During a tea time gathering at Tisarana, Ajahn Viradhammo answers questions about: transitioning from the “end” of formal meditation, explanation of the terms: awareness/ space/consciousness, being stuck on the awareness of awareness, dealing with the habit of the busy, do something mind, right thought, and when the mind won’t settle down for sleep.… Read the rest

Ajahn Viradhammo speaks to the winter retreat support crew of 2016. He explains how to have a skillful attitude during the retreat by not reacting to one’s likes and dislikes, developing harmonious communication, and serving the retreat in a helpful and wholesome way. All of these acts of goodness help to support one’s personal practice so Dhamma and insight can be more easily penetrated.… Read the rest

Dealing with a cold, Ajahn Viradhammo explains that when we go through difficulties in our lives, instead of focusing on our histories and problems (which create endless objects of the mind (sankharas), if we accept and remain aware of our changing experiences then we can face such adversity with a mind at ease.… Read the rest

By taking the middle way between resistance and indulgence, Ajahn Viradhammo suggests that we try to monitor our habits and see where the thinking mind gets us stuck in self views. From this understanding we can learn how to abandon the thinking process, simply knowing mental formations (sankharas) as mental formations.… Read the rest

In regards to our experience of inhabiting a body and being ill, we can learn how we understand and conceive time. According to Ajahn Viradhammo this is a ripe area for investigation in our practice.… Read the rest

Ajahn Viradhammo begins by explaining the Itipiso Chant, and how we practice with the Three Refuges. We are encouraged us to ask ourselves: What gives us strength? What it is we trust in?  And what can we ultimately rely on?… Read the rest

Reflecting on being sick after returning from his pilgrimage to India, Ajahn Viradhammo recommends that we allow our experiences into awareness rather than trying to get somewhere or get something. If we understand the nature of changing conditions, we can transcend the mind that is attempting to solidify and control our experience.… Read the rest

Ajahn Viradhammo begins his talk speaking about karma yoga (a life of service) and goes on to define what it means to let go of our attachments and grasping, finding balance in our lives both on and off the cushion.… Read the rest

Ajahn Viradhammo speaks about how we occupy the mind with various unwholesome objects (attaching to the 5 khandas) and how we can use skillful objects to notice this and let go of our attachments.… Read the rest

Ajahn Vīradhammo explains how to live skilfully in the present moment. He explores our tendencies to “catastrophize” our experience and gives alternatives to anticipation (becoming), non-becoming, and sense desire (bhava tanha, vibhava tanha and kama tanha).… Read the rest