Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Venerable Pasado | Living Simply | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

April 2018

Recorded at Wat Dhammayanaram.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Venerable Bodhidhaja | Letting Go In Meditation | The Armadale Meditation Group

Venerable Bodhidhaja doesn't get to Club Med often, certainly not as often as we'd like. How-ever, when he does it's always to an audience that greatly appreciates the session.

Venerable commenced with an explanation with comparisons, of the Four Noble Truths. Rather than quote the sutta, Venerable termed them in a manor more easily understood by us all and relating to our meditation practice. The focus of his talk is in letting go during meditation, something we all struggle with to one degree or another.

After the introduction Venerable lead the group in meditation for slightly longer than usual and in a method not seen by the majority of us. Venerable asked us to imagine that we were slowly filling with warm, comforting water. Commencing with our feet and working slowly to the top of our heads. An interesting meditation that was thoroughly enjoyed by all and suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable talked on gratitude, a subject well needed at this time of year and very much a part of a monks life. Venerable suggested the following to assist us;

Reflecting on the good during every long trip [commuting to work].
Gratitude countdown from 10 to 0 or ABC.
A gratitude jar or journal
Acknowledgement [in conversation, sms or e-mail]
Reflecting with gratitude before bed, upon waking and when commuting.

As is usual with Venerable he included references that are on-line and open to all of us;

In A Nutshell [Kurzgesagt] – An antidote to dissatisfaction.

A Grateful Day – Brother David Steindl-Rast.

The Virtue Project

Share Tree App & Character Cards

Venerable then opened to Q&A.

 

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Jhanarato | Escape The Heat, Meditate | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

December 2019

Ajahn Jhanarato encouraged us to let the heat go and enjoy the meditation as a time to relax. When it's hot we tend to allow the heat to get to us, make us uncomfortable and unable to relax. Ajahn asked us to not only let go any noise around us but the heat as well.  Ajahn then lead the group in a 30 minute body scan meditation well suited to beginners and experienced a like.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.

 

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the Stocker Road Project.

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

Venerable Pasado | Consequences | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

April 2018

Recorded at Wat Dhammayanaram.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Venerable Radha | Live Right Die Right | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

Monday Night Meditation July 2018 with Venerable Radha.

Recorded at Dhammayanaram Monastery, home of the Cambodian Society of WA.

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online here. 

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the *BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Ajahn Jhanarato | Just Relax | The Armadale Meditation Group

Ajahn Jhanarato asks us to “just relax”. Whilst breath meditation is the main focus of most meditations Ajahn starts with a relaxing body scan then allows us to move naturally to the breath.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A with explanations on some of the more difficult hindrances for beginners.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching
you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Santutthi | Our Habitual Nature | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

November 2019

Ajahn Santutthi talks to us about the habitual nature of our minds and how it can disrupt our meditation practise.

 

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Venerable Radha | A Serene Mind | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

Monday Night Meditation July 2018 with Venerable Radha.

Recorded at Dhammayanaram Monastery, home of the Cambodian Society of WA.

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online here. 

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the *BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Ajahn Brahmavamso | Pleasant Moment Awareness | The Armadale Meditation Group

Ajahn Brahm arrived at Club Med and entered in his usual manner, via the wrong door. Ajahn then partially sat down and then promptly stood again, to the surprise and laughter of the entire room. Ajahn does this in good humour to set us on the path to fun and laughter for the evening regardless of the subject.

Ajahn then for the benefit of those who are starting out in meditation, spoke on the many methods of and hindrances to meditation. Ajahn then guided the group through a 30 minute meditation beginning with a body scan and ending with silence. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After the guided meditation, Ajahn opened to Q&A. As always, Ajahn uses his life experience and humour interspersed with jokes to convey his message and answers.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the
BSWA teachings page: /, choose the AMG teaching
you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Jhanarato | Loose The Days Baggage | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

Recorded at Dhammayanaram Monastery, home of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of WA November 2019.

Ajahn Jhanarato asks us to leave behind the days baggage and simply enjoy the meditation as a time to relax. We humans tend to hang onto everything, just let it go and relax. Ajahn also suggests that watching the current news before meditation is not going to help. Turn off the phone, the TV and anything else that may intrude and just meditate.

