On occasion of Mother's Day, Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds us about the great value the Buddha has placed on the quality of gratitude, especially gratitude to parents.Gratitude and appreciation are qualities that brighten our heart, and we are ourselves the first to benefit from being grateful and appreciative.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Born as a human being in a peaceful, wealthy country like Australia

In reasonable good health with unimpaired mental faculties

At a time when the teaching of Buddha is still available

When we have 'Kalyaṇa-Mitta' (good spiritual friends)

When we have Forest Monasteries

And when we have at least some confidence/faith in the Triple Gem

(...)

( There are many more, feel free to fill in all the other blessings you can find in your own meditation 😊 )

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A questioner mentions that contemplation of impermanence ('anicca') can arouse strong feelings of anxiety. Ajahn Dhammasiha suggests skilfull means to conquer that fear:Conviction that we can move beyond all impermanent, conditioned phenomena and realize the unconditioned freedom of nibbānaEven if we do not realize nibbāna yet, we strengthen out conviction that death is not elimination, but that consciousness will be estabished in a new rebirth according to our karmaStrengthening our base of calm/samādhi before contemplating impermanenceNot giving in to the fear, but confronting it with courage and pressing on in our insight contemplation www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

After a meditator went through a lot of pain in the one hour meditation session, Ajahn Dhammasiha explains some basics about suitable posture and dealing with pain in meditation:It may be more beneficial to mindfully change posture, rather than to push for maximum sitting timeIt doesn't have to be Full Lotus Posture. Other options are Half Lotus; Both feet on floor in front; Stool; Chair (Yes, it's possible to meditate on a chair!)It's much more important to sit with the back upright, than to sit cross-leggedIt doesn't have to be sitting meditation. It's perfectly fine to do mostly walking meditation (or standing meditation)A lot of the 'discomfort' is actually in the mind, not in the body. If we really enjoy our meditation, we naturally can sit much longer without much painwww.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Two visitors in the audience work as radiographers, taking X-ray and CT scans and so on. Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the opportunity to remind us that meditators should all be "Radiographers" as well:We have to go deeper than the superficial and attractive surface of our body.We have to contemplate what's inside our body: Bones, Blood, Organs, tissue, ligaments, flesh.The Buddha taught us to develop the perception of the internal body parts whenever we look at attractive bodies, so that we can overcome desire, lust and attachment to the body.If we can overcome attachement, identification, desire and lust for the physical elements that constitute our body (and others' bodies), we've already accomplished the major part of our journey to enlightenment and freedom.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

We often try to deny the basic fact of our own mortality. Death is something that happens to others, old people and sick people, but not to ourselves. But denial is no solution, because in the end death will always get us. And deep down we know anyhow we're all mortal, and then the suppressed fear of death will manifest in all kinds of anxieties.Rather than denying death, the Buddha urges us to contemplate death deliberately ('Maraṇussati'). Not to resign ourselves to dying, but to follow the Buddha on the Noble Eight Fold Path that will ultimately lead us beyond death. Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds us that we all can defeat death and realize the same Deathless State of Nibbāna that the Buddha realized meditating under the Bodhi Tree.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

For the Theravada Buddhist New Year 13th April, traditional Buddhists visit the monasteries to make merit, and also to receive blessings to increase their 'good luck'. Ajahn Dhammasiha points out that 'good luck', fortune telling, astrology, feng shui, amulets, charms, and so on are not really a suitable foundation to bring us happiness.If our precepts are not pure, and we are stingy and egotistic, even the blessings of the most revered monks, or the most auspicious astrological constellation will not be able to help us. Instead, the Buddha encouraged us to rely on good karma. We have his garantee that whatever good karma ('puñña') we generate will always catch up with us at some stage, and will always result in happiness and good fortune.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about desire/craving.We all know that the Buddha has explained in the Four Noble Truths that craving is the cause of suffering. But how do we find the motivation to practise, if we let go of all desire?Ajahn explains that we have to distinguish different form of desire. Only sensual desire, desire for existance, and desire for annihilation is the cause of suffering. But the desire to practise meditation, to learn the Dhamma, to be virtuous and generous - that desire ('chanda' in Pali) is wholesome, it is part of the path, and it should be deliberately cultivated.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked what has sustained him to stay as a monk for 25 years. He explains that in his twenties he had a profound sense of the ultimately disappointing and meaningless nature of normal lay life. This insight motivated him to search for a better spiritual alternative, even though he was young and 'enjoying himself' (according to average worldly standards) as a student in the very exiting city Berlin around the time of German re-unification.The Bhikkhu's life, on the other hand, provides a clear goal and purpose, i.e. Nibbāna, which is infinitely superior to anything the world has to offer. And even if a monk does not succeed in attaining Nibbāna in this life, one makes heaps of good karma for an excellent rebirth, and lives a beautiful, reflective life in quiet nature.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

When we carefully investigate the various problems we struggle with, we notice that often the problem is not really the problem, but the real problem is the projection of "I", "Me", "Mine" and "Self". Only once we take up 'ownership' of the issues, only once we identify and cling to them do they become a problem for us.Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to instead contemplate the body, feelings, emotions and any external or internal phenomena whatsoever as:"This is not me, this is not mine, this is not my Self"www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive