Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Recording from Ajahn Brahm’s One-Day Meditation Retreat on the 18th of October 2014 at the Halton Peel Buddhist Society, Mississauga, Ontario Canada.

The first talk was an introduction to meditation with an emphasis on the initial preparation. The second recording, ‘The Symbol of the Lotus Flower’, expanded on the topic of meditation.

This third recording is questions and answers. Ajahn answers questions about body-scanning (awareness of feelings in the body), letting go of oneself, and a question about attachment arising "naturally" (which Ajahn argues, is actually unnatural). The fourth recording is a Dhamma talk on ‘What is Right Livelihood.’ 

Teaching retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ1dx5T2P24 (YouTube Channel: urbanbuddhistmonk)

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What are we to do when we just don't want to meditate? Should we persist or should we try something else? Ajahn Brahm offers wise advice on how to deal with feelings of aversion to meditation.

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Ajahn Brahmavamso conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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

liAjahn Brahma conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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

Kathryn begins her second of four weeks at AMG by asking all to do a standing body shake - starting with the upper body and finishing with the lower body. This exercise is one practised by the director of Paliative care at Royal Perth Hospital to help patients dissipate the physical signs of stress that has built up in the body during day.

Kathryn then continued her talk on reactivity to external stimuli and what actually happens chemically within our bodies. She then details ways of shortening the time it takes for us to return from those situations that cause us to remain in that stressed state of mind. Mindfully being aware that it is happening will allow us to return to normal in a shorter period of time or, at the very least, shorten the time it takes for those chemicals to dissipate.

We all endure daily situations where we'd rather not be. Being able to be there without over-reacting and, to some degree, reducing the time that we are stressed, can be achieved with mindfulness.

Kathryn then guided the group through a 30 minute body scan meditation using mindfulness.

After the very relaxing body scan meditation Kathryn continued her discussion and talk on our reactions to the sensations we felt during the meditation with a focus on what we noticed or became aware of and not over-reacting.

Kathryn then talks on perception and conditioning within our lives. Kathryn openly relates from an example in her own life when she was nine and how this has changed her perceptions. Our conditioning affects our perceptions and our reactions to reality.

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Ajahn Brahm responds to the question: "How do we deal with people that irritate us?"

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Ajahn Brahmavamso conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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

Ajahn Brahmali conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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Ajahn Sujato conducts an intermediate/ advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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

Ajahn Appichato conducts an intermediate / advanced meditation class for approximately one hour. Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia. 

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