us in offering loving acceptance to whatever we become aware of in that space, and ending by spreading loving-kindness to fellow emotional beings across the realms.

[0:00] Getting in touch with emotions

[5:38] Guided meditation

[44:44] Ending reflection

Dhamma talk, guided meditation and Q & A with Ven Canda.

In this heartfelt talk, Bhante Sujato discusses misogyny and patriarchy in Buddhist communities and institutions, describing his own reckoning after witnessing reactions to the 2009 bhikkhuni ordination and his subsequent explorations on the topic.

He shows how misogyny goes against core Buddhist principles by investigating the first six factors of the Noble Eightfold Path through the lens of gender equality.

[0:00] Aftermath of the bhikkhuni ordination

[9:44] Misogyny and patriarchy

[14:22] Right and wrong views

[22:20] A perversion of lust

[27:16] The hidden hate in misogyny

[36:00] Untrue and divisive

[43:11] Violence, land, and temptresses

[50:33] Keeping resources from nuns

[58:13] Q&A

After a meditation on bringing up gratitude for the gifts of our lives, Bhante Sujato gives a skillful talk that takes a positive and compassionate angle on politics.

In spite of the tumultuous state of politics and ethical crises worldwide, he encourages us to believe that our practice can support us to take moral action in a form that is suitable for each of us.

Using the Buddha’s approach to political advice as an example, he further urges us to have faith that governments can still be used to make the world a better place.

[0:00] The eels of the Darug nation

[5:46] Gratitude meditation

[31:25] Dhamma talk

[1:10:30] Q&A

Ajahn Brahm and Ven Candas closing words of the retreat Finding Freedom.