Ajahn lead the group in a 30 minute body scan meditation well suited to beginners and experienced a like.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

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

Bhante Aranavihara | Why Am I Meditating? | The Armadale Meditation Group

Bhante Aranavihara encouraged us to ask ourselves why we meditate? Bhante then gave a brief talk on some of the reasons we meditate and how best to deal with them once meditation commences. Bhante asked us to remind ourselves every five minutes or so to come back to our meditation object, not forcefully, but gently.

Bhante begins the meditation by using a body scan and asking us to let our bodies settle down. After the body scan Bhante suggests we shift our attention to either the breath or our metta object.

After the meditation Bhante opened to Q&A. 

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Venerable Sampasadana | Meditation Is Chilling Out | The Armadale Meditation Group

Though not his first teaching assignment, tonight was Venerable Sampa’s first visit as a teacher to The Armadale Meditation Group and a most welcome one. Venerable opened the evening by comparing meditation to cooking. Sometimes the recipe works, sometimes it’s ok and sometimes it’s not what we were expecting at all. So it is with meditation. Sometimes it’s fabulous and sometimes it just doesn’t work. When it doesn’t work, we need to look at what is stopping us.  The disruptive thoughts, the nagging feelings. We need to examine them and at least attempt to resolve them. This needs to be done gently, with kindness and compassion. We can’t just push them aside, they will keep coming back.

Venerable then lead the group in a slightly longer than usual meditation with the first focus being relaxed and comfortable. He then moved the focus to breathing. An easy meditation well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After the meditation Venerable opened to Q&A.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Appichato | What Can Meditation Do? | The Armadale Meditation Group

The monks' Rains Retreat has finally come to an end and the first to bless us with his teachings is Ajahn Appi.

In his pre-monk life Ajahn was a nurse and he ordained as an anagarika at Bodhinyana monastery in 1993. After 5 years as a fully ordained monk he travelled extensively, living in monasteries in Italy, England, Thailand, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. In 2008 he returned to Bodhinyana and is now second only to Ajahn Brahm in seniority.

Ajahn guided us firstly through a 10 minute meditation focusing our attention on the ever present dark colour, we seem not to notice, when we close our eyes. The meditation then progressed to breath meditation focused on the sensations around the mouth.

An easy meditation well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Following the meditation Ajahn opened to questions.

 

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Barry Gaskin | Comparative Buddhism | The Armadale Meditation Group

The last week of Rains has arrived. The monks will be with us again next week but we have one more guest speaker before then - Barry Gaskin. Barry has been an attendee at the Armadale group for almost 20 years. He has traveled much of South East Asia in his working career - Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Barry gave a background to his strange introduction to Meditation and Buddhism. He explained his observations as a Westerner living in Buddhist countries, his beliefs of Pre-Birth through to Post Death, how lucky we are and also how meditation can impact on happiness. Meditation is always taught "how to do" but he wants to explain "when to do" as a way of life, with difference and ease.

Barry then lead the group in a 30 minute meditation easily enjoyed by experienced and beginners alike. Barry began with a relaxing body scan, asking us to open our hearts to self-compassion and finishing with a difference.

After meditation Barry continued his talk on Buddhism in both the West and the East.

 

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the
BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.  Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Richard Thomas | Metta, Compassion Meditation | The Armadale Meditation Group

It’s week 12 of our Rains Schedule already and this week, we have Richard Thomas. Richard came to meditation in the early '80s and discovered BSWA in 1992. He has completed several 3 month Rains retreats, has stayed at Bodhinyana and has also attended retreats at Kyaswa monastery in Myanmar. He was the editor of the book "Emptiness and Stillness" which marked Ajahn Brahm's 60th birthday. He was also a key co-ordinator of the 2015 Global Conference on Buddhism in Perth and a Member of the BSWA Committee and occasional teacher of the Introduction to Meditation course at Dhammaloka. So Richard brings both his experience and expertise to this weeks session.

Richard commenced the session by asking us to reflect on Metta, compassion in general and why we meditate. Richard used his own extensive experience and known facts about Metta meditation to instruct us before commencing the meditation. Richard then guided us in a 30 minute meditation well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After meditation Richard opened to Q&A before continuing his talk on Metta and compassion.

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

U Zor Hane | Establishing Awareness | The Armadale Meditation Group

Week 10 of Rains and this week we have U Zor Hane. Zor is originally from Burma, but has been in Australia for over 40 years. He is the Spiritual Advisor of the Buddhist Meditation Society in Joondalup. He has given talks at universities, schools, business organisations and at the Perth Detention Centre. He worked with drug addicted young people at the Palmerston Farm drug rehabilitation centre for 4 years, showing them the life skills that can be achieved through meditation and the Buddhist way of living with wisdom, awareness and harmlessness (to oneself and to others).

Zor lead the group in a 30 minute meditation session beginning with a body sweep then shifting to breath. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After meditation Zor spoke to us on Karma and before closing the night, opened to questions.

For further talks and meditation session from U Zor Hane please visit the Buddhist Meditation Society.

 

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: , choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Mark Simpson | Yoga and Buddhism | The Armadale Meditation Group

Week eight of the Rains season and this week we had Mark Simpson. Mark is a yoga teacher, writer, holistic health coach and facilitator. His work integrates postures, breathing practices, meditation and philosophy. He is interested in mindfulness and meditation practices and draws on them both in his own personal life and to help others observe and care for their bodies and minds. He has also attended retreats at Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village including a retreat focused on Compassionate Leadership.

Mark then lead the group in a thirty minute meditation focusing on the breath and being kind to our bodies. This meditation is well suited to both beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Mark continues his talk on the common areas with Buddhism and Yoga. Towards the end of the evening Mark opened to questions.

For further information on Mark, Yoga and Buddhism, please visit his website.

 

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Rob Hendry | Living Buddha Living Christ | The Armadale Meditation Group

Week six of the Rains season and this week we had Rob Hendry. Rob is a recent convert to meditation and an Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) regular. Rob grew up entrenched within Christianity and has a Bachelors’ Degree in Theology. He has preached regularly in Christian churches, and turned to meditation during last year’s AMG Rains schedule as a way to deal with both stress, pain and illness. He was quickly converted to the trans-formative power of meditation and is eager to share its benefits with others. Rob’s talk this evening focused on his interest in the areas of commonality between Buddhism and Christianity.

Rob then lead the group in a thirty minute meditation focusing on the breath and simplicity. This meditation is well suited to both beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Rob continued his talk on the common areas with Buddhism and Christianity. Towards the end of the evening Rob opened to questions.

 

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Dennis Sheppard | Stillness Of The Mind | The Armadale Meditation Group

Week five of the Rains season and this week we had the President of the BSWA, Dennis Sheppard. Dennis focused our attention right from the start onto one of the many things meditators like/try/hope to achieve. A stillness of the mind. By letting go of the world around us, the past, the future and even the body we can slowly but surely achieve this state, arriving very much into the present moment.

Dennis guided us in a meditation with stillness of the mind as our goal. To begin we focused on our posture, feet resting flat on the floor, back straight, head upright, body comfortable and relaxed. The meditation is slightly longer than the usual 30 minutes, well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After meditation Dennis continued his talk on the silence of the mind.

Dennis is a very experienced long time meditator and has a number of videos available on his web site specifically directed towards beginning Buddhist meditation.

 

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: , choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Kathryn Choules | Equanimity or Upekkhà | The Armadale Meditation Group

Kathryn’s fourth and final session for the rains period of 2019, her chosen subject, Equanimity or Upekkhà. Kathryn started the session by giving us a formal definition of equanimity and then providing real world examples.

Upekkhà is the Buddhist concept of equanimity. As one of the Brahma Vihara (meditative states), it is a pure mental state cultivated on the Buddhist path to nirvāna.

Equanimity is a state of psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by experience of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other phenomena that may cause others to lose the balance of their mind. The virtue and value of equanimity is extolled and advocated by a number of major religions and ancient philosophies.

Equanimity is something many of us tend to not recognise and to have difficulty in achieving. This occurs often for those of us dealing with suffering of family, friends or even peoples of the world. We become trapped within our emotions.

Kathryn then lead the group in meditation with equanimity as the focus. The meditation and subject is perhaps best suited to intermediate and advanced meditators.

After meditation Kathryn continued her talk on equanimity and opened to questions. Kathryn also answered questions she had not had time to answer in previous weeks. One of the last questions asked of Kathryn was “how long should we meditate for”. Kathryn’s answer was “do what-ever you’ll do”. So we should be happy with any length of meditation that we can achieve at that time.

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

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.